Computer automatic assembly system

Abstract

A computer automatic assembly system is proposed. The computer automatic assembly system includes: a database for storing information of an assembly and mounting area of a part combined to a mainboard, and program information such as information of a BIOS, a driving driver, and an operating system, and periodically updating the corresponding information through a communication part including a wired/wireless communication network; a device digestive module for checking the part through a photographing means, moving the checked part to the assembly and mounting area of the part provided on the mainboard through the photographing means and a robot arm for transfer, assembling, and mounting the part, and then writing a driving program and circuit information of the part; and an administrator terminal for periodically upgrading or updating part information necessary for the device digestive module by a part company server through a communication network including the wired/wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A computer assembling system comprising a database for storing information on an assembly and mounting area of a computer part including a computer memory which is to be combined to a mainboard, a basic input output system (BIOS), a driving driver, and an operating system, and for periodically updating the information through a communication network; a device digestive module for checking the computer part through a photographing means, for moving the computer part to the assembly and mounting area of the computer part positioned on the mainboard through the photographing means and a robot arm, for assembling and mounting the computer part, and for writing a driving program and circuit information of the computer part; and an administrator terminal for periodically upgrading or updating information necessary for the device digestive module by communicating with a part manufacturing company server through the communication network, wherein the device digestive module comprises an electrical digestion processor configured for receiving the circuit information of the computer part from the database and for writing the received circuit information in the assembly and mounting area of the computer part, and wherein the electrical digestion processor is configured to adjust a height of a female pin of the assembly and mounting area through a pin adjuster based on the circuit information of the computer part received from the database such that the female in physically corresponds with a male pin provided in the computer part.

2. The computer assembling system of claim 1, wherein the device digestive module further comprises: a controller for controlling operations of a mechanical digestion module (MDM) that controls operation of the robot arm.

3. The computer assembling system of claim 2, wherein the robot arm is configured to transfer the computer part to the assembly and mounting area on the mainboard, assemble and mount the transferred computer part in the assembly and mounting area, photograph a transfer process and an assembly or mounting status through a camera, and transmit the transfer process and the assembly or mounting status to the administrator terminal.

4. The computer assembling system of claim 1, wherein the photographing means comprises: a plurality of cameras; and a part placement table positioned in a photographing range of each of the plurality of cameras, the computer part being disposed on the part placement table when assembled.

5. The computer assembling system of claim 1, wherein the administrator terminal is an administrator computer capable of performing wired or wireless communication or a smart phone capable of performing the wireless communication.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an exemplary view showing an exemplary embodiment of a computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exemplary view showing an exemplary embodiment of the computer automatic assembly system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for indicating a number on each cross section of a three-dimensional form and showing the three-dimensional form of the automatic computer assembly system according to the present invention.

(4) FIGS. 4 to 9 are exemplary views showing a direction of each cross section shown in FIG. 3, wherein

(5) FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 1 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from a fan.

(6) FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 2 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an assembly and an assembly and mounting area of a mainboard.

(7) FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 3 shown in FIG. 3, showing that a pin adjuster is embedded under the assembly and mounting area of the mainboard, and showing connector ports, such as a USB and a HDMI, are positioned on the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system on the right side so that a user may use a computer.

(8) FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 4 shown in FIG. 3, showing the fan for cooling on the left side, and showing a space on the top in which a robot arm for transfer, controlled through an MDM, installs a part.

(9) FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 5 shown in FIG. 3 and showing a modulator area, which is an area where the robot arm for transfer actually moves, in addition to an area occupied by the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system.

(10) FIG. 9 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 6 shown in FIG. 3 and showing the exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from the fan.

(11) FIG. 10A is an exemplary view showing an exemplary embodiment of the assembly and mounting area in which a USB type connector is combined in the assembly and mounting area configured on the mainboard in the computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention.

(12) FIG. 10B is an exemplary view showing an internal pin of a disclosed USB connector.

