Data transport module

• US 20060262781A1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Herrin, Bradley T., Campini, Edoardo, Khoury, Marwan, Formisano, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/03 Power distribution arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/155 characterised by connection features
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/10 Housing details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2201/12 Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1461 Slidable card holders; Card stiffeners; Control or display means therefor

Abstract

A data transport module includes a connector to be received and coupled to a backplane within a modular platform. The data transport module also includes another connector to be received and coupled in a slot resident on a board such that the data transport module is coplanar to the board when received and coupled in the slot. The data transport module further includes one or more data transport interfaces to forward data between the board and the backplane via the connectors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

inserting a module including one or more data transport interfaces in a slot resident on a board such that the module is coplanar to the board, the module also including one or more data transport connectors to couple to a backplane within a modular platform;

coupling the one or more data transport connectors to the backplane; and

forwarding data between the board and the backplane via the one or more data transport interfaces.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more data transport interfaces includes a switch fabric interface to translate a communication protocol to another communication protocol, the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board to the switch fabric interface, the other communication protocol used to forward the data on a switch fabric in the backplane.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the data from the board comprises data forwarded from a processing element on the board, the processing element including a network processor.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the communication protocol used to forward the data from the processing element comprises a system packet interface-4 (SPI-4) communication protocol and the other communication protocol used to forward the data on the switch fabric comprises an Advanced Switching Interconnect (ASI) communication protocol.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more data transport interfaces include a base fabric interface to translate a communication protocol to another communication protocol, the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board to the switch fabric interface, the other communication protocol used to forward the data on a base fabric in the backplane.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express communication protocol and the communication protocol used to forward the data on the base fabric comprises an Ethernet communication protocol.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the board and the backplane operate in compliance with the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification.

8. A data transport module comprising:

a connector to be received and coupled to a backplane within a modular platform;

another connector to be received and coupled in a slot resident on a board such that the data transport module is coplanar to the board when received and coupled in the slot; and

one or more data transport interfaces to forward data between the board and the backplane via the connectors.

9. A data transport module according to claim 8 further comprising:

fasteners to couple the data transport module to the board; and

a power feed to couple another power feed resident on the board to route power from a power connector on the board to a power converter on the board, wherein a portion of the power feed is routed through the fasteners.

10. A data transport module according to claim 8, wherein the connector includes at least one selected from the following group of an optical interface, an inductive interface and a capacitive interface.

11. A data transport module according to claim 8, wherein the one or more data transport interfaces includes a switch fabric interface to translate a communication protocol to another communication protocol, the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board to the switch fabric interface, the other communication protocol used to forward the data on a switch fabric in the backplane.

12. A data transport module according to claim 11, wherein the data from the board comprises data forwarded from a processing element on the board, the processing element including a microprocessor.

13. A data transport module according to claim 12, wherein the communication protocol used to forward the data from the processing element comprises a system packet interface-4 (SPI-4) communication protocol and the other communication protocol used to forward the data on the switch fabric comprises an Advanced Switching Interconnect (ASI) communication protocol.

14. A data transport module according to claim 8, wherein the one or more data transport interfaces include a base fabric interface to translate a communication protocol to another communication protocol, the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board to the base fabric interface, the other communication protocol used to forward the data on a base fabric in the backplane.

15. A data transport module according to claim 14, wherein the communication protocol used to forward the data from the board comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express communication protocol and the communication protocol used to forward the data on the base fabric comprises an Ethernet communication protocol.

16. A data transport module according to claim 8, wherein the board and the backplane operate in compliance with the Advanced Telecommunications Architecture (ATCA) specification.

17. A board comprising:

a slot to receive and couple a data transport module to the board, wherein the data transport module couples to a backplane within a modular platform via one or more data transport connectors and the data transport module includes one or more data transport interfaces to forward data between the board and the backplane, the slot further comprising;

a connector to couple to a board connector on the data transport module;

a cutout portion having dimensions to accommodate the full length of the data transport module on the side that couples to the connector and at least a portion of the module'"'"'s width, the cutout portion to accommodate the data transport module such that the data transport module is coplanar to the board when received and coupled to the board.

18. A board according to claim 17, wherein the board is designed to operate in compliance with the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification.

19. A board according to claim 18, wherein the board has a same profile as an ATCA compliant board that couples to an ATCA compliant backplane with data transport connectors resident on the ATCA complaint board.

20. A modular platform system comprising:

a backplane;

a board including a slot; and

a data transport module including a connector to be received and coupled to the board in the slot and including another connector to be received and coupled to the backplane, wherein the data transport module is received and coupled in the slot coplanar to the board and further comprises one or more data transport interfaces to forward data between the board and the backplane via communication links coupled by the connectors.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the one or more data transport interfaces include a base fabric interface to translate a communication protocol to another communication protocol, the communication protocol used to forward instructions on a base fabric in the backplane from a control board to the board, the other communication protocol used to forward the instructions to a processing element on the board.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the communication protocol used to forward the instructions to the processing element comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express communication protocol and the communication protocol used to forward the instructions on the base fabric comprises an Ethernet communication protocol.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the processing element includes a network processor.

24. A system according to claim 20, wherein the data transport module further includes:

a guide to facilitate the receipt and coupling of the other connector to the backplane.

25. A system according to claim 21, wherein the modular platform and the control board are compliant with the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) specification and the control board is a shelf manager controller (ShMC).