PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11073872-B2
Application Number: US-202016818680-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Distributed auxiliary hub for a portable electronic device

Abstract:
A distributed auxiliary hub for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The distributed auxiliary hub, located on a stacked circuit assembly, can distribute electrical signals to multiple different destinations. The distributed auxiliary hub is displaced and separate from a main logic board, and as a result, can provide supplemental functions. Although the distributed auxiliary hub is electrically coupled to the main logic board, the distributed auxiliary hub includes dedicated integrated circuits responsible for executing functions related to battery charging and powering of electronic components (e.g., haptic feedback module, speaker module, etc.). As a result, the distributed auxiliary hub, when executing these aforementioned functions, is not reliant upon the main logic board to transmit electrical current to the battery and/or electronic components. The distributed auxiliary hub, when electrically coupled to an external resource, is capable of directly transmitting electrical current to electronic components.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
 an enclosure that defines a cavity, the enclosure comprising a wall; and 
 internal components located in the cavity, the internal components comprising:
 a dock connector secured with the wall, 
 a main logic board, 
 a dock flex electrically connected to the dock connector and the main logic board, and 
 a circuit assembly positioned on and electrically coupled to the dock flex, the circuit assembly configured to direct an electrical signal between the dock connector and the main logic board. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The portable electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising an internal power supply located between the circuit assembly and the main logic board. 
     
     
       3. The portable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit assembly is separate from the main logic board. 
     
     
       4. The portable electronic device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a haptic feedback module; and 
 an acoustic speaker module, wherein the circuit assembly comprises:
 a haptic feedback circuit configured to transmit a first control signal to the haptic feedback module, and 
 an acoustic speaker circuit configured to transmit a second control signal to the acoustic speaker module, the first control signal different from the second control signal. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The portable electronic device of  claim 3 , further comprising an inductive charging coil electrically coupled and capable of transmitting an electrical current to the circuit assembly. 
     
     
       6. The portable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit assembly comprises:
 a first circuit board; 
 an interposer board connected to the first circuit board; and 
 a second circuit board connected to the interposer board. 
 
     
     
       7. The portable electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the interposer board is positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. 
     
     
       8. The portable electronic device of  claim 6 , further comprising an inductor connected to the interposer board, wherein the second circuit board comprises an opening, and wherein the inductor passes through the opening. 
     
     
       9. The portable electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the second circuit board comprises a shield that covers the opening and the inductor. 
     
     
       10. A portable electronic device, comprising:
 an enclosure; 
 a main logic board; 
 a circuit assembly, comprising:
 a first circuit board having a first conductive element, 
 a second circuit board having a second conductive element, and 
 an interposer board disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein the interposer board includes an electrically conductive pin electrically connected to the first conductive element and the second conductive element; 
 
 a flexible circuit comprising electrical contacts that electrically couple to the circuit assembly; and 
 a dock connector having a dock connector housing that is secured with the enclosure, wherein an electrical signal is capable of being passed between the dock connector, the circuit assembly, and the main logic board. 
 
     
     
       11. The portable electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the dock connector is capable of passing the electrical signal directly to the circuit assembly via the electrical contacts without the electrical signal passing through the flexible circuit and to the main logic board. 
     
     
       12. The portable electronic device of  claim 11 , further comprising an internal power supply electrically coupled to and capable of receiving the electrical signal from the circuit assembly without the electrical signal passing to the main logic board. 
     
     
       13. The portable electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the circuit assembly further comprises:
 an inductor, wherein the interposer board defines a cavity, and wherein the inductor disposed in the cavity; and 
 an electromagnetic interference shield that covers the inductor. 
 
     
     