(13) FIGS. 11A-11C are exemplary views showing a female connector provided on a conventional mainboard in which a memory, a graphic card, and a storage are combined.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) Hereinafter, in addition to the above objectives, other objectives and features of the present invention will be clearly revealed through the description of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(15) Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms as defined in dictionaries commonly used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

(16) Hereinafter, a preferred exemplary embodiment of a computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(17) The computer automatic assembly system 1 according to the present invention includes: a database 110 for storing assembly and mounting area information of a part to be combined to a mainboard and program information such as a BIOS, a driving driver, and operating system information, and in which the corresponding information is periodically updated through a communication part 140 including a wired/wireless communication network;

(18) a device digestive module 10 for checking a part through a photographing means 160, moving the checked part to the assembly and mounting area Z of the part provided on the mainboard MB through the photographing means 160 and a robot arm 170 for transfer controlled by an MDM (mechanical digestion module) 120, assembling and mounting the part, and writing a driving program and circuit information of the part; and

(19) an administrator terminal 20 for periodically upgrading or updating part information required for the device digestive module 10 by a manufacturer server 200 through a communication network 300 including the wired/wireless communication network.

(20) The device digestive module 10 includes the database 110, the photographing means 160, the MDM 120, an EDM 130, the communication part 140, and a controller 150.

(21) The database 110 stores information of an assembly and mounting position of the part combined in the mainboard and information of the BIOS, the driver, and the operating program. The information is periodically updated by the administrator terminal 20 or the manufacturer server 200.

(22) For example, in the database 110, circuit information for electrical connection and operation of the part to be combined is stored, and the stored circuit information is periodically updated through operation information of the combine part or through the communication network 300. In this case, the operation information of the combined part may be stored when a shutdown command of the operating system is executed while power is applied to the mainboard, or may be configured to be automatically stored every predetermined time. The periodic update through the communication network 300 periodically checks and stores circuit information of the part provided by a manufacturer through a wired/wireless communication network when the operating system is operated.

(23) Meanwhile, the database 110 may receive the stored BIOS, driving driver, and operating program through communication with the administrator terminal 20. This functionality may be realized by means of the administrator terminal being capable of performing wired/wireless communication, having a relatively long power-on time compared to that of the computer that is assembled according to the present invention, collecting information about parts from time to time from manufacturers, and transmitting the collected information through a local area network such as Bluetooth provided in the operating system.

(24) The photographing means 160 is for photographing a part B disposed on a part placement table 180 to check unique identification information of the corresponding part B, and such a photographing means 160 includes a plurality of cameras 161 and is disposed to be able to photograph the part placement table 180 from various angles.

(25) In addition, the part placement table 180 is a component on which the part to be combined stands by, and although there is no particular limitation on the shape and size of the part placement table 180, it is preferable that the top surface on which the part is placed is formed in a flat plate shape.

(26) The MDM (mechanical digestion module) 120 controls the robot arm 170 for transfer which transfers and combines a corresponding part to the assembly and mounting area Z provided on the mainboard after the identifying of the part photographed through the photographing means 160 is completed.

(27) Such an MDM 120 controls the lifting and movement of the robot arm for transfer, and also checks the assembly or mounting position of the part through the camera separately provided in the robot arm for transfer. The video or image captured for checking is transmitted to the administrator terminal 20 in real time.

(28) The relationship between configuration and operation of the MDM 120 and the robot arm 170 for transfer is used in a known automated process, and a detailed description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

(29) The EDM (electrical digestion module) 130 receives circuit information on a part to be combined in the assembly and mounting area Z from the database 110, controls a configurable circuit of the assembly and mounting area Z, and simultaneously adjusts the height of a female pin constituting the assembly and mounting area Z through a pin adjuster (not shown in the drawing).

(30) The communication part 140 notifies a status of work or occurrence of work abnormality to the administrator terminal or the operating system, and at the same time periodically receives information of the BIOS, driver, and circuit for a part from a manufacturer, so as to transmit the information to the database 110, thereby providing a communication environment for updating the corresponding information.

