Compact interface achieved by hinge connector

Abstract

Electronic devices and methods include a first electronic device including a printed circuit board and a four-plug connector coupled to a first surface of the printed circuit board. A first set of conductive lines is coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board, and the first set of conductive lines are parallel to each other and located on a first plane. The second set of wires is coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board. The second set of conductive lines are parallel to each other and located on a second plane. The first plane and the second plane are each parallel to each other and parallel to the second surface of the printed circuit board. Further, the first set of conductive lines is vertically over the second set of conductive lines.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 585,631, filed September 27, 2023, entitled “COMPACT INTERFACE THROUGH HINGECONNECTOR”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Background Technology

[0002] This application relates to the interface between a first system-in-package (SIP) and a second SIP.

[0003] Electronic devices may include various circuit components in two or more System-in-Packages (SIPs). As device size decreases and / or other component size increases, it becomes increasingly urgent to couple devices with relatively small form factors (even through flexure and / or hinges) using high signal density and small outline architectures. One possibility for deploying such interfaces may include using flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs). However, FPCBs may not meet system mating and / or hinge architecture requirements (e.g., size). Another alternative may include using bundles of micro-coaxial cables (MCXs) through the hinge to support smaller hinge architectures and / or higher signal density through the hinge. However, the termination of the MCX bundles may also not meet system mating requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0004] A better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure can be achieved by reading the following detailed description and referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0005] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0006] Figure 2 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 Examples of electronic devices;

[0007] Figure 3 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 Examples of electronic devices;

[0008] Figure 4 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 Examples of electronic devices;

[0009] Figure 5 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 Examples of electronic devices;

[0010] Figure 6 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 Examples of electronic devices;

[0011] Figure 7 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 A block diagram of an electronic device system, which includes connectors between electronic devices using a thermocouple;

[0012] Figure 8 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 A block diagram of an electronic device system, which includes connectors between electronic devices using connectors;

[0013] Figure 9 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 1 A block diagram of an electronic device system, which includes connections between electronic devices using a thermocouple and a connector;

[0014] Figure 10 It is based on the implementation plan. Figure 7 and Figure 9 Multi-view perspective view of the hot press head connector;

[0015] Figure 11 This is an example of a stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material according to an embodiment, the stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material including a conductive sheet in the stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material;

[0016] Figure 12 According to the implementation scheme, it is used to at least partially shield the pads to prevent them from being exposed to light. Figure 1 A flowchart of the process of receiving or transmitting EMI within an electronic device;

[0017] Figure 13 This is a side view of a portion of an interface according to an implementation scheme, which includes the use of two or more different shielding layers to at least partially shield the pads to prevent... Figure 1 EMI is received or transmitted within electronic devices;

[0018] Figure 14 It is a conductive system that uses conductive filler to electromechanically couple conductive sheets to a conductive surface using heat and / or pressure, according to the implementation scheme; and

[0019] Figure 15 This is a side view of a portion of the interface according to the implementation scheme, which includes the use of Figure 14 Conductive filler is used to at least partially shield the pads to prevent [damage / damage]. Figure 1 EMI is received or transmitted within electronic devices. Detailed Implementation

[0020] One or more specific implementations will be described below. To provide a brief description of these implementations, not all characteristics of the actual implementations are described in this specification. It should be understood that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, decisions specific to many implementations must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary from one implementation to another. Furthermore, it should be understood that such development work can be complex and time-consuming, but will still be routine work of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0021] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean one or more elements present in the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may exist besides those listed. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to “an embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “some embodiments” of this disclosure are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments also incorporating the cited features. The use of the terms “approximately” or “close to” should be understood to mean including close to the target (e.g., design, value, quantity), such as within limits of any suitable or conceivable error (e.g., within 0.1% of the target, within 1% of the target, within 5% of the target, within 10% of the target, within 25% of the target, etc.). Furthermore, the phrase A “based on” B is intended to mean that A is at least partially based on B. And the term “or” is intended to be inclusive (e.g., logical OR) and not exclusive (e.g., logical XOR). In other words, the phrase A "or" B is intended to mean either A, B, or both A and B.

