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US 2004/0105242 A1Published application
Stackable module
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorPaul Evans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stackable module for a processor system including a support plate with a set of topside circuit components mounted to its topside, and topside and underside connectors. The module is stackable with other such modules and are provided with conductive tracks that are arranged to convey transport stream data and transport stream control signals between modules in a stack. A stack of such modules in a processor system is also provided.
Claims28
A stackable module for a processor system, the module comprising:
- a support plate having a topside and an underside;
- a set of topside circuit components mounted on the topside of the support plate, the circuit components constituting a transport stream generating device that generates transport stream data and transport stream control signals;
- a topside connector mounted to the topside of the support plate;
- an underside connector mounted to the underside of the support plate;
- and
- a first set of conductive tracks connected directly between the topside connector and the underside connector and a second set of conductive tracks connecting the topside connector to the set of topside circuit components, the underside connector and the topside connector being engageable with respective underside connectors and topside connectors of other modules, the first and second set of conductive tracks arranged to convey the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals in a stack of modules.
3 more elements
A stack of modules in a processor system, said stack comprising:
- a main board having an interface connector and a set of main board components, the interface connector providing a set of pins for conveying transport stream data and transport stream control signals;
- at least one module comprising a support plate with an underside connector mounted to an underside of said support plate and a topside connector mounted to a topside of said support plate, the at least one module comprising a transport stream generating device configured to generate the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals, the underside connector being connected to the interface connector of the main board for conveying the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals from the at least one module to the interface connector of the main board.
A stack of modules in a processor system, said stack comprising:
- a main board having an interface connector and a set of main board components, the interface connector providing a set of pins for conveying transport stream data and transport stream control signals;
- at least one module comprising:
- a support plate having a topside and an underside;
- a set of topside circuit components mounted on the topside of the support plate and comprising a transport stream generating device configured to generate the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals;
- a topside connector mounted to the topside of the support plate;
- an underside connector mounted to the underside of the support plate and connected to the interface connector of the main board;
- and
- a first set of conductive tracks connected directly between the topside connector and the underside connector and a second set of conductive tracks connecting the topside connector to the topside circuit components, the underside connector and the topside connector being engaged with respective underside connectors and topside connectors of other modules in the stack, the first and second set of conductive tracks arranged to convey the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals in the stack of modules.
5 more elements
A stack of modules in a processor system, said stack comprising:
- a main board having an interface connector and a set of main board components, the interface connector providing a set of pins for conveying transport stream data and transport stream control signals;
- and
- a plurality of modules, each module comprising a support plate with an underside connector mounted to an underside of said support plate and a topside connector mounted to a topside of said support plate, each module comprising a transport stream generating device configured to generate the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals, the underside connector of a lower one of said modules connected to the interface connector of the main board for conveying the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals from said lower module to the interface connector of the main board.
A stackable module for a processor system, the module comprising:
- a support plate having a topside and an underside;
- a set of topside circuit components mounted on the topside of the support plate, said circuit components constitute a device which acts on transport stream data and transport stream control signals;
- a topside connector mounted to the topside of the support plate;
- an underside connector mounted to the underside of the support plate;
- a first set of conductive tracks connected directly between the topside connector and the underside connector and a second set of conductive tracks connecting the topside connector to the topside circuit components, the underside connector and the topside connector being engageable with respective underside connectors and topside connectors of other modules, the conductive tracks arranged to convey the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals in a stack of modules;
- and
- a multiplexor for selectively selecting the transport stream data from a lower module in the stack and an upper module in the stack for acting on by said device.
4 more elements
A stackable module for a processor system, the module comprising:
- a support plate having a topside and an underside;
- a set of topside circuit components mounted on the topside of the support plate;
- a topside connector mounted to the topside of the support plate;
- an underside connector mounted to the underside of the support plate;
- and
- a first set of conductive tracks connected directly between the topside connector and the underside connector and a second set of conductive tracks connecting the topside connector to the topside circuit components, the underside connector and the topside connector being engageable with respective underside connectors and topside connectors of other modules, the conductive tracks arranged to convey transport stream data and transport stream control signals between modules in a stack of modules;
- and
- wherein the circuit components constitute a device that does not utilize the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals, all of the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals being supplied via said topside and underside connectors directly to another module in the stack of modules.
5 more elements
A stackable printed circuitboard (PCB) configured for stacking on a motherboard and with other stackable printed circuitboards (PCBs) in combination, comprising:
- at least one support pillar extending from a top surface of a PCB;
- and
- at least one through-hole formed in the PCB and adapted to receive a support pillar from another stackable PCB.
A stackable module for a processor system, the module comprising:
- a support plate having a topside, an underside, and at least one through-hole for receiving a support pillar;
- a set of topside circuit components mounted on the topside of the support plate;
- a topside connector mounted to the topside of the support plate;
- an underside connector mounted to the underside of the support plate;
- and
- a first set of conductive tracks connected directly between the topside connector and the underside connector and a second set of conductive tracks connecting the topside connector to the set of topside circuit components, the underside connector and the topside connector being engageable with respective underside connectors and topside connectors of other modules, the first and second set of conductive tracks arranged to convey the transport stream data and the transport stream control signals in a stack of modules.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.