       14. The portable electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the inductor comprises:
 a width; and 
 a height that is greater than the width.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/897,153 entitled “DISTRIBUTED AUXILIARY HUB FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE,” filed Sep. 6, 2019, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to a circuit assembly that provides direct charging and acoustic circuitry for a portable electronic device. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to a distributed auxiliary hub that is displaced from a main logic board and capable of providing direct charging power to the main logic board, a battery, and at least one electronic component. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recent technological and manufacturing advances have enabled manufacturers of portable electronic devices to fit more complex electronic components within a cavity of an enclosure. However, manufacturers may still rely upon a single circuit board (such as a motherboard) to execute all of the primary functions of the portable electronic device. Consequently, as portable electronic devices execute more complex functions, using a single motherboard to execute these functions is inefficient, especially while a battery of the portable electronic device is being charged. 
     SUMMARY 
     This paper describes various embodiments that relate generally to a circuit assembly that provides charging and acoustic circuitry for a portable electronic device. More particularly, the described embodiments relate to a distributed auxiliary hub that is displaced from a main logic board and capable of providing direct charging power to the main logic board, a battery, and at least one electronic component. 
     In one aspect, a portable electronic device is described. The portable electronic device may include an enclosure that defines a cavity. The enclosure may include a wall. The portable electronic device may further include internal components located in the cavity. The internal components may include a dock connector secured with the wall. The internal components may further include a main logic board. The internal components may further include a dock flex electrically connected to the dock connector and the main logic board. The internal components may further include a circuit assembly positioned on and electrically coupled to the dock flex. The circuit assembly may be configured to direct an electrical signal between the dock connector and the main logic board. 
     In another aspect, a portable electronic device is described. The portable electronic device may include an enclosure. The portable electronic device may further include a main logic board. The portable electronic device may further include a circuit assembly. The circuit assembly may include a first circuit board having a first conductive element. The circuit assembly may further include a second circuit board having a second conductive element. The circuit assembly may further include an interposer board disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. In some embodiments, the interposer board includes an electrically conductive pin that is electrically connected to the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The portable electronic device may further include a flexible circuit that includes electrical contacts that electrically couple to the circuit assembly. The portable electronic device may further include a dock connector having a dock connector housing that is secured with the enclosure. In some embodiments, an electrical signal is capable of being passed between the dock connector, the stacked circuit assembly, and the main logic board. 
     In another aspect, a circuit assembly circuit board assembly for use with a portable electronic device is described. The circuit assembly may include a first printed circuit board that carries a first electrical contact. The circuit assembly may further include a second printed circuit board that carries a second electrical contact. The second substrate printed circuit board may include an opening. The circuit assembly may further include an interposer board mounted between the first circuit board and the second printed circuit board. The interposer board may include an electrically conductive pin that electrically connects to the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, thereby placing the first printed circuit in electrical communication with the second circuit board. The circuit assembly may further include an inductor carried by the first printed circuit board, the inductor at least partially disposed through the opening. In some embodiments, the inductor has a first dimension and a second that is greater than the first dimension. 
     Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the described embodiments. 
     This Summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate perspective views of a portable electronic device having a distributed auxiliary hub, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a portable electronic device having a distributed auxiliary hub, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of a portable electronic device having a distributed auxiliary hub, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIGS. 4A-4E  illustrate various views of a circuit assembly having a distributed auxiliary hub, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate alternate embodiments of a circuit assembly, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a method for forming a distributed auxiliary hub, in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a system diagram of a portable electronic device that is capable of implementing the various techniques described herein, according to some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting. 
     In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; such that other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. 
     Recent technological and manufacturing advances have enabled manufacturers of portable electronic devices to fit more complex electronic components within a cavity of an enclosure. However, portable electronic devices should also be relatively lightweight, compact and easy to carry around. Moreover, fitting more complex electronic components within the cavity may restrict the size of the internal battery of the portable electronic device. Consequently, limiting the size of the internal battery that is responsible for providing power to all of the components of the portable electronic device may lead to inefficiencies in battery charging. Furthermore, manufacturers may still rely upon a single motherboard to execute all of the primary functions of the portable electronic device. Consequently, as portable electronic devices execute more complex functions, the use of a single motherboard to execute these functions is inefficient, especially while a battery of the portable electronic device is being charged. 
     Accordingly, the embodiments described herein set forth a distributed auxiliary hub that is capable of distributing electrical signals according to multiple different electrical paths to reach different destinations. The distributed auxiliary hub is displaced and separate from the main logic board and capable of providing supplemental functions. Although the distributed auxiliary hub is electrically coupled to the main logic board via a flex cable, the distributed auxiliary hub includes dedicated integrated circuits responsible for executing functions related to battery charging and powering of electronic components (e.g., haptic feedback module, speaker module, etc.). As a result, the distributed auxiliary hub, when executing these aforementioned functions, is not reliant upon the main logic board to transmit electrical current to the battery and/or electronic components. When the distributed auxiliary hub is electrically coupled to an external resource (e.g., external battery supply, etc.) and/or receives electrical current via a wireless charging coil, the distributed auxiliary hub is capable of directly transmitting electrical current to the battery and/or electronic components. In conventional portable electronic devices, the functions of the distributed auxiliary hub would have been implemented by the main logic board. 
     Beneficially, positioning the distributed auxiliary hub closer to the external resource provides reduces the electrical signal path and increases charging efficiency relative to a conventional logic board. The embodiments described herein may provide the aforementioned advantages of increased charge and functional efficiency for those electronic components that are positioned closer to the distributed auxiliary hub than the main logic board. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1-7 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate various perspective views of a portable electronic device  100 . According to some examples, the portable electronic device  100  may refer to a computing device, a smartphone, a laptop, a smartwatch, a fitness tracker, a mobile phone, a wearable consumer device, and the like. According to some examples, the portable electronic device  100  carries one or more operational components within a cavity (not shown) of the portable electronic device  100 . These features will be shown and described below. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a front perspective view of the portable electronic device  100 . In some embodiments, the portable electronic device  100  includes an enclosure  102  that defines a cavity for internal components. The portable electronic device  100  may further include a display assembly  104  (shown as a dotted line) that overlays a majority of the cavity. The display assembly  104  may include a capacitive detection unit and/or a force detection unit, each of which is capable of detecting an input to a protective cover  106  and presenting a corresponding graphical output at the display assembly  104 . The protective cover  106  may be formed from a transparent material, such as glass, plastic, sapphire, or the like. The protective cover  106  may prevent surface abrasions and scratches from damaging the display assembly  104 . In some embodiments, the display assembly  104  is overlaid by the protective cover  106 . The portable electronic device  100  further includes a trim structure  108  that may be joined to the enclosure  102  with an attachment feature, such as an adhesive, a weld, and the like. 
