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US 6,731,514 B2Granted
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.
Claims15
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, the circuit components comprising 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, the support plate comprising at least one through-hole adapted to receive a support pillar.
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, 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 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, the support plate having at least one through-hole adapted to receive a support pillar, 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 printed circuit board configured for stacking on a motherboard and with other stackable printed circuit boards, comprising:
- a printed circuit board having mutually parallel opposing planar top and bottom surfaces having conductive surface tracks formed on each of the top and bottom surfaces and conductive pass-through tracks extending through the printed circuit board;
- at least one topside connector mounted on the top surface of the printed circuit board and having a plurality of pins electrically coupled to the conductive surface tracks on the top surface;
- at least one bottom side connector mounted on the bottom surface of the printed circuit board and having a plurality of pins electrically coupled to the conductive surface tracks on the bottom surface, and further electrically coupled to the at least one topside connector via the conductive pass-through tracks;
- the at least one topside connector and the at least one bottom side connector are adapted to be engageable with respective bottom side connectors and topside connectors of other stackable printed circuit boards;
- at least one support pillar extending from the top surface of the printed circuit board;
- and
- at least one through-hole formed in the printed circuit board and adapted to receive a support pillar from another stackable printed circuit board.
4 more elements
A stackable printed circuit board configured for stacking on a motherboard and with other stackable printed circuit boards, comprising:
- a printed circuit board having mutually parallel opposing planar top and bottom surfaces having conductive surface tracks formed on each of the top and bottom surfaces and conductive pass-through tracks extending through the printed circuit board;
- at least one topside connector mounted on the top surface of the printed circuit board and having a plurality of pins electrically coupled to the conductive surface tracks on the top surface;
- at least one bottom side connector mounted on the bottom surface of the printed circuit board and having a plurality of pins electrically coupled to the conductive surface tracks on the bottom surface, and further electrically coupled to the at least one topside connector via the conductive pass-through tracks;
- the at least one topside connector and the at least one bottom side connector are adapted to be engageable with respective bottom side connectors and topside connectors of other stackable printed circuit boards;
- at least one support pillar extending from the top surface of the printed circuit board;
- at least one through-hole formed in the printed circuit board and adapted to receive a support pillar from another stackable printed circuit board;
- at least one component mounted on the top surface of the printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the conductive surface tracks on the top surface of the printed circuit board;
- and
- a spacer on the top surface of the printed circuit board and extending above the component to provide clearance between the component and other stackable printed circuit boards.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.