Computer including installable and removable cards, optical interconnection between cards, and method of assembling a computer

A computer comprising:

• a housing;
• a motherboard supported in the housing;
• a slot connector supported on the motherboard;
• a first circuit component supported by the motherboard;
• a card configured for sliding receipt in one of the slot connectors;
• a second circuit component mounted on the card;
• and
• a flexible optical interconnect coupling the card to the motherboard, the first circuit component being configured to communicate with the second circuit component via the optical interconnect, whereby the flexible optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors so that interference that could otherwise be caused by signals to and from the first circuit component is impeded.

A computer comprising:

• a housing;
• a circuit board supported in the housing;
• a plurality of slot connectors supported on the circuit board;
• a first card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a first one of the slot connectors;
• a processor supported by the first card;
• a second card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a second one of the slot connectors;
• a synchronous link DRAM memory supported by the second card;
• a power supply in the housing;
• conductors coupling the power supply to the processor via the first slot connector, the conductors including circuit traces on the first card extending from the edge connector of the first card toward the processor;
• conductors coupling the power supply to the memory via the second slot connector, the conductors including circuit traces on the second card extending from the edge connector of the second card toward the memory;
• and
• an optical interconnect coupling the processor to the memory for data communications, the optical interconnect being within the housing, wherein the optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors.

A computer comprising:

• a housing;
• a circuit board supported in the housing;
• a plurality of slot connectors supported on the circuit board;
• a first card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a first one of the slot connectors;
• a first integrated circuit supported by the first card;
• a second card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a second one of the slot connectors;
• a second integrated circuit supported by the second card;
• a power supply in the housing;
• conductors coupling the power supply to the first integrated circuit via the first slot connector, the conductors including circuit traces on the first card extending from the edge connector of the first card toward the first integrated circuit;
• conductors coupling the power supply to the second integrated circuit via the second slot connector, the conductors including circuit traces on the second card extending from the edge connector of the second card toward the second integrated circuit;
• and
• an optical interconnect coupling the first integrated circuit to the second integrated circuit for data communications, the optical interconnect being within the housing, wherein the optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors.

A method of assembling a computer, the method comprising:

• supporting a circuit board in a housing;
• supporting a plurality of slot connectors on the circuit board;
• mounting a first circuit component on a first card;
• inserting the first card into a first one of the slot connectors;
• mounting a second circuit component on a second card;
• inserting the second card into a second one of the slot connectors;
• and
• flexibly optically coupling the first card to the second card for optical communications between the first circuit component and the second circuit component, whereby the flexible optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors so that interference that could otherwise be caused by signals to and from the first circuit component is impeded.

A method of assembling a computer, the method comprising:

• supporting a circuit board in a housing;
• supporting a plurality of slot connectors on the circuit board;
• supporting a processor on a first card having an edge connector;
• inserting the edge connector of the first card into a first one of the slot connectors to support the first card from the circuit board;
• providing a second card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a second one of the slot connectors;
• supporting a synchronous link DRAM memory on a second card having an edge connector;
• inserting the edge connector of the second card into a second one of the slot connectors to support the second card from the circuit board;
• supporting a power supply in the housing;
• coupling the power supply to the processor via the first slot connector, the coupling including using circuit traces on the first card extending from the edge connector of the first card toward the processor;
• coupling the power supply to the memory via the second slot connector, the coupling including using circuit traces on the second card extending from the edge connector of the second card toward the memory;
• and
• optically coupling the processor to the memory for data communications using an optical interconnect within the housing, wherein the flexible optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors.

A method of assembling a computer, the method comprising:

• supporting a circuit board in a housing;
• supporting a plurality of slot connectors on the circuit board;
• supporting a first integrated circuit on a first card having an edge connector;
• inserting the edge connector of the first card into a first one of the slot connectors to support the first card from the circuit board;
• providing a second card having an edge connector configured for sliding receipt in a second one of the slot connectors;
• supporting a second integrated circuit on a second card having an edge connector;
• inserting the edge connector of the second card into a second one of the slot connectors to support the second card from the circuit board;
• supporting a power supply in the housing;
• coupling the power supply to the first integrated circuit via the first slot connector, the coupling including using circuit traces on the first card extending from the edge connector of the first card toward the first integrated circuit;
• coupling the power supply to the second integrated circuit via the second slot connector, the coupling including using circuit traces on the second card extending from the edge connector of the second card toward the second integrated circuit;
• and
• optically coupling the first integrated circuit to the second integrated circuit for data communications using an optical interconnect within the housing, wherein the flexible optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors.

A system comprising:

• a housing;
• a circuit board supported in the housing;
• a plurality of slot connectors supported on the circuit board;
• a first card configured for sliding receipt in one of the slot connectors;
• a first circuit component mounted on the first card
• a second card configured for sliding receipt in one of the slot connectors;
• a second circuit component mounted on the second card;
• and
• a flexible optical interconnect coupling the first card to the second card, the first circuit component being configured to communicate with the second circuit component via the optical interconnect, whereby the optical interconnect does not pass through the slot connectors so that interference that could otherwise be caused by signals to and from the first circuit component is impeded.