     The enclosure  102  (also referred to as a housing) may include walls that define a cavity (not illustrated in  FIG. 1A ), where one or more operational components are carried within the cavity. The enclosure  102  may include a top wall  112   a , a bottom wall  112   b , a sidewall  112   c , and a sidewall  112   d . In some embodiments, the top wall  112   a  may be electrically isolated from the sidewall  112   c  and the sidewall  112   d  by a dielectric material  116   a , and the bottom wall  112   b  may be electrically isolated from the sidewall  112   c  and the sidewall  112   d  by a dielectric material  116   b . The dielectric material  116   a  and/or the dielectric material  116   a  can include plastic, injection-molded plastic, polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), polyether ether ketone (“PEEK”), ceramic, and the like. It should be noted that the portable electronic device  100  may further include additional dielectric materials (not shown in  FIG. 1A ) integrated with the sidewall  112   d.    
     According to some examples, at least one of the top wall  112   a , the bottom wall  112   b  the sidewall  112   c , or the sidewall  112   d  is formed of a non-metal material (or materials). According to some exemplary embodiments, the non-metal material includes glass, plastic, ceramic, and the like. Beneficially, the use of non-metal material(s) can reduce the amount of electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) associated with the enclosure  102  and a wireless transceiver that is carried within the cavity defined by the enclosure  102 . Additionally, the use of non-metal material reduces the amount of parasitic capacitance between any metal support structures that are carried within the cavity defined by the enclosure  102 . Additionally, the non-metal material facilitates electromagnetic waves and radio-frequency (“RF”) signals to pass through the enclosure  102 . 
     According to some embodiments, the display assembly  104  includes a notch  116  disposed along the top wall  112   a . The notch  116  is defined by a cut-out in the display assembly  104 . The notch  116  carries one or more electronic components  118  (e.g., infrared detector, front-facing camera, etc.). In some examples, the one or more electronic components  118  may be utilized for facial recognition. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device  100  includes a switch  122  and a button  124  located along the sidewall  112   c  and the sidewall  112   d , respectively. The portable electronic device  100  further includes dock connector  126  that is capable of providing data signals and/or electrical current from an external source (not shown in  FIG. 1A ) to the portable electronic device  100 . In some examples, the dock connector  126  refers to a bus and power connector. The dock connector  126  may be electrically coupled to a dock flex cable (not shown in  FIG. 1A ) that is capable of directly transmitting electrical signals and electrical current from an external source to the distributed auxiliary hub without first passing through the main logic board, as will be described herein. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates a rear perspective view of the portable electronic device  100  shown in  FIG. 1A , in accordance with some embodiments.  FIG. 1B  illustrates a functional component assembly  128  is carried at least in part by a protruding trim structure  136 . The functional component assembly  128  is disposed in proximity to a corner  132  of the enclosure  102 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the functional component assembly  128  includes a camera system having dual lenses (e.g., wide and a telephoto lenses, etc.). Also, the phrase “in proximity” may refer to the functional component assembly  128  separated by distance of less than about 50 mm from the corner  132 . Additionally, the functional component assembly  128  may include a flash module. The portable electronic device  100  further includes a bottom wall  134  and a protruding trim structure  136  that is secured to the bottom wall  134 . In some embodiments, the bottom wall  134  is joined to the top wall  112   a , the bottom wall  112   b  the sidewall  112   c , and the sidewall  112   d  by an adhesive or welding (as non-limiting examples). In some examples, the bottom wall  134  is formed of a non-metal material such as glass. The portable electronic device may further include inductive charging coils  140  used for wireless charging of an internal power supply (not shown in  FIG. 1B ). The inductive charging coils  140  may include magnetic cores that include ferrites. In this manner, the non-metal material of the bottom wall  134  permits a magnetic field to pass through the enclosure  102  in order to induce an electrical current through the inductive charging coils  140 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the portable electronic device  100 , in accordance with some embodiments. For purposes of illustration, the perspective view is representative of the portable electronic device  100  without the display assembly  104  and the protective cover  106  so as to reveal internal operational components carried within a cavity  142  by the enclosure  102 . 
     The portable electronic device  100  includes a main logic board  202  and a distributed auxiliary hub  204 . The dotted circle encompasses the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . The main logic board  202 , or motherboard, refers to the main printed circuit board that includes the central processing unit (CPU), memory (e.g., non-volatile memory device), a system clock, a subscriber identity module (SIM) reader, and connectors for communication with user input devices. For example, the main logic board  202  can be electrically coupled to a functional component(s) (e.g., camera, facial recognition scanner, etc.). The main logic board  202  may include an integrated circuitry for controlling a majority of the functions of the portable electronic device. 
     The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may refer to a secondary logic board (or boards) that is separated from the main logic board  202 . For instance, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is structurally separated from the main logic board  202  by an internal power supply  206  (e.g., a battery). While  FIG. 2  illustrates that the main logic board  202  is positioned at one region (e.g., an upper region of the portable electronic device  100 ), the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is positioned at a different region (e.g., a lower region of the portable electronic device  100 ). Based on the position, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  proximate, and electrically coupled, to the dock connector  126 . Beneficially, positioning the distributed auxiliary hub  204  closer to the dock connector  126  will significantly shorten the signal path between the dock connector  126  and the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , and therefore, increase the efficiency by which electrical current from an external source (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) that is connected (electrically and mechanically) to the dock connector  126  is received by the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . For example, the shortened signal path corresponds to a shorter flexible cable, which can reduce noise and signal losses through the flexible cable. According to some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is directly connected to the dock connector  126 . Thus, any electrical signals received from the dock connector  126  will pass directly to the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , and not through any flexible connectors or other wires. 
