Circuit board rigid connector

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to rigid circuit board connectors. The systems and methods disclosed herein can be used to provide rigid connectors that employ a circuit board assembly having a printed circuit board (PCB) with surface contact pads. The surface contact pads can be surrounded by rigid connector configurations, respectively, having individual external flanges. A rigid frame can cover the external flanges to maintain the position of the rigid connector configurations relative to the PCB.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application is a non-provisional application relating to and claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 756,613, filed February 10, 2025, entitled “CIRCUIT BOARD RIGIDCONNECTORS”. The entire contents of that provisional application are incorporated herein by reference and form part of this specification for all purposes. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to circuit board connectors, and in at least one embodiment, to high-speed signaling connectors and other connectors for printed circuit boards, which are rigid connectors. Background Technology

[0003] Racks, servers, or other computing components may include circuit boards, which may be printed circuit boards (PCBs), including backplanes and middleplanes associated with signaling circuitry. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Figure 1A The illustrations depict various aspects of a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment, the rigid connector configuration having a separate external flange for supporting a rigid connector on a printed circuit board (PCB); Figure 1B The illustration shows a PCB according to at least one embodiment, on which a plurality of rigid connector configurations are adhered; Figure 1C The illustration shows various aspects of a rigid frame according to at least one embodiment, which covers the outer flange of a rigid connector configuration to maintain the position of the rigid connector configuration relative to the PCB. Figure 1D The illustration shows various aspects of a rigid plate associated with a rigid frame according to at least one embodiment, the rigid plate being viewed from the opposite side of the PCB relative to the rigid frame; Figure 1E The illustrations depict various aspects of a rigid plate or rigid frame according to at least one embodiment; Figure 2A The illustration shows various aspects of a double-sided middle plate having a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment; Figure 2B Further details of a double-sided middle plate with a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment are illustrated; Figure 2C Further details of a rigid connector configuration above surface contact pads of a PCB according to at least one embodiment are illustrated in a transparent cross-sectional view. Figure 3A and Figure 3B The illustration shows a spring-loaded feature of a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment; Figure 3C The illustration shows a cross-sectional view of a rigid frame for supporting a rigid connector for a PCB according to at least one embodiment, the frame being located above the outer flange of the rigid connector configuration. Figure 4A The application is illustrated. Figures 1A to 3C and Figures 5 to 7 Example data centers of at least one embodiment; Figure 4B The application is illustrated. Figures 1A to 3C and Figures 5 to 7 Various aspects of an example rack in at least one embodiment; Figure 5 The illustration shows a process flow or method related to a rigid connector for a PCB according to at least one embodiment; Figure 6A The illustration shows an example data center in which at least one embodiment can be used; Figure 6B This is a block diagram schematically illustrating a computing system, which could be a data center or a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, in which various technologies can be used. Figures 1A to 5 At least one embodiment of the above; Figure 6C The illustration depicts a computer system according to at least one example, in which... Figures 1A to 5 At least one embodiment of the above; and Figure 7 The illustration shows example network configurations of components that can be used to implement various aspects of the various embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0005] The following description will illustrate various embodiments. For ease of explanation, specific configurations and details are listed herein to enable the reader to thoroughly understand these embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will also understand that these embodiments can be implemented even without considering these specific details. Furthermore, to avoid obscuring the described embodiments, some well-known features may be omitted or simplified herein.

[0006] Connectors used with PCBs may require mounting screws and through-holes or posts to secure the connector to the PCB. PCBs may also include small connector ground pins that can serve as retaining pins for the connector. Screws are likely required for mechanical fastening and to ensure sufficient contact between the connector conductors and the PCB contacts. Screws can cause issues with through-holes drilled through the entire thickness of the PCB. Screws can limit the density of interconnects that can be mounted on the same side of the PCB or used for connectors located on opposite sides. This can also obstruct screw placement. In one example, through-holes or drilled holes for mounting screws may occupy a significant portion of valuable area on the PCB that could otherwise be used for signal traces running through every layer of the PCB.

[0007] The circuit board assemblies described herein, such as backplanes or middleboards (which may contain printed circuit boards (PCBs)), can receive connections from external components in a rack or server. The PCB may have multiple surface contact pads. These surface contact pads may each be surrounded by a plastic rigid connector with an individual external flange, which can be molded from plastic. The flange may be a cavity for molding the outer body of the connector, having a flange geometry, and pressing against one or all of the connectors on a face or side of the PCB. The rigid frame may be a metallic material, including aluminum, titanium, stainless steel, or other rigid metals, and may cover the external flanges to maintain the rigid connector configuration relative to the PCB, thereby optimizing strength and weight.

[0008] As described above, the outer flange of the rigid connector configuration forms a clamping surface on the underside of the rigid connector configuration. This clamping surface ensures a strong connection between the ground and signal pins on the underside of the connector. The rigid frame is associated with the outer flange and clamps onto one or more connectors on the PCB surface. Equal pressure should be applied across the entire perimeter of the connector. Achieving this can be challenging due to manufacturing tolerances and variability in connector housings. Spring-loaded features may be associated with the outer flange of the rigid connector configuration. These spring-loaded features may allow tolerances to accommodate one or more of the following factors: the pressure applied to the rigid connector configuration via the rigid frame, the force applied to the rigid connector configuration via the rigid frame, the distance between the rigid frame and the PCB (partially depending on PCB warpage), or the electrical contact formed between the surface contact pads and the connectors of the rigid connector configuration or the connectors to be associated with the rigid connector configuration. Spring-loaded features can compensate for any tolerance differences between components. Spring-loaded features may be integrated into the flange of the connector housing to provide consistent tolerance compensation, or they may be integrated into the rigid board.

[0009] Furthermore, this paper explores the issue that connectors used for PCBs may require mounting screws to secure them to the PCB. These screws may require mechanical fastening and may need to ensure sufficient electrical contact between the connector and the PCB. The requirement for mounting screws can lead to issues such as the need to drill holes across the overall thickness of the PCB and the use of screws or other fasteners, which may limit the density of interconnects available on one side of the PCB or the density of connectors on the opposite side. In one example, this issue could obstruct screw placement. Another issue may be that the drilling required for mounting screws may occupy valuable areas on the PCB where signal lines can be routed on each layer. The board assembly described in this paper may use a rigid connector configuration with external flanges, which are held in place by a rigid frame with fasteners only around their perimeter. The rigid frame may be milled to fit the periphery of the PCB connector (e.g., surface contact pads) and provide clearance for the external flanges to press down on the PCB. Spring-loaded features are added to the external flanges to ensure that various electrical and mechanical requirements between the rigid connector configuration and the PCB are met.

[0010] The connectors described herein support various transmission media. The transmission media used herein enable networking functionality associated with cable assemblies such as Direct Connector (DAC), Active Connector (ACC), Active Optical Cable (AOC), and those with OSFP connectors, or with interconnects used by switch modules (including PCB connectors forming board-to-board connections or cable connectors forming board-to-cable connections). Network connectors can each be configured to connect to any type of networking device (e.g., QSFP, Direct Connector, Active Optical Cable (AOC), etc.), and their dimensions (e.g., size and shape) are designed to mate with or otherwise connect to any corresponding networking device. Cable connectors can be of any type (e.g., AOC connectors, Ethernet connectors, Direct Connector connectors, Active Optical Modules, etc.). PCBs are used to electrically connect electronic components using conductive paths or traces etched from a metal plate. In many electronic systems, one or more Very Large Scale Integration (“VLSI”) components are coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB) of a host system. Such VLSI components can include, for example, central processing unit (“CPU”) and graphics processing unit (“GPU”) devices. A PCB can accommodate at least one processing circuitry system. The processing circuitry system may include hardware such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processing circuitry system may include an ASIC and / or be capable of operating as a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), network interface controller (NIC), data processing unit (DPU), or any other computing device for receiving and / or transmitting data. Other non-limiting examples of the processing circuitry system include integrated circuit (IC) chips, CPUs, GPUs, microprocessors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), logic gates or transistor sets, resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, etc. It should be understood that any suitable electrical or optical component or set of electrical or optical components is suitable for inclusion in the processing circuitry system. Many embodiments are described below in which semiconductor packages are mounted within through-holes in a PCB. Although PCBs of specific types and dimensions are shown in the figures and discussion, it should be noted that the types and dimensions shown and described are provided by way of example only. Those skilled in the art, upon reference to this disclosure, will understand that the same or similar apparatus and techniques can also be used with PCBs of other types and dimensions. For example, in some embodiments, the PCB mounting the semiconductor package may include an add-on card, such as a PCIe card, configured to connect to a system board or motherboard of a host system. In other embodiments, the PCB mounting the semiconductor package may be the system board or motherboard of the host system itself. Furthermore, the system board or motherboard may be associated with any type of host system. For example, the PCB may include a system board in a multi-node rack-mount server, or it may include a motherboard for a workstation, desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Other embodiments are also possible.

