Cantilevered network interface card assembly having port connector accessible from region outside of computing device
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsRandol D. Aldridge, James Smalls
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a circuit card substrate that is associated with a network interface card. The circuit card substrate includes a connector edge to be received in a connector that is nominally associated with a slot to receive an expansion card that, when installed in a computing device, is physically enclosed within the computing device. The apparatus includes a port connector that is mounted to the circuit card substrate. The port connector is to be accessible from a region outside of the computing device when the connector edge of the circuit card substrate is received in the connector.
Claims12
A system comprising:
- a computing device comprising a housing, wherein the housing comprises a port opening;
- a motherboard disposed in the enclosed space comprising a central processing unit (CPU) mounted and a slot connector;
- and
- a network interface card assembly comprising:
- a circuit card comprising a connector edge to be inserted into the slot connector;
- and
- a cantilevered network communication module mounted to the circuit card and comprising a port connector, the module to extend to the port opening of the housing to allow access to the port connector from a region outside of the housing.
An apparatus comprising:
- a circuit card substrate associated with a network interface card and comprising a connector edge to be received in an M.2 slot connector disposed inside a computing device;
- a port connector mounted to the circuit card substrate, the port connector to be accessible from a region outside of the computing device when the connector edge of the circuit card substrate is received in the M.2 slot connector;
- and
- an electrical-to-optical conversion module mounted on the circuit card substrate and comprising the port connector,
- wherein the apparatus is elongated between a first end and a second end, the port connector is disposed at the first end, and the electrical-to-optical conversion module is disposed at the second end.
A method comprising:
- inserting a network interface card assembly in an M.2 slot connector of a processor-based system, wherein inserting the network interface card assembly in the M.2 slot connector comprises mounting the network interface card assembly in a ninety degree connector slot of a motherboard of the processor-based system;
- and
- extending an optical communication module of the network interface card assembly to an opening in a housing of the processor-based system to allow an external connection to the network interface card.
A method comprising:
- inserting a network interface card assembly in an M.2 slot connector of a processor-based system;
- and
- extending an optical communication module of the network interface card assembly to an opening in a housing of the processor-based system to allow an external connection to the network interface card, wherein extending the optical communication module comprises mounting the module to a chassis of the processor-based system to allow access to the port connector through an opening in a chassis of the processor-based system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.