(31) In addition, the communication part 140 periodically checks the BIOS, driving driver, and operating program for the part from the manufacturer. In a case where information received from the manufacturer is a higher version than the information stored in the database 110, the manufacturer's information is transmitted to the database 110 and updated, whereas in a case where the information received from the manufacturer is a higher version than the information being used in the part combined in the current assembly and mounting area Z, an update is performed by transferring whether to perform the updating of the BIOS, driving driver, and operating program for the corresponding part to the administrator terminal or the operating system.

(32) The controller 150 controls the database 110, the photographing means 160, the MDM 120, the EDM 130, and the communication part 140 (refer to FIG. 2).

(33) Meanwhile, the controller 150 is provided with an optical character recognition program (OCR) for specifying the part photographed through the photographing means 160, so that unique identification information (i.e., model name, S/N, manufacturer, etc.) for the part is identified from a video or an image captured by the photographing means 160, and information matching the identified unique identification information is transmitted to the EDM 130 after the BIOS, driving driver, and operating program is called from the database 110.

(34) FIG. 2 is a view for explaining in more detail the mounting of parts on the mainboard in the computer automatic assembly system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(35) In the computer automatic assembly system according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as in FIG. 2, in the mounting of the parts on the mainboard, the parts including a CPU, a memory, a graphics card, an Ethernet card that is a network card, and a USB port are mounted on the mainboard, and for each part, a program required for operation is recorded (i.e., written), on the basis of circuit (i.e., part) information on a configurable circuit, in the database 110 where circuit information (i.e., program information) suitable for the type of each part is stored.

(36) In this case, each part (i.e., CPU, memory, graphics card, network card, etc.) is specified by extracting the unique identification information of the corresponding part after the corresponding part information is photographed by the camera, and mounted or assembled in the assembly and mounting area by the robot arm for transfer.

(37) Each part communicates through a central bus and a communication line, receives signals from a keyboard or a mouse, and outputs screens to a monitor.

(38) In addition, the information on an operation state of the mounted or assembled part is transmitted to the database 110 after being acquired by the operating system, and is updated as the information on the corresponding part.

(39) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for indicating a number on each cross section of a three-dimensional form and showing the three-dimensional form of the automatic computer assembly system according to the present invention. FIGS. 4 to 9 are exemplary views showing a direction of each cross section shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 1 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from a fan. FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 2 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an assembly and an assembly and mounting area of a mainboard. FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 3 shown in FIG. 3, showing that a pin adjuster is embedded under the assembly and mounting area of the mainboard, and showing connector ports, such as a USB and a HDMI, are positioned on the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system on the right side so that a user may use a computer. FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 4 shown in FIG. 3, showing the fan for cooling on the left side, and showing a space on the top in which a robot arm for transfer, controlled through an MDM, installs a part. FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 5 shown in FIG. 3 and showing a modulator area, which is an area where the robot arm for transfer actually moves, in addition to an area occupied by the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system. FIG. 9 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 6 shown in FIG. 3 and showing the exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from the fan.

(40) Among the drawings for explaining a computer assembled by the computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention, a diagram for understanding the assembly or mounting position of a part of the computer is as shown in FIG. 3, and each number is for describing a mainboard or a computer body, or the mounting of the part in the directions of arrows in FIGS. 4 to 9 to be described later.

(41) First, FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 1 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from a fan.

(42) As shown in FIG. 4, a connecting lane is provided in the X-axis direction on the bottom surface of the mainboard and in the Y-axis direction perpendicular to one side surface of the mainboard. In other words, in the present invention, when a computer body stands upright, the connection lane that electrically transmits signals or data to one side surface perpendicular to the horizontal bottom surface is provided. A fan is disposed in the computer body, and the fan operates by the power and signals applied from the mainboard. In the area where the fan is installed, temperature inside the computer body is controlled by circulating air inside thereof with the outside.

(43) In addition, FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 2 shown in FIG. 3, showing a lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and showing an assembly and an assembly and mounting area of a mainboard. When viewed from the direction of number 2 in FIG. 3, it is shown that a connecting lane is provided in one side of a floor and the other side of the floor, that is, in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and the other area is provided as the assembly and mounting area of the mainboard.

(44) Here, the assembly and mounting area Z includes separated areas such as a CPU and DRAM area, a hard disk area, other part area (i.e., PCIe 1 to PCIe 4), and a connector installation area where a graphic card, an Ethernet card, and the like are mounted, or a monitor or the Internet are connected thereto, but the areas are not limited thereto, and various exemplary embodiments may be possible in which the number of PCIe slots is changed. Therefore, it is apparent that the illustrated form in the drawings is not limited thereto.

(45) Meanwhile, FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 3 shown in FIG. 3, showing that a pin adjuster is embedded under the assembly and mounting area of the mainboard, and showing connector ports, such as a USB and a HMI, are positioned on the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system on the right side so that a user may use a computer. As viewed from the direction of number 3 in FIG. 3, it shows that a pin adjuster is provided on the bottom of the computer body, and the computer body is composed of a mainboard, a Y-axis connection lane, a connector connection area, and an exhaust outlet of air, which are provided at the upper part of the pin adjuster.

(46) In addition, FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 4 shown in FIG. 3, showing the fan for cooling on the left side, and showing a space on the top in which a robot arm for transfer, controlled through an MDM, installs a part. On one side, a Y-axis connection lane is provided and a fan installation area through which air is discharged is provided on the one side thereof, and the other area is a part adjuster area that looks like an empty space. Such a part adjuster area is a space where an installation position of the part is checked by the photographing means and the robot arm for transfer installs the part while grabbing and moving the part.

(47) For the photographing and movement of the photographing means and the movement of the robot arm for transfer, the signals or data are transmitted to and received from the photographing means and the robot arm for transfer, through the bus controller.

(48) In addition, FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 5 shown in FIG. 3 and showing a modulator area, which is an area where the robot arm for transfer actually moves, in addition to an area occupied by the lane that may be connected to another computer automatic assembly system, and FIG. 9 is an exemplary view showing a cross-sectional direction of number 6 shown in FIG. 3 and showing the exhaust outlet provided for air discharged from the fan.

(49) FIG. 10A is an exemplary view showing an exemplary embodiment of the assembly and mounting area in which a USB type connector is combined in the assembly and mounting area configured on the mainboard in the computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention, and FIG. 10B is an exemplary view showing an internal pin of a disclosed USB connector.

(50) As shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of female pins for coupling are disposed at predetermined intervals at a part mounting position, and the height of the female pin is adjusted through the EDM 130 according to one or more components selected from among the USB connectors shown in FIG. 10B, so that various forms of USB type are able to be combined, and in the above combined state, the USB type is usable by the control of the EDM 130 that receives circuit information for electrical connection of the corresponding USB type from the database.

(51) In addition, the preset USB type may be used at the same time, so as to be connected to the USB devices of various types, thereby having an advantage of maximizing utilization.

(52) FIGS. 11A-11C are exemplary views showing an exemplary embodiment of an assembly and mounting area in which a memory, a graphic card, and a storage are combined in the computer automatic assembly system according to the present invention. There are provided different configurations for female pin adjusters and female pins, including: a female pin adjuster and a female pin to which a part is combined, the part having a male pin enclosed by an outer housing constituting the part, like parts such as a SATA, a SAS, a USB shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, or the part being formed to stand upright even when the male pin is put down on a floor; and

(53) a female pin adjuster and a female pin to which a part is combined, the part having a male pin exposed to the outside like the memory, graphic card, and storage, or being unable to stand upright when the male pin is put down on a floor.

