Patent ID: 7860582

Claim:
A compact modular embedded device, comprising, a base module, comprising: a processor; a memory medium coupled to the processor; a bus coupled to the processor, wherein the bus comprises one or more digital lines which are software configurable to implement one or more communication buses comprised in the bus; and a power input coupled to the processor, the memory medium, and the bus, configured to receive power from a power source and to provide the received power to the processor, the memory medium, and the bus, wherein the power source comprises at least one battery, or an external alternating current source for charging the at least one battery; wherein the base module is configured to couple to a host computer via a transmission medium, wherein the base module is further configured to: receive a program from the host computer; and store the program in the memory medium; wherein the base module is configured to couple to one or more extension modules via the bus in a stacked fashion along an axis, and wherein the base module is configured to communicatively couple to the one or more extension modules without a backplane, wherein the base module and the one or more extension modules each comprise a respective planar circuit board, wherein, when stacked, the respective circuit boards of the base module and the one or more extension modules are substantially parallel and perpendicular to the axis, wherein each extension module provides respective functionality for the compact modular embedded device, and wherein at least one of the one or more extension modules comprises or couples to a compact sensor; and wherein the base module is further configured to execute the program to perform a function in conjunction with the one or more extension modules.