DE4232396A1 - Modular computer system in 3=dimensional SMD technology - contains parts formed on IC connector with two or more carrier boards connected by common edge boards. - Google Patents

Abstract

The computer system is formed on an IC plug connector with 2 or more carrier boards arranged one above the other with edges connected by common edge boards. The central unit (1), power supply (2) and peripherals (3), e.g. external mass storage are designed to enable a standard, spatially dense computer system without further electronic components. ADVANTAGE - System dimensions are minimised for implementation of medium to small applications, and reliability is increased.

Description

The invention relates to a computer system consisting of plug-in modules, which are in a three-dimensional SMD Technology are made and a particularly compact on enable construction.

According to the current state of the art, miniatures end sation of universally usable computer systems Single board computers about the size of a credit card, whereby for the respective application built an additional circuit board must be the other assemblies, such as electricity supplier supply, external mass storage and connections for edge entry units (keyboard, printer, etc.).

It is proposed according to Fig. 1, on this application-specific board, the units required for each computer system, such as central unit ( 1 ), power supply ( 2 ) and external mass storage device ( 3 ) etc. to be plugged in in a standardized form.

The three-dimensional SMD design used for this is also shown in Fig. 1: The circuitry of a module is divided "by storey" and connected to one another on the "outer wall" via an edge board.

In the simplest case, the edge board carries parallel lines gene, which via soldering with the corresponding edge contact of the individual carrier boards are connected. The lines or edge board can also have a simple layout for example for a staggered connection or via Varying within the same side or even corner will. The lowest level generally contains the Stec ker, the top level possibly further plug connections.

Fig. 5 shows the arrangement of solder connections ( 34 ) and a side part of the edge board ( 36 ) in development, as well as the soldering edge ( 37 ) on which the edge board is soldered together and the connecting lines ( 38 ) that connect the individual "floors" of the component . The structure is facilitated by a marking corner ( 35 ) of the carrier board, which corresponds to the soldering edge of the edge board, and fixing holes ( 39 ), which can accommodate pin-sized pins during assembly, to fix the position of the carrier boards during soldering.

When laying out the assembly, it must be determined which side of the carrier board is to accommodate the solder connections ( 34 ), ie from which side the connection between the carrier board and the edge board is to be made by soldering. The outside of the edge board can serve to shield the construction group.

The assemblies ( 1 ), ( 2 ), ( 3 ) of the computer system are elec trically and dimensionally matched to one another so that a "wide range" of medium and small applications with minimal space requirements on one without "waste" due to additional components or spatial gaps Motherboard can be realized.

For the central unit ( 1 ), this means that the microcontroller ( 4 ) is connected to the dip-swich line ( 5 ) in order to give the user the option of presetting. An SRAM memory ( 6 ) is integrated for the program and data, and the timing can be controlled using an ear module ( 8 ) (with alarm time specification). An external port module ( 7 ) provides additional input / output lines. The reset module ( 9 ) generates the reset pulse when switched on.

The connecting lines ( 10 ) to ( 17 ) on the plug correspond to these standard functions, namely the port lines of the microcontroller ( 10 ) and the external port ( 11 ), the power supply ( 12 ), the buffer voltage ( 14 ) for SRAM and ear module, as well as the watchdog line ( 16 ) with the associated control lines ( 13 ), ( 15 ) and ( 17 ), which can trigger program functions in the event of a power failure or manual operation: The port lines ( 10 ) and ( 11 ) can directly Make application-specific controls while the lines ( 12 ) to ( 17 ) are also connected directly to the power supply module.

The operating system for controlling the input / output units ( 5 ) to ( 9 ) is included in the EPROM of the controller. It also supports the transfer of program and data between a personal computer and the computer system, which can be called up from the personal computer if the connection between the personal computer and the computer system exists when the computer is switched on (master-slave or boot function).

In master-slave mode, several computer systems on one line can be differentiated in terms of program technology using the binary coding ( 5 ). Compare Fig. 6 (decentralized query and posting with a personal computer).

The power supply module ( 2 ) summarizes according to Fig. 3 various components in terms of circuitry, namely

• - ( 18 ) Charging the buffer battery through the mains adapter quickly or continuously (switching after, for example, 20 minutes since switching on the adapter)
• - ( 19 ) Monitoring the voltage of the backup battery and backup battery
• - ( 20 ) exchangeable buffer battery with electronic switching of the voltage supply of the static memory of SRAM ( 6 ) and ear module ( 8 )
• - ( 21 ) watchdog function with variable time monitoring with regard to the control line ( 16 )

the connections to the center described above unit on the connector together with the on conclusion of the power adapter, which is used for loading the Ak kus (and the possible buffer operation) required DC supplies.

According to Fig. 4, the external mass storage device ( 3 ) is also constructed in 3 -dimensional SMD technology as an alternative to the known RAM cards. Instead of a special connector technology and design, this component also has the same structure as the central unit ( 1 ) and the power supply ( 3 ).

In addition to the components of the known memory modules, such as address decoder ( 23 ) and memory chips ( 25 ), an otherwise separately switchable demultiplexer ( 24 ) is integrated.

Connection lines ( 28 ) to ( 32 ) can be connected directly to the port lines ( 10 ) and ( 11 ) of the central unit, whereby the high-bit line select 1/2 ( 32 ) enables direct connection to other mass storage devices of the same design makes.

The invention reduces the constructive and spatial Effort for the realization of medium and small users to a minimum and at the same time increases the Operational safety. It enables solutions for otherwise Hardwired circuits are required currently only the personal computer comes into question.

Reference list

1 central unit
2 power supply
3 edge units, example: external mass storage SRAM
4 microcontrollers with EPROM / OTP
5 dip-switch connector
6 SRAM memories
7 port module
8 RTC clock module
9 Reset module
10 internal ports of the CPU ( 4 )
11 external ports off ( 7 )
12 Power supply
13 control line
14 buffer voltage
15 control line
16 Watchdog line
17 control line
18 Fast / permanent loading
19 monitor battery / backup battery
20 backup battery with switch
21 Watchdof function
22 power adapter
23 address decoder
24 demultiplexers
25 RAM chips
26 addresses / dates
27 addresses / high
28 clock line
29 Chip enable
30 output enable
31 write enable
32 select 1/2
33 carrier board (solder side)
34 solder connections
35 mark
36 side part (processing)
37 soldering edge
38 connecting lines
39 fixation holes
40 personal computers (master)
41 Computer system (slave) with addressing via dip switch and display, as well as query buttons (example)

Claims (2)

1. computer system and parts thereof, characterized in that
- That the same are built on an IC connector in a three-dimensional SMD technology with 2 or more superimposed carrier boards and common edges connecting the edge board. 2. Computer system and parts thereof characterized,
- That the modules central unit, power supply and peripheral units, such as external mass storage, are coordinated so that the construction of a computer system is possible as a standard without further electronic components and in a spatially dense arrangement.