Apparatus interconnecting circuit board and mezzanine card or cards

Abstract

An apparatus includes a circuit board and a connector assembly which extends outwardly from the circuit board and is capable of simultaneously being connected to a plurality of mezzanine cards.

1 - 14 . Cancel.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a chassis;    a backplane mounted on the chassis;    a circuit board coupled to the backplane; and    a connector assembly which extends outwardly from the circuit board and is capable of simultaneously being connected to a plurality of mezzanine cards.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connector assembly includes: 
 a main body that extends outwardly from the circuit board in a first direction that is orthogonal to a plane defined by the circuit board and extends in a second direction that is parallel to the plane defined by the circuit board; and    a plurality of connectors mounted on the main body, each of the connectors capable of being connected to a respective mezzanine card, the plurality of connectors including a first connector that extends outwardly from the main body in a third direction that is orthogonal to the first and second directions.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of connectors further includes a second connector that extends outwardly from the main body in a fourth direction that is opposite to the third direction.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of mezzanine cards each connected to a respective one of the connectors of the connector assembly.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the connector assembly is located substantially centrally on a surface of the circuit board and extends parallel to at least one edge of the circuit board.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 at least one integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board.    
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit includes at least one processor.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the connector assembly includes 
 a main body that extends outwardly from the circuit board in a first direction that is orthogonal to a plane defined by the circuit board and extends in a second direction that is parallel to the plane defined by the circuit board; and    a pair of connectors mounted on the main body, each of the connectors capable of being connected to a respective mezzanine card, a first one of the pair of connectors extending outwardly from the main body in a third direction that is orthogonal to the first and second directions, and the other one of the pair of connectors extending outwardly from the main body in the third direction between the circuit board and the first one of the pair of connectors.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a mezzanine card;    an interface card;    a structure mounting the interface card on the mezzanine card;    first and second signal connectors connecting the interface card to the mezzanine card;    a first signal path connected to the first signal connector and passing along the mezzanine card without being coupled to any device on the mezzanine card; and    a second signal path connected to the second signal connector and coupled to at least one device on the mezzanine card.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a circuit board on which the mezzanine card is mounted in parallel fashion, the first signal path being coupled to the circuit board.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising a processor mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising a field programmable gate array (FPGA) mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the interface card is mounted in parallel fashion on the mezzanine card.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a chassis;    a backplane mounted on the chassis;    a circuit board coupled to the backplane;    a mezzanine card mounted on the circuit board;    an interface card;    a structure mounting the interface card on the mezzanine card;    first and second signal connectors connecting the interface card to the mezzanine card    a first signal path coupling the first signal connector to the circuit board via the mezzanine card; and    a second signal path coupling the second signal connector to at least one device on the mezzanine card.    
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising a processor mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising a field programmable gate array (FPGA) mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the interface card is mounted in parallel fashion on the mezzanine card.  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a circuit board;    a mezzanine card mounted on the circuit board; and    an interface card mounted on the mezzanine card and providing a signal interface between the circuit board and at least one device on the mezzanine card.    
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a processor mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a field programmable gate array (FPGA) mounted on the interface card.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the interface card is mounted in parallel fashion on the mezzanine card.