[0011] Figure 1A The illustration depicts a connection in aspect 100 according to at least one embodiment, the connection employing a rigid connector configuration having a separate external flange for supporting a rigid connector on a circuit board assembly comprising a printed circuit board (PCB). In one example, connection 100 is constituted by at least one circuit board rigid connector 102, which may be part of the circuit board assembly. The circuit board rigid connector 102 may be associated with a PCB 118 (shown only partially in the figure) having surface contact pads 252 (e.g., as shown in the figure). Figure 2C (As shown). The surface contact pad 252 can be individually surrounded by the rigid connector configuration 120 of the board rigid connector 102. Each rigid connector configuration 120 may have an outer flange 104. Although one is illustrated in the figure, multiple such board rigid connectors 102 may be provided on the PCB 118 (as at least in conjunction with this document). Figures 1B to 3C As described above). Rigid frame (as at least referenced) Figure 1C (Shown and described) can cover the outer flange 104 to maintain the position of the rigid connector configuration 120 relative to the PCB 118. When multiple board rigid connectors 102 are disposed on the PCB 118, the rigid frame can be configured or adapted to cover the individual outer flanges of the multiple rigid connector configurations to maintain the position of these rigid connector configurations relative to the PCB 118.

[0012] Figure 1A The diagram also illustrates a connector that may have a rigid connector configuration 120. For example, pins 106 may extend from surface contact pad 252. Pins 106 may extend through the rigid connector configuration 120 and connect to an external connector 110 via an insert connection to the rigid connector configuration 120. In one example, pins 106 may be part of the rigid connector configuration 120 for extending the surface contact pad 252. In another example, the external connector 110 may include pins 106 extending to the surface contact pad 252. Pins 106 may be compliant pins that deform when pressed into the surface contact pad 252, thereby forming contacts that hold the rigid connector configuration 120 in place. Alternatively, the connector may be initially secured in place using adhesive before mounting the rigid frame. This ensures that the rigid connector with pins 106 remains firmly positioned during assembly.

[0013] For example, the location of the rigid connector configuration on the PCB can be determined at least in part based on the position of the surface contact pads on the PCB. Adhesive can then be provided on the rigid connector configuration or on the PCB. The adhesive can be configured to be consistent on the outer flanges of the rigid connector configuration. The adhesive can be located between the underside of the individual outer flanges and the PCB. Once all rigid connector configurations are adhered to the PCB, a rigid frame (with or without a rigid plate) can be installed. Fasteners can secure the PCB, rigid frame, and rigid plate assembly together in an unused area of ​​the PCB.

[0014] In another example, pin 106, acting as a compliance pin, can also provide initial holding force, but may not be sufficient to guarantee product lifespan or reliability. This board is crucial for ensuring long-term holding force and electrical reliability. External connector 110 may be supported by a strip structure 114 or other features to enable communication between external connector 110 and the circuitry of PCB 118. For example, external connector 110 may be a female interface of rigid connector configuration 120 and may mate with it to allow daughter cards to be used with PCB 118. Thus, for example, board rigid connector 102 can be coupled together with surface contact pads 252 and external connector 110 via a plug-in connection 112. Guides 108 in board rigid connector 102 can assist insertion. In another example, as per [reference to...] Figure 1D , Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown and described, no pins 106 need to extend from the surface contact pads. The external connector 110 may have pins for proper coupling 112 to the surface contact pads. The rigid connector configuration 120 may be made of plastic or other non-conductive materials.

[0015] Figure 1B The illustration shows various aspects 130 of a PCB according to at least one embodiment, on which a plurality of rigid connector configurations are adhered. These aspects 130 include a PCB 118 having a plurality of rigid connector configurations 120, wherein each rigid connector configuration 120 may contain surface contact pads for different connectors for different circuits, including for signal circuits. The rigid connector configurations 120 may be coupled to connectors of different shape factors, at least internally, based on different types of guides 108, to accommodate the different shape factors used. The exterior of the rigid connector configurations 120 may be normalized to similar dimensions and similar external flanges 104 to accommodate a single rigid frame thereon. Unless otherwise stated, aspects described in a plural form in one or more figures herein may be plural versions of aspects described in a singular form in the figures.

[0016] Figure 1B The diagram also illustrates PCB fastener provisions 132, which may contain fasteners for the perimeter of PCB 118. This perimeter may include blank areas 134 of the PCB, where signal components or other circuitry may not be present. The rigid connector configuration 120 itself does not have fasteners for connection to PCB 118. The rigid frame can be secured via the PCB fastener provisions 132 of PCB 118 to ensure sufficient pressure is applied to all rigid connector configurations 120 via their respective external flanges 104 without the need for fasteners on the rigid connector configuration 120 itself. This eliminates the need for screws that would otherwise be used for mechanical retention, eliminates the need for soldering connectors or using retaining pins in the connector design, and ensures adequate contact between the connector conductors (e.g., pins) and the contacts (e.g., surface contact pads) of PCB 118. This also avoids the problems associated with through-holes that might otherwise be required due to drilling through the entire thickness of PCB 118. Furthermore, it avoids limitations on the density of interconnects that might be mounted on the same side of PCB 118, thus improving routing path interference in dense designs, or avoids limitations on the density of interconnects used for connectors located on opposite sides of PCB 118, which could otherwise hinder screw mounting. This allows for a more efficient assembly process without the need for individual screws. PCB assembly can include a process that uses a rigid frame to hold rigid connector configurations in place without individual screws, ensuring uniform compression and electrical reliability because it applies consistent pressure evenly to all rigid connector configurations, unaffected by any corrugations or flatness issues with the board, thus eliminating the need for individual screws. In one example, valuable portions of useful areas in PCB 118 can be preserved and utilized. These useful areas can now be used for signal lines routed through each layer of PCB 118.

[0017] Figure 1CAspect 140 of a rigid frame, according to at least one embodiment, for covering the outer flange of a rigid connector configuration to maintain the rigid connector configuration relative to a PCB position is illustrated. Aspect 140 includes using a rigid frame 142 to cover the outer flange 104 of a rigid connector configuration 120. This allows the rigid connector configuration 120 to maintain a specific position relative to a PCB 118. The rigid frame 142 may include a connector configuration reservation structure 150 for receiving the rigid connector configuration 120 through which it passes, and a flange covering portion 148 of the rigid frame 142 may be used to cover the outer flange 104. The rigid frame 142 may also have a rigid frame fastener reservation structure 144 at least around its periphery. The rigid frame fastener reservation structure 144 may be used to receive fasteners via a PCB fastener reservation structure 132, thereby securing the rigid frame to the PCB 118, while the rigid connector configuration 120 itself does not need to be secured to the PCB by fasteners. Figure 1C The diagram also illustrates a rigid frame including a rigid frame fastener pre-installed structure 144 for securing fasteners at positions corresponding to free areas 134 on the PCB without circuitry or signal components. Aspect 140 may also include one or more positioning rails 146 for positioning the rigid frame 142 prior to securing it to the PCB 118.

[0018] Figure 1D Aspect 160 of a rigid plate associated with a rigid frame according to at least one embodiment is illustrated, the rigid plate being viewed from the opposite side of the PCB relative to the rigid frame. Aspect 160 includes a rigid plate 162 that can be associated with the rigid frame 142 from the opposite side of the PCB 118 relative to the rigid frame 142. The rigid plate 162 may include a rigid plate fastener reservation structure 144 for receiving fasteners 166 via the rigid frame fastener reservation structure 144 of the rigid frame. Only two fasteners 166 are illustrated in the figure, but it should be understood that the fasteners are evenly distributed via fastener reservation structures 144, 164, and 132, which serve at least to maintain the position of the rigid connector configuration 120 relative to the PCB 118.

