Abstract:
One embodiment provides an apparatus, including: a transmitter; and a hinge, comprising: a receiver; the receiver being optically coupled to the transmitter and receiving data from the transmitter. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Electronic devices (also referred to herein generally as information handling devices or simply devices) such as laptops, etc., are often formed as a clamshell in which two parts are connected via a hinge. Other electronic devices are connected in a similar fashion or otherwise have moving parts, e.g., so-called “flip” phones, hybrid devices such as the LENOVO YOGA computing device, and the like. 
         [0002]    For such devices, the hinge or hinges (or connection(s) by any other name and considered and described as included in the term hinge as used herein) that connect the two parts and offer rotation or relative movement also act in many instances as a conduit through which wiring is passed. For example, in a clamshell laptop, the hinge is used to feed wiring from the base portion of the device to the display portion, e.g., video data for the display screen. Depending on the nature of the device, the wiring may be complex and handle bi-directional traffic and signals for various types of data transmission. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In summary, one aspect provides an apparatus, comprising: a transmitter; and a hinge, comprising: a receiver; the receiver being optically coupled to the transmitter and receiving data from the transmitter. 
         [0004]    Another aspect provides a device, comprising: a processor; a memory operatively coupled to the processor; a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor; a base housing part enclosing the processor and the memory; a separate housing part; one or more hinges physically coupling the base housing part and the separate housing part; and the one or more hinges comprising: a receiver; the receiver being optically coupled to the transmitter and receiving data from the transmitter; the memory device storing instructions executable by the processor to: communicate data via the transmitter to the receiver. 
         [0005]    A further aspect provides a device, comprising: a processor; a memory operatively coupled to the processor; a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor; a base housing part enclosing the processor and the memory; a separate housing part; two hinges physically coupling the base housing part and the separate housing part; and each hinge, comprising: a receiver; the receiver being optically coupled to the transmitter and receiving data from the transmitter; the memory device storing instructions executable by the processor to: communicate data via the transmitter to the receiver. 
         [0006]    The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. 
         [0007]    For a better understanding of the embodiments, together with other and further features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of information handling device circuitry. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example perspective view of an optically coupled hinge. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of an example optically coupled hinge. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations in addition to the described example embodiments. Thus, the following more detailed description of the example embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of example embodiments. 
         [0012]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” (or the like) means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” or the like in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, et cetera. In other instances, well known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obfuscation. 
         [0014]    Making hinge(s), e.g., for laptop computers or other electronic devices having moving parts that are operatively coupled, is difficult because often large numbers of wires must be routed from the lower or base unit to the separate, e.g., top unit, with the wires being routed inside the hinge. These wires tend to fret and break over time due to flexing motion and friction, causing shorts. Complicated hollow hinges are somewhat better, but are also weaker and/or cost more due to increased strength requirements for the materials. 
         [0015]    Multiplexing signals into one wire does not overcome flexion problems. Radio signaling from bottom to top has issues, e.g., channel overlap between units and EMF interference. Direct contact couplings work, but only in certain positions. Through air signaling also has problems, e.g., dust on emitters may cause disturbances and through air signaling often proves difficult to keep a proper alignment between emitter and receiver, particularly in certain form factors. 
         [0016]    An embodiment therefore uses a high-speed optical transmitter (e.g., attached to the base portion) and a corresponding optical receiver (e.g., attached to the separate or lid portion). Data communicated from one part to another may be multiplexed into this optical link. The transmitter and receiver may be separated, e.g., by a very small air gap (e.g., on the order of several millimeters), and optically sealed from the outside world. These components may be aligned with each other, e.g., along a center axis of the hinge, so that as the hinge rotates they do not move with respect to each other in terms of optical or functional alignment. In an embodiment, a second set of transmitter and receiver, with the direction reversed, exists to carry data for example back from the separate or lid portion to the base portion, e.g., in a second hinge or on the other side of the same hinge, etc. The terms transmitter and receiver, as used herein, may include the transmitter and receiver components, respectively, but also may include additional components, e.g., light guides, fiber optic(s), etc., that form a “transmitter” and a “receiver” unit or units. 
         [0017]    The illustrated example embodiments will be best understood by reference to the figures. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain example embodiments. 
