Abstract:
A personal electronic device has its modules wirelessly connected for communications between the modules. The personal electronic device comprises a frame module, a peripheral module, a battery unit, and a plurality of power lines. The frame module and the peripheral module are each equipped with a wireless chipset and an antenna. The communication between the frame module and the peripheral module is accomplished only through wireless signals. There are no wires and sockets for connecting the frame module to the peripheral module. Costs related to wires and sockets manufacture and installation are thereby reduced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The instant disclosure relates to a personal electronic device, and more specifically, to a personal electronic device having its modules wirelessly connected for communications between the modules. 
         [0002]    A personal electronic device nowadays comprises of a cover, a frame, a mother board, and a variety of peripheral units such as a display unit, a camera unit, a wireless communication unit, a sensor unit, and etc. A mother board is a printed circuit board (“PCB”) with a variety of Integrated Circuits (IC) and electronic elements attached to it. A peripheral unit is usually installed in a niche space to implement a specialized function. Wires and sockets are used to connect the mother board to the peripheral units for information exchange. 
         [0003]    A peripheral unit is prone to worn-out after years of usage and needs to be replaced after worn-out. Other reasons such as a defect or a function upgrade can also trigger a replacement. A replacement of a peripheral unit is expensive because it requires delicately disconnecting wires connecting to the peripheral unit and reconnecting the wires for a new peripheral unit. If a peripheral unit is mounted to the mother board, detaching and remounting a peripheral unit needs repair tools such as a heat gun, and a reflow oven, which makes a replacement even more inconvenient. 
         [0004]    The System-in-Package (“SiP”) technology has evolved rapidly in recent years. More and more peripheral units are made through SiP technology. SiP is a fully functional system or a sub-system enclosed in a format of IC package. SiP usually contains one or more IC chips plus other components such as passive elements, SAW filters, mechanical parts, and etc. The IC chips and other components are first mounted to a substrate, and then packaged through a transfer molding process to form a single package. A mold compound protects the IC chips and other components from dislocation, erosion, and damage. An antenna can be easily formed on a surface of a mold compound of a SiP. U.S. Pat. No. 8,199,518 and No. 8,058,714 respectively disclose a semiconductor package with an antenna. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A personal electronic device has its modules wirelessly connected for communications between the modules. The personal electronic device comprises a frame module, a peripheral module, a battery unit, and a plurality of power lines. The frame module and the peripheral module are each equipped with a wireless chipset and an antenna. The frame module has its central processing unit (“CPU”) chipset and wireless chipset enclosed by a frame module mold compound. The antenna of the frame module is disposed over a surface of the frame module mold compound. The peripheral module has its application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) and its wireless chipset enclosed by a peripheral module mold compound. The antenna of the peripheral module is disposed over a surface of the peripheral module mold compound. 
         [0006]    The communication between the frame module and the peripheral module is accomplished only through wireless signals. There are no wires and sockets for connecting the frame module to the peripheral module. Costs related to wires and/or sockets manufacture and installation are thereby reduced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularly in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principle of the inventions are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a personal electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the personal electronic device of  FIG. 1 , taken generally on line  2 - 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the peripheral module of the personal electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the peripheral module of  FIG. 3 , taken generally on line  4 - 4 ; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a personal electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The personal electronic device  10  comprises a frame module  12 , a peripheral module  14 , a battery unit  16 , and a plurality of power lines  18 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , two hollow spaces are formed in the frame module  12  to receive the peripheral module  14 , and the battery unit  16 . The plurality of power lines  18  is affixed to the frame module  12 . 
         [0013]    The frame module  12  acts as the brain of the personal electronic device  10 , implementing the major functions such as control of peripheral modules, execution of application programs, and video or audio signal processing. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the frame module  12  comprises a substrate  20 , a CPU chipset  22 , a frame module wireless chipset  24 , and a frame module antenna  26 . The substrate  20  carries the CPU chipset  22  and the frame module wireless chipset  24 . The frame module  12  transmits and receives wireless signal through the frame module wireless chipset  24  and the frame module antenna  26 . The frame module wireless chipset  24  comprises a variety of radio frequency (“RF”) circuits such as resonant circuits, filters, matching networks, amplifiers, and mixers. The specific details of the RF circuits are within the knowledge of a person skill in the art and are not discussed here in order to not obscure the invention. 