[0019] Fastener 166 can be received from either side of PCB 118, as shown by different fastening directions 168 in the figure. In one example, rigid connector configuration 120 can be adhered to PCB 118, temporarily securing it relative to PCB 118. One or more rigid frames 142 or rigid plates 162 can be secured using fastener 166 to achieve a detachable association and provide at least a predetermined pressure to maintain the position of the plurality of rigid connector configurations 120 relative to the PCB. Figure 1A As shown, the external connection can be formed by a rigid connector configuration 120.

[0020] Figure 1E Aspect 170 of a rigid plate or rigid frame according to at least one embodiment is illustrated. Aspect 170 may be the bottom surface of the rigid frame or rigid plate. The bottom surface typically refers to the surface that mats with the PCB 118. Aspect 170 illustrates that a rigid frame pressure interface 172 may be provided on the entire rigid frame 142 or rigid plate 162 for mating with the PCB 118 (e.g., Figure 1D (As shown). The rigid frame pressure interface 172 can be a spring-loaded feature, such as a combination of a ball and a spring. The rigid frame pressure interface 172 can be associated with the flange cover portion 148 and the connector configuration reserved structure 150. The spring-loaded feature allows the pressure or force associated with the insertion or removal of the server or daughter card to be evenly distributed relative to the PCB, which at least Figure 4B More detailed explanations are available there.

[0021] Spring-loaded features allow for tolerances in the pressure applied to a rigid connector configuration via a rigid frame. Spring-loaded features also allow for tolerances in the forces applied to multiple rigid connector configurations via a rigid frame. In another example, spring-loaded features allow for tolerances in the distance between the rigid frame and the PCB, partially based on PCB warpage. In yet another example, spring-loaded features allow for tolerances in the electrical contact formed between surface contact pads and the connectors of the rigid connector configuration, or connectors to be associated with the rigid connector configuration.

[0022] Figure 2A The illustration shows aspects 200 of a double-sided middle plate having a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment. The double-sided middle plate 202 can be... Figures 1A to 1D An example of PCB 118 is shown. In this example, the double-sided middle board 202 may include a top-side rigid connector 204 and a bottom-side rigid connector 206. The top-side rigid connector 204 and the bottom-side rigid connector 206 may be... Figures 1A to 1D An example of the rigid connector configuration 120 is shown. As illustrated, since each of the top-side rigid connectors 204 and the bottom-side rigid connectors 206 has no fastening posts or fasteners, each top-side rigid connector 204 can be positioned closer to the top side of the double-sided middle plate 202, and each bottom-side rigid connector 206 can also be positioned closer to each other on the bottom side of the double-sided middle plate 202. Furthermore, the absence of fastening posts or fasteners in each of the top-side rigid connectors 204 and the bottom-side rigid connectors 206 allows for a dense layout of interconnects that can be mounted on the same side of the PCB, or a dense layout of interconnects for connectors located on opposite sides of the PCB, thanks to the double-sided middle plate 202 shown. There are no obstructions to the screw mounting positions within the free area 134 of the double-sided middle plate 202.

[0023] Figure 2B Further details 230 of a double-sided middle plate with a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment are illustrated. Figure 2B The illustration shows more details 230 of the double-sided middle plate 202, including the top-side rigid connector configuration 204 and the bottom-side rigid connector configuration 206. Figure 2B The illustration shows that the removed fasteners and unused fastener posts 232 pass through each of the top-side rigid connector configurations 204 and the bottom-side rigid connector configurations 206, such that each top-side rigid connector configuration 204 is closer together on the top side of the double-sided middle plate 202, and each bottom-side rigid connector configuration 206 is closer together on the bottom side of the double-sided middle plate 202. The removed fasteners and unused fastener posts 232 also allow for a denser layout of interconnects, as shown in the reference. Figure 2A As stated above. Furthermore... Figure 2B This demonstrates how existing middle and back plates can be modified using a rigid connector configuration 120 and at least a rigid frame 142, with at least removed fasteners and unused fastener posts 232.

[0024] Figure 2C The illustration shows further details 250 of a rigid connector configuration on a surface contact pad of a PCB according to at least one embodiment, presented in the form of a transparent cross-sectional view. Figure 2C The diagram illustrates a pin 106 extending from surface contact pad 252. Pin 106 may extend through rigid connector configuration 120 for connection to external connector 110 via insertion into rigid connector configuration 120. In one example, pin 106 may be part of rigid connector configuration 120 for extending surface contact pad 252. In another example, external connector 110 may include pin 106 extending to surface contact pad 252. External connector 110 may be supported by strip structure 114 or other structures to allow external connector 110 to communicate with circuitry on PCB 118. In this way, for example, board rigid connector 102 may be coupled together with surface contact pad 252 and external connector 110 via a plug-in connection 112.

[0025] Figure 3A and Figure 3BDetails 300, 350 of a spring-loaded feature of a rigid connector configuration according to at least one embodiment are illustrated. In one example, the spring-loaded feature may be embedded in an outer flange. The spring-loaded feature may include at least a pressure interface 302 and a spring 304, which may be confined within a spring hole 306 of the outer flange 104. The spring-loaded feature allows for tolerance to one or more pressures applied to the rigid connector configuration 120 via the rigid frame 142. The spring-loaded feature also allows for the application of force to the rigid connector configuration 120 via the rigid frame 142. Furthermore, the spring-loaded feature allows for a distance between the rigid frame 142 and the PCB 118, in part, based on warping of the PCB 118 that may occur during signaling circuit operation. The downward force exerted by the rigid connector configuration on the PCB ensures that the spring-loaded feature enables the surface contact pad 252 to form an electrical contact between the connector (e.g., pin 106) of the rigid connector configuration 120 or the connector (e.g., pin 106) to be associated with the rigid connector configuration 120.

[0026] The illustrated fasteners 166 can also be evenly distributed in fastener reservation structures 144, 164, and 132, together with the spring-loaded features, to allow tolerance control over one or more of the following: pressure applied to the rigid connector configuration by the rigid frame, force applied to the rigid connector configuration by the rigid frame, distance between the rigid frame and the PCB (partially based on PCB warpage), or electrical contact to be formed between the surface contact pads and the connector of the rigid connector configuration 120 or the connector to be associated with the rigid connector configuration.

[0027] Figure 3C The illustration shows a detail 380 of a cross-sectional view of a rigid frame located above the outer flange of a rigid connector configuration for supporting a rigid connector for a PCB, according to at least one embodiment. Figure 3C The illustration shows a rigid connector configuration 120, having an independent external flange 104, secured in place at the flange cover portion 148 by a rigid frame 142. As shown, a fastener 166 may be provided above or below the PCB 118. The rigid connector configuration 120 maintains its position relative to the PCB 118.

[0028] Figure 4AThe illustration depicts a data center 400, illustrating an embodiment associated with a rigid connector configuration having a separate external flange for supporting a rigid connector for a PCB. The data center 400 may include racks 404, which may be associated with servers 406 therein (presented as server bays, server chassis, or server / computer modules), and computing devices located within racks 404 may be included to perform workloads. Although shown as a horizontal feature, servers 406 may also be vertically positioned within racks 404. Such racks 404 may be connected as part of the data center 400 infrastructure (e.g., via hardwired connections or natively located within rack rows). For example, racks 404 may be associated with power supply units (PSUs) and may be associated with busbars 416 to receive and distribute power to servers 406, and these racks 404 may necessarily be closely connected to power supply components (e.g., busbars 418). These power supply components may be part of the data center 400 infrastructure. Rack 404 may contain high-speed interconnects to enable high-speed communication between subsystems (including server 406).

[0029] The computing device can be mounted on a circuit board and may include processors (such as central processing units (CPUs), quantum processing units (QPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), data processing units (DPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), physical processing units (PPUs), etc.) and other components (such as memory, communication modules, input / output modules, etc.).

[0030] In at least one embodiment, data center 400 may include one or more rooms 402 of racks 404, wherein racks 404 may include server racks or servers 406. Data center 400 may be powered by power distribution system 408 via one or more transformers 410 (Tr.), thereby adapting the power supplied to switching device 412 to the data center. For example, power distribution system 408 may be part of a power transmission system. The power transmission system may provide high-voltage power from a public power grid. Each transformer 410 may reduce the voltage to a level suitable for data center equipment and devices, such as the aforementioned processors within server racks 404 or servers 406. Switching device 412 may control, protect, and isolate power in the downstream and upstream directions.