         [0018]    While various other circuits, circuitry or components may be utilized in information handling devices,  FIG. 1  depicts a block diagram of an example of information handling device circuits, circuitry or components. The example depicted in  FIG. 1  may correspond to computing systems such as the THINKPAD series of personal computers sold by Lenovo (US) Inc. of Morrisville, N.C., or other devices. As is apparent from the description herein, embodiments may include other features or only some of the features of the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0019]    The example of  FIG. 1  includes a so-called chipset  110  (a group of integrated circuits, or chips, that work together, chipsets) with an architecture that may vary depending on manufacturer (for example, INTEL, AMD, ARM, etc.). INTEL is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. AMD is a registered trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. in the United States and other countries. ARM is an unregistered trademark of ARM Holdings plc in the United States and other countries. The architecture of the chipset  110  includes a core and memory control group  120  and an I/O controller hub  150  that exchanges information (for example, data, signals, commands, etc.) via a direct management interface (DMI)  142  or a link controller  144 . In  FIG. 1 , the DMI  142  is a chip-to-chip interface (sometimes referred to as being a link between a “northbridge” and a “southbridge”). The core and memory control group  120  include one or more processors  122  (for example, single or multi-core) and a memory controller hub  126  that exchange information via a front side bus (FSB)  124 ; noting that components of the group  120  may be integrated in a chip that supplants the conventional “northbridge” style architecture. One or more processors  122  comprise internal arithmetic units, registers, cache memory, busses, I/O ports, etc., as is well known in the art. 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 1 , the memory controller hub  126  interfaces with memory  140  (for example, to provide support for a type of RAM that may be referred to as “system memory” or “memory”). The memory controller hub  126  further includes a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) interface  132  for a display device  192  (for example, a CRT, a flat panel, touch screen, etc.). A block  138  includes some technologies that may be supported via the LVDS interface  132  (for example, serial digital video, HDMI/DVI, display port). The memory controller hub  126  also includes a PCI-express interface (PCI-E)  134  that may support discrete graphics  136 . 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 1 , the I/O hub controller  150  includes a SATA interface  151  (for example, for HDDs, SDDs, etc.,  180 ), a PCI-E interface  152  (for example, for wireless connections  182 ), a USB interface  153  (for example, for devices  184  such as a digitizer, keyboard, mice, cameras, phones, microphones, storage, other connected devices, etc.), a network interface  154  (for example, LAN), a GPIO interface  155 , a LPC interface  170  (for ASICs  171 , a TPM  172 , a super I/O  173 , a firmware hub  174 , BIOS support  175  as well as various types of memory  176  such as ROM  177 , Flash  178 , and NVRAM  179 ), a power management interface  161 , a clock generator interface  162 , an audio interface  163  (for example, for speakers  194 ), a TCO interface  164 , a system management bus interface  165 , and SPI Flash  166 , which can include BIOS  168  and boot code  190 . The I/O hub controller  150  may include gigabit Ethernet support. 
         [0022]    The system, upon power on, may be configured to execute boot code  190  for the BIOS  168 , as stored within the SPI Flash  166 , and thereafter processes data under the control of one or more operating systems and application software (for example, stored in system memory  140 ). An operating system may be stored in any of a variety of locations and accessed, for example, according to instructions of the BIOS  168 . As described herein, a device may include fewer or more features than shown in the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    Information handling device circuitry, as for example outlined in  FIG. 1 , may be used in personal electronic devices generally. Specifically, an embodiment may be implemented in a device having circuitry such as that outlined in  FIG. 1  and including two or more moving components coupled by a hinge or hinges. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an example of an optically coupled hinge is displayed. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the hinge is formed of two parts (generally indicated at  210  and  220 ); however, it will be readily apparent that the hinge may take the form of a single part. Moreover, the hinge parts  210 ,  220  may be formed as independent parts, e.g., that attach to a base portion of a device and a display portion of the device, respectively. However, the hinge parts  210 ,  220  may be integrally formed with the upper and lower parts of the device, e.g., as sub-parts of the base portion and display portion of a device. 
         [0025]    The example of  FIG. 2  illustrates that an emitter  230  and a receiver or sensor  240  are aligned in the hinge, e.g., separated by a small air gap. The emitter  230  and the receiver  240  may for example be aligned along the axis of a hinge pin  250  such that, on rotation of the display or upper part of the device (e.g., generally indicated at  220 ) and the lower or base part (e.g., generally indicated at  210 ), the emitter  230  and the receiver  240  do not come out of optical alignment. The emitter  230  and/or receiver  240  may or may not rotate along with the respective hinge parts  210 ,  220 , depending on how each is mounted or affixed to the respective hinge or device part  210 ,  220 . 
         [0026]    The case wiring indicated at  260  may thus lead into the hinge pin  250  (or like component depending on the nature of the hinge configuration) such that it terminates at the emitter  230 . That is, the case wiring  260  need not traverse the gap (e.g., air gap) and extend into the separate, e.g., display, part, again indicated generally at  220 . This relieves the case wiring  260  from being subjected to any friction or bending as the parts  210  and  220  are rotated (or otherwise moved) about one another. As will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art, the case wiring may carry data signals from a system processor and be operatively coupled to the emitter  230 , e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), such that data may be transmitted to the receiver (e.g., LED detector) and thus to the upper or display part. It will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a second emitter and receiver may be arranged, e.g., in the same or different (e.g., second) hinge such that the bi-directional communication may be achieved, e.g., data transmission from the upper or display part  220  to the lower or base part  210 . 
         [0027]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , as illustrated, a top part  320  and lower part  310  are operatively connected via an emitter  330  and a receiver or sensor  340 , separated by an air gap  380 . Here, the case wiring  360  and the top wiring  370  are operatively connected by a communication link provided by the emitter  330  and the receiver  340 , e.g., communicating optically via air gap  380 . As shown, the hinge pin  350  and insert area therefor may be used to enclose, e.g., from external or ambient light, the emitter  330  and the receiver  340 . As will be appreciated, this shields the emitter  330  and receiver  340  such that optical communication (e.g., using visible or other wavelength of light signaling) is enabled. Further, as may be appreciated, such a hinge may rotate about an axis of rotation running along the hinge pin  350 . The placement of the emitter  330  and the receiver  340  ensures that these components remain aligned with one another as the top part  320  and bottom part  310  move relative to one another. 
         [0028]    Furthermore, it may again be appreciated form review of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  that the wiring need not physically extend between the upper and lower parts. Rather, the wiring may terminate in emitter and receiver such that the upper and lower part rotate without a wired connection yet remain in operative coupling with one another with respect to data communications. 
         [0029]    This disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The example embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain principles and practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
         [0030]    Thus, although illustrative example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying figures, it is to be understood that this description is not limiting and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. 
         [0031]    As used herein, the singular “a” and “an” may be construed as including the plural “one or more” unless clearly indicated otherwise.