Spring loaded leadframe connector

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to spring-loaded leadframe connectors. The systems and methods disclosed herein are for connectors having a lead segment and a barrel segment. The barrel segment can be formed from the lead segment and can include a needle and a spring. The needle can be extended from or retracted into the barrel segment based in part on engagement with the spring. The needle can contact a surface contact pad on a circuit board, thereby passing signals from the circuit board through the connector.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications This application relates to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 791,249, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 774,580, and U.S. Patent Application 19 / 378,732. The entire contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference and form part of this specification for all purposes. Technical Field

[0002] This article relates in at least one aspect to circuit board connectors in general, and more specifically to spring-loaded connections within circuit board connectors. Background Technology

[0003] Leadframe connectors serve as bridges for signals and other connections, and can be used between circuit boards, for example, between a daughterboard or card and a backplane or middleboard in a rack in a data center. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Various embodiments according to this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0005] Figure 1A Different lead frame connectors having lead segments and barrel segments according to at least one embodiment are shown.

[0006] Figure 1B A cross-sectional view of a lead frame connector having a lead segment and a barrel segment according to at least one embodiment is shown.

[0007] Figure 1C Process details of a cylindrical section having a needle and a spring, according to at least one embodiment, are shown.

[0008] Figure 1D It is a perspective view of an angled feature according to at least one embodiment for forming a 90-degree angle between the cylindrical segments of the connector, which are part of the lead frame connector.

[0009] Figure 1E It is a side view of an angled feature according to at least one embodiment for forming a 90-degree angle between the cylindrical segments of the connector, which are part of the lead frame connector.

[0010] Figure 1F This is a partial view of a connector having retracted pins in a connector body section according to at least one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 1G The illustration shows a partial cross-sectional view of a connector having a retractable pin and a compression spring in a connector body section according to at least one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2A A connection is shown between two circuit boards and used for differential signaling via a lead frame connector, according to at least one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2B A connector between a daughter card and a backplane or middle plate according to at least one embodiment is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 A process or method for a connector having a lead segment and a barrel segment according to at least one embodiment is shown.

[0015] Figure 4 The application is shown in Figures 1-3 and Figure 5-7 An example data center for at least one embodiment of power connection.

[0016] Figure 5 The application is shown in Figures 1-4 and Figure 6A-7 Various aspects of an example rack in at least one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6A An example data center system according to at least one embodiment is shown.

[0018] Figure 6B This is a schematic diagram illustrating a computing system (which may be a data center or a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster) in which at least one embodiment described herein can be used.

[0019] Figure 6C A computer system according to at least one example is shown, in which at least one embodiment described herein can be used.

[0020] Figure 7 An example network configuration is shown that can be used to implement various aspects of the embodiments, such as providing, generating, modifying, encoding, processing, fusing and / or transmitting generated image data, calculated measurements or other such content. Detailed Implementation

[0021] 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.

[0022] A leadframe connector can be a bridging connector used between circuit boards (also referred to herein as printed circuit boards (PCBs)). A PCB can be a daughter card of a rack in a data center, as well as a backplane or middleboard. A leadframe connector can include an array of connectors. Each connector can include a lead segment and a shell segment. The shell segment can be formed from portions of the lead segment. The shell segment can include a pin and a spring. The pin extends from or retracts into the shell segment at least partially based on engagement with the spring. Each connector having such a pin and spring can be a single spring pin feature of a leadframe connector. A spring pin is a pin configured or adapted to extend from or retract into the shell segment, which maintains its power and signal communication functions. The pin can contact a surface contact pad on the circuit board to transmit signals from the circuit board to the connector. As used herein, a surface contact pad can be a conductive area on the PCB or a lead of a component of the PCB designed for electrical connection to other components inside or outside the PCB. Leadframe connectors may include multiple connectors configured in parallel, which may be arranged in a connector array or in other similar forms.

[0023] Parallel-configured connectors may include at least two connectors providing differential signals. Each of the paired connectors may be located within an envelope or other structure to support connection to a pair of surface contact pads. The connector may include a stamped lead frame segment forming a lead segment. The width of the connector end may be adjusted or preset as needed, such that the end is formed as a cylinder or tubular body, referred to herein as the connector's tubular segment. A pin may be inserted through the tubular segment and engage with a spring that is also inserted into the tubular body. A portion of the top of the tubular segment may fold over to cover the opening of the tubular body to prevent the spring from ejecting the tubular body from the top. The pin may be compressed from the bottom, and the bottom of the tubular body may be rolled inward to prevent the pin from being ejected after being compressed by the spring. This forms the connector's tubular segment. This connector can be used with other similar connectors for surface contact pads on a backplane or middle plate.

[0024] This article explores the issue that copper-based signal and power interconnects (connectors) may contain pins, which are flexible interfaces used for anchoring to a PCB. Anchoring can be achieved through plated through-holes or press-fit pins that mate with surface contact pads. Regardless of the method, these solutions involve significant insertion or pressing forces. Furthermore, press-fit pins may require clamps to apply a constant force to the connector to ensure the pin remains in contact with the PCB surface with surface contact pads. Receptacles can be inserted between connectors to provide a spring-loaded interface, but this may require an additional interface between the connector and the PCB.

