Modular computing system

Abstract

A computing system is provided that includes a plurality of interconnected components. The components include a processing subsystem, an input subsystem, an output subsystem, a storage subsystem, and a power subsystem. Subsets of the plurality of components may be rearranged and interconnected in various configurations to form different computing systems.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of the functional modules included in a conventional desktop computer;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of the physical modules contained in a conventional desktop computer;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a set of components according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram of a set of components according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A-3E are block diagrams of configurations of the component set of FIG. 2A according to various embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a set of components that may be interconnected to form various computing systems according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5A-5D are block diagrams of functional modules included in components according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process 600 that is performed when a new component is added to a component set according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a plurality of components interconnected by connectors according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7B is a schematic view of a component having male and female connectors according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7C is a schematic view of two interconnected components according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising: a first component including a first functional module, the first functional module configured to perform a first function in a function class; anda second component including a second functional module, the second functional module configured to perform the first function in the function class,wherein the first component and the second component are coupled together such that the first function is provided by the first component in combination with the second component using the first functional module and the second functional module.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the first functional module comprises a first display and the second functional module comprises a second display, wherein the first and second display provide a single display function when the first function is provided by the first component in combination with the second component.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the first functional module comprises a first feature, wherein the second functional module comprises a second feature, and wherein at least one of the first feature and the second feature provides the first function.

4. The computing system of claim 3, wherein the first feature comprises a first display feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second display feature, and wherein the first component and the second component provide the first function using the first display feature and the second display feature.

5. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the first feature comprises a first display resolution, wherein the second feature comprises a second display resolution, and wherein the first function comprises a display function using the first display resolution and the second display resolution.

6. The computing system of claim 3, wherein the first feature comprises a first input feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second input feature, and wherein the first component and the second component provide the first function using the first input feature and the second input feature.

7. The computing system of claim 6, wherein the first input feature comprises a first set of input components, wherein the second input feature comprises a second set of input components, wherein an input device provided by the first component in combination with the second component uses the first set of input components and the second set of input components.

8. The computing system of claim 3, wherein the first functional module is configured to perform the first function using the first feature and the second feature.

9. The computing system of claim 3, wherein the first component and second component are configured to perform a second function using the first feature and the second feature.

10. A method for use with a computing system, the method comprising: (A) detecting a coupling, at a first component, of a second component to the first component, the first component including a first functional module, the first functional module configured to perform a first function in a function class, the second component including a second functional module, the second functional module configured to perform the first function in the function class; and(B) configuring the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component in combination with the second component provide the first function using the first functional module and the second functional module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first functional module comprises a first display and the second functional module comprises a second display, and wherein (B) comprises configuring the first and second display to provide a single display function when the first function is provided by the first component in combination with the second component.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first functional module comprises a first feature, wherein the second functional module comprises a second feature, and wherein (B) comprises configuring the first functional module and the second functional module to cause at least one of the first feature and the second feature to provide the first function.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first feature comprises a first display feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second display feature, and wherein (B) comprises configuring the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component and the second component to provide the first function using the first display feature and the second display feature.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first feature comprises a first display resolution, wherein the second feature comprises a second display resolution, and wherein the first function comprises a display function using the first display resolution and the second display resolution.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first feature comprises a first input feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second input feature, and wherein (B) comprises configuring the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component and the second component to provide the first function using the first input feature and the second input feature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first input feature comprises a first set of input components, wherein the second input feature comprises a second set of input components, and wherein (B) comprises configuring the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component in combination with the second component to provide an input function using the first set of input components and the second set of input components.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein (B) comprises configuring the first functional module to perform the first function using the first feature and the second feature.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein (B) comprises configuring the first component and the second component to perform a second function using the first feature and the second feature.

19. A computing system comprising: at least one processor; anda memory containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: detect a coupling, at a first component, of a second component to the first component, the first component including a first functional module, the first functional module configured to perform a first function in a function class, the second component including a second functional module, the second functional module configured to perform the first function in the function class; andconfigure the first-functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component in combination with the second component provide the first function using the first functional module and the second functional module.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the first functional module comprises a first display and the second functional module comprises a second display, and wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first and second display to provide a single display function when the first function is provided by the first component in combination with the second component.

21. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the first functional module comprises a first feature, wherein the second functional module comprises a second feature, and wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first functional module and the second functional module to cause at least one of the first feature and the second feature to provide the first function.

22. The computing system of claim 21, wherein the first feature comprises a first display feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second display feature, and wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component and the second component to provide the first function using the first display feature and the second display feature.

23. The computing system of claim 22, wherein the first feature comprises a first display resolution, wherein the second feature comprises a second display resolution, and wherein the first function comprises a display function using the first display resolution and the second display resolution.

24. The computing system of claim 21, wherein the first feature comprises a first input feature, wherein the second feature comprises a second input feature, and wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component and the second component to provide the first function using the first input feature and the second input feature.

25. The computing system of claim 24, wherein the first input feature comprises a first set of input components, wherein the second input feature comprises a second set of input components, and wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first functional module and the second functional module to cause the first component in combination with the second component to provide an input function using the first set of input components and the second set of input components.

26. The computing system of claim 21, wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first functional module to perform the first function using the first feature and the second feature.

27. The computing system of claim 21, wherein the instructions to configure comprise instructions to configure the first component and the second component to perform a second function using the first feature and the second feature.