US 5,958,030 A · Intra-shelf free space interconnect

Abstract

A free-space intra-shelf interconnect system is provided in which each of a number of circuit boards in a shelf communicates with any other board through free-space interconnects. Each board is equipped with a free-space transmit coupler to transmit a signal to a free-space receive coupler of an adjacent board. Simply sliding the boards in the shelf and latching them in place as usual, automatically aligns the transmit and receive couplers for optimum coupling. System configurations are provided for building a closed communication loop within the shelf, that allows for data communications between any board within the shelf. Logical addressing allows for interchangeability of boards within a shelf. This, in turn, allows for moving a defective board to the end positions of a shelf for debugging purposes. An extender board for testing and debugging purposes is also provided if free physical access to both board surface areas is simultaneously needed. A redundant system configuration with two communication loops in the shelf is provided which can survive the failure of any board.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A free-space intra-shelf interconnect system comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable circuit boards including a first board and a last board arranged in a shelf having a backplane, the boards extending from the backplane in spaced relationship with one another;
each board having a free-space transmit coupler mounted on a first side of the boards for transmitting data through free-space, a free-space receive coupler mounted on a second side of the board for receiving data transmitted through free space from any adjacent board, a backplane transmit coupler and a backplane receive coupler;
each board having a drop-insert multiplexer for;
i) inserting data to be transmitted by the board into an outgoing signal, the data including a logical address of a board to receive the data;
and
ii) extracting data addressed to the board from an incoming signal and forwarding on the outgoing signal all other data received on the incoming signal;
the backplane having electrical conductors electrically connecting the backplane transmit coupler of the last board to the backplane receive coupler of the first board, whereby a closed data communication loop extends from the first board through all the intervening boards to the last board and back from the last board through the backplane to the first board.

4 more elements

A free-space intra-shelf interconnect system comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable circuit boards including a first board and a last board arranged in a shelf having a backplane, the boards extending from the backplane in spaced relationship with one another;
each board having a pair of free-space transmit couplers mounted on opposite sides of the board for transmitting data through free-space and a pair of free-space receive couplers mounted on opposite sides of the board for receiving data transmitted through free-space from any adjacent boards;
each board having a drop-insert multiplexer for:
i) inserting data to be transmitted by the board into outgoing signals, the data including a logical address of a board to receive the data;
and
ii) extracting data addressed to the board from incoming signals and forwarding on the outgoing signals all other data received on the incoming signals;
whereby a closed data communication loop extends from the first board through all the intervening boards to the last board and back from the last board through all the intervening boards to the first board.

4 more elements

A free-space intra-shelf interconnected system comprising:

a plurality of interchangeable circuit boards including a first board and a last board arranged in a shelf having a backplane, the boards extending from the backplane in spaced relationship with one another;
each board having a pair of free-space transmit couplers mounted on opposite sides of the board for transmitting data through free-space and a pair of free-space receive couplers mounted on opposite sides of the board for receiving data transmitted through free-space from any adjacent boards;
each board having a drop-insert multiplexer for:
i) inserting data to be transmitted by the board into outgoing signals, the data including the logical address of a board to receive the data;
and
ii) extracting data addressed to the board from incoming signals and forwarding the outgoing signals all other data received in the incoming signals;
the backplane having electrical conductors electrically connecting the backplane transmit coupler of the last board to the backplane receive coupler of the first board and electrically connecting the backplane transmit coupler of the first board to the backplane receive coupler of the last board, whereby a first closed data communication loop extends from the first board through all the intervening boards to the last board and back from the last board through the backplane to the first board and a second closed data communication loop extends from the last board through all the intervening boards to the first board;
and back from the first board through the backplane to the last board.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intra-shelf free space interconnect

Life of this patent

Intra-shelf free space interconnect

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35