Removable Power Module for Computing Device Upgradability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Video game consoles and other computing devices become obsolete quickly, leading to frustration and unnecessary discarding due to lack of upgradability and insufficient power supply, causing consumers to wait for new releases or spend heavily on new consoles rather than upgrading existing ones.
Innovation Solution
A computing device with a system chassis and removable power module that includes an external power connector, power supply to convert AC to DC, and a selective power connector to the base system board, allowing for easy upgrading of components like CPU, GPU, and storage without requiring specialized knowledge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If computing devices are designed with fixed integrated power supplies, then manufacturing and structural simplicity is maintained, but upgradability and adaptability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into a removable power module that can be independently upgraded. The power module is separated from the main system chassis, allowing users to replace only the power module rather than the entire device, thereby improving upgradability while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply function is extracted from the fixed integrated design and placed into a separate removable power module. This extraction allows the power module to be independently replaced and upgraded without affecting other system components, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural complexity.
2Power
If power supply capacity is increased to support high-performance components, then performance capability is improved, but device size and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The power module is designed with dynamic scalability, allowing users to select power modules with different capacity levels based on their performance needs. This enables the system to adapt its power capacity dynamically rather than being fixed at a high capacity from the start, thus avoiding unnecessary size increases for users who don't require maximum performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different power modules can be designed with different power capacities and physical dimensions tailored to specific performance requirements. Users can choose a compact low-power module for basic needs or a larger high-power module for performance-intensive applications, optimizing the local quality of power density to different regions of the performance spectrum.
3Reliability
If specialized technical knowledge is required for component upgrades, then system reliability and safety are improved, but ease of operation and user accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The power module is designed to be self-contained with all necessary power conversion components (rectifier, voltage regulator) integrated within it. This allows users to safely replace the power module without needing to understand or manipulate complex electrical circuits, enabling self-service upgrades while maintaining system reliability through factory-prepared safe connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable power module acts as an intermediary that isolates users from high-voltage AC power handling. The module includes built-in safety mechanisms and standardized connectors that mediate between the user-friendly replacement process and the potentially dangerous high-power electrical components, allowing easy upgrades while maintaining safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to upgrade specific components of computing devices, extending their lifespan and reducing electronic waste by providing sufficient power for enhanced performance without the need for frequent replacements.
Implementation Method 1
a power supply to rectify the received AC power to DC power
Data Source
AI summary
Computing device manufacturers are often driven to minimize power supply capabilities supplied with a device to that required to operate the device. The disclosed computing devices include a system chassis and a removable power module. The removable power module includes a power supply that rectifies received AC power to a quantity of DC power sufficient to operate both the removable power module and the system chassis. The removable power module may also include a performance enhancing component that may be used to upgrade the performance of the device. As each removable power module includes the power supply for the entire device, the power supply within each removable power module may be tailored to provide the power necessary to operate both the removable power module and the system chassis.