[0031] Switching device 412 can be controlled by switching circuits and uses circuit breakers and fuses to detect and respond to faults or overloads in the downstream and upstream directions, thereby managing power flow in a reliable and efficient manner. In addition to the external power supply provided by the transmission system, power distribution system 408 can also use backup system 414, such as generators or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Furthermore, cooling system 426 can provide air cooling at least for the cold aisle 430 side of data center 400 and deliver air to the hot aisle 428 side of data center 400 via racks 404. In one example, the air cooling flow can be supported by fans.

[0032] Switching device 412 may be connected to busbar 416. Busbar 416 may power one or more racks 404. In one example, busbar 416 may power one or more racks 404 via a provided busbar 418. Busbar 418 may be a conductive strip for delivering current to various loads, including loads represented by the aforementioned processors, which may be located within server racks or computer modules (also labeled as servers 406) in each rack 404 of the data center 400. Busbar 418 may be made of copper, aluminum, or a suitable power supply material. Busbar 418 may be able to work collaboratively to meet the high current requirements of the data center 400.

[0033] The data center 400 may include a midplane or backplane, which may be composed of PCB 118 and Figure 2A and Figure 2B The discussion in the document indicates that the middle plate or backplate may have surface contact pads for receiving external connectors from components in the data center. These components may include power supply components, computing components, and cooling components as described herein. The middle plate or backplate may be associated with a rigid connector having an independent external flange. The surface contact pads may be individually surrounded by the rigid connector configuration. A rigid frame may cover the external flange to maintain the mating position of the rigid connector configuration with the middle plate or backplate.

[0034] Data center 400 allows for a first reserved structure for a first fastener located on the periphery of the rigid frame. Data center 400 also allows the rigid connector configuration to not have fasteners for connection to the middle plate or back plate. Data center 400 allows for a second reserved structure for a second fastener, positioned corresponding to an area on the middle plate or back plate without circuitry or signal components. One or more of the first or second reserved structures can be at least... Figure 1D The rigid frame fastener reserved structure 144 is described in the description. One or more of the first or second fasteners can be used with fastener 166 to maintain the rigid connector configuration in contact with the middle plate or back plate.

[0035] Data Center 400 allows a rigid connector configuration to include an adhesive between the bottom side of the outer flange and the middle plate or back plate. For example, the location of the rigid connector configuration on the PCB can be determined at least partially based on the location of surface contact pads on the PCB. The adhesive can then be provided on the rigid connector or on the PCB. The adhesive can be configured to be consistent on the outer flange of the rigid connector. The adhesive can be located between the bottom side of the individual outer flange and the PCB. Once all rigid connector configurations are bonded to the PCB, a rigid frame (with or without a rigid plate) can be installed. Fasteners secure the PCB, rigid frame, and rigid plate assembly to an unused area of ​​the PCB. Data Center 400 allows the rigid plate to be associated with the rigid frame from the opposite side of the middle plate or back plate, such as at least... Figure 1D As described in [the text], the positioning of the rigid plate relative to the middle or back plate can be relative to the rigid frame, such as in combination. Figure 1D As described, the data center 400 can enable the rigid plate to include a second reserved structure (e.g., rigid plate fastener reserved structure 164) for receiving fasteners through a first reserved structure of the rigid frame (e.g., rigid frame fastener reserved structure 144).

[0036] Data center 400 can enable the presence of spring-loaded features associated with the external flanges of various rigid connector configurations, such as in combination with Figure 3A and Figure 3B As described. These spring-loaded features allow tolerances to one or more of the following: pressure applied to the rigid connector configuration via the rigid frame; force applied to the rigid connector configuration via the rigid frame; distance between the rigid frame and the middle or backplane (partially based on warpage of the middle or backplane); or electrical contact that needs to be established between the surface contact pads and the connector of the rigid connector configuration or the connector to be associated with the rigid connector configuration. The data center 400 allows the connector of the rigid connector configuration to be coupled to the surface contact pads. External connectors in the data center 400 are inserted into these connectors to allow the external connectors to communicate with the circuitry of the middle or backplane. The data center 400 allows the presence of pins extending from the surface contact pads in the data center. These pins may extend through the rigid connector configuration to allow connection to external connectors via plug-in insertion into the rigid connector configuration.

[0037] Figure 4B The application is illustrated. Figures 1A to 3C and Figures 5 to 7Aspect 400 of an example rack in at least one embodiment is shown. Aspect 400 illustrates a rack 404 that may have at least one circuit board assembly 452. Although shown as open, the rack 404 may be fully enclosed and have a front cover, rear cover, side covers, and a top cover or access panel. Furthermore, although shown as a high-level, flat structure, the circuit board assembly 452 may include at least one PCB 118 and one or more rigid frames 142 (also at least as shown in the figure). Figure 1D (As shown and described). When used as a backplane, the circuit board assembly may include a single rigid frame 142 and may include a rigid plate 162 opposite to the rigid frame 142 (also at least as shown). Figure 1D (Shown and described). Rigid plate 162 may not include connector configuration reservation structure 150 for rigid connector configuration 120. Circuit board assembly 452 may include surface contact pads (such as... Figure 2C (As shown). The surface contact pads can be surrounded by the rigid connector configuration 120 (also as shown). Figure 2C (As shown). The rigid frame may cover the individual external flanges of the rigid connector to maintain the position of the rigid connector configuration 120 relative to the PCB 118 (as per at least). Figure 3C As shown and at least combined Figure 3C (To be discussed).

[0038] Circuit board assembly 452 can be a backplane or a middle plane. Figure 4B In aspect 400, the circuit board assembly 452 is a middle board located in the middle of the rack 404. The middle board can accommodate a vertically oriented server 406 or a daughter card 454, which can be pushed into the middle board's pins 106 via insertion 456 (e.g., as shown). Figure 2C As shown), this forms one or more connectors between the middle board and server 406 or daughter card 454. The use of a rigid frame within the circuit board assembly 452 allows for the withstanding of pressure applied through the rigid frame during insertion 456 or removal associated with server 406 or daughter card 454. This pressure may be due to the force exerted on the rigid connector configuration by insertion 456, which at least partially represents the force applied to the rigid connector configuration through the rigid frame. One or more rigid connector configurations, rigid frames, or rigid plates may help maintain the integrity of the circuit board assembly 452 during multiple insertions and removals 456 performed on server 406 or daughter card 454.

[0039] Figure 5The illustration depicts a process flow or method 500 related to a rigid connector for a PCB according to at least one embodiment. Method 500 may include the step of determining dimensions associated with the boundaries of surface contact pads on the PCB, 502. Method 500 may include the step of fabricating a rigid connector configuration 504 having independent external flanges, partially based on these dimensions. Method 500 may include the step of bonding 506 of the rigid connector configurations to the PCB such that the surface contact pads are respectively surrounded by a plurality of rigid connector configurations. Method 500 may include the step of securing a rigid frame 508 to the external flanges and maintaining the position of the rigid connector configurations relative to the PCB.

[0040] Method 500 may include steps or sub-steps in which the rigid frame includes one or more reserved structures for fasteners at its periphery, and in which multiple rigid connector configurations do not have fasteners for connection to the PCB, or the reserved structures for fasteners are located at locations coinciding with areas on the PCB that do not contain circuitry or signal components. Method 500 may include steps or sub-steps in which the rigid frame is associated with a rigid frame pressure interface that extends throughout the rigid frame and / or rigid plate configuration, such as at least in conjunction with… Figure 1E Detailed Explanation. Rigid frame pressure interfaces are positioned where connection to the PCB interface is permitted. Rigid frame pressure interfaces can be spring-loaded features, such as a combination of a ball and a spring. Rigid frame pressure interfaces can be associated with flange cover portions and pre-reserved structures around the connector configuration.

[0041] Method 500 may include steps or sub-steps for associating a rigid plate from the opposite side of the PCB to the rigid frame. The rigid plate may include a second reserved structure for receiving fasteners through a first reserved structure of the rigid frame. Method 500 may include steps or sub-steps for associating a spring-loaded feature with the outer flange of each rigid connector configuration in the rigid connector configuration. The spring-loaded feature may allow tolerances for one or more of the following: pressure applied to the rigid connector configuration by the rigid frame, force applied to the rigid connector configuration by the rigid frame, distance between the rigid frame and the PCB (partially based on PCB warpage), or electrical contact to be formed between surface contact pads and connectors of the rigid connector configuration or connectors to be associated with the rigid connector configuration.

