System and method for flexible circuits

Abstract

A flexible printed circuit improves data transfer rates by disposing ground wires in a ground plane proximate to signal wires disposed in a signal channel plane. One or more ground wires is associated with each signal wire pair or each signal wire for imaging of the return currents of the signal pairs. An overlapping alignment minimizes loop area between a ground wire and its associated signal wire. An offset alignment provides a reduced loop area and reduced breakage risk since movement of the flexible circuit does result in compression of the signal wire and its associated ground wire. A combination of overlapping and offset alignment balances signal transfer effectiveness with breakage risk by offsetting ground and signal wires is stress sensitive regions and overlapping ground and signal wires in stress tolerant regions. In one embodiment, the flexible circuit interfaces a portable computer with a display lid to support high-speed display signals with reduced breakage risk from cycling the display lid between an open and closed position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.