[0022] Figure 1 The image shows an electronic device 10 including an electronic display 12. As detailed below, the electronic device 10 can be any suitable electronic device, such as a computer, mobile phone, portable media device, tablet computer, television, virtual reality headset, wearable device (such as a watch), vehicle dashboard, etc. Therefore, it should be noted that... Figure 1 This is merely an example of a specific implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may exist in electronic device 10.

[0023] Electronic device 10 includes an electronic display 12, one or more input devices 14, one or more input / output (I / O) ports 16, a processor core complex 18 having one or more processing circuits or processing circuit cores, local memory 20, main memory storage device 22, network interface 24, power supply 26 (e.g., power supply device), and one or more antennas 30. Figure 1The various components described herein may include hardware elements (e.g., circuitry), software elements (e.g., a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions), or a combination of both hardware and software elements. It should be noted that the various depicted components may be combined into fewer components or separated into additional components. For example, local memory 20 and main memory storage device 22 may be included in a single component.

[0024] The processor core complex 18 is operatively coupled to local memory 20 and main memory storage device 22. Therefore, the processor core complex 18 can execute instructions stored in local memory 20 and / or main memory storage device 22 to perform operations such as generating and / or sending image data for display on electronic display 12. Accordingly, the processor core complex 18 may include one or more general-purpose microprocessors, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or any combination thereof.

[0025] In addition to program instructions, local memory 20 or main memory storage device 22 may store data to be processed by processor core complex 18. Therefore, local memory 20 and / or main memory storage device 22 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media. For example, local memory 20 may include random access memory (RAM), and main memory storage device 22 may include read-only memory (ROM), rewritable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, hard disk drive, optical disk, etc.

[0026] Network interface 24 can transmit data with another electronic device or network. For example, network interface 24 (e.g., radio frequency system) can enable electronic device 10 to communicatively couple to a personal area network (PAN) (such as a Bluetooth network), a local area network (LAN) (such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi network), and / or a wide area network (WAN) (such as a 4G, LTE, or 5G cellular network).

[0027] Power source 26 can provide power to one or more components in electronic device 10, such as processor core complex 18 or electronic display 12. For example, power source 26 may include power rails and / or ground terminals coupled to one or more components in electronic device 10, such as processor core complex 18 or electronic display 12, to provide power. Therefore, power source 26 may include any suitable energy source, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery or an alternating current (AC) power converter.

[0028] I / O port 16 enables electronic device 10 to interface with other electronic devices. For example, when a portable storage device is connected, I / O port 16 enables processor core complex 18 to transfer data with the portable storage device.

[0029] Input device 14 can enable user interaction with electronic device 10, for example, by receiving user input via buttons, keyboard, mouse, or touchpad. Input device 14 may include touch sensing components in electronic display 12. Touch sensing components can receive user input by detecting the frequency or location of objects touching the surface of electronic display 12.

[0030] The electronic display 12 may include driver circuitry (e.g., display driver circuitry) and / or a display panel. The display panel may include pixel circuitry having an array of display pixels. Furthermore, the driver circuitry may include various circuitry, such as power rails and / or ground terminals, for providing one or more stable positive and / or negative power supply voltages. Image data for display on the electronic display 12 may be generated by an image source, such as a processor core complex 18, a graphics processing unit (GPU), or an image sensor. Additionally, in some embodiments, image data may be received from another electronic device 10, for example, via a network interface 24 and / or I / O port 16. Similarly, the electronic display 12 may display frames based on image data generated by the processor core complex 18, or the electronic display 12 may display frames based on image data received via the network interface 24, an input device, or I / O port 16.

[0031] Electronic device 10 may also have one or more antennas 30, which are electrically coupled to processor core complex 18. Electronic device 10 can be any suitable electronic device. For illustrative purposes, Figure 2 An example of electronic device 10 is shown: a handheld device 10A. Handheld device 10A can be a portable phone, media player, personal data manager, handheld gaming platform, etc. For illustrative purposes, handheld device 10A can be a smartphone, such as any iPhone available from Apple Inc. ® model.

