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US 6,793,408 B2Granted
Module interface with optical and electrical interconnects
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsPaul S. Levy, Karl H. Mauritz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A module comprises an electrical device having at least one memory device. A plurality of electrical contacts provide electrical signals to the electrical device. The memory apparatus also includes an optical interface, and an optical-to-electrical signal converter is coupled to receive optical signals from the optical interface and provide electrical signals to the electrical device.
Claims24
An apparatus, comprising:
- a memory controller disposed on a board, said memory controller to control at least one or more memory modules;
- a housing disposed on the board to receive at least one of the at least one or more memory modules, aid housing including a semi-transparent optical element;
- and
- an optical transceiver disposed on the board to couple said memory controller to the at least one or more memory modules via an optical connector system;
- wherein the semi-transparent optical element reflects a first portion of an optical signal on the optical connector system to couple a first one of the at least one or more memory modules to said memory controller, and transits a second portion of the optical signal on the optical connector system to couple a second one of the at least one or more memory modules to said memory controller.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- controlling means for controlling at least one or more memory modules, said means disposed on a board;
- receiving means disposed on the board, for receiving at least one of the at least one or more memory modules, said receiving means including beam directing means for directing an optical beam;
- and
- coupling means disposed on the board for coupling said controlling means to the at least one or more memory modules via connecting means for connecting optical devices;
- wherein said beam directing means directs a first portion of an optical signal on said connecting means to couple a first one of the at least one or more memory modules to said controlling means, and directs a second portion of the optical signal on said connecting means to couple a second one of the at least one or more memory modules to said controlling means.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- a local area network card to connect said processor to a local area network;
- and
- a memory system to couple to said processor, said memory system comprising:
- a memory controller disposed on a board, said memory controller to control at least one or more memory modules;
- a housing disposed on the board to receive at least one of the at least one or more memory modules, said housing including a semi-transparent optical element;
- and
- an optical transceiver disposed on the board to couple said memory controller to the at least one or more memory modules via an optical connector system;
- wherein the semi-transparent optical element reflects a first portion of an optical signal on the optical connector system to couple a first one of the at least one or more memory modules to said memory controller, and transits a second portion of the optical signal on the optical connector system to couple a second one of the at leas one or more memory modules to said memory controller.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.