System and method for interconnecting node boards and switch boards in a computer system chassis
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- a chassis including a backplane having a first side and a second side, said backplane including a plurality of node slots and at least one switch slot on said first side, wherein said node slots include respective slot connectors configured to be connected to mating connectors on node boards, wherein conductors extend from said slot connectors through said backplane to said second side of said backplane;
at least one rear transition module (RTM) configured to be located on said second side of said backplane opposite said at least one switch slot, wherein said RTM includes an RTM connector configured to be connected to at least one switch board in said at least one switch slot; and
external signal paths configured to be coupled between said conductors associated with said node slots and said RTM, said external signal paths being located external to said backplane.
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Abstract
An interconnect system may be used to interconnect node boards and one or more switch boards coupled to a common backplane in a computer system shelf or chassis. The interconnect system may interconnect the node boards and switch board(s) using external signal paths external to the backplane. In one embodiment, the signal paths may be connected to a rear transition module (RTM) that provides conversion between electrical node board signals and optical switch board signals. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
38 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a chassis including a backplane having a first side and a second side, said backplane including a plurality of node slots and at least one switch slot on said first side, wherein said node slots include respective slot connectors configured to be connected to mating connectors on node boards, wherein conductors extend from said slot connectors through said backplane to said second side of said backplane; at least one rear transition module (RTM) configured to be located on said second side of said backplane opposite said at least one switch slot, wherein said RTM includes an RTM connector configured to be connected to at least one switch board in said at least one switch slot; and external signal paths configured to be coupled between said conductors associated with said node slots and said RTM, said external signal paths being located external to said backplane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system comprising:
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a chassis including a backplane having a first side and a second side, said backplane including a plurality of node slots and at least one switch slot on said first side, wherein said at least one switch slot includes at least one switch slot connector, wherein said node slots include respective node slot connectors, wherein conductors extend from said node slot connectors through said backplane to said second side of said backplane; a plurality of node boards configured to be located in said node slots, wherein said node boards include node board connectors configured to be connected to said node slot connectors on said backplane; at least one switch board configured to be located in said at least one switch slot, said switch board including at least first and second switch board connectors, wherein said first switch board connector is configured to be connected to said at least one switch slot connector on said backplane; and an interconnect system configured to couple said at least one switch board to said node boards, wherein said interconnect system is configured to be connected to said conductors at said second side of said backplane and connected to said second switch board connector on said switch board, and said interconnect system being located external to said backplane. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a cabinet comprising a plurality of chassis, at least one of said plurality of chassis being an Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) chassis; said ATCA chassis comprising; a backplane having a first side and a second side, said backplane including a plurality of node slots and at least one switch slot on said first side, wherein said at least one switch slot includes at least one switch slot connector, wherein said node slots include respective node slot connectors, wherein conductors extend from said node slot connectors through said backplane to said second side of said backplane; a plurality of node boards located in said node slots, said node boards including node board connectors connected to said node slot connectors on said backplane; at least one switch board located in said at least one switch slot, said switch board including at least first and second switch board connectors, said first switch board connector being connected to said at least one switch slot connector on said backplane; at least one rear transition module (RTM) located on said second side of said backplane opposite said at least one switch board, wherein said RTM includes an RTM connector connected to said at least one switch board; and external signal paths coupled between said conductors associated with said node slots and said RTM, said external signal paths being located external to said backplane. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method comprising:
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providing a chassis including a backplane configured to interconnect a plurality of node boards and at least one switch board, said backplane including a plurality of node slots configured to receive said node boards and at least one switch slot configured to receive said switch board, said node slots including node slot connectors configured to connect to node board connectors on said node boards and said switch slots including switch slot connectors configured to connect to switch board connectors on said switch boards, wherein a plurality of channels are associated with said node slots in said chassis, wherein a plurality of conductors associated with said channels extend from said node slot connectors through said backplane to a rear of said backplane; connecting at least one switch board to said at least one switch board slot, said switch board including at least first and second switch board connectors, said first switch board connector being connected to at least one of said switch slot connectors on said backplane; and coupling external signal paths between said conductors associated with said channels at said rear of said backplane and said second switch board connector of said switch board, said external signal paths being external to said backplane. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification