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US 10,834,844 B2Granted
Server node connnector mating condition health monitoring and reporting
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSri M Sri-Jayantha, Hien P Dang, Vijayeshwar D Khanna
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Abstract
A server node connection system uses two or more proximity sensors per server node to determine progressive, real time changes in wipe length for each individual connector on the node that is connected to an opposing header connector on header connected to a midplane of the server assembly/rack. The system is capable of scanning, monitoring, trending, and alarming.
Claims20
A server node comprising:
- one or more central processing units and one or more memories, the server node having a connector side and a back side;
- a connector receptacle attached to the connector side, the connector receptacle having a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors having connector length along an engagement direction;
- a wipe length for each of the connectors, the wipe length being the connector length minus a displacement for each connector and along the engagement direction;
- a first and second proximity sensor each located a first distance apart from each other, the first distance being a first direction along the connector receptacle, the first and second proximity sensors capable of progressively and continuous providing a first gap signal and a second gap signal representing a first gap distance and a second gap distance, respectively, from a connection header on a midplane;
- and
- a connection module capable of inputting the first and second gap signals to determine if one or more of the connectors has a physical and electrical contact with an opposing connector in the connection header along the wipe length where the displacement is less than a tolerance.
3 more elements
A server node connection detection system comprising:
- a first and second proximity sensor each located a first distance apart from each other, the first proximity sensor capable of progressively and continuously measuring a first gap distance between a server node connector receptacle on a server node and a connection header on a midplane on a first side of the first distance and the second proximity sensor capable of measuring a second gap distance between the server node connector receptacle and the connection header on a second side of the first distance;
- and
- a connection module capable of inputting a first and second gap signal representing the first and second gap distances respectively to determine if one or more connectors in the server node connector receptacle has a physical and electrical contact with an opposing connector in the connection header along a wipe length with a displacement less than a tolerance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.