         [0014]    The frame module  12  further comprises a frame module mold compound  28  and signal lines  30  and  32 . The frame module compound  28  overlies the substrate  20 , the CPU chipset  22 , and the frame module wireless chipset  24 . The signal lines  30  and  32  electrically connect the CPU chipset  22 , the frame module wireless chipset  24 , and the frame module antenna  26 . The frame module mold compound  28  is applied through transfer molding, injection molding, compression molding, or other molding processes. Molding material is either thermosetting or thermoplastic. The frame module antenna  26  is disposed over a surface of the frame module mold compound  28 . Preferably, the frame module antenna  26  is made through coating and etching process. A frame module shielding conductive layer can be formed above the surface of the frame module mold compound to prevent electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) issues. The frame module antenna  26  is situated above and isolated from the frame module shielding conductive layer to prevent signal loss. 
         [0015]    The peripheral module  14  performs at least one specialized function. For the purpose of illustration, the peripheral module  14  can be a camera unit, a scanner unit, a bio activity sensor, a display unit, a wireless communication unit, or an input-output unit. As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the peripheral module  14  comprises a carrier  34 , a functional element  36 , and an ASIC  38 . The functional element  36  and the ASIC  38  affix to the carrier  34 . The functional element  36  is designed for performing the intended function of the peripheral module  14  and may contain a micro electro mechanical system (“MEMS”) component, an optical component, or a sensor component. The ASIC  38  is to assist the functional element  36  and/or to collect and store data from the functional element  36 . The peripheral module  14  further comprises a peripheral module wireless chipset  40  and a peripheral module antenna  42  through which the peripheral module  14  sends and receives wireless signal to and from the frame module  12 . 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the peripheral module  14  further comprises a peripheral module mold compound  44  and a plurality of signal lines  46 ,  48 , and  50 . The peripheral module mold compound  44  overlies the ASIC  38  and the peripheral module wireless chipset  40 . The signal lines  46 ,  48 , and  50  electrically connect the functional element  36 , the ASIC  38 , the peripheral module wireless chipset  40 , and the peripheral module antenna  42 . The peripheral module mold compound  44  is applied through transfer molding, injection molding, compression molding, or other molding processes. The peripheral module antenna  42  is disposed over a surface of the peripheral module mold compound  44 . The peripheral module  14  further comprises a plurality of power terminals  52  for connecting to the power lines  18 , and preferably, the peripheral module  14  has no terminals other than the power terminals  52 . Furthermore, a peripheral module shielding conductive layer can be formed above the surface of the peripheral module mold compound  44  to prevent electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) issues. The peripheral module antenna  42  is situated above and isolated from the shielding conductive layer to prevent signal loss. 
         [0017]    When a program executed in the CPU chipset  22  of the frame module  12  calls for an action in the peripheral module  14 , an instruction will be sent from the CPU chipset  22  of the frame module  12  through the frame module wireless chipset  24  and the frame module antenna  26 , and received by the peripheral module  14  through the peripheral module antenna  42  and the peripheral module wireless chipset  40 . The ASIC  38  of the peripheral module  14  responds to the instruction by having the functional element  36  implement certain actions. Should the peripheral module  14  need to send information back to the frame module  12 , the information will be sent by the peripheral module  14  through the peripheral module wireless chipset  40  and the peripheral module antenna  42 , and received by the frame module  12  through the frame module antenna  26  and the frame module wireless chipset  24 . 
         [0018]    The battery unit  16  supplies power to the frame module  12  and the peripheral module  14  through the plurality of power lines  18 . The plurality of power lines  18  has its ends soldered to or clamped to contact respective power terminals of the frame module  12  and the peripheral module  14 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the plurality of power lines  18  has a plurality of junctures  54  to branch the power lines  18 . 
         [0019]    While the invention has been disclosed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, numerous modifications and variations will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that the following claims cover all such modifications and variations that may fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.