Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Intel Corporation

Michael Grassi

Gregory Mayo Daly

Eric Oliver Mejdrich

Russell Dean Hoover

Peter Anthony Atkinson

Alex Levin

John A Dickerson

Jay Shih Tsao

James Adam Hunter

Disclosed herein is a modular computing device that provides a user options to upgrade an existing computing device as improved expansion units become available without rendering the underlying base unit obsolete. The base unit of the modular computing device receives high-voltage AC power and one or more power supplies within the base unit converts the AC power to low-voltage DC power that is consumed within the base unit. An AC power transfer unit transfers AC power from the base unit to an expansion unit installed within an expansion dock of the base unit. One or more power supplies within the expansion unit convert the received AC power to low-voltage DC power that is consumed within the expansion unit.

Modular computing device with common AC power

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.

Computing device with removable power module

A system and method for voltage sensing at active power gated cores of a multi core CPU wherein a Controlled Collapse Chip Carrier bump in a gating region for an associated core is isolatable from an ungated power region by a power gate to allow voltage sensing at a designated location with substantially no current passing there through.

Package level voltage sensing of a power gated die

Growing community of inventors

Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Michael Grassi