Distributed auxiliary hub for a portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073872-B2
Application number	US-202016818680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2020
Priority date	Sep 6, 2019
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A distributed auxiliary hub for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The distributed auxiliary hub, located on a stacked circuit assembly, can distribute electrical signals to multiple different destinations. The distributed auxiliary hub is displaced and separate from a main logic board, and as a result, can provide supplemental functions. Although the distributed auxiliary hub is electrically coupled to the main logic board, the distributed auxiliary hub includes dedicated integrated circuits responsible for executing functions related to battery charging and powering of electronic components (e.g., haptic feedback module, speaker module, etc.). As a result, the distributed auxiliary hub, when executing these aforementioned functions, is not reliant upon the main logic board to transmit electrical current to the battery and/or electronic components. The distributed auxiliary hub, when electrically coupled to an external resource, is capable of directly transmitting electrical current to electronic components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure that defines a cavity, the enclosure comprising a wall; and
internal components located in the cavity, the internal components comprising:
a dock connector secured with the wall,
a main logic board,
a dock flex electrically connected to the dock connector and the main logic board, and
a circuit assembly positioned on and electrically coupled to the dock flex, the circuit assembly configured to direct an electrical signal between the dock connector and the main logic board.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an internal power supply located between the circuit assembly and the main logic board.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit assembly is separate from the main logic board.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising:
a haptic feedback module; and
an acoustic speaker module, wherein the circuit assembly comprises:
a haptic feedback circuit configured to transmit a first control signal to the haptic feedback module, and
an acoustic speaker circuit configured to transmit a second control signal to the acoustic speaker module, the first control signal different from the second control signal.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising an inductive charging coil electrically coupled and capable of transmitting an electrical current to the circuit assembly.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circuit assembly comprises:
a first circuit board;
an interposer board connected to the first circuit board; and
a second circuit board connected to the interposer board.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the interposer board is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising an inductor connected to the interposer board, wherein the second circuit board comprises an opening, and wherein the inductor passes through the opening.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the second circuit board comprises a shield that covers the opening and the inductor.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:
an enclosure;
a main logic board;
a circuit assembly, comprising:
a first circuit board having a first conductive element,
a second circuit board having a second conductive element, and
an interposer board disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the interposer board includes an electrically conductive pin electrically connected to the first conductive element and the second conductive element;

a flexible circuit comprising electrical contacts that electrically couple to the circuit assembly; and
a dock connector having a dock connector housing that is secured with the enclosure, wherein an electrical signal is capable of being passed between the dock connector, the circuit assembly, and the main logic board.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the dock connector is capable of passing the electrical signal directly to the circuit assembly via the electrical contacts without the electrical signal passing through the flexible circuit and to the main logic board.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising an internal power supply electrically coupled to and capable of receiving the electrical signal from the circuit assembly without the electrical signal passing to the main logic board.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the circuit assembly further comprises:
an inductor, wherein the interposer board defines a cavity, and wherein the inductor disposed in the cavity; and
an electromagnetic interference shield that covers the inductor.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the inductor comprises:
a width; and
a height that is greater than the width.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Leopold Andrew U
• Hale Owen D
• Jarvis Daniel W
• Pakula David A
• Smith James B
• Spraggs Ian A
• Stephens Gregory N

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H05K2201/10712

  Via grid array, e.g. via grid array capacitor · CPC title

• H05K2201/1003

  Non-printed inductor · CPC title

• H05K2201/09063

  Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections · CPC title

• H05K2201/047

  Box-like arrangements of PCBs · CPC title