Inter-circuit board connector with current sensor

• US 20160223596A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Global Technologies International Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Meng, Jian
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/202 using Hall-effect devices Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/00 Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/00 Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof covered by H01L21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/73 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2201/00 Algorithms used for the adjustment of time-domain equalizers

Abstract

An inter-circuit board connector connects a first circuit board to a second circuit board. The inter-circuit board connector includes power pins to transmit power from the first circuit board to the second circuit board. Each power pin provides an equal amount of current from the first circuit board to the second circuit board. The inter-circuit board connector includes a current sensor to measure current on a selected number of the power pins that can be less than a total number of the power pins.

Claims

1. An inter-circuit board connector comprising:

a first connection mechanism to connect to a first circuit board;

a second connection mechanism to connect to a second circuit board;

a plurality of power pins extending from the first connection mechanism to the second connection mechanism to transmit power from the first circuit board to the second circuit board, each power pin providing an equal amount of current from the first circuit board to the second circuit board; and

a current sensor to measure current on a selected number of the power pins.

2. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein the current sensor comprises:

a power input to receive power to power the current sensor;

a ground input to connect the current sensor to ground; and

one or more signal outputs on which the current sensor provides a signal corresponding to the current measured on the selected number of the power pins.

3. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more signal pins connected to the one or more signal outputs and extending to just a selected connection mechanism of the first connection mechanism and the second connection mechanism,

wherein where the selected connection mechanism is the first connection mechanism, the first circuit board is a selected circuit board,

wherein where the selected connection mechanism is the second connection mechanism, the second circuit board is the selected circuit board,

wherein the selected circuit board receives the signal provided by the current sensor via the one or more signal pins.

4. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 3, further comprising:

an additional power pin connected to the power input and extending to just the selected connection mechanism, by which the selected circuit board provides power to the current sensor; and

a ground pin connected to the ground input and extending to the selected connection mechanism, by which the selected circuit board connects the current sensor to ground.

5. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 2, wherein the current sensor further comprises:

an external connector including the power input, the ground input, and the one or more signal outputs to connect to a device that provides power and ground to the current sensor, that receives the signal provided by the current sensor, and that calculates a total current transmitted on the power pins from the output,

wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are not part of the device.

6. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein the current sensor is a Hall effect sensor that non-invasively measures the current on the selected number of the power pins without having to be electrically in series with the selected number of the power pins.

7. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein a total current transmitted on the power pins is equal to the current measured by the current sensor multiplied by a ratio of a total number of the power pins to the selected number of the power pins.

8. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein the selected number of the power pins is less than a total number of the power pins.

9. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein the first connection mechanism comprises a plurality of connection pins insertable into corresponding vias of the first circuit board for soldering to the first circuit board.

10. The inter-circuit board connector of claim 1, wherein the first connection mechanism comprises a socket to which a corresponding part of the second circuit board is removably insertable.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to a current measured by a current sensor of a inter-circuit board connector connecting a first circuit board to a second circuit board and including a plurality of power pins extending from the first circuit board to the second circuit board through the inter-circuit board connector;

multiplying the current measured by the current sensor by a ratio of a total number of the power pins to a number of the power pins on which the current sensor measures the current, to calculate a total current transmitted on the power pins from the first circuit board to the second circuit board through the inter-circuit board connector; and

outputting the total current transmitted on the power pins from the first circuit board to the second circuit board through the inter-circuit board connector,

wherein the number of the power pins on which the current sensor measures the current is less than a total number of the power pins,

and wherein each power pin provides an equal amount of current from the first circuit board to the second circuit board.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal is transmitted by the current sensor on a signal pin of the inter-circuit board connector connected to a selected circuit board of the first circuit board and the second circuit board,

and wherein the signal is received at the selected circuit board.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the current measured by the current sensor is multiplied by the ratio by an electronic component connected to the selected circuit board,

and wherein the total current transmitted on the power pins is output by the electronic component.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the signal is transmitted by the current sensor on one or more signal inputs of an external connector of the current sensor to which a device is connected,

wherein the signal is received at the device,

and wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are not part of the device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the current measured by the current sensor is multiplied by the ratio by the device,

and wherein the total current transmitted on the power pins is output by the device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

connecting the device to the external connector of the current sensor.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of the power pins on which the current sensor measures the current is equal to one, such that the ratio is equal to the total number of the power pins.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

connecting a first connection mechanism of the inter-circuit board connector to the first circuit board; and

connecting a second connection mechanism of the inter-circuit board connector to the second circuit board.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a first circuit board providing power; and

an inter-circuit board connector connected to the first circuit board and receptive to connection to a second circuit board powered by the power of the first circuit board, comprising;

a plurality of power pins to transmit the power from the first circuit board to the second circuit board, each power pin providing an equal amount of current from the first circuit board to the second circuit board; and

a current sensor to measure current on a selected number of the power pins.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, further comprising the second circuit board.