[0042] Method 500 may include a step or sub-step of coupling a rigid connector configuration to surface contact pads. External connectors may be inserted into these connectors to allow communication between the external connector and PCB circuitry. Method 500 may include a step or sub-step of allowing pins to extend from the surface contact pads and through the rigid connector configuration. This allows connection to an external connector via plug-in insertion into the rigid connector configuration.

[0043] Figure 6A An example data center 600 in which at least one embodiment can be used is illustrated. In at least one embodiment, the data center 600 includes a data center infrastructure layer 610, a framework layer 620, a software layer 630, and an application layer 640. Figure 6A An example data center 600 in which at least one embodiment can be used is illustrated. In at least one embodiment, data center 600 includes a data center infrastructure layer 610, a framework layer 620, a software layer 630, and an application layer 640. Data center 600 may include one or more racks, for example, at least in combination. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The racks described herein. These racks may include one or more server racks. These server racks may contain one or more electronic components for performing at least a portion of the workloads in the data center. The racks and server racks may be represented by a data center infrastructure layer 610. These electronic components may be represented by node computing resources 616(1)-616(N), which may be cooled using cold plates.

[0044] In another example, the data center 600 may include a circuit board assembly having a PCB with surface contact pads. These surface contact pads may be individually surrounded by rigid connectors with separate external flanges. A rigid frame covers the external flanges to hold the multiple rigid connector configurations in position relative to the PCB.

[0045] In at least one embodiment, such as Figure 6A As shown, the data center infrastructure layer 610 may include a resource coordinator 612, packet computing resources 614, and node computing resources (“nodes CR”) 616(1)-616(N), where “N” represents any positive integer. In at least one embodiment, nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) may include, but are not limited to, any number of central processing units (“CPUs”) or other processors (including accelerators, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphics processors, etc.), storage devices (e.g., dynamic read-only memory), storage devices (e.g., solid-state drives or disk drives), network input / output (“NW I / O”) devices, network switches, virtual machines (“VMs”), power modules, and cooling modules, etc. In at least one embodiment, one or more nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) may be servers having one or more of the aforementioned computing resources.

[0046] In at least one embodiment, the grouped computing resource 614 may include individual groups of node CRs located within one or more racks (not shown), or multiple racks housed within data centers (not shown) in different geographical locations. Individual groups of node CRs within the grouped computing resource 614 may include grouped computing, networking, memory, or storage resources that can be configured or allocated to support one or more workloads. In at least one embodiment, multiple node CRs, including CPUs or processors, may be grouped within one or more racks to provide computing resources to support one or more workloads. In at least one embodiment, one or more racks may also contain any number of power modules, cooling modules, and network switches, in any combination.

[0047] In at least one embodiment, resource coordinator 612 may be configured or otherwise control one or more nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) and / or group computing resources 614. In at least one embodiment, resource coordinator 612 may include a software design infrastructure (“SDI”) management entity for data center 600. In at least one embodiment, resource coordinator may include hardware, software, or some combination thereof.

[0048] In at least one embodiment, such as Figure 6AAs shown, framework layer 620 includes job scheduler 622, configuration manager 624, resource manager 626, and distributed file system 628. In at least one embodiment, framework layer 620 may include a framework for supporting software 632 of software layer 630 and / or one or more applications 642 of application layer 640. In at least one embodiment, software 632 or application 642 may respectively include web-based service software or applications, such as services or applications provided by Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. In at least one embodiment, framework layer 620 may be, but is not limited to, a type of free and open-source software web application framework, such as Apache Spark™ (hereinafter “Spark”), which can utilize distributed file system 628 for large-scale data processing (e.g., “big data”). In at least one embodiment, job scheduler 622 may include Spark drivers to facilitate the scheduling of workloads supported by the various layers of data center 600. In at least one embodiment, configuration manager 624 may be able to configure different layers, such as software layer 630 and framework layer 620, including Spark and distributed file system 628 for supporting large-scale data processing. In at least one embodiment, resource manager 626 may be able to manage computing resources mapped to or allocated to clusters or groups supporting distributed file system 628 and job scheduler 622. In at least one embodiment, the computing resources of the clusters or groups may include grouped computing resources 614 of data center infrastructure layer 610. In at least one embodiment, resource manager 626 may coordinate with resource coordinator 612 to manage these mapped or allocated computing resources.

[0049] In at least one embodiment, the software 632 included in the software layer 630 may include software used by at least a portion of the nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) of the framework layer 620, the grouped computing resources 614, and / or the distributed file system 628. One or more types of software may include, but are not limited to, internet web search software, email virus scanning software, database software, and streaming video content software.

[0050] In at least one embodiment, the application 642 included in the application layer 640 may include one or more types of applications that are at least partially used by the nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) of the framework layer 620, the grouped computing resources 614, and / or the distributed file system 628. The one or more types of applications may include, but are not limited to, any number of genomics applications, cognitive computing applications, and machine learning applications, including training or inference software, machine learning framework software (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, Caffe, etc.), or other machine learning applications used in conjunction with one or more embodiments.

[0051] In at least one embodiment, any of the configuration manager 624, resource manager 626, and resource coordinator 612 can implement any number and type of self-modification operations based on any amount and type of data acquired in any technically feasible manner. In at least one embodiment, self-modification operations can help the data center operator of data center 600 avoid making potentially erroneous configuration decisions and may prevent underutilized and / or poorly performing portions of the data center.

[0052] In at least one embodiment, data center 600 may include tools, services, software, or other resources for training one or more machine learning models, or for using one or more machine learning models to predict or infer information according to one or more embodiments described herein. For example, in at least one embodiment, a machine learning model can be trained by calculating weight parameters based on a neural network architecture using the software and computing resources described above for data center 600. In at least one embodiment, the trained machine learning model corresponding to one or more neural networks can be used to infer or predict information using the resources described above for data center 600 by utilizing weight parameters calculated via one or more training techniques described herein.

[0053] In at least one embodiment, the data center may use a CPU, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), GPU, FPGA, DPU, QPU, or PPU, or other hardware, to perform training and / or inference using the aforementioned resources. Furthermore, one or more of the aforementioned software and / or hardware resources may be configured as services to allow users to train or perform information inference, such as image recognition, speech recognition, or other artificial intelligence services.

[0054] Inference and / or training logic 615 is used to perform inference and / or training operations associated with one or more embodiments. In at least one embodiment, inference and / or training logic 615 may be used... Figure 6AIn the system shown, inference or prediction operations are performed based at least in part on weight parameters calculated using the neural network training operations, neural network functions and / or architecture or neural network use cases described herein.

[0055] Figure 6B This is a block diagram schematically illustrating a computing system, which could be a data center or a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster, in which various technologies can be used. Figures 1A to 5 At least one embodiment of the above. According to at least one embodiment, computing system 650 may include multiple subsystems, such as multiple processing devices, multiple network devices, and multiple networks coupled to each other. Computing system 650 is designed with multiple integrated circuits (referred to as processing devices), wherein each integrated circuit may include one or more CPUs and GPUs, thereby forming a powerful and flexible architecture.

[0056] The various processing devices are interconnected via NVLink or other high-speed interconnects to enable high-speed communication between subsystems, and connected via NICs or DPUs to ensure efficient data transmission within computing system 650 and with one or more external networks 6530, 6536. In this example, system 650 includes: packet switch 6548 for connecting NIC / DPU 6528 to network 6530; and packet switch 6550 for connecting NIC / DPU 6532 to network 6536.

[0057] NVLink-coupled processing devices enable seamless data exchange and parallel processing, thereby improving overall computing performance. Processing devices connect to multiple networks via one or more Network Interface Controllers (NICs) or Data Processing Units (DPUs), enabling the system to handle complex multi-network tasks with high bandwidth and low latency. This configuration is ideal for processing-intensive applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data-intensive computing, while ensuring robust connectivity and scalability across various network environments. The integrated circuits of the Computing System 650 may include one or more CPUs and one or more GPUs.

