US 6,617,939 B1 · Cable connector assembly with an equalization circuit board

Abstract

An equalization card is provided for a cable assembly carrying high speed data signals. The cable assembly includes a cable with conductors, a plug mounted on the cable and a socket receiving the plug. An equalization card is removeably received within the plug. The equalization card conveys data signals over data paths between the plug and receptacle. The circuit board attenuates frequency components below at least one half of the fundamental frequency of the data rate, without introducing equalization attenuation into frequency components below a second harmonic of the fundamental frequency. The circuit components maintains a substantially constant attenuation level for frequency components of the data signal below a predefined frequency cutoff that is less than the second harmonic of the fundamental frequency of the data rate.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A cable connector assembly for a cable carrying high speed data signals at a desired rate, the data rate having a fundamental frequency, the data signals including multiple attenuated frequency components defining an attenuation characteristic curve over an operating frequency range of the data signals, the connector assembly comprising:

a plug adapted to be mounted to a cable;
a receptacle connected to the plug;
and
an equalization circuit board conveying data signals at a data rate over data paths between the plug and receptacle, said circuit board attenuating frequency components below a cut-off frequency without introducing equalization attenuation into frequency components above the cut-off frequency, said cut-off frequency being between one-half of a fundamental frequency of the data rate and a second harmonic frequency of the data rate, said equalization circuit board maintaining at a cable connector assembly, an amplitude signal-to-noise ratio for the data in the equalized high speed data signal at a value such that an amplitude of noise substantially exceed 25% of an amplitude of the data signal for any length of cable.

1 more element

An equalization card for a cable assembly carrying high speed data signals, the cable assembly including a cable with conductors, a plug housing mounted to the cable and a socket receiving the plug housing, the equalization card comprising:

a circuit board removably received within the plug housing;
input contacts on the circuit board connected to conductors, said input contacts receiving data signals at a data rate over an operating frequency range of the data signals of the cable;
output contacts on the circuit board adapted to removably engage the socket, said output contacts electrically communicate with associated input contacts to convey data signals from the cable;
and
frequency equalizing circuit components mounted to the circuit board between an associated combination of input and output contacts, said circuit components maintaining a substantially constant attenuation level for frequency components of the data signal below a predefined frequency cut-off, said frequency cut-off being less than a second harmonic of a fundamental frequency of the data signals, said circuit components maintaining, at a cable connector assembly, an amplitude signal-to-noise ratio for the data in the equalized high speed data signal at a value such that an amplitude of noise substantially exceed 25% of an amplitude of the data signal for any length of cable.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cable connector assembly with an equalization circuit board

Life of this patent

Cable connector assembly with an equalization circuit board

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26