Patent Application
20220200179
The present disclosure generally relates to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to an information handling system with a printed circuit board having an embedded interconnect.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Technology and information handling needs and requirements can vary between different applications. Thus information handling systems can also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information can be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems can include a variety of hardware and software resources that can be configured to process, store, and communicate information and can include one or more computer systems, graphics interface systems, data storage systems, networking systems, and mobile communication systems. Information handling systems can also implement various virtualized architectures. Data and voice communications among information handling systems may be via networks that are wired, wireless, or some combination.
An information handling system includes first and second printed circuit boards (PCBs), and first and second connectors. The first PCB includes a first top surface, a first bottom, and a first plurality of side surfaces extending between the first top and first bottom surfaces. The first connector may be embedded within the first PCB, and may extend from the first bottom surface toward the first top surface. A first height of the first connector may be substantially equal to a first thickness of the first PCB. The second PCB includes a second top surface, a second bottom, and a second plurality of side surfaces extending between the second top and second bottom surfaces. The second connector may be embedded within the second PCB, and may extend from the second bottom surface toward the second top surface. A second height of the second connector is greater than a second thickness of the second printed circuit board.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings herein, in which:
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The description is focused on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings, and is provided to assist in describing the teachings. This focus should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings.
Information handling system 100 including a processor 102, a memory 104, a southbridge/chipset 106, one or more PCIe buses 108, a universal serial bus (USB) controller 110, a USB 112, a keyboard device controller 114, a mouse device controller 116, a configuration an ATA bus controller 120, an ATA bus 122, a hard drive device controller 124, a compact disk read only memory (CD ROM) device controller 126, a video graphics array (VGA) device controller 130, a network interface controller (NIC) 140, a wireless local area network (WLAN) controller 150, a serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus 160, a NVRAM 170 for storing BIOS 172, and a baseboard management controller (BMC) 180. In an example, chipset 106 may be directly connected to an individual end point via a PCIe root port within the chipset and a point-to-point topology as shown in
System 100 can include additional processors that are configured to provide localized or specific control functions, such as a battery management controller. Bus 160 can include one or more busses, including a SPI bus, an I2C bus, a system management bus (SMBUS), a power management bus (PMBUS), and the like. BMC 180 can be configured to provide out-of-band access to devices at information handling system 100. As used herein, out-of-band access herein refers to operations performed prior to execution of BIOS 172 by processor 102 to initialize operation of system 100.
BIOS 172 can be referred to as a firmware image, and the term BIOS is herein used interchangeably with the term firmware image, or simply firmware. BIOS 172 includes instructions executable by CPU 102 to initialize and test the hardware components of system 100, and to load a boot loader or an operating system (OS) from a mass storage device. BIOS 172 additionally provides an abstraction layer for the hardware, such as a consistent way for application programs and operating systems to interact with the keyboard, display, and other input/output devices. When power is first applied to information handling system 100, the system begins a sequence of initialization procedures. During the initialization sequence, also referred to as a boot sequence, components of system 100 are configured and enabled for operation, and device drivers can be installed. Device drivers provide an interface through which other components of the system 100 can communicate with a corresponding device.
Information handling system 100 can include additional components and additional busses, not shown for clarity. For example, system 100 can include multiple processor cores, audio devices, and the like. While a particular arrangement of bus technologies and interconnections is illustrated for the purpose of example, one of skill will appreciate that the techniques disclosed herein are applicable to other system architectures. System 100 can include multiple CPUs and redundant bus controllers. One or more components can be integrated together. For example, portions of southbridge/chipset 106 can be integrated within CPU 102.
Additional components of information handling system 100 can include one or more storage devices that can store machine-executable code, one or more communications ports for communicating with external devices, and various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. An example of information handling system 100 includes a multi-tenant chassis system where groups of tenants (users) share a common chassis, and each of the tenants has a unique set of resources assigned to them. The resources can include blade servers of the chassis, input/output (I/O) modules, Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe) cards, storage controllers, and the like.
Information handling system 100 can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the information handling system to perform any one or more of the methods or computer based functions disclosed herein. The information handling system 100 may operate as a standalone device or may be connected to other computer systems or peripheral devices, such as by a network.
In a networked deployment, the information handling system 100 may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The information handling system 100 can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. In a particular embodiment, the computer system 100 can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single information handling system 100 is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.
The information handling system 100 can include a disk drive unit and may include a computer-readable medium, not shown in
Printed circuit board 204 includes multiple surfaces including a bottom surface 220, a top surface 222, and multiple side surfaces 224. A connector 216 is mounted to top surface 222 of printed circuit board 204 via pins/pads. The mounting pins/pads of connector 226 are mounted as surface mounts on top surface 222. The mounting pins/pads of connector 226 may enable communication between components of printed circuit board 204 and any device coupled to the connector, such as printed circuit board 202.
Connectors 216 and 226 play a critical role in an overall size of an enclosure of system 200, such as an information handling system. The overall size of an information handling system enclosure may be effected by a distance 230 between printed circuit boards 202 and 204 created by the height of connectors 216 and 226. Distance 230 between printed circuit boards 202 and 204 is directly proportional to the height of connectors 216 and 226. While distance 230 is illustrated in
In previous information handling systems, such as system 200, distance 230 could any length, such as approximately two hundred millimeters. In these previous information handling systems, distance 230 may be reduced by connectors 216 and 226 being ultra-low profile connectors. While distance 230 between mated printed circuit boards 202 and 204 may be reduced with ultra-low profile connectors 216 and 226, these ultra-low profile connectors may result in challenges within an information handling system. These challenges include a reduced robustness of connectors 202 and 204 caused by the shorter pin length within the ultra-low profile connectors. The reduced robustness may affect connectors 216 and 226 during insertion and removal of printed circuit boards 202 and 204, and caused by other suitable environmental conditions. The reduced pin height within connectors 216 and 226 may cause shock and vibration issues with the connectors and printed circuit boards 202 and 204. Additionally, low profile connectors may be blind mated, such that extra mechanical features to help align the mating connectors. These extra mechanical features may be part of or in addition to the connectors. However, printed circuit boards mated together within an information handling system may be improved by reducing a distance between the printed circuit board to a very small distance and even to approximately zero millimeters without shorten the length of pins without the connector. As described below, this decreased distance may be achieved with connectors with typical pin heights by embedding the connectors within the printed circuit boards.
Referring now to
In an example, the internal pins of connector 312 may be substantially longer than the internal pins of an ultra-low connector. In this example, the longer pins of connector 312 may provide a greater contact area within connector 312, which in turn may result in the embedded connector having higher environment robustness as compared to an ultra-low connector and a smaller distance between mated printed circuit boards. Additionally, a mechanical structure may be designed stronger based on more space being available for the structure of the printed circuit boards. In an example, the mechanical structure may be any suitable material, such as plastic.
Referring now to
Upon connector 512 being aligned above connector 312 and hole 308, printed circuit board 500 may be moved toward printed circuit board 300. In an example, as connectors 312 and 512 start to interface, connector 312 may be inserted within connector 512 and an outer surface of connector 512 may be inserted within hole 308. An individual may continue to push printed circuit boards 300 and 500 together until connectors 312 and 512 are fully mated. In an example, the board to board interface of printed circuit boards 300 and 500 may result in a distance 802 between the printed circuit boards that is substantially smaller than distance 230 shown in
In an example, if the thickness of printed circuit board 300 is substantially equal to a height of connector 312 embedded within hole 308, distance 800 may depend on a length of connector 512 that extends beyond printed circuit board 500. For example, if the length of connector 512 extending beyond printed circuit board 500 is substantially equal to the thickness of printed circuit board 300, distance 802 may be a substantially small amount, such as two millimeters, three millimeters, four millimeters, or the like. Thus, embedded connectors 312 and 512 may substantially reduce distance 802 between printed circuit boards 300 and 500 as compared to previous connectors that were not embedded. In this example, based on connector 312 being mounted through printed circuit board 300 and connector 512 being mounted through printed circuit board 500, a constaint total mating height may be maintained between the printed circuit board even if the printed circuit board thickness changes. Based on the constaint mating height, printed circuit boards 300 and 500 may have variable thickness for different solutions and still maintain a overall the same volume in an information handling system.
Cable board 904 includes a top surface 920, side surfaces 922, a bottom surface 924, cable termination pads 926 and 928, and sets of cables 930 and 932. A connector 934 may be embedded within printed circuit board 904 via a hole in the printed circuit board. In an example, connector 934 may be embedded within printed circuit board 904 in a substantially similar manner as described above with respect to connector 512 within printed circuit board 500 in
In an example, the routing area on top surface 910 of printed circuit board 902 may not be impacted by an embedded connector solution. Cable board 904 may embed connector 934 without impacting a routing area on bottom surface 924. In an example, the routing area of cable board 904 may not be affected because electrical connections from mounting pins 936 may be routed on a same layer to cable termination pads 926 and 928. In certain examples, routing areas on printed circuit board 902 and cable board 904 may not impacted. However, system 900 may be improve by decreasing a mating height between printed circuit board 902 and cable board 904. For example, the distance between printed circuit board 902 and cable board 904 may be reduce by the thickness of cable board 904 based on connector 934 being embedded within the cable board.
While connector 312 has been discussed with dual sided mounting pins/pads 402 and connector 512 has been discussed with dual sided routing pin/pads 602, the mounting pins/pads may be single sided without varying from the scope of this disclosure. For example, connectors 312 and 512 may include pads only on one side to create a side exit with near zero board to board distance.
While the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein.
In a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to store information received via carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. Furthermore, a computer readable medium can store information received from distributed network resources such as from a cloud-based environment. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored.
When referred to as a “device,” a “module,” or the like, the embodiments described herein can be configured as hardware. For example, a portion of an information handling system device may be hardware such as, for example, an integrated circuit (such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a structured ASIC, or a device embedded on a larger chip), a card (such as a Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) card, a PCI-express card, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, or other such expansion card), or a system (such as a motherboard, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), or a stand-alone device).
The device or module can include software, including firmware embedded at a processor or software capable of operating a relevant environment of the information handling system. The device or module can also include a combination of the foregoing examples of hardware or software. Note that an information handling system can include an integrated circuit or a board-level product having portions thereof that can also be any combination of hardware and software.
Devices, modules, resources, or programs that are in communication with one another need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices, modules, resources, or programs that are in communication with one another can communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