[0032] The handheld device 10A includes a housing 36 (e.g., a casing). The housing 36 protects internal components from physical damage or shields them from electromagnetic interference, such as by surrounding the electronic display 12. The electronic display 12 can display a graphical user interface (GUI) 38 with an array of icons. When an icon 34 is selected via the input device 14 or a touch-sensing component of the electronic display 12, an application can be launched.

[0033] The input device 14 can be accessed through an opening in the housing 36. The input device 14 enables the user to interact with the handheld device 10A. For example, the input device 14 enables the user to activate or deactivate the handheld device 10A, navigate the user interface to the home screen, navigate the user interface to a user-configurable application screen, activate voice recognition feature structures, provide volume control, or switch between vibration and ring modes.

[0034] Figure 3 Another example of a suitable electronic device 10 is shown, specifically a tablet device 10B. The tablet device 10B can be any iPad available from Apple Inc. ® model. Figure 4 Another example of a suitable electronic device 10 is shown, specifically a computer 10C. For illustrative purposes, computer 10C could be any MacBook available from Apple Inc. ® or IMAC ® model. Figure 5 Another example of a suitable electronic device 10 is shown, specifically a watch 10D. For illustrative purposes, the watch 10D can be any Apple Watch available from Apple Inc. ® model. Figure 6 Another example of a suitable electronic device 10 as a wearable electronic device, particularly a headset 10E, is shown. For illustrative purposes, the headset 10E may be the APPLE VISION PRO, available from Apple Inc. ® Model number. The principles disclosed herein can also be applied to any other suitable implementation of electronic device 10.

[0035] As depicted, the handheld device 10A, tablet device 10B, computer 10C, watch 10D, and headset 10E each also include an electronic display 12, a processor core complex 18, and a housing 36. The electronic display 12 can display a GUI 38. Figure 5 As illustrated, GUI 38 can display a visualization of a clock. When the visualization is selected via the touch-sensing component of input device 14 or electronic display 12, an application can be launched, such as to transform GUI 38 to present a display relative to the clock. Figure 2 and Figure 3The figure 34 discussed. Furthermore, some embodiments of the electronic device 10 may include a hinge 40 to mechanically couple at least one component to another. Additionally, in some embodiments, different SIPs (and / or any integrated circuit devices / systems) to communicate together may be located on opposite sides of the hinge 40. Therefore, some connections between SIPs can be passed using flexible connectors via the hinge 40. As previously noted, the flexible connectors via the hinge 40 (e.g., via MPCB or MCX bundles) will terminate with SIPs that may not meet system fit requirements and / or hinge architecture requirements. To address these issues, Figure 7 A system 50 is illustrated that couples electronic device 52 to electronic device 54 using interface 56. Electronic devices 52 and / or 54 may include one or more integrated circuit (IC) devices (e.g., system-in-package (SIP)) and / or any other suitable electronic device that can communicate between different devices. In the illustrated embodiment, electronic device 52 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 60 coupled to thermocouples 62 and 64, which provide an interface for wires (e.g., MCX cable bundles) to interface with electronic device 52. A thermocouple can refer to a bonding technique that joins wires to a device (e.g., electronic device 52). For example, a thermoelectrode or thermocouple can be used to solder and heat the thermocouple to melt solder (resoldering), thereby creating an electromechanical connection between the wires and the device to which they are joined.

[0036] As discussed below, the wiring connections with heat press heads 62 and 64 enable interface 56 to meet system fit / architecture requirements. Electronic device 52 can also be coupled to other components, such as other PCBs, other SIPs, and / or any other suitable electronic device. To provide this connectivity, electronic device 52 includes a four-row connector (QRP) interface 66. For example, QRP interface 66 can be a four-row connector, any other high-density pin-count board-to-board connector, or any other mechanism coupled to other PCBs, other SIPs, and / or other suitable electronic devices. In other words, the four-row connector can be used with cable bundles (e.g., MCXs) rather than with flex terminations, which are typically used only with flex terminations.