[0058] Figure 6BAn example architecture of a multi-GPU architecture is also shown. As shown in the figure, computing system 650 includes a processing device 6502 employing a multi-GPU architecture. Specifically, processing device 6502 may be a system-on-a-chip and includes multiple subsystems, such as CPU 6506, GPU 6508, and GPU 6510. CPU 6506 can be coupled to GPU 6508 via die-to-die (D2D) or chip-to-chip (C2C) interconnects 6512 (e.g., ground reference signaling interconnects (GRS interconnects)). CPU 6506 can be coupled to GPU 6510 via D2D or C2C interconnects 6514. CPU 6506 can also be coupled to GPU 6508 and GPU 6510 via PCIe interconnects.

[0059] The CPU 6506 can be coupled to one or more NICs or DPUs, which in turn can be coupled to one or more networks. For example, Figure 6B As shown, CPU 6506 is coupled to a first NIC / DPU 6526, which is coupled to network 6530. CPU 6506 is also coupled to a second NIC / DPU 6528, which is coupled to network 6530 via switch 6548. NIC / DPU 6526 and NIC / DPU 6528 can be coupled to network 6530 via Ethernet (ETH), NVLINK, or InfiniBand (IB) connections.

[0060] The computing system 650 also includes a processing device 6504 with a multi-GPU architecture. Specifically, the processing device 6504 includes multiple subsystems, including a CPU 6516, a GPU 6518, and a GPU 6520. The CPU 6516 is coupled to the GPU 6518 via a D2D or C2C interconnect 6522. The CPU 6516 is coupled to the GPU 6520 via a D2D or C2C interconnect 6524. The CPU 6516 can also be coupled to the GPUs 6518 and 6520 via a PCIe interconnect. The CPU 6516 can be coupled to one or more NICs or DPUs, which in turn are coupled to one or more networks. For example, as... Figure 6B As shown, CPU 6516 is coupled to a first NIC / DPU 6532, which in turn is coupled to network 6536. CPU 6516 is also coupled to a second NIC / DPU 6534, which is coupled to network 6536 via switch 6550. NIC / DPU 6532 and NIC / DPU 6534 can be coupled to network 6536 via Ethernet (ETH), NVLINK, or InfiniBand (IB) connections.

[0061] In at least one embodiment, processing device 6502 and processing device 6504 can communicate with each other via NIC / DPU 6538, for example via PCIe interconnect. Processing device 6502 and processing device 6504 can also communicate with each other via high-bandwidth communication interconnect 6540, for example via NVLink interconnect or other high-speed interconnect. Figure 6B The packet switch in the diagram could be, for example, an Nvidia Quantum-2 switch. The NIC / DPU in the diagram could be, for example, an Nvidia Bluefield DPU.

[0062] In various embodiments, any network device of computing system 650, such as any of NIC / DPU 6526, 6528, 6532, 6534 and 6538, and / or any of switches 6548 and 6550, may include a suitably shaped leakage sensor that can be matched to the geometry around components and features in computing system 650 and can be communicatively coupled to each other to extend leakage detection capabilities.

[0063] Figure 6C The illustration shows a computer system 690 according to at least one example, in which a computer system 690 can be used. Figures 1A to 5 At least one embodiment of the present disclosure. In at least one embodiment, the computer system 690 is configured to implement the various processes and methods described herein.

[0064] In at least one embodiment, the computer system 690 includes, but is not limited to, at least one central processing unit (“CPU”) 6902 connected to a communication bus 6910, which is implemented using any suitable protocol, such as PCI (“Peripheral Component Interconnect”), Peripheral Component Interconnect High Speed ​​(“PCI-Express”), AGP (“Accelerated Graphics Port”), HT bus (HyperTransport), or any other bus or point-to-point communication protocol. In at least one embodiment, the computer system 690 includes, but is not limited to, main memory 6904. Control logic (e.g., implemented as hardware, software, or a combination thereof) and data are stored in main memory 6904, which may be in the form of random access memory (“RAM”). In at least one embodiment, a network interface subsystem (“network interface”) 6922 provides an interface with other computing devices and networks to receive data from and send data from the computer system 690 to other systems.

[0065] In at least one embodiment, the computer system 690 includes, but is not limited to, an input device 6908, a parallel processing system 6912, and a display device 6906, which may employ conventional cathode ray tube (“CRT”), liquid crystal display (“LCD”), light-emitting diode (“LED”), plasma display, or other suitable display technologies. In at least one embodiment, user input is received from the input device 6908, such as a keyboard, mouse, touchpad, microphone, etc. In at least one embodiment, each of the above modules may reside on a single semiconductor platform, thereby forming a processing system.

[0066] In at least one embodiment, a computer program in the form of machine-readable executable code or computer control logic algorithms is stored in main memory 6904 and / or secondary storage devices. If executed by one or more processors, the computer program will enable system 690 to perform various functions according to at least one embodiment. Memory 6904, storage devices, and / or any other storage devices are possible examples of computer-readable media. In at least one embodiment, secondary storage devices can refer to any suitable storage device or system, such as hard disk drives and / or removable storage drives, representing floppy disk drives, magnetic tape drives, optical disk drives, digital versatile optical disc (“DVD”) drives, recording devices, Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) flash memory, etc. In at least one embodiment, the architecture and / or functionality in the various previous figures are implemented within the context of CPU 6902; parallel processing system 6912; integrated circuits capable of implementing at least a portion of the functions of both CPU 6902 and parallel processing system 6912; chipsets (e.g., a set of integrated circuits designed to operate and be sold as a unit for performing related functions); and any suitable combination of integrated circuits.

[0067] In at least one embodiment, the architecture and / or functionality of the preceding figures are implemented within the context of general-purpose computer systems, circuit board systems, game console systems for entertainment purposes, dedicated systems, etc. In at least one embodiment, computer system 690 may take the form of a desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, server, supercomputer, smartphone (e.g., wireless handheld device), personal digital assistant (“PDA”), digital camera, vehicle, head-mounted display, handheld electronic device, mobile phone, television, workstation, game console, embedded system, and / or any other type of logic.

[0068] In at least one embodiment, the parallel processing system 6912 includes, but is not limited to, multiple parallel processing units (“PPUs”) 6914 and associated memory 6916. In at least one embodiment, the PPUs 6914 are connected to a host processor or other peripheral devices via interconnects 6918 and switches 6920 or multiplexers. In at least one embodiment, the parallel processing system 6912 distributes computational tasks to parallelizable PPUs 6914—for example, as part of a thread block that distributes computational tasks to multiple graphics processing units (“GPUs”). In at least one embodiment, memory may be shared and accessed (e.g., for read and / or write access) among some or all of the PPUs 6914, although such shared memory may result in a performance penalty compared to using local memory and registers residing in the PPUs 6914. In at least one embodiment, the operation of the PPUs 6914 is synchronized using commands such as syncthreads(), where all threads in a block (e.g., threads executing across multiple PPUs 6914) arrive at a specific point of execution in the code before continuing execution.

[0069] Figure 7An example network configuration 700 is shown that can be used to implement aspects of various embodiments, such as for providing, generating, modifying, encoding, processing, fusing, and / or transmitting generated image data, calculated measurements, or other such content. In at least one embodiment, a client device 702 can use components of a content application 704 on the client device 702, along with data locally stored on that client device, to generate or receive session data. In at least one embodiment, a content application 724 running on a computer or processor 720 (e.g., a cloud server or control system) can initiate a session associated with at least one client device 702 (e.g., a vehicle or robot), which can use a session manager and user data stored in a user database 736, and can allow content such as liquid coolant or server thermal data to be selected and / or retrieved from the repository 734 for use by a test module 732 to calculate one or more performance metrics for a monitoring module 728, which can provide flow or thermal data to a control module 730 to control flow or temperature in an environment where the data is to be used to determine appropriate operation. Content manager 726 can work with these different modules to perform tests and analyses, and may instruct any actions to be taken against performance metrics that fail to meet operational requirements. At least a portion of the data or instruction content can be transmitted to client device 702 and / or physical device 770 using appropriate transmission manager 722 for transmission via download, streaming, or another transmission channel. An encoder can be used to encode and / or compress at least a portion of the data before transmission to client device 702. In at least one embodiment, client device 702 receiving such content can provide this content to a corresponding content application 704, which may also or alternatively include a graphical user interface 710, a traffic monitoring module 712, and a control module 714 for providing, compositing, rendering, synthesizing, modifying, or using the content on or through client device 702 for presentation, navigation, control (or other purposes), for example, transmission to physical device 770. In some embodiments, computer / processor 720 and client device 702 may be able to communicate directly without transmitting data over network 740 to avoid problems such as latency and availability. The decoder can also be used to decode data received via network 740 for presentation via client device 702, such as imaging content or performance metrics via display device 706, and presenting audio (e.g., corresponding sound or synthesized speech) via at least one audio playback device 708 (e.g., speaker or headphones).In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of this content may already be stored on, presented on, or accessible to client device 702, such that at least that portion of the content does not need to be transmitted over network 740. For example, the content (e.g., hot data) may have been previously downloaded or locally stored on a hard drive or optical disc. In at least one embodiment, the content may be transmitted from computer / processor 720 or user database 736 to client device 702 using a transmission mechanism such as data streaming. In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of the content may be obtained, enhanced, and / or streamed from another source (such as third-party service 760 or other client device 750), which may also include a content application for generating, updating, enhancing, or providing map content. In at least one embodiment, a portion of this functionality may be executed using multiple computing devices or multiple processors within one or more computing devices, such as a combination of CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit).

