Compact and versatile SCA to SCSI bus adapter

• US 6,480,925 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1996
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Computer Performance Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Computer Performance Incorporated
• Inventors: Bodo, Martin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US08/584,484
• Time in Patent Office: 2,497 Days
• Field of Search: 395/281, 395/282, 395/283, 395/309, 395/882, 395/883, 395/884, 395/892, 395/893, 395/500, 395/527, 361/679, 361/684, 361/685, 361/686, 361/727, 439/218, 710/301, 710/302, 710/303, 710/305, 710/306, 710/63, 710/307, 710/62, 710/64, 710/72
• US Class Current: 710/307
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0626 Reducing size or complexity of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence

Abstract

A compact adapter for interconnecting a digital computer peripheral device that uses a Single Connector Attachment (“SCA”) to a conventional Small Computer System Interface (“SCSI”) bus. A SCA connector of the adapter mates with and engages a complementary SCA connector included in a peripheral device. The SCA connector is juxtaposed perpendicularly with a first face of a planar printed circuit board. A narrow width for the printed circuit board permits a disk drive mated with the adapter to fit within a space in a digital computer system adapted to receive a peripheral device. The compact adapter also includes an electrical power connector together with a first, conventional SCSI bus connector. Preferably, the adapter also includes a second, conventional SCSI bus connector having a different style from that of the first SCSI bus connector. The power connector and both SCSI bus connectors are juxtaposed with and disposed perpendicular to a second face of the printed circuit board, and electrically coupled to the SCA connector by traces on the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A compact adapter for interconnecting a digital computer peripheral device that uses a Single Connector Attachment (“

SCA”

) to a conventional American National Standards Institute (“

ANSI”

) Small Computer System Interface (“

SCSI”

) bus, the adapter comprising;

a SCA connector adapted to mate with and engage a complementary SCA connector included in a peripheral device;

a planar printed circuit board having a first face that is juxtaposed with and that is perpendicular to said SCA connector, said printed circuit board including traces that electrically couple said printed circuit board to said SCA connector, said printed circuit board having a width parallel to the first face of said printed circuit board and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said SCA connector that is sufficiently narrow to permit a peripheral device, when said SCA connector of the adapter is mated with and engaging a complementary SCA connector of a peripheral device, to fit within a space in a digital computer system that is adapted to receive the peripheral device;

an electrical power connector that is juxtaposed with and disposed perpendicular to a second face of said printed circuit board, said electrical power connector being electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board;

a first, conventional SCSI bus connector having a style chosen from among a plurality of styles for conventional SCSI bus connectors, said SCSI bus connector being juxtaposed with and disposed perpendicular to the second face of said printed circuit board, and said SCSI bus connector being electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board; and

SCSI bus electrical termination means adapted for selectively providing termination for electrical signals present on the SCSI bus depending upon a location at which the compact adapter is positioned along the SCSI bus.

2. The compact adapter of claim 1 further comprising a second, conventional SCSI bus connector having a style chosen from among the plurality of styles for conventional SCSI bus connectors that differs from the style of said first, conventional SCSI bus connector, said second SCSI bus connector being juxtaposed with and disposed perpendicular to the second face of said printed circuit board, and said second SCSI bus connector being coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board.

3. The compact adapter of claim 1 further comprising selection means, secured to said printed circuit board and electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for assigning a SCSI ID bit to a peripheral device that is mated with said SCA connector.

4. The compact adapter of claim 3 wherein said selection means includes pairs of jumper pins secured to said printed circuit board onto which are pressed removable electrical jumpers.

5. The compact adapter of claim 3 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes a socket for receiving a SCSI bus terminator-resistor pack, said socket being secured to said printed circuit board and electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board.

6. The compact adapter of claim 5 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes a SCSI bus terminator-resistor pack inserted into said socket.

7. The compact adapter of claim 5 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includestermination-power means, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for supplying termination power to a SCSI bus.

8. The compact adapter of claim 5 further comprising peripheral-device-activity display means, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for visually indicating an occurrence of peripheral device activity.

9. The compact adapter of claim 8 wherein said peripheral-device-activity display means includes a light emitting diode (“

LED”

).

10. The compact adapter of claim 3 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes an active SCSI bus terminator secured to said printed circuit board and electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board.

11. The compact adapter of claim 10 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes termination power, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for supplying termination power to a SCSI bus.

12. The compact adapter of claim 3 further comprising peripheral-device-activity display means, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for visually indicating an occurrence of peripheral device activity.

13. The compact adapter of claim 12 wherein said peripheral-device-activity display means includes a LED.

14. The compact adapter of claim 1 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes a socket for receiving a SCSI bus terminator-resistor pack, said socket being secured to said printed circuit board and electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board.

15. The compact adapter of claim 14 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes a SCSI bus terminator-resistor pack inserted into said socket.

16. The compact adapter of claim 1 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes termination power, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for supplying termination power to a SCSI bus.

17. The compact adapter of claim 1 further comprising peripheral-device-activity display means, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for visually indicating an occurrence of peripheral device activity.

18. The compact adapter of claim 17 wherein said peripheral-device-activity display means includes a LED.

19. The compact adapter of claim 1 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes an active SCSI bus terminator secured to said printed circuit board and electrically coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board.

20. The compact adapter of claim 19 wherein said SCSI bus electrical termination means includes termination power, coupled to said SCA connector by traces on said printed circuit board, for supplying termination power to a SCSI bus.