(54) In other words, for a part that is unable to stand upright when the male pin is placed on the floor, or a part that only a male pin is exposed to the outside like a DIMM, a PCIe, and an NVMe, a female connector of the mainboard fixes the part, and to this end, a conventional female connector is provided with a coupling groove formed for each part to be combined, so that only the compatible part may be combined thereto (refer to FIG. 11A).

(55) The present invention is to solve the above compatibility problem, as shown in FIG. 11B, female pins are successively arranged, and electrical and interface compatibility is provided according to a part, so as to control the part through the robot arm for transfer at only a position where the part is to be combined, thereby combining the part.

(56) Accordingly, the present invention has an advantage of improving user convenience and ease of combination due to the fact that the part may be combined without consideration of compatibility compared to that of the related art where compatibility had to be considered in order to combine the part.

(57) In addition, the database 110 stores information of length and position of a pin according to the type of CPU photographed through the photographing means 160, and in a case where the length of the pin is short when the CPU is mounted on the mainboard, the length of the pin is adjusted according to a CPU slot (i.e., socket) by the pin adjuster, so that the pin is electrically connected to the CPU slot of the mainboard.

(58) In the case of a general mainboard, a socket is provided for combining a central processing unit, but since such a socket is provided by designating the central processing unit supported in a design stage of the mainboard, a socket-type central processing unit that is not supported by the mainboard is unable to be combined. Further, since the mainboard should be replaced in order to replace the central processing unit and replacement of the mainboard requires reconnection of all the expansion devices and storages in use, there is a difficult problem for general consumers to carry out the replacement.

(59) Whereas, in the present invention, in addition to the socket for the central processing unit provided on the mainboard, the area for mounting the central processing unit is provided, the female pin for the central processing unit is arranged in the area, a height of the arranged female pin is adjusted through the pin adjuster, whereby a plurality of central processing units may be mounted on a single mainboard, and operability and compatibility of the added central processing unit mounted in the central processing unit mounting area is implemented through the BIOS, driving driver, and operating program stored in the database.

(60) Therefore, in the case where general consumers and businesses operate servers as well as general computers, when a central processing unit that meets the specifications of a desired target computer is prepared, there are advantages in that the central processing unit may be used by combining to the assembly and mounting area after specifying the central processing unit through photographing by the photographing means, and at this time, the central processing unit may be used immediately without considering compatibility and initial setting for the central processing unit being combined, and it is possible to upgrade or downgrade the computer specifications in the future without much knowledge of the computer.

(61) Obviously, there is an advantage in that the computer specifications desired by the user may be easily implemented by combining a memory, a graphic card, and a storage to the assembly and mounting area, in addition to the central processing unit.

(62) In the present invention as described above, when a user desires to enter the BIOS, it is possible to enter the BIOS by connecting a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse to the bus controller, whereas when the user does not desire to enter the BIOS, there is no need to wait for a BIOS entry signal because the keyboard, the mouse, and the monitor are connected to a USB port or a user-installed part, and only the necessary information of each device may be called from the database of the DDM, thereby omitting an inspection task for each device.

(63) In addition, all devices receive information necessary for device operation from the DDM, wherein a test procedure including a power on self-test (POST) may be omitted even though there is provided a result of whether to operate the device in the information.

(64) In addition, in the conventional operating system, operators or users have to be directly involved in the booting process of each part (i.e., task that needs to coordinate each part for communication such as link training between the host and the device), and this portion may be omitted because the DDM performs the booting tasks of the parts for the operation test of the parts in advance.

(65) In the present invention, a driver is fetched from the stored hardware information in a boot partition of the operating system in the existing booting system, but in the present invention, the driver is loaded from the DDM.

(66) As described above, the present invention has been described by specific matters such as specific components and limited exemplary embodiments and drawings. However, since these descriptions are only provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs can make various modifications and variations from these descriptions.

(67) Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described exemplary embodiments, and all things equal or equivalent to the claims as well as the claims to be described later fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention.