Tyco Electronics Corporation

Force10 Networks, Inc.

John D'Ambrosia

Michael Warren Fogg

Joel R Goergen

Steven Jay Millard

Michael John Phillips

Randall Robert Henry

Robert Charles Trea

Methods of operating a packet network device having multiple serial channels crossing a backplane are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, a management function performs dynamic modifications to the packet network device configuration in response to detected backplane errors. These modifications can directly alter a characteristic of a channel that is generating errors, or can indirectly affect such a channel by directly altering a characteristic of an 'aggressor' channel that is indicated as producing crosstalk on that channel. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Dynamic crosstalk reduction for backplane serial channels

Methods of designing a backplane, a backplane, and a packet switch using such a backplane are disclosed. The backplane comprises communication channels that connect each of a set of first card slots to each of a set of second card slots. Instead of forcing the backplane to route the communication channels to match a preset card configuration, the backplane communication channels are routed so as to reduce crosstalk and attenuation on at least the most difficult routing pairs. The cards perform logical translation of their backplane traffic to conform to the physical pin assignment for the particular card slot in which they are inserted. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Backplane routing arrangement with decreased crosstalk

An electrical connector includes a contact sub-assembly having a plurality of contacts arranged on a contact support member. The contact support member has a pair of opposed support walls extending from a base to a mating end, and the support walls are separated by a gap that extends from the mating end toward the base. The contacts extend at least partially along the support walls between the mating end and the base, wherein a first set of the contacts are provided on one of the support walls and a second set of the contacts are provided on the other of the support walls. The contacts are exposed to the gap for connection with a mating connector received within the gap. The electrical connector also includes a housing having a cavity configured to receive the mating connector, wherein the contact sub-assembly is received within the cavity for mating with the mating connector.

Modular electrical connector with enhanced jack interface

A heat relief socket is provided where a contact carrier substrate is provided carrying a plurality of contacts, and is supported by a frame. The frame has an open area therethrough which can receive air flow to cool the bottom of a chip carried by the socket and the contacts themselves.

Heat relief socket

A high speed signal connector having a plurality of signal conductors disposed within the housing and a ground bus or plane disposed within the housing and including a plurality of coextensive layers of different conductive materials including at least a first conductive base layer having predetermined conductivity and permeability and a second conductive top layer have predetermined conductivity and permeability. A multiple layer common ground provides for improved current flow within the common ground so as to minimize cross talk between signal contacts. As a result, the present invention provides a connector for high frequency signal transmission which exhibits an attenuation characteristic which is substantially independent of frequency within a predetermined and selectable frequency range and which permits the tailoring of the attenuation and phase response of the connector as a function of frequency.

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Harrisburg, PA, United States of America

John D'Ambrosia