Transverse backplane
OwnerFrank Duarte, Frank Davisinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low profile, 1U expansion PC board for mounting at least two PCI connectors, mountable by a male-to-male connector to a PCI matrix on the transverse side of a 1U PICMG computer backplane. Additional mechanical security is provided by mounting stanchions between the board and the backplane.
Claims4
For a PICMG computer having a 1U backplane which includes a CPU card connector and a matrix of holes for mounting a single PCI connector, a device for expanding the number of PCI connectors comprising:
- (a) a circuit board having no more than a 1U profile, said board carrying PCI bus lines,
- (b) two PCI connectors on the board in communication with the bus lines, and
- (c) connection means also in communication with the bus lines for mounting the circuit board onto the 1U backplane on a side opposite the CPU card connector, wherein the board is further mechanically secured to the backplane.
For a computer having a 1U backplane which includes a connector for coupling said backplane to a processor motherboard, the motherboard including a PCI bus, a device for expanding the number of PCI connectors communicating with the motherboard comprising:
- (a) the connector between the backplane and the motherboard communicating PCI bus signals therebetween,
- (b) a circuit board having no more than a 1U profile, said board including signal lines for carrying PCI bus signals,
- (c) a plurality of PCI connectors on the circuit board in communication with the signal lines,
- (d) a physical connection for affixing the circuit board to the backplane on a side opposite the motherboard without extending beyond the 1U profile of the backplane, the PCI connectors on the circuit board facing away from the backplane, and
- (e) an electrical connection between the circuit board's signal lines and the backplane's PCI bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.