Apple Inc.

Corey N Axelowitz

John T Orchard

Eric C Gaertner

Ronald P Songco

Ian P Shaeffer

Brett W Degner

Shawn Xavier Arnold

Michael W Murphy

James Y Yap

Matthew William Blum

Christine A Laliberte

William A Tashman

Ling Zhang

William R Allan, Ii

Ian P Schaeffer

Eric C Lee

A computer includes a processor, a PCIe-compatible interface bus that includes a root that is connected to the processor, and a routing complex that is connected to the root and is controlled by the processor. The computer also includes a first interface slot that is connectable to the root by the switches, a second interface slot that is connectable to the root by the switches, and an extended interface slot that is connectable to the root by the switches. The switches are configured based on properties of a first peripheral device to define a first switching configuration when the first peripheral device is connected only to the first interface slot and to define a second switching configuration when the first peripheral device is connected to both of the first interface slot and the extended interface slot.

Interface bus resource allocation

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may determine one or more characteristics relating to a mains power supply received by a computer system, and may then determine a maximum amount of power that may be drawn by the computer system given the determined characteristics. An example may provide a computer system having a power supply circuit that may include a detection circuit to receive a mains power supply and to detect a characteristic of the mains power supply. In response to the detected characteristic, the detection circuit may provide an output to a circuit in the computer system that sets a limit on a current that may be drawn by the circuit. In this example, the characteristic may be an RMS value of the mains power supply waveform, a location of where the mains power supply is being received, a quality of the mains power supply, or other characteristic.

Voltage region sensing for maximum system power

The described embodiments relate generally to methods and apparatus for securely and efficiently joining components together. In some embodiments, a flexible printed circuit board and a rigid printed circuit board can be electrically coupled together by soldering electrical contacts distributed on the flexible printed circuit board to electrical contacts distributed on the rigid printed circuit board. The electrical contacts can be arranged and sized as desired to provide a desired amount of data and power transfer bandwidth.

SMT connection of rigid and flexible printed circuit boards

The subject matter of this disclosure relates to a flexible circuit for carrying a signal between electrical components that includes boosting circuitry for mitigating the effects of signal degradation. More particularly the flexible circuit can carry a signal between a main logic board and an input/output board supporting input/output ports of a portable electronic device. The flexible circuit can be configured with bends in order to meet packaging constraints such as avoiding contact with components obstructing a direct path between connectors of the electrical components. Additional bends can also be included in the flexible that facilitate the assembly of the portable electronic device.

Features of a flexible connector in a portable computing device

An electrical connector may have connector contacts. Protection circuitry in the connector may prevent circuit damage. The protection circuitry may include diodes that shunt excessive voltages to ground. The protection circuitry may be implemented in a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die may be embedded within a substrate layer in a printed circuit. The printed circuit may form the body of the connector. Connector contacts may be formed on upper and lower surfaces of the printed circuit. Conductive structures such as vias in the printed circuit may be used to couple semiconductor die contacts on the semiconductor die to the connector contacts. The semiconductor die may be a double-sided die having first and second semiconductor dies that are bonded to each other in a back-to-back configuration.

Connector having printed circuit with embedded die

Electrical components such as semiconductor die may be mounted in semiconductor packages and embedded within printed circuits. A printed circuit may have a substrate with an opening and may have metal layers. During lamination operations, substrate material such as prepreg may flow and form embedding dielectric material that embeds the semiconductor die within the opening. Double-sided semiconductor dies may be formed by attaching multiple semiconductor dies together using a layer of material such as die attach film. The double-sided semiconductor dies may be embedded within a printed circuit and mounted in semiconductor packages. Wire bond wires may be used to couple one of the semiconductor dies in a double-sided semiconductor die to contacts on a substrate. Wire bond wires may also be used to couple a shield layer to the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Corey N Axelowitz