Modular high availability electronic product architecture with flexible I/O

• US 6,822,874 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wooshcom Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wooshcom Corporation
• Inventors: Marler, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/291,111
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/724, 361/816, 361/714, 361/800, 361/297, 361/788, 361/803, 257/99, 385/24, 385/42, 439/65, 439/61
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44526 Panels or rackmounts covering a whole width of the frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1452 Mounting of connectors; Switching; Reinforcing of back panels

Abstract

A inexpensive and high-density modular I/O architecture is provided which accommodates both electrical and optical signals in high-availability configurations. By increasing the number of slots that can fit in a given chassis, a greater amount of functionality may be packed into a given piece of equipment, thereby saving facility space. The higher density also provides for a more cost effective overall solution as more circuit boards may be accommodated by the infrastructure of a single chassis. Furthermore, all active circuit modules are replaceable from the front of a chassis and all external I/O cable connections are made on its rear. These external cable connections need not be removed or touched when faulty circuitry is to be replaced. This makes faulty board replacement quick and convenient and eliminates confusion and possible incorrect reconnection of disconnected cables. It also eliminates signal interruption which would decrease equipment availability. A circuit module may be prevented from being inadvertently inserted in a slot with the incorrect type of I/O connections, thereby preventing the possibility of damaging either the circuitry on the circuit module or the circuitry within external equipment connected to the I/O connectors via the external cabling. I/O signals may be re-routed to redundant back-up circuitry in the event of a circuit fault and the faulty card may be replaced without interrupting the re-routed I/O signal, thereby yielding extremely high functional availability of the equipment. It easily accommodates not only 1-for-1 circuit redundancy, but also a much more cost effective 1-for-n redundancy. Redundancy may be provided for either electrical or optical I/O signals, thereby enabling the system to have high availability in a mixed signal environment.

Claims

1. A chassis for receiving circuit modules, comprising:

a primary interconnect board; and

a plurality of first connectors affixed to the primary interconnect board, each first connector for receiving a circuit module and being positioned on the primary interconnect board to permit the circuit module to be directly mateable with a corresponding connector module in a substantially co-planar relationship, whereby the connector module and the circuit module are independently removable from the chassis.

2. The chassis of claim 1, further comprising means for redundancy.

3. The chassis of claim 2, wherein one of the first connectors is for receiving a spare circuit module, the means for redundancy comprising:

a plurality of second connectors affixed to the primary interconnect board, each second connector for receiving a connector module and being positioned on the primary interconnect board to permit the connector module to be mateable with a corresponding circuit module in a substantially co-planar relationship; and

;

means for directing the connector module, mated to a faulty corresponding circuit module, to couple an I/O signal to the spare circuit module.

4. The chassis of claim 3, the means for redundancy further comprising a plurality of stacking connectors for interconnecting a connector module with an adjacent connector module.

5. The chassis of claim 3, wherein, one of the second connectors is for receiving a spare connector module, the means for redundancy further comprising a secondary interconnect board for interconnecting I/O signals between at least one connector module and the spare connector module.

6. The chassis of claim 5, wherein the circuit module and the connector module are mateable with a fiber optic connector.

7. The chassis of claim 5, wherein the circuit module and the connector module are mateable with an electrical connector.

8. The chassis of claim 5, wherein the circuit module and the connector module are mateable with a fiber optic connector and an electrical connector.

9. The chassis of claim 2, wherein the redundancy comprises a star topology.

10. The chassis of claim 2, wherein the redundancy comprises a bused topology.

11. A chassis for receiving circuit modules and connector modules, comprising:

a primary interconnect board;

a plurality of first connectors affixed to the primary interconnect board;

a plurality of second connectors affixed to the primary Interconnect board, each second connector having a one-to-one relationship with a corresponding first connector, whereby a circuit module mounted in a first connector is mateable in a substantially co-planar fashion with a connector module mounted in the corresponding second connector, whereby the connector module and the circuit module are independently removable from the chassis; and

means for redundancy.

12. The chassis of claim 11, the primary interconnect board permitting a first keying means affixed to a circuit module to be mateable with a second keying means affixed to a connector module.

13. The chassis of claim 11, further comprising means for permitting a circuit module to be hot swappable.

14. The chassis of claim 11, wherein a circuit module is replaceable without disconnecting cables which are connected to the corresponding connector module.

15. The chassis of claim 11, the means for redundancy comprising:

a first spare connector affixed to the primary interconnect board for receiving a spare circuit module;

a second spare connector affixed to the primary interconnect board for receiving a spare connector module, the spare connector module being mateable with the spare circuit module;

means for routing an I/O signal from at least one connector module mounted in a second connector to the first spare connector module; and

means operable to automatically couple an I/O signal from a faulty circuit module through the first spare connector module to the spare circuit module.

16. The chassis of claim 15, the means for routing comprising a secondary interconnect board for interconnecting I/O signals between at least one connector module and the first spare connector.

17. The chassis of claim 15, the means for routing comprising a plurality of stacking connectors, for interconnecting a connector module with an adjacent connector module.

18. The chassis of claim 15, wherein the means for redundancy comprises a star topology.

19. The chassis of claim 15, wherein the means for redundancy comprises a bused topology.

20. The chassis of claim 11, wherein the primary interconnect board comprises a mid-plane board.

21. The chassis of claim 20, the primary interconnect board permitting a first keying mechanism affixed to a circuit module mounted in a first connector to be mateable with a second keying mechanism affixed to a connector module mounted in a second connector.

22. The chassis of claim 11, wherein the primary interconnect board comprises a side-plane board.