US6538899B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Traceless midplane
Assignee: Juniper Networks Inc
•
Filing: 2001-01-02
•
Granted: 2003-03-25
•
Expires: 2021-01-02
Abstract
Abstract A traceless midplane contains substantially no traces, pins, or active components and includes a front portion and a back portion. The front portion includes first connectors. The back portion includes second connectors arranged in a grid pattern. Each of the second connectors includes electrically-conductive conduits that connect the second connector to a corresponding one of the first connectors through the midplane. The second connectors include data connection points, ground connection points, and clock connection points. At least some of the data connection points are separated from each other and from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
Inventors
- 👤 Ashok Krishnamurthi
- 👤 Ramalingam K. Anand
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:24
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/50; H01R12/51; H01R12/55; H01R12/58; H01R12/52; H01R12/523; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/14; H05K7/00; H05K7/14; H05K7/1438; H05K7/1439; H05K7/1445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A network device, comprising: a plurality of packet processor boards that include a plurality of first pins; a plurality of input/output control boards that include a plurality of second pins; and a midplane that includes substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components and is formed to interconnect the first pins of the packet processor boards and the second pins of the input/output control boards, the packet processor boards and the input/output control boards connecting to the midplane in an orthogonal pattern, the midplane including a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors including a plurality of conductive conduits, each of the conduits receiving and interconnecting one of the first pins and one of the second pins through the midplane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A network device, comprising: a plurality of packet processor boards that include a plurality of first pins; a plurality of input/output control boards that include a plurality of second pins; and a midplane that includes substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components and is formed to interconnect the first pins of the packet processor boards and the second pins of the input/output control boards, the packet processor boards and the input/output control boards connecting to the midplane in an orthogonal pattern, the midplane including a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors including a plurality of conductive conduits, each of the conduits receiving and interconnecting one of the first pins and one of the second pins through the midplane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The network device of claim 1 , wherein each of the conduits includes an electrically-conductive material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The network device of claim 1 , wherein the packet processor boards and the input/output control boards connect to the midplane in vertical and horizontal planes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The network device of claim 1 , wherein the midplane includes no traces, pins, or active components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The network device of claim 1 , wherein each of the connectors includes: a plurality of data connection points, a plurality of ground connection points, and a plurality of clock connection points.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The network device of claim 1 , wherein the network device is a router.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The network device of claim 2 , wherein the electrically-conductive material is copper.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The network device of claim 5 , wherein at least some of the data connection points are separated by at least some of the ground connection points.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The network device of claim 5 , wherein the data connection points are separated from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
127 words
A traceless midplane that contains substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components, comprising: a front portion including a plurality of first connectors; and a back portion including a plurality of second connectors arranged in a grid pattern, each of the second connectors including a plurality of electrically-conductive conduits that connect the second connector to a corresponding one of the first connectors through the midplane, the second connectors including a plurality of data connection points, a plurality of ground connection points, and a plurality of clock connection points, at least some of the data connection points being separated by at least some of the ground connection points and the data connection points being separated from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
A traceless midplane that contains substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components, comprising: a front portion including a plurality of first connectors; and a back portion including a plurality of second connectors arranged in a grid pattern, each of the second connectors including a plurality of electrically-conductive conduits that connect the second connector to a corresponding one of the first connectors through the midplane, the second connectors including a plurality of data connection points, a plurality of ground connection points, and a plurality of clock connection points, at least some of the data connection points being separated by at least some of the ground connection points and the data connection points being separated from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The traceless midplane of claim 10 , wherein each of the conduits includes an electrically-conductive material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
The traceless midplane of claim 10 , wherein the first connectors are configured to connect to a plurality of first printed circuit boards in a first direction, and the second connectors are configured to connect to a plurality of second printed circuit boards in a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The traceless midplane of claim 11 , wherein the electrically-conductive material is copper.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The traceless midplane of claim 12 , wherein the first printed circuit boards include packet processor boards and the second printed circuit boards include input/output control boards of a network router.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The traceless midplane of claim 12 , wherein the first direction is in a vertical plane and the second direction is in a horizontal plane.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for manufacturing a traceless midplane that contains no traces, no pins, and no active components, comprising: obtaining a printed circuit board that includes first and second sides; providing holes to create conduits through the printed circuit board, the conduits being formed to receive pins of a plurality of first circuit boards at the first side and pins of a plurality of second circuit boards at the second side, the first circuit boards and the second circuit boards connecting to the printed circuit board in an orthogonal pattern; and placing electrically-conductive material in each of the conduits.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for manufacturing a traceless midplane that contains no traces, no pins, and no active components, comprising: obtaining a printed circuit board that includes first and second sides; providing holes to create conduits through the printed circuit board, the conduits being formed to receive pins of a plurality of first circuit boards at the first side and pins of a plurality of second circuit boards at the second side, the first circuit boards and the second circuit boards connecting to the printed circuit board in an orthogonal pattern; and placing electrically-conductive material in each of the conduits.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the first circuit boards include packet processor boards and the second circuit boards include input/output control boards of a network router.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the conduits are formed in a grid pattern, the conduits being configured to connect to the first circuit boards in a vertical direction on the first side and connect to the second circuit boards in a horizontal direction on the second side.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrically-conductive material includes copper.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 16 , further comprising: designing a layout of connectors for the printed circuit board, each of the connectors including a plurality of the conduits.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
117 words
A network device, comprising: a plurality of first boards that include a plurality of first pins; a plurality of second boards that include a plurality of second pins; and a midplane that includes substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components and is formed to interconnect the first pins of the first boards and the second pins of the second boards, the first boards and the second boards connecting to the midplane in an orthogonal pattern, the midplane including a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors including a plurality of conductive conduits, each of the conduits receiving and interconnecting one of the first pins and one of the second pins through the midplane.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
117 words
A network device, comprising: a plurality of first boards that include a plurality of first pins; a plurality of second boards that include a plurality of second pins; and a midplane that includes substantially no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components and is formed to interconnect the first pins of the first boards and the second pins of the second boards, the first boards and the second boards connecting to the midplane in an orthogonal pattern, the midplane including a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors including a plurality of conductive conduits, each of the conduits receiving and interconnecting one of the first pins and one of the second pins through the midplane.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
128 words
A midplane that contains no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components, comprising: a front portion including a plurality of first connectors; and a back portion including a plurality of second connectors arranged in a grid pattern, each of the second connectors including a plurality of electrically-conductive conduits that connect the second connector to a corresponding one of the first connectors through the midplane, the second connectors including a plurality of data connection points, a plurality of ground connection points, and a plurality of clock connection points, at least some of the data connection points being separated from each other by at least some of the ground connection points and the data connection points being separated from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
128 words
A midplane that contains no traces, substantially no pins, and substantially no active components, comprising: a front portion including a plurality of first connectors; and a back portion including a plurality of second connectors arranged in a grid pattern, each of the second connectors including a plurality of electrically-conductive conduits that connect the second connector to a corresponding one of the first connectors through the midplane, the second connectors including a plurality of data connection points, a plurality of ground connection points, and a plurality of clock connection points, at least some of the data connection points being separated from each other by at least some of the ground connection points and the data connection points being separated from the clock connection points by the ground connection points.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4472765A
Cited
US4838798A
Cited
EP0494759A1
Cited
US5887158A
Cited
US5296748A
Cited
US5429521A
Cited
US6006980A
Cited
US6163464A
Cited
US6392142B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-03-24 | 2006-09-23 | 2007-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-24 | 2010-09-23 | 2011-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-24 | 2014-09-23 | 2015-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |