Claims
- 1. A module connection assembly, comprising:
a plurality of module connectors for connecting with modules; and a backplane structure that provides a plurality of links which electrically connect the plurality of module connectors in a logical torus having multiple dimensions, each link including a cableless electrical signal path formed exclusively of rigid metallic material.
- 2. The module connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the backplane structure includes:
a plurality of switches that are remotely controlled to electrically connect the plurality of module connectors in the logical torus.
- 3. The module connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the logical torus is three dimensional.
- 4. The module connection assembly of claim 1 wherein each cableless electrical path in a particular dimension has substantially the same length.
- 5. The module connection assembly of claim 1 wherein each cableless electrical path in a particular dimension includes bit paths having substantially the same lengths.
- 6. The module connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the backplane structure electrically connects the plurality of module connectors in an interleaved manner.
- 7. The module connection assembly of claim 6 wherein the module connectors are disposed physically in row segments on the backplane structure, and wherein the backplane structure electrically connects the row segments in an interleaved manner.
- 8. The module connection assembly of claim 6 wherein the module connectors are disposed physically in row segments on the backplane structure, and wherein the backplane structure electrically connects the module connectors within each row segment in an interleaved manner.
- 9. The module connection assembly of claim 6 wherein the module connectors are disposed physically in row segments on the backplane structure; wherein the row segments are disposed physically on the backplane structure in a two dimensional array; and wherein the backplane structure electrically connects the row segments in an interleaved manner and electrically connects the module connectors within each row segment in an interleaved manner such that the backplane structure electrically connects the plurality of module connectors in an interleaved manner in three dimensions.
- 10. A module connection assembly, comprising:
a backplane; a plurality of module connectors, coupled with the backplane, for connecting with modules; and remotely configurable switches that reconfigure electrical signal paths of the backplane and the plurality of module connectors.
- 11. The module connection assembly as in claim 10, wherein the electrical signal paths are reconfigured depending on which modules are connected to the backplane via the module connectors.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/765,138, filed Jan. 18, 2001, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/083,722, filed May 22, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,532, which issued on Mar. 20, 2001. The entire teachings of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09765138 |
Jan 2001 |
US |
Child |
10456121 |
Jun 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09083722 |
May 1998 |
US |
Child |
09765138 |
Jan 2001 |
US |