Vertically tiered horizontally expandable micro grid system with bridge docking bay contoured by radial arms extending from central hub for coupling processor or power hubs

• US 8,180,999 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Oakenfull, Ian Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, KENNETH S
• Application Number:
  US13/048,158
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 712/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/161 Computing infrastructure, e.g. computer clusters, blade chassis or hardware partitioning casings, cabinets, racks or drawers for data centers H05K5/00

Abstract

A micro grid apparatus and associated method of formation. At least one tier in a printed circuit board is formed. Each tier includes complex shapes interconnected by bridge modules. Each complex shape includes a central area and at least three radial arms external to and integral with the central area. Each radial arm extends radially outward from the central area. Each pair of adjacent radial arms defines a docking bay. Each complex shape is either a power hub whose central area includes rechargeable batteries or a processor hub whose central area includes processors. A bridge unit of a bridge module is latched in at least one docking bay of each complex shape. Each docking bay not latching a bridge unit of any bridge module latches an irregular shaped module. An irregular shaped module is latched in at least one docking bay in at least two complex shapes.

Claims

1. A micro grid apparatus for use in a mainframe system or server system, comprising:

at least one tier, each tier comprised by an associated printed circuit board,

wherein if said at least one tier consists of a plurality of tiers then the tiers are distributed and sequenced in a vertical direction such that each tier is at a different vertical level in the vertical direction,

wherein each tier comprises a multiplicity of complex shapes interconnected by a plurality of bridge modules,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes is a physical structure having an exterior boundary,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a central area and at least three radial arms connected to the central area,

wherein the radial arms are external to and integral with the central area,

wherein each radial arm extends radially outward from the central area,

wherein each pair of adjacent radial arms together with a portion of an exterior boundary of the central area defines a docking bay consisting of a region whose geometric shape enables a module to be latched therein,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes is either a power hub whose central area comprises a plurality of rechargeable batteries or a processor hub whose central area comprises plurality of processors,

wherein at least one docking bay of each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes has a bridge unit of a bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein such that another remaining bridge unit of said bridge module is latched into a docking bay of another complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes,

wherein each docking bay of each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes that does not have a bridge unit of any bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein has an irregular shaped module of a plurality of irregular shaped modules latched therein, each irregular shaped module providing a functionality for responding to an alert pertaining to an event, and

wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a plurality of complex shapes such that at least one docking bay of each complex shape of the plurality of complex shapes has one irregular shaped module of the plurality of irregular shaped modules latched therein.

2. The micro grid apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tier is a plurality of tiers, and wherein a sensor module is latched in each sensor docking bay of at least one sensor docking bay and an actuator module is latched in each actuator docking bay of at least one actuator docking bay of each complex shape of one or more complex shapes of the multiplicity of complex shapes in one or more tiers of the plurality of tiers.

3. The micro grid apparatus of claim 2, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes in each tier comprises at least one complex shape such that each docking bay of each complex shape of the at least one complex shape has a bridge unit of a connective bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein, said connective bridge module comprising a remaining bridge unit latched into a docking bay of some other complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes.

4. The micro grid apparatus of claim 3, wherein the micro grid apparatus comprises at least one power tower, each power tower encompassing corresponding power hubs in all tiers such that the corresponding power hubs in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and are integral with each other, said at least one power tower physically connecting together the tiers of the plurality of tiers.

5. The micro grid apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one power tower consists of a first power tower whose power hub at each tier is bridged by a bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules in each docking bay to a corresponding processor hub that is not bridged to any other complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes.

6. The micro grid apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a plurality of simple mosaics, wherein each simple mosaic comprises a corresponding power tower of the plurality of power towers, wherein for each simple mosaic the docking bays of each corresponding power tower are each bridged to a satellite processor hub of the multiplicity of complex shapes, and wherein a satellite processor hub of each simple mosaic is directly bridged to a satellite processor hub of another simple mosaic of the plurality of simple mosaics by a connecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules.

7. The micro grid apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, and wherein a first power tower and a second power tower are directly bridged to each other by a connecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules.

8. The micro grid apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, and wherein a first power tower and a second power tower are indirectly connected to each other by either:

a single processor hub, wherein the first power tower is directly bridged to the single processor hub at a first docking bay of the single processor hub, and wherein the second power tower is directly bridged to the single processor hub at a second docking bay of the single processor hub;

or

a plurality of processor hubs interconnected with each other by at least one interconnecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules, wherein the plurality of processor hubs comprises a first processor hub and a second processor hub, wherein the first power tower is directly bridged to the first processor hub at a docking bay of the first processor hub, and wherein the second power tower is directly bridged to the second processor hub at a docking bay of the second processor hub.

