Connector for higher performance PCI with differential signaling
First Claim
1. A method of supporting differential signaling in a PCI bus within a data processing system, said PCI bus comprising a plurality of bus signal conductors including bus conductors connected to ground, comprising:
- providing a connector for an adapter slot within said data processing system, said connector including a plurality of contacts, each contact within said plurality of contacts electrically connected to a bus conductor within said plurality of bus conductors; and
when said adapter slot is empty, connecting each contact within said plurality of contacts to a dummy load simulating a signal load of an adapter, wherein a balanced load is provided for a PCI bus utilizing differential signaling.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An enhanced PCI bus architecture utilizing differential signaling is supported by an adapter slot connector providing differential signaling pins and a make-before-break connection between bus conductors and dummy loads for each bus conductor, enabling higher frequency and higher bandwidth operation. The dummy loads simulate the signal load of an adapter inserted into the slot. The PCI bus conductors are automatically disconnected from the dummy loads and connected to the adapter pins when an adapter is inserted into the slot. A balanced load bus is thus provided regardless of whether adapter slots are populated or empty.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of supporting differential signaling in a PCI bus within a data processing system, said PCI bus comprising a plurality of bus signal conductors including bus conductors connected to ground, comprising:
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providing a connector for an adapter slot within said data processing system, said connector including a plurality of contacts, each contact within said plurality of contacts electrically connected to a bus conductor within said plurality of bus conductors; and when said adapter slot is empty, connecting each contact within said plurality of contacts to a dummy load simulating a signal load of an adapter, wherein a balanced load is provided for a PCI bus utilizing differential signaling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for supporting differential signaling in a PCI bus within a data processing system, said PCI bus comprising a plurality of bus conductors including bus conductors connected to ground, comprising:
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connector means for an adapter slot within said data processing system, said connector including a plurality of contacts, each contact within said plurality of contacts electrically connected to a bus conductor within said plurality of bus conductors; and connection means, when said adapter slot is empty, for connecting each contact within said plurality of contacts to a dummy load simulating a signal load of an adapter, wherein a balanced load is provided for a PCI bus utilizing differential signaling. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A PCI bus connector, comprising:
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a plurality of contacts in said connector, each contact within said plurality of contacts electrically connected to a PCI bus conductor; and a dummy load simulating an adapter signal load selectively connected to said plurality of contacts when said connector is not connected to an adapter, wherein said PCI bus connector provides a balanced load that is provided for a PCI bus utilizing differential signaling. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of configuring an adapter connector for a PCI bus employing differential signaling, comprising:
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connecting a dummy load simulating an adapter signal load to a dummy load contact for a bus conductor within said connector; and biasing a bus contact within said connector in a direction of said dummy load contact such that said bus contact selectively engages said dummy load contact when no adapter is present in said connector. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification