Granted Patent B2

US 12,273,609 · App. 17/968,367 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Peng Lip Goh (Singapore, SG); Deeder M. Aurongzeb (Austin, TX)

Assignee: Dell Products L.P.

H04N23/54G06F1/1686H04N23/51

Abstract

Claims (64)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed in the housing and operable to execute instructions that process information;

a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information;

a persistent storage device disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor; and

a camera external to the housing and interfaced with the processor, the camera having cylindrical housing of a front portion and rear portion rotationally coupled to each other, the front portion having an image sensor to capture visual images, the rear portion having a communication board to communicate with the processor, the image sensor communicating visual images to the communications board with opposing contactless connectors interfacing the front portion and the rear portion.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first set of power contacts disposed at a rear side of the front portion; and

a second set power contracts disposed at a front side of the rear portion, the first and second sets of power contacts aligning to share power when the first and second portions rotationally couple.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein:

the first set of power contacts comprises planar power pads of conductive material; and

the second set of power contacts comprises pins biased to extend outward and aligned to contact the planar pads when the rear portion and front portion rotationally couple.

4. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the contactless connectors comprise a first transceiver between the first set of power contacts and a second transceiver between the second set of power contacts.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising an image sensor frame configured to releaseably engage the image sensor and to slide into the front portion at the rear side of the front portion.

6. The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising a communication board frame configured to releaseably engage the communication board and to slide into the rear portion at the front side of the rear portion.

7. The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising:

hooks exposed at an interior side of the front portion; and

catches exposed at an interior side of the rear portion and aligned to engage the hooks at rotation of the front portion relative to the rear portion.

8. The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising:

a steel plate sized to fit over the rear portion rear side; and

one or more magnets coupled to the rear portion and positioned to hold the steel plate in a cover position to the rear portion rear side.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 further comprising:

a communication board frame disposed in the rear portion; and

screws inserted from the rear side of the rear portion to engage the communication board frame to the rear portion;

wherein the steel plate couples over the screws.

10. A method for repairing an information handling system camera, the method comprising:

rotating a front portion of the camera housing in a first direction relative to a rear portion of the camera housing to release the front portion from the rear portion;

removing an image sensor frame from the front portion;

releasing an image sensor from the image sensor frame;

inserting a replacement image sensor into the image sensor frame;

inserting the image sensor frame into the front portion; and

rotating the front portion in a second direction relative to the rear portion to reassemble the camera housing.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating images captured by the image sensor through a contactless connector to a communication board disposed in the rear portion; and

communicating the images from the communication board to an external device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

removing a communication board frame from the rear portion;

releasing the communication board from the communication board frame;

inserting a replacement communication board into the communication board frame; and

inserting the communication board frame into the rear portion.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

engaging front portion hooks with rear portion catches; and

coupling the front portion to the rear portion by rotating the hooks under the rear portion catches.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

aligning power pins biased to extend out of the rear portion with power pads of the front portion when the hooks rotate under the rear portion catches; and

communicating power from the rear portion to the front portion through the power pins and power pads.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

disposing a first contactless connector between the power pins;

disposing a second contactless connector between the power pads; and

communicating information between the first and second contactless connectors by wireless signals.

16. A camera comprising:

a housing having a front portion rotationally coupled with a rear portion;

an image sensor disposed in the front portion and operable to capture visual images;

a communication board disposed in the rear portion and operable to communicate with devices external to the housing;

first contactless connector disposed in the front portion; and

a second contactless connector disposed in the rear portion, the image sensor communicating visual images to the communications board through the first and second contactless connectors.

17. The camera of claim 16 further comprising:

a first set of power contacts disposed at a rear side of the front portion; and

a second set power contracts disposed at a front side of the rear portion, the first and second sets of power contacts aligning to share power when the first and second portions rotationally couple.

18. The camera of claim 17 further comprising:

hooks formed in the front portion; and

catches formed in the rear portion, the hooks and catches aligned to engage when the front portion and rear portion rotate to align the first set of power contacts with the second set of power contacts.

19. The camera of claim 18 further comprising an image sensor frame configured to releaseably engage the image sensor and to slide into the front portion at the rear side of the front portion.

20. The camera of claim 19 further comprising a communication board frame configured to releaseably engage the communication board and to slide into the rear portion at the front side of the rear portion.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (71)