# US 2021/0173671 A1 · Modular computing component information transmission > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0173671 A1 - Document ID: US20210173671A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/048,120 - Filed: 2018-07-10 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-10 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Chi So; Nam H. Nguyen; Robert C. Brooks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210173671A1 ## CPC - G06F 9/4415: {Self describing peripheral devices} - G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files} - G06F 13/102: {where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52)} - G06F 8/71: Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a modular computing component is described. The modular computing component includes a first terminal to connect the modular computing component to at least one of a host computing device and another modular computing component. Controller memory of the modular computing component stores information relating to at least one of build level information, revision level information, and generation level information. A controller of the modular computing component transmits the at least one of build level information, revision level information, and generation level information to the host computing device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modular computing component, comprising: a first terminal to connect the modular computing component to at least one of a host computing device and another modular computing device; controller memory to store information relating to at least one of build level information, revision level information, and generation level information; and a controller to transmit the at least one of build level information, revision level information, and generation level information to the host computing device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The component of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits each of: the build level information which indicates a production stage of the modular computing component; the revision level information which indicates a version number of the modular computing component; and the generation level information which indicates a generation number of the host computing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The component of claim 1, further comprising a second terminal to serially couple the modular computing component to another modular computing component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The component of claim 3, wherein build level information, revision level information, and generation level information are transmitted through the modular computing component from a downstream modular computing component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The component of claim 1, further comprising an alignment component disposed on at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface of a housing to receive and align the modular computing component with at least one of the host computing device and another modular computing component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The component of claim 1, wherein: the controller manages at least one of build level operations, revision level operations, and generation level operations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The component of claim 1, wherein at least one of the build level information, revision level information, and generation level information is a re-writeable value. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: querying a modular computing component for build level information, revision level information, and generation level information; receiving, responsive to the querying, the build level information, revision level information, and generation level information for the modular computing component; and taking an action, at a computing device, based on the build level information, revision level information, and generation level information for the modular computing component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein, information received from the modular computing component are received as digital values that map to build level information, revision level information, and generation level information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, based on the build level information, revision level information, and generate level information whether the modular computing component is outdated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising entering an alternative mode wherein the build level information, revision level information, and generation level information is transmitted via a multi-use configuration channel communication link. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the action comprises at least one of: providing the information to a user via a message; updating the modular computing component; disabling a subset of the functionalities of the modular computing component; and deactivating the modular computing component, ### Claim 13 A computing system comprising: a host computing device comprising: a processor; memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions embodied therewith, the instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to carry out a computing operation; and at least one modular computing component, comprising: a housing; a first terminal to connect the modular computing component to at least one of the host computing device and another modular computing component; a second terminal to serially couple the modular computing component to another modular computing component; controller memory to store information relating to at least one of build level information, revision level information, and generation level information; a controller to transmit to the host computing device: build level information which indicates a production stage of the modular computing component; revision level information which indicates a division within the build level for the modular computing component; and generation level information which indicates a feature set for a modular computing component; and an alignment component disposed on at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the housing to receive and align the modular computing component with at least one of the host computing device and another modular computing component; wherein the modular computing component is external to the host computing device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computing system of claim 13, wherein the host computing device has a same form factor as the at least one modular computing component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The computing system of claim 13, wherein: the at least one modular computing components comprises multiple modular computing components; and the host computing device and multiple modular computing components are stacked on one another during operation.