9. The micro grid apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the micro grid apparatus comprises at least one pin and socket tower, each pin and socket tower encompassing corresponding pin and socket connection blocks in all tiers such that the corresponding pin and socket connection blocks in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and physically connected to each other, said at least one pin and socket tower physically connecting together the tiers of the plurality of tiers;

and

wherein the micro grid apparatus does not comprise a power tower that encompasses corresponding power hubs in all tiers such that the corresponding power hubs in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and are integral with each other.

10. The micro grid apparatus of claim 2, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes in each tier consists of at least three complex shapes sequentially interconnected by bridge modules of the plurality of bridge modules to form a closed ring.

11. A method of forming a micro grid apparatus for use in a mainframe system or server system, said method comprising:

forming at least one tier, each tier comprised by an associated printed circuit board,

wherein if said at least one tier consists of a plurality of tiers then the tiers are distributed and sequenced in a vertical direction such that each tier is at a different vertical level in the vertical direction,

wherein each tier comprises a multiplicity of complex shapes interconnected by a plurality of bridge modules,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes is a physical structure having an exterior boundary,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a central area and at least three radial arms connected to the central area,

wherein the radial arms are external to and integral with the central area,

wherein each radial arm extends radially outward from the central area,

wherein each pair of adjacent radial arms together with a portion of an exterior boundary of the central area defines a docking bay consisting of a region whose geometric shape enables a module to be latched therein,

wherein each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes is either a power hub whose central area comprises a plurality of rechargeable batteries or a processor hub whose central area comprises plurality of processors,

wherein at least one docking bay of each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes has a bridge unit of a bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein such that another remaining bridge unit of said bridge module is latched into a docking bay of another complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes,

wherein each docking bay of each complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes that does not have a bridge unit of any bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein has an irregular shaped module of a plurality of irregular shaped modules latched therein, each irregular shaped module providing a functionality for responding to an alert pertaining to an event, and

wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a plurality of complex shapes such that at least one docking bay of each complex shape of the plurality of complex shapes has one irregular shaped module of the plurality of irregular shaped modules latched therein.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one tier is a plurality of tiers, and wherein a sensor module is latched in each sensor docking bay of at least one sensor docking bay and an actuator module is latched in each actuator docking bay of at least one actuator docking bay of each complex shape of one or more complex shapes of the multiplicity of complex shapes in one or more tiers of the plurality of tiers.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes in each tier comprises at least one complex shape such that each docking bay of each complex shape of the at least one complex shape has a bridge unit of a connective bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules latched therein, said connective bridge module comprising a remaining bridge unit latched into a docking bay of some other complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the micro grid apparatus comprises at least one power tower, each power tower encompassing corresponding power hubs in all tiers such that the corresponding power hubs in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and are integral with each other, said at least one power tower physically connecting together the tiers of the plurality of tiers.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one power tower consists of a first power tower whose power hub at each tier is bridged by a bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules in each docking bay to a corresponding processor hub that is not bridged to any other complex shape of the multiplicity of complex shapes.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes comprises a plurality of simple mosaics, wherein each simple mosaic comprises a corresponding power tower of the plurality of power towers, wherein for each simple mosaic the docking bays of each corresponding power tower are each bridged to a satellite processor hub of the multiplicity of complex shapes, and wherein a satellite processor hub of each simple mosaic is directly bridged to a satellite processor hub of another simple mosaic of the plurality of simple mosaics by a connecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, and wherein a first power tower and a second power tower are directly bridged to each other by a connecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one power tower comprises a plurality of power towers, and wherein a first power tower and a second power tower are indirectly connected to each other by either:

a single processor hub, wherein the first power tower is directly bridged to the single processor hub at a first docking bay of the single processor hub, and wherein the second power tower is directly bridged to the single processor hub at a second docking bay of the single processor hub;

or

a plurality of processor hubs interconnected with each other by at least one interconnecting bridge module of the plurality of bridge modules, wherein the plurality of processor hubs comprises a first processor hub and a second processor hub, wherein the first power tower is directly bridged to the first processor hub at a docking bay of the first processor hub, and wherein the second power tower is directly bridged to the second processor hub at a docking bay of the second processor hub.

19. The method of claim 13,

wherein the micro grid apparatus comprises at least one pin and socket tower, each pin and socket tower encompassing corresponding pin and socket connection blocks in all tiers such that the corresponding pin and socket connection blocks in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and physically connected to each other, said at least one pin and socket tower physically connecting together the tiers of the plurality of tiers;

and

wherein the micro grid apparatus does not comprise a power tower that encompasses corresponding power hubs in all tiers such that the corresponding power hubs in successive tiers are aligned directly above or directly below each other and are integral with each other.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiplicity of complex shapes in each tier consists of at least three complex shapes sequentially interconnected by bridge modules of the plurality of bridge modules to form a closed ring.