Methods and systems stackable circuit boards

• US 7,748,992 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micro/Sys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micro/Sys, Inc.
• Inventors: Wooley, Susan, Kubota, Glenn S., Main, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSUKERMAN, LARISA Z
• Application Number:
  US12/022,990
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 439/74, 439/660, 361/735, 361/790
• US Class Current: 439/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/03 Power distribution arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/08 Frames or mounting racks for relays; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/042 Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/023 Stackable modules

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for providing a stackable connector system comprising a switching device configured to select a signal based on a location of a first circuit board above or below a second circuit board. A sense line may be coupled to a location signal and configured to indicate if the first circuit board is above or below the second circuit board. Additionally, a first connector, including a first conductor element, may be located on the first circuit board and a second connector, including a second conductor element, may be located on the first circuit board. An electrical connection element on the first circuit board mat connect the first conductor element to the second conductor element, wherein the location of the first conductor element in the first connector is offset relative to the location of the second conductor element in the second connector.

Claims

1. A stackable connector system for stackably interconnecting a plurality of circuit boards, each circuit board having a first side and a second side, comprising:

a switching device configured to select a signal based on a location at which a first circuit board connects to a second circuit board;

a sense line configured to communicate a location signal that indicates where the location is between the first circuit board and the second circuit board;

a first connector comprising a first conductor element disposed at least partially within a first connector body, wherein the first connector is located on a first side of the first circuit board;

a second connector comprising a second conductor element disposed at least partially within a second connector body, wherein the second connector is located on a second side of the first circuit board; and

wherein the first and second connectors are configured to be connected to an electrical connection element on the first circuit board connecting the first conductor element to the second conductor element through the switching device, wherein the switching device maps the first conductor element to the second conductor element based on the location signal on the sense line.

2. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the first conductor element comprises a pin.

3. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the second conductor element comprises a pin receptacle.

4. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the electrical connection element comprises a trace on the first circuit board.

5. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the sense line couples the location signal to the switching device through a connection between the first and second connector.

6. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal selected based on the location of the first circuit board comprises a signal connected from the first circuit board to the second circuit board through the first and second conductor elements in the first and second connectors.

7. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal coupled to the first and second conductor elements comprises a Universal Serial Bus signal.

8. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the location signal coupled to the sense line is generated by the second circuit board.

9. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the second circuit board comprises a processor board.

10. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board comprises a peripheral board.

11. The stackable connector system of claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a multiplexer.

12. A circuit board having a first side and a second side, comprising:

a switching device configured to select a signal based on a location at which a first circuit board connects to a second circuit board;

a sense line configured to communicate a location signal that indicates where the location is between the first circuit board and the second circuit board;

a first connector comprising a first conductor element disposed at least partially within a first connector body, wherein the first connector is located on a first side of the first circuit board;

a second connector comprising a second conductor element disposed at least partially within a second connector body, wherein the second connector is located on a second side of the first circuit board; and

an electrical connection element on the circuit board connecting the first conductor element to the second conductor element through the switching device, wherein the switching device maps the first conductor element to the second conductor element based on the location signal on the sense line.

13. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the first conductor element comprises a pin.

14. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the second conductor element comprises a pin receptacle.

15. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the electrical connection element comprises a trace on the circuit board.

16. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the sense line couples the location signal to the switching device through a connection between the first and second connector.

17. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the signal coupled to the first and second conductor elements comprises a Universal Serial Bus signal.

18. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the circuit board comprises a peripheral board.

19. The circuit board of claim 12, wherein the switching device comprises a multiplexer.

20. An electronic system including a series of stacked circuit boards comprising:

a processor board;

a first peripheral board having a first side and a second side, coupled to the processor board, comprising;

a switching device configured to select a signal based on a location at which the first peripheral board connects to the processor board;

a sense line configured to communicate a location signal that indicates where the location is located between the first peripheral board is and the processor board;

a first connector comprising a first conductor element disposed at least partially within a first connector body, wherein the first connector is located on a first side of the first peripheral board;

a second connector comprising a second conductor element disposed at least partially within a second connector body, wherein the second connector is located on a second side of the first peripheral board; and

an electrical connection element on the first peripheral board connecting the first conductor element to the second conductor element through the switching device, wherein the switching device maps the first conductor element to the second conductor element based on the location signal on the sense line; and

a second peripheral board coupled to the processor board.

21. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the first and second peripheral boards are configured to communicate serially with the processor board through separate connections.

22. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the signal coupled to the first and second conductor elements comprises a Universal Serial Bus signal.

23. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the switching device comprises a multiplexer.

24. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the first peripheral board is located above the processor board and the second peripheral board is located above the first peripheral board.

25. The electronic system of claim 20, wherein the first peripheral board is located below the processor board and the second peripheral board is located below the first peripheral board.