     According to some embodiments, charging circuity (not labeled in  FIG. 2 ), or at least some of the charging circuitry, is located on the distributed auxiliary hub  204  rather than the main logic board  202 . In this regard, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is directly connected to the internal power supply  206  and the inductive charging coils  140 . In some embodiments, electromagnetic fields through passing through the portable electronic device  100  induce an electrical current through the inductive charging coils  140 , and the electrical current is transmitted from the inductive charging coils  140  directly to the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . Thereafter, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  transmits the electrical current to charge the internal power supply  206  and/or power to the main logic board  202 . Beneficially, transmitting the electrical current directly between the inductive charging coils  140  and the distributed auxiliary hub  204  increases charging efficiency by shortening overall resistance/impedance (measured in Ohms, Ω), or opposition to the electrical current. In some embodiments, power in the form of electrical current running through the dock connector  126  is directly received by the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . Thereafter, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  transmits the electrical current to the internal power supply  206  and/or the main logic board  202 . 
     The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may include dedicated integrated circuits for controlling one or more electronic components carried by the portable electronic device  100 . The “dedicated” refers to the functions of these integrated circuits operable by the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . In other words, the functions of these dedicated integrated circuits are not duplicated by another integrated circuit(s) of the main logic board  202 . According to some examples, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is positioned adjacent to a haptic feedback module  208  and an acoustic speaker module  212 . The haptic feedback module  208  is capable of eliciting haptic feedback and the acoustic speaker module  212  is capable of eliciting sound or acoustic feedback in response to requests provided by the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . As the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212  are positioned adjacent to the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , it is more beneficial to provide the distributed auxiliary hub  204  with a dedicated integrated circuit to operate these modules, as opposed to operating the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module with integrated circuits located on the main logic board  202 . Accordingly, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  includes a haptic feedback circuit  214  that is capable of transmitting electrical signals directly from the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the haptic feedback module  208  without first requiring the electrical signals to pass through the main logic board  202 . Similarly, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  includes an acoustic speaker circuit  216  that is capable of transmitting electrical signals directly from the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the acoustic speaker module  212  without first requiring the electrical signals to pass through the main logic board  202 . As an example, the electrical signals provided by the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216  may include control signals to the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212 , respectively. Beneficially, relative to conventional electronic devices, the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216  are located closer to the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212 , respectively, thereby reducing the length of the signal path to reach these modules and increasing their functional efficiency. 
     According to some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is carried by and electrically coupled to a dock flex  230 . The dock flex  230  may include a flexible circuit. The dock flex  230  is electrically coupled to the main logic board  202 , where the main logic board  202  includes a connector having pins (e.g., a single row of pins). In contrast to coaxial cable connectors, the dock flex  230  is a cable capable of utilizing the dock connector  126  to transmit and/or receive multiple different data signals from the main logic board  202 . The dock flex  230  may include a conductive element such as a surface-mounted technology (“SMT”) pad that enables electrical conductivity between the dock flex  230  and the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . For example, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may receive electrical signals from at least one of the dock connector  126  or the inductive charging coils  140 , and in turn, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  can transmit the electrical signals to the main logic board  202 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of the portable electronic device  100 , in accordance with some embodiments. For purposes of illustration, the perspective view is representative of the portable electronic device  100  without the display assembly  104  and the protective cover  106  so as to reveal internal operational components carried within a cavity  142  by the enclosure  102 . An exemplary diagram of a distribution of electrical signals to various destinations (e.g., the main logic board  202 , the internal power supply  206 , etc.) by the distributed auxiliary hub  204  when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is electrically connected to an external source  220  is shown. 
     As defined herein, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is capable of distributing electrical signals according to multiple different electrical paths to reach different destinations. However, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is not electrically coupled to the external resource or not receiving electrical current, then the main logic board  202  may be responsible for drawing electrical current from the internal power supply  206  in order to execute various functions. Further, in some embodiments, the main logic board  202  may be responsible for executing a majority or generally all functions of the portable electronic device  100  when the portable electronic device  100  is not receiving power from the external resource or the inductive charging coils  140 . 
     Further, the external source  220  is electrically coupled to the dock connector  126 . In some embodiments, the external source  220  includes an external cable that is received by electrical pins or contacts of the dock connector  126 . In some examples, the external source  220  is a power supply unit or a (separate) portable electronic device that is capable of transmitting electrical signals to the portable electronic device  100  via the dock connector  126 . In some examples, the electrical signals include an electrical current that is sufficient for charging the internal power supply  206  and providing power to the distributed auxiliary hub  204  and/or the main logic board  202 . In turn, the dock connector  126  is capable of directly transmitting the electrical signals to the distributed auxiliary hub  204  without the need to first route the electrical signals through the main logic board  202 . The electrical signals pass from the dock connector  126  to the distributed auxiliary hub  204  via electrical path (a). 
     Once the distributed auxiliary hub  204  receives the electrical signals, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may determine where to distribute the electrical signals based on at least one of the nature of the electrical signals or the needs of the portable electronic device  100 . In some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may receive instructions that cause the haptic feedback circuit  214  (located on the distributed auxiliary hub  204 ) to transmit the electrical signals directly to the haptic feedback module  208  in order to generate haptic feedback. In some examples, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may receive the instructions to generate haptic feedback from the main logic board  202 . The electrical signals can travel between the distributed auxiliary hub  204  and the haptic feedback module  208  via electrical path (b). In some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may receive instructions (e.g., from the main logic board  202 ) to execute acoustic feedback. Accordingly, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  receives the electrical signals, the acoustic speaker circuit  216  (located on the distributed auxiliary hub  204 ) may directly transmit the electrical signals to the acoustic speaker module  212  via electrical path (c). 
     The haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212  are both located at one region of the portable electronic device  100  (i.e., below the internal power supply  206 ). By enabling the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to directly transmit electrical signals to these modules without first routing through the main logic board  202 , the electrical current path to provide power for these modules is significantly reduced relative to conventional portable electronic devices. As a result, an increased charging efficiency may occur, as energy losses (for example, electrical energy converted to thermal energy) are reduced. 
     According to some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is directly connected to the internal power supply  206 . Electrical signals received by the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may be transmitted to the internal power supply  206 , by way of the dock flex  230 , without first routing to the main logic board  202 . The internal power supply  206  includes a battery connector  222  that is capable of receiving electrical signals directly from the distributed auxiliary hub  204  via electrical path (d). In some examples, the battery connector  222  is a double-headed connector capable of receiving the electrical signals from the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . In some embodiments, the internal power supply  206  is capable of utilizing the double-headed connector to transmit electrical signals from the internal power supply  206  directly to the main logic board  202 . For example, when the portable electronic device  100  is not electrically connected to and drawing power from the external source  220 , the main logic board  202  may instead draw power from the internal power supply  206 . Beneficially, the double-headed connector permits distribution of electrical signals much closer to their final destination by permitting transmission of the electrical signals in multiple directions. In contrast, conventional portable electronic devices may include a power supply unit with a single-headed connector that does not permit for multi-direction distribution of electrical signals. 
     According to some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is capable of transmitting electrical signals to the main logic board  202  via the dock flex  230 . As will be described herein, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is electrically connected to the dock flex  230  via an SMT contact. Electrical signals from the distributed auxiliary hub  204  that originated from the external source  220  may be transmitted to the main logic board  202  via the dock flex  230  as illustrated by electrical path (f). The main logic board  202  includes a logic board connector  224  having pins that is connected to the dock flex  230 . 
     According to some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is capable of directing the electrical signals that are received from the dock connector  126  to the internal power supply  206  and the main logic board  202 . In some embodiments, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is a passive circuit. As described herein, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is a passive circuit, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  relies upon instructions from the main logic board  202  to direct electrical signals to either the internal power supply  206  and/or the main logic board  202 . Also, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is directly connected to the inductive charging coils  140  and is capable of transmitting electrical current received from the inductive charging coils  140  to the main logic board  202  via the dock flex  230 . 
     Unlike conventional portable electronic devices, the main logic board  202  does not include integrated circuit(s) for the charging components, such as charging for the internal power supply  206  and the inductive charging coils  140 . Beneficially, moving these integrated circuit(s) off the main logic board  202  significantly reduces the footprint of the main logic board  202 . As a result of the reduced area of the main logic board  202 , the internal power supply  206  can adopt different shapes and geometries besides the conventional rectangular shapes, thereby increasing the size of the internal power supply  206 , which allows for additional power storage (measured in milliamp-hours). For example, the line A-A represents a maximum limit of a conventional battery fitted within the portable electronic device  100  without separating the distributed auxiliary hub  204  from the main logic board  202 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the internal power supply  206  has an irregular shape (e.g., L-shape) due to extending beyond the line A-A, which is made possible by implementing the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . As defined herein, the phrase “irregular shape” refers to a non-quadrilateral shape. Moreover, positioning the distributed auxiliary hub  204  below the internal power supply  206  enables the portable electronic device  100  to maximize previously unoccupied space between the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212 . It should be noted that the size of the internal power supply  206  cannot extend any further than the line B-B due to limitations of the display assembly  104 . 
       FIGS. 4A-4E  illustrate various views of a distributed auxiliary hub  204  in accordance with some embodiments. The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may define a circuit assembly or a stacked logic board, as the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may include at least two circuit boards, with one circuit board stacked over another circuit board. The distributed auxiliary hub  204  is designed to carry and support the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . Although not shown in  FIGS. 4A-4E , the distributed auxiliary hub  204  can be integrated into a portable electronic device, such as the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ). By incorporating the distributed auxiliary hub  204  with the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , the size of the internal power supply  206  can increase beyond the line A-A (see  FIG. 3 ), creating greater energy storage capacity. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates an exploded view of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  in an unassembled configuration. As shown, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  may include a circuit board  442   a  and a circuit board  442   b , each of which may include a printed circuit board. The circuit board  442   a  and a circuit board  442   b  may be referred to as a first circuit board and a second circuit board, respectively. The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may further include an interposer board  444  positioned between the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b.    
     The circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b  may each include a printed circuit board (e.g., FR4 material, etc.) having a generally rigid, inflexible design, as opposed to a flexible circuit. The circuit board  442   a  may include a mounting surface  446   a  that carries one or more electronic components of the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , including the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216 . Additionally, the circuit board  442   a  may also include, as non-limiting examples, various electronic components, including a processor, memory, capacitor, resistor, transistor, inductor, diode, battery, switches, connectors and/or other suitable components. The distributed auxiliary hub  204  is designed to provide communication and controls to modules and components of the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ) in a more efficient manner. For example, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled, the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216  are capable of transmitting electrical signals directly from the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), respectively, without first requiring the electrical signals to pass through the main logic board  202  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     Electronic components can be mounted to an additional surface of the circuit board  442   a . For example, circuit board  442   a  may include a mounting surface  446   b  (opposite the mounting surface  446   a ). As shown, an inductor  448  is located on the mounting surface  446   b . Although not specifically illustrated in  FIG. 4A , each of the mounting surface  446   a  and the mounting surface  446   b  includes electrical contacts or pins that enable the circuit board  442   a  to electrically communicate with the circuit board  442   b  when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled. Although the distributed auxiliary hub  204  includes two circuit boards and a single interposer board, as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , it should be noted that any number of circuit boards may be separated by any number of interposer boards. For example, in some embodiments (not shown), a circuit assembly includes three circuit boards, where the first and second circuit boards are separated by a first interposer board, and the second and third circuit boards are separated by a second interposer board. 
     The circuit board  442   b  may include a mounting surface  446   c  that carries one or more electronic components, such as a dedicated processor  452   a  for the haptic feedback circuit  214  and a dedicated processor  452   b  for the acoustic speaker circuit  216 . Accordingly, the dedicated processor  452   a  and the dedicated processor  452   b  may be electrically connected to the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216 , respectively. Additionally, the circuit board  442   b  may also include, as non-limiting examples, various electronic components such as a processor, memory, capacitor, resistor, transistor, inductor, diode, battery, switches, connectors and/or other suitable components. Additionally, the circuit board  442   b  may include an opening  454 , or aperture, that permits for the inductor  448  to pass through the circuit board  442   b  when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled. The circuit board  442   b  further includes a shield  456  that is aligned with the opening  454 . The shield  456  may provide an electromagnetic shield for the inductor  448 . 
