System of stacked devices
A method of implementing use cases includes associating a use case with each of a plurality of devices capable of being used or accessed by a user. The method also includes providing a plurality of stackable blades, each providing a standard physical interface and being configured to implement a solution to the use case associated with each of the plurality of devices. The method further includes stacking the plurality of stackable blades to form an interconnected stack. Each of the plurality of stackable blades are coupled using the standard physical interface. The method also includes executing a first purpose corresponding to a first use case and executing a second purpose corresponding to a second use case. Embodiments provide an electronic ecosystem featuring ubiquitous connectivity in which a standard contact array in each component of the ecosystem assures interoperability between heterogeneous devices.
1. An electronic system comprising:
an electronic device operable to provide a first functionality, wherein a periphery of the electronic device defines a device area and the electronic device comprises:
a processor;
one or more coupling force elements disposed on a coupling face of the electronic device; and
a plurality of terminals disposed on the coupling face, wherein a periphery of the one or more coupling force elements and the plurality of terminals defines a coupling area; and
one or more blades, at least one of the one or more blades being coupled to the electronic device at a blade device face having a blade area, wherein each of the one or more blades comprises:
a microcontroller;
one or more blade coupling force elements matched to the one or more coupling force elements of the electronic device; and
a plurality of blade terminals matched to the plurality of terminals of the electronic device, a periphery of the one or more blade coupling force elements and the plurality of blade terminals defining the coupling area, wherein the device area and the blade area are independent of the coupling area.
2. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the device area and the blade area are different areas.
3. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the blades provides a second functionality different from the first functionality.
4. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the coupling force element comprises at least one of a magnet or a region of electric charge.
5. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein the one of the one or more blades is operable to perform protocol conversion.
6. The electronic system of claim 1 further comprising a docking station operable to support the electronic device, wherein the electronic device further comprises:
one or more additional coupling force elements disposed on a second face of the electronic device opposing the coupling face; and
a plurality of terminals disposed on the second face; and
wherein the docking station comprises:
a processor;
one or more docking station coupling force elements matched to the one or more additional coupling force elements disposed on the second face of the electronic device; and
a plurality of docking station terminals matched to the plurality of terminals disposed on the second face of the electronic device.
7. The electronic system of claim 6 wherein the docking station is attachable to a band that is attachable to a user's wrist.
8. The electronic system of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more blades is dynamically reconfigurable as a master or slave device.