[0070] In at least one embodiment, the cold plate herein may include adjustable fins that form microchannels through which fluid flows. In at least one embodiment, the fins in the cold plate are capable of transferring heat from at least one associated computing device to fluid flowing through the microchannels formed between multiple fins. In at least one embodiment, the fins of the cold plate may be dynamically adjusted in real time to transfer more heat from at least one computing device to the fluid flowing through the finned cold plate. In at least one embodiment, such fins may be regulated by a processor or processorless system in part based on a determined (e.g., sensed) cold plate temperature. In at least one embodiment, the temperature may be associated with at least one computing device, the workload of at least one computing device, or the fluid at different time periods and at the inlet and outlet of the cold plate. In at least one embodiment, the processorless system may rely on the thermal properties of at least two materials used to form the fins of the cold plate such that these fins react without a processor, thereby exposing more surface area to the fluid. In at least one embodiment, these fins may include overlapping portions that may be exposed by the action of a control mechanism or by the properties of the at least two materials associated together to constitute the fins.

[0071] In at least some of these examples, the client devices can include any suitable computing device, such as desktop computers, laptops, set-top boxes, streaming media devices, game consoles, smartphones, tablets, VR headsets, AR glasses, wearable computers, or smart TVs. Each client device can submit requests via at least one wired or wireless network, such as the Internet, Ethernet, a local area network (LAN), or a cellular network, and other such options. In this example, these requests can be submitted to an address associated with a cloud provider, which can operate or control one or more electronic resources in the cloud provider environment, such as a cluster of data center servers. In at least one embodiment, the requests can be received or processed by at least one edge server located at the network edge and outside at least one security layer associated with the cloud provider environment. This reduces latency and improves the security of resources in the cloud provider environment by allowing client devices to interact with a closer server.

[0072] Other variations are within the spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, while the disclosed technology is readily adaptable to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain embodiments thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and have been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to one or more specific forms disclosed, but rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0073] Unless otherwise stated or obviously contradicted by the context, the terms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and similar pronouns, used in the context of describing the disclosed embodiments (particularly in the context of the appended claims), should be interpreted as encompassing both singular and plural forms, rather than as definitions of the terms. Unless otherwise stated, the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” should be interpreted as open-ended terms (meaning “including, but not limited to”). The term “connection” (wherein it is not modified, it refers to a physical connection) should be interpreted as partially or wholly included, attached to, or connected together, even with some intervening elements. Unless otherwise indicated herein, references to numerical ranges herein are intended only as a way of abbreviating each individual value falling within that range, and each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were separately described herein. In at least one embodiment, unless otherwise indicated or contradicted by the context, the use of the terms “set” (e.g., “item set”) or “subset” should be interpreted as a non-empty set comprising one or more members. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated or contradicted by the context, the term “subset” of the corresponding set does not necessarily mean an appropriate subset of the corresponding set, but rather that the subset and the corresponding set can be equal.

[0074] Unless otherwise explicitly stated or clearly contradicted by the context, connective phrases such as “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, and C” are understood in the context to generally refer to items, terms, etc., which can be A or B or C, or any non-empty subset of the set A, B, and C. For example, in an illustrative example of a set with three members, the connective phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” and “at least one of A, B, and C” refer to any of the following sets: {A}, {B}, {C}, {A, B}, {A, C}, {B, C}, {A, B, C}. Therefore, such connective language is generally not intended to imply that some embodiments require the presence of each of at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C. Additionally, unless otherwise stated or contradicted by the context, the term “multiple” indicates a plural state (e.g., “multiple items” indicates multiple items). In at least one embodiment, the number of items in the multiple items is at least two, but may be more if explicitly indicated or indicated by the context. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated or clearly understood from the context, the phrase “based on” means “at least partially based on” or not “based on only”.

[0075] Unless otherwise stated herein or clearly contradicted by the context, the operations of the processes described herein can be performed in any suitable order and can be automated. In at least one embodiment, processes such as those described herein (or variations thereof and / or combinations thereof) are executed under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions and are implemented as code (e.g., executable instructions, one or more computer programs, or one or more application programs) executed jointly by hardware or a combination thereof on one or more processors. In at least one embodiment, the code is stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for example, in the form of a computer program comprising a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors.

[0076] In at least one embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that excludes transient signals (e.g., propagating transient electrical or electromagnetic transmissions), but includes non-transitory data storage circuitry (e.g., buffers, caches, and queues) within a transceiver that includes transient signals. In at least one embodiment, code (e.g., executable code or source code) is stored on a group of one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media (or other memory for storing executable instructions) on which executable instructions are stored, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system (i.e., as a result of execution), cause the computer system to perform the operations described herein. In at least one embodiment, the group of non-transitory computer-readable storage media includes multiple non-transitory computer-readable storage media, and one or more of the various non-transitory storage media in the multiple non-transitory computer-readable storage media lack all the code, but the multiple non-transitory computer-readable storage media collectively store the entire code. In at least one embodiment, executable instructions are executed such that different instructions are executed by different processors, for example, instructions are stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and the main central processing unit (“CPU”) executes some instructions while the graphics processing unit (“GPU”) executes others. In at least one embodiment, different components of the computer system have separate processors, and different processors execute different subsets of instructions.

[0077] In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit is a set of combinational logic circuit systems that accept one or more inputs to produce a result. In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit is used by a processor to implement mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, or multiplication. In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit is used to implement logical operations, such as logical AND / OR or XOR operations. In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit is stateless and consists of physical switching elements (e.g., semiconductor transistors) arranged as logic gates. In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit may operate internally as a stateful logic circuit with an associated clock. In at least one embodiment, the arithmetic logic unit may be constructed as an asynchronous logic circuit whose internal state is not stored in an associated set of registers. In at least one embodiment, the processor uses the arithmetic logic unit to combine operands stored in one or more registers of the processor and generate an output, which may be stored by the processor in another register or memory location.

[0078] In at least one embodiment, after processing retrieved instructions, the processor provides one or more inputs or operands to the arithmetic logic unit (ALU), causing the ALU to produce a result based at least in part on instruction codes provided to the ALU. In at least one embodiment, the instruction codes provided by the processor to the ALU are based at least in part on instructions executed by the processor. In at least one embodiment, combinational logic in the ALU processes the inputs and produces an output, which is placed on a bus within the processor. In at least one embodiment, the processor selects a destination register, memory location, output device, or output storage location on the output bus to control the processor via a clock signal, causing the result produced by the ALU to be sent to the desired location.

[0079] Therefore, in at least one embodiment, the computer system is configured to implement one or more services that perform the processes described herein individually or collectively, and such a computer system is configured with suitable hardware and / or software to enable the performance of the operations. Furthermore, the computer system implementing at least one embodiment of this disclosure is a single device, and in another embodiment it is a distributed computer system comprising multiple devices operating differently, such that the distributed computer system performs the operations described herein, and that no single device performs all operations.

[0080] The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein is intended only to better illustrate embodiments of this disclosure and does not impose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise required. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating that any unclaimed element is essential to the practice of the disclosure.

[0081] In the specification and claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected”, as well as their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms may not be intended to be synonyms with each other. Rather, in certain examples, “connected” or “coupled” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct or indirect physical or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0082] Unless otherwise expressly stated, it will be understood that throughout this specification, terms such as “processing,” “calculation,” “operation,” “determine,” etc., refer to the actions and / or processes of a computer or computing system or similar electronic computing device that manipulate and / or convert data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic quantities) in the registers and / or memory of the computing system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities in the memory, registers, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices of the computing system.