     In some embodiments, the interposer board  444  includes an elongated shape. In this regard, the interposer board  444  may include a mounting region  458   a , a mounting region  458   b , and a mounting region  458   c . The mounting region  458   a , the mounting region  458   b , and the mounting region  458   c  may combine to define a cavity  462 , with the cavity  462  defining a space (or void) in the interposer board  444 . In this manner, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled, the inductor  448  is positioned in, or at least partially positioned in, the cavity  462 . The interposer board  444  may be formed of a combination of an electrically conductive layer and an electrically insulating layer. The electrically insulating layer may include multiple through holes filled with conductive pins that are formed of an electrically conductive material, such as copper. In particular, the electrically conductive layer and the electrically insulating layer may be formed of flexible materials so that the interposer board  444  may be bent into different shapes to accommodate to contours of the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b . Also, in some embodiments, the interposer board  444  does not include a castellation feature. 
     The interposer board  444  may include a mounting surface  464   a  and a mounting surface  464   b , which may also be referred to as a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface, respectively. When the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled, the mounting surface  464   a  and the mounting surface  464   b  are mounted to the mounting surface  446   b  (of the circuit board  442   a ) and the mounting surface  446   c  (of the circuit board  442   b ), respectively. When the interposer board  444  is mounted to the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b , the interposer board  444  can enclose at least some the electronic components carried by the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b . Beneficially, when enclosed, the electrically conductive layer of the interposer board  444  functions as an electromagnetic shield that protects the electronic components on the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b  from EMI. Additionally, since the electrically conductive layer is in electrical contact with the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b , the electrically conductive layer may function as a common ground for the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b.    
     Further, the interposer board  444  includes a conductive pin  466  (representative of at least some of the remaining conductive pins of the interposer board  444  shown in  FIG. 4A , each of which includes a generally circular surface). The conductive pin  466  includes an electrically conductive pin that extends at least to the mounting surface  464   a  and the mounting surface  464   b . The mounting surface  446   b  of the circuit board  442   a  includes an electrical contact  468   a  (shown as a dotted line) designed to electrically connects to the conductive pin  466 . Further, the mounting surface  446   c  of the circuit board  442   b  includes an electrical contact  468   b  designed to electrically connects to the conductive pin  466 . When the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is assembled, the conductive pin  466  is electrically connected to the electrical contact  468   a  (of the circuit board  442   a ) and the electrical contact  468   b  (of the circuit board  442   b ). As a result, the conductive pin  466  can transmit signals between the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b , thereby placing the circuit board  442   a  in electrical communication with the circuit board  442   b . It should be noted that the resultant electrical communication places the electrical components located on the circuit board  442   a  in electrical communication with electrical components located on the circuit board  442   a . Although not specifically shown and labeled, each of the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b  includes multiple electrical contacts, and the interposer board  444  includes multiple conductive pins. These electrical contacts of the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b  are designed and positioned to electrically connect to a conductive pin of the interposer board  444 , thereby providing additional electrical communication paths between the circuit board  442   a  to the circuit board  442   b . Also, each of the conductive pins of the interposer board  444  may be separated and isolated from each other by the insulating layer of the interposer board  444  so that each of the conductive pins of the interposer board  444  serves as an individual electrical communication pathway. 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates a perspective view of the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , showing the distributed auxiliary hub  204  assembled and in a stacked configuration. As illustrated, the stacked configuration of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  illustrates the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b  mounted to opposing surfaces of the interposer board  444 . Further, the stacked configuration shows interposer board  444  overlaying the circuit board  442   b , and the circuit board  442   a  overlaying both the interposer board  444  and the circuit board  442   b . The stacked architecture of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  positions multiple circuit boards (i.e., the circuit board  442   a  and the circuit board  442   b ) within a single footprint area (as opposed to a single circuit board that occupies additional space along the X- and Y-axes, thereby maximizing the amount of available space within a portable electronic device (an in particular, the cavity  142  of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ). In other words, stacking multiple circuit boards within the distributed auxiliary hub  204  enables for more electronic components to be carried in a single footprint area along an X-Y plane. 
       FIG. 4C  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , taken along the reference line  4 C- 4 C in  FIG. 4B . As shown, the interposer board  444  includes a conductive pin  466   a  that spans through the interposer board  444  and electrically connects to an electrical contact  468   c  and an electrical contact  468   d  of the circuit board  442   a  and circuit board  442   b , respectively, thereby enabling communication between the circuit board  442   a  and circuit board  442   b . Also, the shield  456  covers, or at least substantially covers, the inductor  448  and thus. The shield  456  may include a metal (or metals), and as a result, the shield  456  can shield the inductor  448  from EMI. Based on the arrangement, the interposer board  444  not only physically prevents external objects from entering into the cavity  462 , but also provides electromagnetic shielding of electronic components disposed within the cavity  462 , such as the inductor  448 . 
     The inductor  448  may be 4 to 6 times the size of a conventional inductor for a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, the inductor  448  is a relatively tall inductor with a high aspect ratio. For example, as shown in the enlarged view, a dimension  449   a , or height, of the inductor  448  (measured along the Z-axis) that is greater than a dimension  449   b , or width, of the inductor  448  (measured along the Y-axis). The dimension  449   a  is parallel, or at least substantially parallel, with respect to the circuit board  442   a , and the dimension  449   b  is perpendicular, or at least substantially perpendicular, with respect to the circuit board  442   a . The high aspect ratio is approximately in the range of 2:1 to 6:1. In other words, the height of the inductor  448  is approximately 2 to 6 times greater than the width. Beneficially, utilizing a relatively larger inductor (e.g., between 0.4 to 1.0 microhenries) promote faster (i.e., shorter) charging times for an internal power supply, including relatively larger internal power supplies (such as the internal power supply  206  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) that include an L-shaped internal power supply. In some instances, the inductor  448  can enable an internal power supply to reach a 50% charged state (from a completely drained stated) within 30 minutes of charging. Moreover, the inductor  448 , having a relatively larger size, can significantly reduce heat generation during a charging event of an internal power supply, which effectively reduces the carbon footprint associated with charging a portable electronic device. 
     It should be noted that while the inductor  448  includes the high aspect ratio, the opening  454  within the substrate of the circuit board  442   b  is sufficiently large enough to accommodate the inductor  448 , and the shield  456  is sufficiently large enough to cover the inductor  448 . It should also be noted that other electronic components (e.g., capacitor, battery, etc.) may also pass through the opening  454  so as to incorporate additional, larger electronic components than otherwise possible without the opening  454 . Also, although not shown, the substrate of the circuit board  442   b  may include additional openings through which one or more electronic components pass. 
       FIG. 4D  illustrates an exploded view of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  and a dock assembly  470  in an unassembled configuration, in accordance with some embodiments. As shown, the dock connector  126  and the dock flex  230  are integrated with the dock assembly  470 , with the dock connector  126  mounted onto the dock flex  230 . The dock connector  126  may include a dock connector housing  472  that includes a dock connector opening  474  where electrical pins  476  are located. The electrical pins  476  are capable of electrically connecting with a corresponding electrical connector of an external source (such as the external source  220  shown in  FIG. 3 ). Accordingly, when an external source is coupled to the dock connector housing  472  via the dock connector opening  474 , the electrical pins  476  are capable of receiving electrical signals from the external source. Although the dock connector  126  is mounted onto and/or adjacent to the dock flex  230 , when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is electrically coupled to the dock assembly  470 , electrical signals received by the dock connector  126  can be directly transmitted to the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , as opposed to the electrical signals first passing through the dock flex  230 . Also, the dock connector  126  includes a mounting element  478   a  and a mounting element  478   b  used to secure the dock connector housing  472  to the enclosure  102  (e.g., the bottom wall  112   b  of the enclosure  102  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B ). As a non-limiting example, the mounting element  478   a  and the mounting element  478   b  may each include a threaded opening designed to receive a threaded fasteners. 
     The dock flex  230  includes a mounting surface  232  capable of carrying the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . As shown, the mounting surface  232  includes electrical contacts  234 . In some examples, the electrical contacts  234  define an SMT pad with one or more copper contacts. The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may include an electrical connector (not shown in  FIG. 4D ) designed to electrically couple with the electrical contacts  234 . Thus, when the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is mounted onto the mounting surface  232 , the electrical connector of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  electrically connects to the electrical contacts  234  of the mounting surface  232 , thereby allowing transmission of electrical signals from the electronic components of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the dock flex  230 , and vice versa. As understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a high-temperature solder may be used to form the electrical contacts  234  onto the mounting surface  232 . However, in some instances, a low-temperature should be used to secure and electrically couple the electrical connector of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the electrical contacts  234 , as the low-temperature solder may prevent thermal damage to the electronic components of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  and/or the dock flex  230 . 
     Additionally, mounting the distributed auxiliary hub  204  onto the electrical contacts  234  of the dock flex  230  provides the benefits of a printed circuit board and a flexible circuit. For example, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  imparts the benefits of a rigid, printed circuit board (defined by the circuit board  442   a  and/or the circuit board  442   b ), while the stacked configuration of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  enables multiple electronic components to be carried within a small placement area that is defined by the shape and size of the mounting surface  232 . Additionally, mounting the distributed auxiliary hub  204  onto the dock flex  230  imparts the benefits of a flexible circuit (i.e., the dock flex  230 ), which include (as a non-limiting example) reducing the number of required interconnects and negating the need to design the electronic components that are carried within the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ) around the contours of the dock flex  230 . 
       FIG. 4E  illustrates a perspective view of the distributed auxiliary hub  204  and the dock assembly  470  in an assembled configuration. As shown, the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is mounted directly onto the mounting surface  232  (shown as a dotted line) of the dock flex  230 . When connected to the dock connector  126  and the dock flex  230 , the distributed auxiliary hub  204  is capable of distributing electrical signals received from the dock connector  126  to multiple destinations. In some embodiments, the dock connector  126  includes electrical interfaces (not shown in  FIG. 4E ) that are capable of connecting with the electrical connector (not shown in  FIG. 4E ) of the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . In these embodiments, the dock connector  126  is directly connected to the distributed auxiliary hub  204  so that power and/or electrical signals from the dock connector  126  is/are directly transmitted to the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . 
     The distributed auxiliary hub  204  may provide portable electronic devices (such as the portable electronic device  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ) with a more efficient and effective design specification. For example, the design specification transfers circuitry, such as the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216 , off of the main logic board  202  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and onto the distributed auxiliary hub  204  (acting as a secondary logic unit or secondary circuit assembly). As a result, the distributed auxiliary hub  204 , when incorporated into the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ), can directly connect to the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212  by way of the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216 , respectively. Further, the charging circuitry (not labeled in  FIG. 4E ) can also be located on the distributed auxiliary hub  204  (rather than the main logic board  202 , shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), and as a result, power can run from the dock connector  126  or the inductive charging coils  140  through the charging circuitry (not labeled in  FIG. 4E ) on the distributed auxiliary hub  204  to the internal power supply  206  and the main logic board  202 . Also, although not labeled, circuity used to communicate with the dock connector  126  can also be located on the distributed auxiliary hub  204 . 
     The distributed auxiliary hub  204  allows the charging circuitry to be closer to the dock connector  126 , which can be used to receive power from an external source (such as the external source  220  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). Beneficially, the overall charging efficiency may increase by reducing the overall resistance generated during a charging event. Additionally, the haptic feedback module  208  and the acoustic speaker module  212  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) benefit from increased efficiency by moving the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216  closer to the dock connector  126  (as opposed to the aforementioned circuitry remaining on the main logic board  202  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), and providing the haptic feedback circuit  214  and the acoustic speaker circuit  216  with a direct connection to the dock connector  126 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate alternate embodiments of a distributed auxiliary hub in accordance with some embodiments. In particular,  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate an inverted (i.e., upside down, or rotated about the Y-axis) view of a distributed auxiliary hub in a stacked configuration. The distributed auxiliary hubs shown and described in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  may include any features shown and described for the distributed auxiliary hub  204  (shown in  FIGS. 4A-4E ). Also, the distributed auxiliary hubs shown and described in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  may be integrated into portable electronic devices, such as the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ). 
