US 7,443,696 B2 · Riser card to support different kinds of connectors

Abstract

A connecting apparatus comprises a riser card (10) and a slot (20). The riser card comprises a PCI-X slot (13), a PCI-E slot (11), a first connector (15), a second connector (17) and a third connector (19). The first connector set a serial of PCI-X signal pads (151) on one side thereof. The second connector is adapted to provide power and ground signals. The third connector set a serial of PCI-E signal pads (191) on the same side thereof as the first connector. The slot is defined on a circuit board for the riser card inserted therein. The slot comprises a first portion (21) and a second portion (23) coupling to the second connector. The first portion comprises a first side with a series of PCI-X signal pins (211) coupling to the serial of PCI-X signal pads of the first connector, when the riser card is inserted into the slot in a first direction with the first connector inserted into the first portion. The first portion comprises a second side with a series of PCI-E signal pins (191) coupling to the serial of PCI-E signal pads of the third connector, when the riser card is inserted into the slot in a second direction which is reverse to the first direction with the third connector inserted into the second portion.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A connecting apparatus comprising:

a riser card comprising:
a first slot adapted to have a first card inserted therein;
a second slot adapted to have a second card, which is different from the first card, inserted therein;
a first connector connecting to the first slot, with a serial of first signal pads set on one side thereof, the other side of the first connector being blank;
and
a third connector connecting to the second slot, with a serial of second signal pads set on the same side thereof as the first connector, the other side of the second connector being blank;
and
a slot defined on a circuit board for the riser card inserted therein, the slot comprising a first portion, a series of first signal pins corresponding to the serial of first signal pads set along one side of the first portion, a series of second signal pins corresponding to the serial of second signal pads set along the other side of the first portion.

5 more elements

A connection system comprising:

a first component capable of generating at least two kinds of signals compatible with at least two different signal transmission standards respectively;
and
a second component capable of establishing electrical connection with said first component so as to respectively transmit said at least two kinds of signals therebetween, a portion of said second component adapted to be capable of mechanically connecting with said first component along two sides thereof, each side of said portion of said second component adapted for transmitting one of said at least two kinds of signals, one side of said portion of said second component adapted to establish said electrical connection with said first component while the other side of said portion of said second component does not electrically connect with said first component for exclusively transmitting one of said at least two kinds of signals compatible with one of said at least two different signal transmission standards, and the other side of said portion of said second component adapted to establish said electrical connection with said first component while the side of said portion of said second component does not electrically connect with said first component for exclusively transmitting another of said at least two kinds of signals compatible with another of said at least two different signal transmission standards.

A connection system comprising:

a first component capable of generating at least two kinds of signals compatible with at least two different signal transmission standards respectively, a first connector extending from said first component adapted to transmit one of said at least two kinds of signals compatible with one of said at least two different signal transmission standards, and a second connector extending from said first component next to said first connector and adapted to transmit another of said at least two kinds of signals compatible with another of said at least two different signal transmission standards;
and
a second component capable of establishing electrical connection with said first component so as to transmit said at least two kinds of signals therebetween, a portion of said second component adapted to be mechanically connectable with said first connector of said first component along a first orientation of said first component relative to said second component so as to transmit said one of said at least two kinds of signals between said first and second components and not transmit said another of said at least two kinds of signals between said first and second components, and connectable with said second connector of said first component along a second orientation of said first component relative to said second component so as to transmit said another of said at least two kinds of signals between said first and second components and not transmit said one of said at least two kinds of signals between said first and second components.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Riser card to support different kinds of connectors

Life of this patent

Riser card to support different kinds of connectors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19