Communication connectors having crosstalk compensation networks

• US 9,246,274 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panduit Corporation
• Inventors: Valenti, Joshua A., Shah, Moulik, Tellas, Ronald L., Fransen, Robert E., Patel, Satish I., Lin, Tse-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US14/215,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 439/620.22, 439/620.11, 439/620.13, 439/620.17, 439/676
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6466 on substrates, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0228 Compensation of cross-talk by a mutually correlated lay-out of printed circuit traces, e.g. for compensation of cross-talk in mounted connectors balanced signal pairs H05K1/0245
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09236 Parallel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09672 Superposed layout, i.e. in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10303 Pin-in-hole mounted pins

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to the field of network communications, and more specifically to networks for crosstalk reduction/compensation and communication connectors which employ such networks. In an embodiment, the present invention is an RJ45 jack with an orthogonal compensation network to meet CAT6A or higher performance standard. For the 3:6-4:5 wire-pair combination, the orthogonal compensation network begins in the jack nose (plug interface contact (PIC)) section, and utilizes a flexible printed circuit board in the nose section, split PIC contacts in the rear nose, and circuitry in the rigid printed circuit board to create the orthogonal compensation network.

Claims

1. A communication connector, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

plug interface contacts (PICs) having plug contact mating points, said PICs being connected to said PCB;

cable connector contacts; and

a circuitry connecting each of said plug interface contacts from respective said plug contact mating points to respective said cable connector contacts, said circuitry including;

signal conductors between respective plug contact mating points of respective plug interface contacts and respective cable connector contacts, said signal conductors including a first signal pair and a second signal pair;

a first combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between a first signal conductor of said first signal pair and a second signal conductor of said second signal pair; and

a shunt capacitive coupling connecting said first signal conductor of said first signal pair and a second signal conductor of said first signal pair, said shunt capacitive coupling enabling said first combined coupling,

wherein said first combined coupling is generated in part in said PICs and in part on said PCB.

2. The communication connector of claim 1, wherein said circuitry further includes a second combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between said second signal conductor of said first signal pair and a first signal conductor of said second signal pair.

3. The communication connector of claim 2, wherein said second combined coupling is generated in part in said PICs and in part on said PCB.

4. The communication connector of claim 3, wherein said first and said second combined couplings occur concurrently.

5. The communication connector of claim 1, wherein each of said PICs includes an intermediate section between respective said plug contact mating point and said PCB, and wherein said first combined coupling is generated in part in said intermediate section of respective said PICs.

6. The communication connector of claim 5, wherein at least one of said PICs includes a first intermediate section and a second intermediate section, said first and said second intermediate section being substantially parallel to one another.

7. The communication connector of claim 6, wherein each of said first and said second intermediate sections include a first end and a second end, said first end of said first intermediate section and said first end of said second intermediate section being connected to each other, said second end of said first intermediate section being connected to respective said cable connector contact, said second end of said second intermediate section being connected to said shunt capacitive coupling.

8. The communication connector of claim 1, wherein said circuitry further includes a first offshoot trace, and wherein said first signal conductor of said first signal pair is connected to said shunt capacitive coupling via said first offshoot trace.

9. The communication connector of claim 8, wherein said first combined coupling is at least partially distributed between said first offshoot trace and said second signal conductor of said second signal pair.

10. The communication connector of claim 8, wherein respective PIC of said first signal conductor of said first signal pair includes a first and a second intermediate sections between respective said plug contact mating point and said PCB, said first and said second intermediate section being substantially parallel to one another, said first intermediate section forming said first signal conductor of said first signal pair and said second intermediate section forming said first offshoot trace.

11. The communication connector of claim 1 further including a flexible printed circuit board connected to said PICs.

12. A communication connector, comprising:

plug interface contacts;

cable connector contacts; and

a circuitry inclusive of and connecting respective said plug interface contacts to respective said cable connector contacts, said circuitry including signal conductors inclusive of and between respective said plug interface contacts and respective said cable connector contacts, said signal conductors including a first signal conductor pair and a second signal conductor pair, said circuitry including a first network with a first combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between a first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and a second conductor of said second signal conductor pair, said circuitry further including a second network with a second combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between a second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and a first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair, and a shunt capacitive coupling connecting said first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair, said shunt capacitive coupling enabling said first network and said second network,

wherein each of said plug interface contacts includes a plug contact, a printed circuit board contact, and an intermediate contact connecting respective said plug contact to respective said printed circuit board contact, at least one of said first network and said second network including at least some of said intermediate contacts.

13. The communication connector of claim 12, wherein at least one said intermediate contact includes a split contact.

14. The communication connector of claim 12, further including a printed circuit board connecting said plug interface contacts and said cable connector contacts, at least one of said first network and said second network including said printed circuit board.

15. The communication connector of claim 12, further including a flexible printed circuit board connected to said plug interface contacts.

16. The communication connector of claim 15, wherein said flexible printed circuit board includes a compensation element between said first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair.

17. The communication connector of claim 16, wherein said flexible printed circuit board includes a compensation element between said first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair.

18. The communication connector of claim 12, further including a capacitive coupling connecting said first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair.

19. A communication system, comprising:

communication equipment; and

a communication connector connected to said communication equipment, said communication connector including plug interface contacts, cable connector contacts, and

a circuitry inclusive of and connecting respective said plug interface contacts to respective said cable connector contacts, said circuitry including signal conductors inclusive of and between respective said plug interface contacts and respective said cable connector contacts, said signal conductors including a first signal conductor pair and a second signal conductor pair, said circuitry including a first network with a first combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between a first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and a second conductor of said second signal conductor pair, said circuitry further including a second network with a second combined mutually inductive and capacitive coupling between a second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and a first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair, and a shunt capacitive coupling connecting said first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair, said shunt capacitive coupling enabling said first network and said second network,

wherein each of said plug interface contacts includes a plug contact, a printed circuit board contact, and an intermediate contact connecting respective said plug contact to respective said printed circuit board contact, at least one of said first network and said second network including at least some of said intermediate contacts.

20. The communication system of claim 19, wherein at least one said intermediate contact includes a split contact.

21. The communication system of claim 19, further including a printed circuit board connecting said plug interface contacts and said cable connector contacts, at least one of said first network and said second network including said printed circuit board.

22. The communication system of claim 19, further including a flexible printed circuit board connected to said plug interface contacts.

23. The communication system of claim 22, wherein said flexible printed circuit board includes a compensation element between said first signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair.

24. The communication system of claim 23, wherein said flexible printed circuit board includes a compensation element between said first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said first signal conductor pair.

25. The communication system of claim 19, further including a capacitive coupling connecting said first signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair and said second signal conductor of said second signal conductor pair.