       FIG. 5A  illustrates an inverted view of a distributed auxiliary hub  504 , in accordance with some described embodiments. As shown, the distributed auxiliary hub  504  includes a circuit board  542   a  and a circuit board  542   b . The distributed auxiliary hub  504  further includes an inductor  548   a  and an inductor  548   b , each of which extend and pass through an opening  554  in the circuit board  542   b . The inductor  548   a  and the inductor  548   b  are unshielded from EMI. The circuit board  542   a  includes a mounting surface  546  that carries an electrical connector  582  in the form of electrical pads. When the distributed auxiliary hub  504  is connected to a dock flex (such as the dock flex  230 , shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, 4D, and 4E ), the electrical connector  582  is capable of electrically connecting with electrical contacts of the dock flex. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates an inverted view of a distributed auxiliary hub  604 , in accordance with some described embodiments. The distributed auxiliary hub  604  may include any features shown and described for the distributed auxiliary hub  504  (shown in  FIG. 5A ). As shown, the distributed auxiliary hub  604  includes a circuit board  642   a  and a circuit board  642   b . The distributed auxiliary hub  604  further includes an inductor  648   a  and an inductor  648   b , each of which extend and pass through an opening  654  in the circuit board  642   b . The inductor  648   a  and the inductor  648   b  are covered by a shield  656 . As a result, the shield  656  may protect/block EMI from interfering with the inductor  648   a  and the inductor  648   b . The circuit board  642   a  includes a mounting surface  646  that carries an electrical connector  682  in the form of electrical pads. When the distributed auxiliary hub  604  is connected to a dock flex (such as the dock flex  230 , shown in  FIGS. 2, 3, 4D, and 4E ), the electrical connector  682  is capable of electrically connecting with electrical contacts of the dock flex. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method  700  for forming a circuit assembly, in accordance with some embodiments. The method  700  may be used to form a circuit assembly that includes a distributed auxiliary hub, shown and described herein. 
     At step  702 , at least one electronic component is disposed onto a first surface of a first circuit board. The electronic component(s) may include integrated circuitry, such as a haptic feedback circuit  214 , an acoustic speaker circuit  216 , power circuitry, and/or dock flex circuitry. 
     At step  704 , an interposer board is mounted to one of the surfaces of the first circuit board. The interposer board may include conductive pins designed to electrically connect to the aforementioned circuit board as well as a second circuit board. 
     At step  706 , an opening is formed within a mounting surface of the second circuit board. The opening can accommodate one or more components, including one or more inductors. The second circuit board may also include a shield that acts as an EMI shield for the one or more inductors. 
     At step  708 , the interposer board is mounted to the mounting surface of the second circuit board to form a stacked circuit assembly. The stacked circuity configuration may include the interposer board positioned between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. As a result, at least some of the electrical components located on the first circuit board and/or the second circuit board are covered and protected by the interposer board. 
     At step  710 , the stacked circuit assembly is mounted onto a dock flex. The dock flex is designed to connect the stacked circuit assembly to an external source. In some embodiments, the dock flex is directly connected to the distributed auxiliary hub, rather than a (separate) main logic board. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a system diagram of a portable electronic device  800  that is capable of implementing the various techniques described herein, according to some embodiments. The portable electronic device  800  may include any features shown and described for the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ). Conversely, the portable electronic device  100  (shown in  FIGS. 1A-3 ) may include any features shown and described for the portable electronic device  800 . 
     The portable electronic device  800  includes a distributed auxiliary hub  810  is connected to a main logic board  820  via a dock flex  812 . The portable electronic device  800  may further include a power supply  830  (e.g., a battery) that supplies power to components of the portable electronic device  800 , inductive charging coils  840  that are used for wireless charging, a dock connector  850  configured to electrically connect the portable electronic device  800  to an external source, a user input device  860  (e.g., buttons, switches, and/or a capacitive touch input display), a feedback module  870  (e.g., haptic feedback component), and a speaker module  880  (e.g., acoustic speaker module), a display  890 , memory  892  (e.g., flash memory, semiconductor solid state memory, Random Access Memory, and/or Read-Only Memory ROM), and wireless communication circuitry  894  (e.g., BLUETOOTH® and WI-FI® circuitry). 
     The distributed auxiliary hub  810 , as opposed to the main logic board  820 , may include circuity, including integrated circuity, used to communicate to and/or control the power supply  830 , the inductive charging coils  840 , dock connector  850 , the feedback module  870 , and the speaker module  880 . In this regard, the distributed auxiliary hub  810  is capable of receiving electrical signals directly from an external source that is electrically coupled to the dock connector  850 . In response to receiving the electrical signals from the external source, the distributed auxiliary hub  810  is capable of transmitting the electrical signals directly to at least one of the main logic board  820 , the power supply  830 , the feedback module  870  and/or the speaker module  880 . 
     Additionally, the distributed auxiliary hub  810  is directly connected to the inductive charging coils  840 . In response to receiving electrical signals from the inductive charging coils  840 , the distributed auxiliary hub  810  is capable of transmitting the electrical signals directly to at least one of the main logic board  820 , the power supply  830 , the feedback module  870  and/or the speaker module  880 . 
     Upon receiving the electrical signals via the dock flex  812 , the main logic board  820  is capable of transmitting the electrical signals to other electronic components, such as the user input device  860  and the display  890 . Other electronic components controlled by the main logic board  820  may include the memory  892  and the wireless communication circuitry  894 . 
     Any ranges cited herein are inclusive. The terms “substantially”, “generally,” and “about” used herein are used to describe and account for small fluctuations. For example, they can refer to less than or equal to ±5%, such as less than or equal to ±2%, such as less than or equal to ±1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.5%, such as less than or equal to ±0.1%. 
     The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. Various aspects of the described embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The described embodiments can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling manufacturing operations or as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling a manufacturing line. The computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable medium include read-only memory, random-access memory, CD-ROMs, HDDs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. 
     The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the described embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20200313
Publication Date: 20210727
Grant Date: 20210727
Priority Date: 20190906
Inventors: LEOPOLD, ANDREW U.
HALE, OWEN D.
JARVIS, DANIEL W.
PAKULA, DAVID A.
SMITH, JAMES B.
SPRAGGS, IAN A.
STEPHENS, GREGORY N.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K2201/10712", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/1003", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09063", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/047", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/181", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/147", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/144", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/141", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/2036", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/042", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/0042", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1658", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/15", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09063", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1626", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/1003", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/18", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/189", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R3/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/26", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K9/0024", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/15", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08B7/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/52", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K7/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/1003", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/18", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K9/0024", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J50/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R12/52", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02J7/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G08B7/06", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/11", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/15", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09063", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R3/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B5/79", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 74850087