[0037] In some embodiments, similar to electronic device 52, electronic device 54 includes a PCB 68 coupled to thermocouplers 70 and 72, which provides an interface for wires (e.g., MCX cable bundles) to mat with electronic device 54. PCB 68 may comprise a single-layer or multi-layer board. Electronic device 54 may also be coupled to other components, such as other PCBs, other SIPs, and / or any other suitable electronic devices. To provide such connectivity, electronic device 54 includes an interface 74. For example, similar to QRP interface 66, interface 74 may be a four-row connector, any other high-pin-count board-to-board connector, or any other mechanism coupled to other PCBs, other SIPs, and / or other suitable electronic devices. In some embodiments, QRP interface 66 and interface 74 may be the same type of interface or may be different types of interfaces. In some embodiments, one or more of thermocouplers 62, 64, 70, and 72 include components capable of enabling photonic coupling, such as, but not limited to, waveguides, optical fibers, photonic wire bonding elements, optical emitters, optical receivers, photoconverters, photodetectors, and light sources.

[0038] The implementation of electronic device 54 may include more than Figure 7 The illustrated components may include more or fewer components. In the illustrated embodiment of electronic device 54, electronic device 54 includes a hinge connector 76 to couple electronic device 54 (and associated cables) to hinge 40. Electronic device 54 may also include a power supply circuit 78 to provide power to electronic device 54 and / or electronic device 52. In some embodiments, power supply circuit 78 may include any other integrated circuits and / or passive components, supplemented by and / or replaced by any other integrated circuits and / or passive components.

[0039] As illustrated, electronic device 54 may include one or more substrates 80, to which hinge connector 76 and / or PCB 68 are coupled via interface 74. Electronic device 54 includes one or more substrates 80 that are coupled to other components, such as IC 82. The IC may provide various functions for electronic device 10 (and / or its sub-component electronic device 54), and / or implement, as described above. Figures 1 to 6Some of the components of the described electronic device 10. For example, IC 82 may include an IC to provide wireless communication capabilities as part of network interface 24. Additionally or alternatively, IC 82 may include an audio chip to provide output to electronic device 10. Additionally, IC 82 may include circuitry for debugging and / or providing power management for electronic device 10 / electronic device 54. In any case, electronic device 54 may include fewer or more ICs 82. In some embodiments, electronic device 54 may include a system-on-a-chip (SoC) 84. Furthermore, electronic device 54 may include one or more intermediaries 86 to enable IC 82 or other circuitry to communicate via one or more substrates 80 / between the one or more substrates.

[0040] It is understood that alternative arrangements of electronic device 54 may be utilized, including more or fewer ICs 82, more or fewer substrates 80, having or not having SoC 84, having or not having PCB 68, or any other variation of electronic device 54.

[0041] Figure 8 System 90 is shown, which uses interface 56 to couple an embodiment of electronics 52 to an embodiment of electronics 54. System 90 is similar to system 50, except that electronics 52 includes dual connectors 92 and 94, and electronics 54 includes dual connectors 96 and 98. Although the figures may refer to dual connectors 96 and 98 as IPEX, the connectors can be any relatively small-form-factor connector (such as IPEX UX-Z), another coaxial cable connector type, or a suitable connector type. Similar to the dual-row heat-pressed heads 62, 64, 70, and 72 of system 50, dual connectors 92, 94, 96, and 98 enable electronics 52 and 54 to use quad-row connectors 66 and 74, which use cable bundles (e.g., MCX) instead of flexible connectors via hinge 40, which may typically be the only interface used with quad-row connectors. By placing connectors 92, 94, 96, and 98 and / or thermoforming heads 62, 64, 70, and 72 in staggered double rows, the overall XY footprint (e.g., the plane of PCBs 60 and 68) is reduced, even though the Z-occupancy (e.g., the height above PCBs 60 and 68) is expanded. Furthermore, using double-row thermoforming heads with stacked grounding bars (discussed below) reduces the XY footprint while also enabling higher-speed signals (e.g., low-power display ports (LPDPs)) closer to shorter pins and lower-speed signals further away, improving sensitivity degradation, electromagnetic interference, and signal integrity performance. This also enhances the remanufacturability and / or repairability of systems 50 and 90.

[0042] In some implementations, electronic devices 52 and / or 54 may use a combination of connectors and thermocouples to terminate wires in interface 56. For example, Figure 9 System 110 is shown, which uses interface 56 to couple an embodiment of electronic device 52 with an embodiment of electronic device 54. The difference is that electronic devices 52 and 54 include combinations of connectors and thermoforming heads. For example, electronic device 52 includes connector 92 and thermoforming head 64. Similarly, electronic device 54 includes thermoforming head 70 and connector 98.

[0043] As previously noted, the two heat-pressing heads (e.g., heat-pressing heads 62 and 64) can use a common grounding bar to connect wires to the device (e.g., PCB 60). For example, Figure 10 A top-down view 130, a side view 132, and a simplified sectional view 134 are shown, illustrating the hot press head interface using wires 136 and 138 and a grounding rod 140. Without affecting the teachings of this disclosure, the number of wires 136 and / or 138 may vary depending on the number of views, or even in [the context of the disclosure]. Figure 10 The views shown vary. Conductor 136 is arranged parallel to one plane, and conductor 138 is arranged parallel to another plane. Conductors 136 and 138 (and their respective planes) are generally parallel to each other and may be generally parallel to the surface of substrate 80 / printed surface of PCB 60 or 68. Furthermore, conductor 136 is vertically positioned above conductor 138. As used herein, "vertically positioned above" indicates that conductor 136 is located on the side of conductor 138 opposite the printed surface of substrate 80 / PCB 60 or 68.

[0044] The grounding rod 140 may include a first layer 142 located below the conductor 138 and coupled to the substrate 143. The substrate 143 may be a substrate of a PCB 60 or 68. Figures 7 to 9 The illustrated substrate 80 and / or any other substrate in the electronic device 10. The grounding rod 140 may also include a second layer 144 located between the conductors 136 and 138. In some embodiments, instead of the first layer 142 and / or the second layer 144, or in addition to the first layer and / or the second layer, a layer may be located above the conductors 136, away from the substrate 143. The interface may also include a segmented strip 146 at the grounding rod 140 and a grounding shield 148. For example, the conductor 136 may be segmented, wherein the grounding shield 148 of the conductor 136 is exposed to the grounding rod 140 in one segment at the grounding rod, while the grounding shield is protected in other areas of the segmented strip surrounding the grounding rod 140.

[0045] The interface also includes pads 150 for coupling corresponding wires of conductor 138 to substrate 80 as first thermocoupler connectors (e.g., thermocoupler 62). Similarly, the interface also includes pads 152 for coupling corresponding wires of conductor 136 to substrate 80 as thermocoupler connectors (e.g., thermocoupler 64). In some embodiments, one or more of substrate 80 and PCB 60 may comprise a glass substrate. In some embodiments, grounding rod 140 may also include one or more components for photonic coupling, such as, but not limited to, waveguides, optical fibers, photonic wire bonding elements, optical emitters, optical receivers, photoelectric converters, photodetectors, and light sources. In some embodiments, grounding rod 140 may perform photoelectric conversion on one or more conductors 136 or 138, for example, to receive electrical signals on copper conductors on one side of grounding rod 140 and output optical signals on rigid or flexible photonic wires on the other side of grounding rod 140 by using one or more photoelectric conversion components.

[0046] In addition, such as Figure 10 As indicated in the illustrated implementation of the interface, wires 136 and 138 may be offset to reduce interference between the wires and / or to achieve a more compact orientation of wires 136 and 138. Furthermore, Figure 10 The principle of the thermoforming interface can be applied to connector implementations, where the offset of wires 136 and 138 is oriented such that wire 136 is higher than wire 138 in the Z direction and located between wires 138 in the X or Y direction. A connector (e.g., a custom small-profile connector) can receive wire 136 terminated at a higher position at a first position (e.g., corresponding to a first thermoforming head) and wire 138 terminated at a lower position at a second position (e.g., corresponding to a second thermoforming head), both located within the connector. In other words, the connector can sacrifice some compactness in the Z direction to save space in the XY direction.

[0047] In some implementations, when the hot press head operates at relatively high data rates, such as high-speed low-power display port (LPDP) or DP, the connection can transmit data at rates greater than 11 Gbps. At these high frequencies, the hot press head pads (e.g., pads 150 and / or 152) may leak EMI noise, which can interfere with wireless communications (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). Interface 56 can be shielded with continuous grounding to avoid EMI / sensitivity degradation issues. This shielding can be implemented using conductive voltage-sensitive adhesive on grounding rod 140, and cables / wires can be wrapped with fan-out tape grounded to a multilayer board (e.g., PCB 60 or 68) with fan-out foam on the multilayer board / main logic board. However, these shielding techniques may be custom-made and require device-specific designs, such as plastic molding and / or metal shapes.

[0048] Additionally or alternatively, a stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material can be used to provide conformal adaptive shielding. The stretchability of the adhesive film, compared to non-stretchable shielding, allows the film to be deposited in a relatively small volume. Additionally, the stretchability allows the shielding to be at least partially wrapped around individual conductors 136 and / or 138 to achieve compliant shielding coverage. For example, the wrapping of the shielding can provide at least some protection to the conductors to prevent adjacent conductors in the conductor bundle from exceeding the self-shielding element that can be integrated into the conductor itself. Figure 11 Perspective view 170 and top-bottom view 172 of an embodiment of a stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material are shown. The stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material may include a conductive sheet 174. The conductive sheet 174 may include a suitable conductive material, such as silver (Ag) and / or any other suitable conductive material. After the stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material is disposed on interface 56 in one or more layers 176, the one or more layers 176 may be pressed together / compressed. After the stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material is pressed, the conductive sheet 174 is pressed together, thereby creating a connection that provides conductivity. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material may be designed / its dimensions may be designed to have a resistance range similar to that of tin-based (Sn) or tin / copper-based (SAC) shields.

[0049] Figure 12 This is the process flow for process 200, which is used in a shielding system deployable in interface 56. The process flow of process 200 includes a side view 202 of the interface, similar to... Figure 10 Side view 132. The process flow of process 200 includes side view 204, in which an insulating layer 206 is applied to interface 56. The insulating layer 206 provides protection and insulation for conductors 136 and 138 and pads 150 and 152. For example, the insulating layer 206 protects conductors 136 and 138 and pads 150 and 152 from other components (such as...) Figure 11 The shielding film is connected. Furthermore, the insulating layer 206 provides strain relief, which strengthens the connection of the wires in the termination of the interface 56 / reduces the chance of mechanical / connection failure of the wires. The insulating layer 206 can be formed of any suitable insulating material, such as epoxy resin.

[0050] The process flow of process 200 includes a side view 208 showing a shielding layer 210. As previously noted, the shielding layer 210 may comprise a stretchable adhesive film filled with conductive material disposed on interface 56. The stretchable adhesive film / shielding layer 210 filled with conductive material is then compressed onto grounding rod 140 and grounding connector 212, as shown in perspective view 214. Grounding connector 212 may be disposed around pad 150. Grounding connector 212 and grounding rod 140 connected to shielding layer 210 provide a continuous ground connection around pads 150 and 152. This continuous ground connection through shielding layer 210 can be used to at least partially block EMI noise escaping from pads 150 and 152 that could interfere with other components in electronic device 10, and / or at least partially protect pads 150 and 152 from external EMI. In some embodiments, at least one of conductors 136 and / or 138 may be coupled to ground to be included in interface 56.

