IP Library Granted Patent US 12,353,888
Granted Patent B2
US 12,353,888 · App. 17/845,686 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Muscle/memory wire lock of device component(s)

Inventors: Kevin W. Beck (Raleigh, NC); Robert James Norton, Jr. (Raleigh, NC); Thorsten Stremlau (Morrisville, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06F9/4401
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,353,888
App. No.
17/845,686
Filed
Jun 21, 2022
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2175
USPC
713/2
Abstract

In one aspect, a device includes at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage includes instructions executable by the at least one processor to execute a basic input/output system (BIOS) to apply voltage to muscle wire within the device (and/or apply heat to memory wire within the device). The wire locks a component of the device in place without voltage (or heat) being applied to the wire so that, responsive to the BIOS influencing the wire, the wire unlocks the component for removal from the device.

Claims (45)

1. A first device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

storage accessible to the at least one processor and comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to:

apply heat to a memory wire, the memory wire locking a component of the first device in place without heat being applied to the memory wire by the first device so that, responsive to the first device applying heat to the memory wire, the memory wire unlocks the component for removal of the component from the first device;

wherein the memory wire unlocks the component for removal of the component from the first device through movement of the component other than rotational movement to force the component out of a first position within the first device and into a second position within the first device, the first position being within a socket for the component and the second position not being within the socket for the component, wherein the memory wire has shape-memory to remain straight without application of heat but to bend toward the component under application of heat to force the component out from an interference fit within the socket.

2. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

authenticate a user; and

based on authenticating the user, apply heat to the memory wire.

3. The first device of claim 2 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

based on authenticating the user and based on a subsequent user command to unlock the component, apply heat to the memory wire.

4. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

determine that the memory wire has been broken; and

based on determining that the memory wire has been broken, indicate in a log that the memory wire has been broken.

5. The first device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

determine that the memory wire has been broken based on identifying that resistance along at least a portion of the memory wire is infinite.

6. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

determine that a user has viewed a video on one or more of: repairing the component, removing the component from the first device, replacing the component in the first device; and

based on the determination, apply heat to the memory wire.

7. The first device of claim 6 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

make the determination based on receipt of data provided by the user.

8. The first device of claim 1 , comprising the memory wire.

9. A method, comprising:

executing an operating system; and

using the operating system to thermally influence a wire within a device to force a component of the device, via movement other than rotational movement, out of a first position on the device and into a second position on the device, the first position being within a socket for the component and the second position not being within the socket for the component, the wire locking the component in the first position without the thermal influence on the wire by the device, wherein the wire has shape-memory to remain straight without application of heat but to bend toward the component under application of heat to force the component out from an interference fit within the socket.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising:

determining that a user has viewed a video on one or more of: repairing the component, removing the component from the device, replacing the component in the device; and

based on the determining, executing the operating system to thermally influence to the wire.

11. The method of claim 9 , comprising:

authenticating a user; and

based on authenticating the user, thermally influencing the wire.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

based on authenticating the user and based on receiving a subsequent user command to unlock the component, thermally influencing the wire.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wire comprises memory wire.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one computer readable storage medium (CRSM) that is not a transitory signal, the at least one computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor to:

thermally influence a wire within a device to unlock a component of the device, the wire locking the component in place in the device without thermal influence on the wire by the device, wherein the wire unlocks the component under thermal influence by the device to force the component, via movement of the component other than rotational movement, out of a first position on the device and into a second position on the device, the first position being within a socket for the component and the second position not being within the socket for the component, wherein the wire has shape-memory to remain straight without application of heat but to bend toward the component under application of heat to force the component out from an interference fit within the socket.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the wire comprises memory wire.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , comprising the wire.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , comprising the at least one processor.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , comprising the at least one processor.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

authenticate a user; and

based on authentication of the user, thermally influence the wire.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are executable to:

based on authenticating the user and based on receiving a subsequent user command to unlock the component, thermally influence the wire.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2022
From: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD
Reel/Frame 062078/0718 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2022
From: BECK, KEVIN W; NORTON, ROBERT JAMES, JR.; STREMLAU, THORSTEN
To: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 060335/0558 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230409339A1 · Dec 21, 2023
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