Modular information handling system and subscription deployment thereof
A portable information handling system modular hybrid architecture separates components between rotationally coupled housing portions to minimize cabling, connectors and materials, and to provide improved durability that supports recycling and reuse of the components. For example, a plurality of main board configurations provide selectable performance characteristics assembled behind a display in one housing portion and powered by a battery and charger in the other housing portion. A secondary board that supports the charger provides a variety of customizable secondary functions, such as audio processing supported by integrated speakers, a keyboard interfaced with an embedded controller and held by a housing cover.
1 . An information handling system comprising:
a housing having first and second housing portions rotationally coupled by a hinge;
a housing cover having a keyboard and sized to couple over the first housing portion;
a display sized to couple over the second housing portion;
a main board coupled to the second housing portion under the display, the main board having a central processing unit and memory that cooperate to process information and that interfaces with the display to present the information as visual images at the display;
at least one secondary board coupled to the first housing portion under the housing cover and supporting components that provide plural secondary functions, the at least one secondary board interfacing with the main board through a data cable disposed between the first and second housing portions;
a battery coupled to the first housing portion and providing power to the main board with a power cable disposed between the first and second housing portions;
a charger coupled to the at least one secondary board and interfaced with the battery to charge the battery with external power applied to a port of the second housing portion, the battery having a native voltage that increases with battery charge and decreases with battery discharge; and
a switched capacitor voltage regulator coupled to the main board and interfaced with the power cable to receive the native voltage, the switched capacitor voltage regulator having a programmable divider ratio that adjusts as the battery native voltage changes to output a predetermined voltage range to the main board.
2 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a charger integrated circuit coupled to the secondary board and operable to apply external power to charge the battery; and
a charger port formed in the first housing portion to accept external power for communication to the charger integrated circuit.
3 . The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising:
a communication hub coupled to the first housing portion and interfaced with the main board through the data cable; and
plural data ports formed in the first housing portion to accept interfaces with external devices through external data cables for communication to the main board.
4 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising an embedded controller coupled to the at least one secondary board and interfaced with the keyboard to accept keyboard inputs and communicate the keyboard inputs to the main board through the data cable.
5 . The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising a power button included in the housing cover and interfaced with the embedded controller, the embedded controller managing application of power to the main board in response to inputs at the power button.
6 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
an audio integrated circuit coupled to the at least one secondary board and interfaced with the main board through the data cable; and
one or more audio speakers coupled to the first housing portion and interfaced with the audio integrated circuit to play audible sounds with audio information output from the audio integrated circuit.
7 . The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the main board directly couples to the display at a timing controller of the display.
8 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a graphics processor unit coupled to the main board and interfaced with the central processing unit to process the information into pixel values for presentation at the display; and
a graphics interface coupled to the main board and interfaced with the graphics processor unit, the graphics interface aligned to couple to a timing controller of the display when the display couples over the first housing portion.
9 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a camera module coupled to the second housing portion and having a camera exposed through the display to capture visual images; and
a camera module cable interfacing the camera module to the main board in the second housing portion.
10 . An information handling system comprising:
a housing having first and second housing portions rotationally coupled by a hinge;
a battery coupled to the first housing portion;
a first board coupled to the first housing portion;
a second board coupled to the second housing portion;
a battery cable coupled between the battery and the second board across the hinge;
a charger coupled to the first board and interfaced with the battery to charge the battery with external power applied to a port of the first housing portion, the battery having a native voltage that increases with battery charge and decreases with battery discharge; and
a switched capacitor voltage regulator coupled to the second board and interfaced with the battery cable to receive the native voltage, the switched capacitor voltage regulator having a programmable divider ratio that adjusts as the battery native voltage changes to output a predetermined voltage range to the second board.
11 . The information handling system of claim 10 further comprising:
a solid state drive coupled to the first housing portion and interfaced with the first board; and
a data cable interfacing the first board and the second board to communicate information of the solid state drive to the memory.
12 . The information handling system of claim 11 further comprising a vapor chamber formed in the second housing portion and thermally coupled with the second board to dissipate thermal energy.