[0083] Similarly, the term "processor" can refer to any device or part of a device that processes electronic data from registers and / or memory and converts that electronic data into other electronic data that can be stored in registers and / or memory. As a non-limiting example, a "processor" can be a CPU or a GPU. A "computing platform" can include one or more processors. As used herein, a "software" process can include, for example, software and / or hardware entities that perform work over time, such as tasks, threads, and intelligent agents. Likewise, each process can refer to multiple processes that execute instructions sequentially or in parallel, continuously or intermittently. In at least one embodiment, the terms "system" and "method" are used interchangeably herein, provided that a system can embody one or more methods, and a method can be considered a system.

[0084] In this document, reference may be made to acquiring, collecting, receiving analog or digital data, or inputting analog or digital data into a subsystem, computer system, or computer-implemented machine. In at least one embodiment, the process of acquiring, collecting, receiving, or inputting analog and digital data can be accomplished in various ways, such as by receiving data as a parameter to a function call or a call to an application programming interface. In at least one embodiment, the process of acquiring, collecting, receiving, or inputting analog or digital data can be accomplished by transmitting data via a serial or parallel interface. In at least one embodiment, the process of acquiring, collecting, receiving, or inputting analog or digital data can be accomplished by transmitting data from a providing entity to an acquiring entity via a computer network. Reference may also be made to providing, outputting, transmitting, sending, or presenting analog or digital data. In at least one embodiment, the process of providing, outputting, transmitting, sending, or presenting analog or digital data can be implemented by transmitting data as an input or output parameter to a function call, an application programming interface, or an inter-process communication mechanism.

[0085] While the description herein illustrates example implementations of the described technologies, other architectures may be used to implement the described functionality and are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although specific assignments of responsibilities have been defined above for descriptive purposes, various functions and responsibilities may be assigned and divided in different ways depending on the circumstances.

[0086] Furthermore, although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological actions, it should be understood that the subject matter claimed in the appended claims is not limited to the specific features or actions described, but rather discloses specific features and actions as exemplary forms for implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A circuit board assembly including a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of surface contact pads, wherein the plurality of surface contact pads are each surrounded by a plurality of rigid connector configurations having individual external flanges, and wherein a rigid frame covers the individual external flanges to maintain the position of the plurality of rigid connector configurations relative to the PCB.

2. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, wherein, The rigid frame includes a reserved structure for fasteners located around the periphery of the rigid frame, and wherein the plurality of rigid connector configurations lack fasteners for connection to the PCB.

3. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, wherein, The rigid frame includes a reserved structure for fasteners located at a position that coincides with an area of ​​the PCB that does not contain circuit or signal components.

4. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of rigid connector configurations include an adhesive between the underside of the external flange of the individual connector and the PCB.

5. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, further comprising: A rigid plate associated with the rigid frame from the opposite side of the PCB relative to the rigid frame, wherein the rigid plate includes a second reserved structure for receiving fasteners through a first reserved structure of the rigid frame.

6. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, further comprising: A spring-loaded feature associated with the individual outer flange of each of the plurality of rigid connector configurations, wherein the spring-loaded feature allows tolerance to one or more of the following: pressure applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; force applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; distance between the rigid frame and the PCB, the distance being partially based on the warpage of the PCB; or electrical contact formed between the plurality of surface contact pads and the connectors of the plurality of rigid connector configurations or the connectors to be associated with the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

7. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, further comprising: The connectors, configured as a plurality of rigid connectors, are used for coupling to the plurality of surface contact pads, wherein an external connector is inserted into the connector to allow communication from the external connector to the circuitry of the PCB.

8. The circuit board assembly of claim 1, further comprising: Pins extending from the plurality of surface contact pads extend through the plurality of rigid connector configurations to allow connection to external connectors via plug-in insertion into the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

9. A system comprising: The middle or back plate has multiple surface contact pads for receiving multiple external connectors from components of the signaling circuitry. Multiple rigid connector configurations, each having an individual external flange, wherein the multiple surface contact pads are respectively surrounded by the multiple rigid connector configurations; as well as A rigid frame that covers the external flanges of the individual components to maintain the position of the plurality of rigid connector configurations in contact with the middle plate or the back plate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein, The rigid frame includes one or more of the following: A first reserved structure for a first fastener located around the periphery of the rigid frame, wherein the plurality of rigid connector configurations lack fasteners connected to the middle plate or the back plate; or A second reserved structure for a second fastener located at a position that overlaps with an area of ​​the middle plate or the back plate that has no circuit or signal components.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein, The plurality of rigid connector configurations include an adhesive between the underside of the external flange of the individual connector and the middle plate or the back plate.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising: A rigid plate associated with the rigid frame from the opposite side of the middle plate or the back plate relative to the rigid frame, wherein the rigid plate includes a second reserved structure for receiving fasteners through a first reserved structure of the rigid frame.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising: A spring-loaded feature associated with the individual external flange of each of the plurality of rigid connector configurations, wherein the spring-loaded feature allows tolerance to one or more of the following: pressure applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; force applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; distance between the rigid frame and the middle plate or the back plate, the distance being partially based on the warpage of the middle plate or the back plate; or electrical contact formed between the plurality of surface contact pads and the connectors of the plurality of rigid connector configurations or the connectors to be associated with the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising: The connectors, configured as a plurality of rigid connectors, are used for coupling to the plurality of surface contact pads, wherein an external connector is inserted into the connector to allow communication of circuitry from the external connector to the middle plate or the back plate.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising: Pins extending from the plurality of surface contact pads extend through the plurality of rigid connector configurations to allow connection to external connectors via plug-in insertion into the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

16. A method for connection on a circuit board assembly, the method comprising: Determine the dimensions associated with the boundaries of multiple surface contact pads on a printed circuit board (PCB); Multiple rigid connector configurations are fabricated in part based on the dimensions, each of the multiple rigid connector configurations having an individual external flange; The plurality of rigid connector configurations are adhered to the PCB such that the plurality of surface contact pads are respectively surrounded by the plurality of rigid connector configurations; as well as The rigid frame is fastened to cover the external flange of the individual connectors and to maintain the position of the plurality of rigid connector configurations relative to the PCB.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The rigid frame includes one or more of the following: Reserved structures for fasteners are located around the periphery of the rigid frame, and wherein the plurality of rigid connector configurations lack fasteners for connection to the PCB; or A reserved structure for fasteners located at a position that overlaps with an area of ​​the PCB that does not contain circuit or signal components.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: On the opposite side of the PCB relative to the rigid frame, a rigid plate is associated with the rigid frame, wherein the rigid plate includes a first reserved structure for receiving fasteners through the rigid frame and a second reserved structure.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: The spring-loaded feature is associated with the individual external flange of each of the plurality of rigid connector configurations, wherein the spring-loaded feature allows tolerance to one or more of the following: pressure applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; force applied to the plurality of rigid connector configurations by the rigid frame; distance between the rigid frame and the PCB, which is based in part on the warpage of the PCB; or electrical contact formed between the plurality of surface contact pads and the connectors of the plurality of rigid connector configurations or the connectors to be associated with the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising one or more of the following: The connectors of the plurality of rigid connector configurations are coupled to the plurality of surface contact pads, wherein an external connector is inserted into the connector to allow communication from the external connector to the circuitry of the PCB; or Pins are allowed to extend from the plurality of surface contact pads and through the plurality of rigid connector configurations to allow connection to external connectors via plug-in insertion into the plurality of rigid connector configurations.

21. A data center, comprising: A middle plate or back plate having multiple surface contact pads for receiving multiple external connectors from components of the data center; Multiple rigid connector configurations, each having an individual external flange, wherein the multiple surface contact pads are respectively surrounded by the multiple rigid connector configurations; as well as A rigid frame that covers the external flanges of the individual components to maintain the position of the plurality of rigid connector configurations in contact with the middle plate or the back plate.

22. The data center of claim 21, wherein, The rigid frame includes a rigid frame pressure interface to allow the force or pressure generated by removal or insertion associated with the external connector to be evenly distributed about the middle plate or the back plate.

23. The data center of claim 21, wherein, The middle plate or back plate is used to accommodate the daughter card or server containing the external connector.

24. The data center of claim 21, wherein, The plurality of surface contact pads include power or high-speed communication contact pads.

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