Computer connections

• US 20030032335A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Heffernan, Peter, Garnett, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/128 of the plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. disk drives, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1425 of standardised dimensions, e.g. 19"-subrack
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1489 characterized by the mounting of blades therein, e.g. brackets, rails, trays H05K7/1491 takes precedence

Abstract

In a modular computer system comprising at least one information processing module removably received at a first face of a housing, at least one computer support module removably received at a second face of the housing, and at least one power supply module removably received at the second face of the housing, a connections member is provided. The connections member comprises at least one connector at a first face of the member arranged to connect to a connector of the at least one information processing module. The connections member further comprises at least one connector at a second face of the member arranged to connect to a connector of the at least one computer support module. The connections member also comprises at least one connector at the second face of the member arranged to connect to a connector of the at least one power supply module.

Claims

1. A connections member mountable within a housing of a modular computer system that includes at least one information processing module removably receivable at a first face of said housing, at least one computer support module removably receivable at a second face of said housing, and at least one power supply module removably receivable at said second face of said housing, said connections member comprising:

at least one first connector at a first face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one information processing module;

at least one second connector at a second face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one computer support module;

respective connection paths between said first and second connectors for at least information signals and management signals;

at least one third connector at said second face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one power supply module; and

at least power connection paths from said third to said first and second connectors.

2. The connections member of claim 1, configured to form a midplane in said housing.

3. The connections member of claim 1, wherein said connections member is electrically passive.

4. The connections member of claim 3, comprising only electrically passive components.

5. The connections member of claim 1, comprising a circuit board, wherein said connection paths comprise conductive tracks of said circuit board.

6. The connections member of claim 1, comprising a plurality of first connectors, each configured to connect to a connector of one of a plurality of information processing modules.

7. The connections member of claim 1, wherein a plurality of first connectors are arranged in a row along said first side of said connections member.

8. The connections member of claim 6, comprising 16 first connectors.

9. The connections member of claim 6, wherein each first connector is Single Connector Attachment connector.

10. The connections member of claim 1, comprising a plurality of second connectors each configured to connect to a connector of one of a plurality of computer support modules.

11. The connections member of claim 10, wherein said plurality of second connectors are arranged in a row along said second side of said connections member.

12. The connections member of claim 10, comprising two second connectors, each configured to connect to a connector of one of a plurality of computer support modules.

13. The connections member of claim 1, comprising a plurality of third connectors each configured to connect to a connector of one of a plurality of power supply modules.

14. The connections member of claim 13, wherein said plurality of third connectors are arranged in a row along said second side of said connections member.

15. The connections member of claim 13, comprising two third connectors each configured to connect to a connector of one of a plurality of power supply modules.

16. The connections member of claim 1, supporting at least one guide pin to facilitate alignment on insertion of a support module of each second connector with a corresponding power supply module connector.

17. The connections member of claim 1, supporting at least one guide pin to facilitate alignment on insertion of a power supply module of each third connector with a corresponding power supply module connector.

18. The connections member of claim 1, wherein the connection paths for information signals are configured to carry differential information signals.

19. The connections member of claim 1, wherein the connection paths for management signals are configured to carry serial signals.

20. The connections member of claim 1, comprising at least one aperture to allow a flow of cooling air therethrough.

21. The connections member of claim 1, comprising at least one connector for connecting to a connector of an indicator board of said modular computer system.

22. The connections member of claim 1, wherein at least one connector has multiple contacts.

23. A modular computer system comprising a housing, at least one information processing module removably receivable at a first face of said housing, at least one computer support module removably receivable at a second face of said housing, and at least one power supply module removably receivable at said second face of said housing and a connections member forming a midplane within said housing, said connections member comprising:

at least one connector at a first face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one information processing module;

at least one second connector at a second face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one computer support module;

respective connection paths between said first and second connectors for at least information signals and management signals;

at least one third connector at said second face of said connections member configured to connect to a connector of said at least one power supply module; and

at least power connection paths from said third to said first and second connectors.

24. The modular computer system of claim 23, wherein said connections member is configured as a circuit board mounted substantially vertically within said housing between said first and second faces of the housing.

25. The modular computer system of claim 24, wherein said modular computer system is a high density server system, said housing is configured as a rack mountable shelf and each said information processing module is configured as a server blade receivable in the housing.

26. The modular computer system of claim 25, comprising an indicator board located adjacent to said first face of said housing, said indicator board carrying non-volatile storage including configuration information for said rack mountable shelf, said indicator board being electrically connected to a connector carried by said connections member.

27. The modular computer system of claim 26, comprising an indicator board located adjacent to said second face of said housing, said indicator board carrying non-volatile storage including configuration information for said rack mountable shelf, said indicator board being electrically connected to a connector carried by said connections member.

28. A method of connecting removable computer system modules within a modular computer system module, the method comprising:

providing a first connector for connecting to a connector of an information processing module;

providing a second connector for connecting to a connector of a computer support module;

providing a third connector for connecting to a connector of a power supply module; and

mounting said connectors on a connections member, the connections member providing respective connection paths between said first and second connectors for at least information signals and management signals and at least power connection paths from said third to said first and second connectors.

29. A connections member mountable within a housing of a modular computer system that comprises at least one information processing module removably receivable at a first face of said housing, at least one computer support module removably receivable at a second face of said housing, and at least one power supply module removably receivable at said second face of said housing, said connections member comprising:

first connector means at a first face of said connections member configured to connect to a corresponding connector means of said at least one information processing module;

second connector means at a second face of said connections member configured to connect to a corresponding connector means of said at least one computer support module;

respective connection path means between said first and second connectors for at least information signals and management signals;

third connector means at said second face of said connections member configured to connect to a corresponding connector means of said at least one power supply module; and

power connection paths means from said third to said first and second connector means.