[0051] although Figure 12 One or more shielding layers 210 are shown as continuous and disposed on top of conductor 136, but in addition to or as an alternative to one or more shielding layers on top of conductor 136, some embodiments of interface 56 may include one or more shielding layers between conductor 136 and conductor 138. For example, Figure 13 A side view of system 230 is shown, similar to side view 208, except that shielding layer 210 is supplemented with a second shielding layer 234. In some embodiments, system 230 may use a single ground connection to the substrate / PCB for shielding protection of two sections. In some embodiments, shielding layer 234 may be coupled to a ground connection around pad 150, similar to how ground connection 212 is coupled to shielding layer 210 around pad 152. Additionally, shielding layer 234 is also coupled to grounding rod 140. Using these ground connections, shielding layer 234 provides protection against EMI to and from pad 150, similar to how shielding layer 210 provides protection against EMI to and from pad 152. Specifically, shielding layer 234 provides EMI protection between pad 150 and pad 152 to at least partially prevent them from interfering with each other.

[0052] In some implementations, alternatives to conductive sheets can be used to deploy the shielding layers 210 and / or 234, instead of relying on conductive filler materials. For example, Figure 14A conductive system 250 is shown, comprising a shielding layer 252 disposed on a substrate 253 and one or more conductive surfaces 254, such as pads 150 and 152. The shielding layer 252 uses conductive filler 256 to provide conductive connections between the conductive surfaces 254 and the conductive layer / sheet 258. The conductive filler 256 may comprise a conductive material (e.g., copper) in shape (e.g., a sphere), which may be set using pressure and / or temperature to establish electromechanical connections with the conductive surfaces 254 and the conductive layer / sheet 258, thereby forming a set filler 260. The conductive layer / sheet 258 may comprise sheets of conductive material (e.g., copper).

[0053] Figure 15 This is a side view 280 of a portion of interface 56 using shielding layer 252. Side view 280 is similar to side view 208, except that shielding layer 252 is used instead of shielding layer 210. As illustrated, the filler 260 is positioned such that shielding layer 252 is able to at least partially protect pads 150 and / or 152 from receiving EMI and / or transmitting EMI to other devices in electronic device 10. In some embodiments, shielding layer 252 may be applied between conductors 136 and 138, similar to... Figure 13 The shielding layer 234. Furthermore, in some embodiments of interface 56, a mixture of shielding layers 210, 234, and / or 252 may be used to shield pads 150 and / or 152. Additionally, as illustrated, at least some of the conductive filler in conductive filler 256 is not set, and therefore the conductive sheet 258 is not coupled to the interior of shielding layer 252. Since this lack of connection can be at least partially insulating, insulating layer 206 may be omitted for at least some embodiments. Similarly, the insulating layer may be omitted from some embodiments utilizing shielding layers 210 and / or 234.

[0054] The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that various modifications and alternatives are permissible. It should also be understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the specific forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the substance and scope of this disclosure.

[0055] As is widely recognized, the use of personally identifiable information should comply with privacy policies and measures that are generally accepted to meet or exceed industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Specifically, personally identifiable information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly explained to users.

[0056] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to specific examples of physical and practical nature that significantly improve the art and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements designated as “component for [performing] [function]…” or “step for [performing] [function]…”, such elements are intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are intended not to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f).

Claims

1. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: A first electronic device, the first electronic device comprising a printed circuit board and a four-prong connector, the four-prong connector being coupled to a first surface of the printed circuit board; A first plurality of wires, the first plurality of wires being coupled to a second surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the first plurality of wires are parallel to each other and located on a first plane; and The second plurality of conductors are coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the second plurality of conductors are parallel to each other and located on a second plane, wherein the first plane and the second plane are each parallel to each other and parallel to the second surface of the printed circuit board, and the first plurality of conductors are vertically located above the second plurality of conductors.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the printed circuit board is opposite to the second surface of the printed circuit board.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a system-in-package.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises: Hinges; and A wire harness comprising a first plurality of wires and a second plurality of wires, wherein the wire harness is configured to provide communication via the hinge.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device includes a second electronic device coupled to the first plurality of wires and the second plurality of wires.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the wires in the first plurality of wires intersect with the wires in the second plurality of wires.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises: The first set of pads is located on the second surface of the printed circuit board; A first hot press head is used to couple the first plurality of wires to the first set of pads; The second set of pads is located on the second surface of the printed circuit board; and The second hot press head is used to couple the second plurality of wires to the second set of pads.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first electronic device includes a grounding rod that is electromechanically coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board and coupled to the first plurality of wires and the second plurality of wires.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first electronic device includes a film having a conductive material coupled to the printed circuit board and the grounding rod, and is configured to at least partially shield electromagnetic interference from escaping from the first set of pads and the second set of pads during operation of the electronic device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of wires or the second plurality of wires are coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board using at least one physical connector that is electromechanically coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board.

11. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising: A first electronic device, the first electronic device comprising: A printed circuit board having a four-prong connector coupled to a first surface of the printed circuit board; A first set of pads and a second set of pads, the first set of pads and the second set of pads being coupled to a second surface of the printed circuit board; and A grounding rod, the grounding rod being coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board; First plurality of conductors, the first plurality of conductors being coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board using a first thermocoupler connector, the first thermocoupler connector being configured to couple the first plurality of conductors to the first set of pads, wherein the first plurality of conductors are parallel to each other and located on a first plane, and the first plurality of conductors are coupled to the grounding rod; and The second plurality of conductors are coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board using a second thermocoupler connector, the second thermocoupler connector being configured to couple the second plurality of conductors to the second set of pads, wherein the second plurality of conductors are parallel to each other and located on a second plane, the second plurality of conductors are coupled to the grounding rod, the first plane and the second plane are each parallel to each other and parallel to the second surface of the printed circuit board, and the first plurality of conductors are vertically located above the second plurality of conductors.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device includes a shielding layer coupled to the grounding rod, wherein the shielding layer is configured to at least partially block electromagnetic interference to or from the first set of pads and the second set of pads.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the shielding layer comprises a stretchable film having a conductive sheet configured to be electrically coupled to the grounding rod.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the stretchable membrane is stretched at least partially around the conductors of the first plurality of conductors to provide electromagnetic interference protection between the conductors of the first plurality of conductors.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the stretchable film is configured to be compressed near the grounding rod and the printed circuit board to form a connection between the conductive sheet and the grounding rod and a grounding connector on the printed circuit board.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the shielding layer comprises: A conductive sheet, said conductive sheet being formed of a conductive material; and A conductive filler is disposed between the grounding rod and the conductive sheet and between the conductive sheet and a grounding connector on the second surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the conductive filler is configured to provide an electrical connection between the conductive sheet, the grounding rod and the grounding connector after the conductive filler is disposed near the grounding rod and the grounding connector.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the conductive filler is configured to be set using pressure or heat to set the conductivity between the grounding rod, the conductive sheet and the grounding connector on the printed circuit board.

18. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first electronic device includes a second shielding layer located between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors, and the first electronic device is coupled to the grounding rod, wherein the second shielding layer is configured to provide electromagnetic interference protection between the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors.

19. A method for manufacturing an interface, the method comprising: Couple the first plurality of wires to the first plurality of pads on the printed circuit board; Couple the second plurality of wires to the second plurality of pads on the printed circuit board; A grounding rod is coupled to the printed circuit board, wherein the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors are adjacent to the grounding rod; An insulating layer is provided on the first plurality of conductors and the second plurality of conductors and on the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads; as well as An adhesive film carrying conductive material is disposed on the insulating layer, the grounding rod, and the printed circuit board; as well as The adhesive film carrying conductive material is electrically bonded to electrically couple the grounding rod and the grounding connection of the printed circuit board, thereby realizing a shielding layer configured to at least partially block electromagnetic interference from escaping from the first plurality of pads and the second plurality of pads.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein electrically bonding the adhesive film carrying the conductive material comprises compressing a conductive sheet or filler in the adhesive film carrying the conductive material to form an electrical connection through the adhesive film carrying the conductive material.

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