[0025] The solution proposed in this paper employs a leadframe connector that integrates spring-loaded pins directly as part of the internal structure of the leadframe connector—the lead segment and the cylindrical segment formed by the lead segment. This prevents damage to the middle plate pins and reduces the risk of costly rework or replacement of any aspect of the leadframe connector in the field. Furthermore, this solution, using a leadframe connector, enables the connection of two boards with a single connector in a right-angle topology. One possible example is the use of a two-piece male-female connector without additional interface components. The leadframe connector described herein may also support through-connectors.

[0026] In the context of differential signaling, this refers to the use of complementary signals to communicate or transmit information over two separate conductors. In this embodiment, a leadframe connector can represent these separate conductors. At the receiving end, the difference between the complementary signals can be used to recover the information associated with the communication or transmission. The leadframe connector described herein is used for differential signal transmission over circuit board traces via a connection between pins and surface contact pads of the traces. Leadframe connectors can be used with differential pair conductors in cables. For example, leadframe connectors can be used between cables and circuit boards or between computing components, where the cable is used between two leadframe connectors.

[0027] In some examples, one or more pins in this document may be of different lengths, allowing ground to be connected before the pins make contact for signal transmission. For example, the lengths of these pins may differ relative to at least one pin or ground reference. The lengths of these pins relative to the ground reference may differ by 1 millimeter (mil) and 1.5 millimeters (mil) compared to the pins used for signals. These pins allow a presence signal to be provided before the differential signal uses the remaining pins. One or more pins used for the presence signal may make contact before or after all the remaining pins make contact, or they may make contact before all the remaining pins make contact.

[0028] In one example, complementary signals can include information transmitted with opposite polarities on individual conductors of a leadframe connector. When one individual conductor uses a positive voltage swing, the other conductor can use a negative voltage swing of the same amplitude. This amplitude can be referenced to the common-mode voltage. Differential signal transmission via leadframe connectors offers the advantage of significantly improved noise immunity, including immunity to electromagnetic interference and crosstalk. Noise can affect individual conductors within a single conductor. Since information exists only in the differences between signals, the impact of common-mode noise on the signal is negligible. Differential signal transmission, used in conjunction with leadframe connectors, provides signal integrity and noise immunity for protocols such as High Speed ​​(HS) communication, USB (Universal Serial Bus®), HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface®), Ethernet®, PCI Express® (PCIe), SATA (Serial ATA), NVlink®, InfiniBand® (IB), and LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling).

[0029] The systems and methods described herein can be used for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to machine control, synthetic data generation, model training or updating, perception, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, robotics, security and supervision, simulation and digital twins, autonomous or semi-autonomous machine applications, deep learning, environmental simulation, object or character simulation and / or digital twins, data center processing, conversational artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI based on large language models (LLM), optical transport simulation (e.g., ray tracing, path tracing, etc.), collaborative content creation for 3D assets, cloud computing and / or any other suitable application.

[0030] The examples disclosed herein can be included in a variety of different systems, such as: systems for performing deep learning operations, systems for performing simulation operations, systems for performing digital twin operations, systems implemented using edge devices, systems containing one or more virtual machines (VMs), systems for performing synthetic data generation operations, systems implemented at least partially in a data center, systems for performing conversational AI operations, systems for performing generative AI operations using LLM, systems for performing optical transport simulations, systems for performing collaborative content creation for 3D assets, systems implemented at least partially using cloud computing resources, and / or other types of systems.

[0031] In one example, a computing device benefiting from the leadframe connector described herein may include different types of processors. These processors may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a data processing unit (DPU), a quantum processing unit (QPU), a parallel processing unit (PPU), and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A QPU may be configured to perform one or more operations associated with a quantum algorithm. In some examples, each of one or more QPUs may include a qubit. One or more QPUs may communicate with each other via a quantum channel. In some examples, each qubit may include local qubits, global qubits, and / or synchronization qubits. In some examples, the local qubits of each QPU may be configured to perform one or more operations associated with a quantum algorithm on that QPU associated with the local qubits.

[0032] Figure 1A The illustration shows different lead frame connectors 100A having lead segments and shell segments according to at least one embodiment. In one example, each lead frame connector 102A, 102B may include a series of connectors 104. Each connector 104 may include a lead segment 106 and a shell segment 108. The shell segment 108 may be formed from a portion of the lead segment 106 (e.g., as combined with...). Figure 1C (As shown and described). The cylindrical section 108 may include a needle and a spring, for example, as combined Figure 1B , Figure 1C As shown and described.

[0033] Figure 1A The diagram also illustrates that the cylindrical section 108 may include a cylindrical body formed of a lead segment 106. For example, the lead segment 106 may be a portion of a strip of material having a wider portion at its ends. This material has a thickness of 0.05 mm along its longest length, sufficient to reach the opposite ends of the lead frame connectors 102A, 102B at their longest length. The material may be wide 122 at both ends of its longest length and narrow 124 relative to the width 122 at its center of its longest length. The material may include one or more of a copper alloy or a nickel plating layer. The pin may be formed of one or more of a copper alloy or a gold plating layer. The spring may be formed of stainless steel. All of these materials are conductive. The cylindrical section 108 allows electrical connections from the pins through the cylindrical section, thereby transmitting signals or power from the circuit board through the connector.

[0034] Figure 1AThe diagram also illustrates that each lead segment 108 may include an angled feature 118. As shown, the angled feature may include one or more angles. As shown, the angled feature 118 may allow a 90-degree angle 120 separation between the shell segment 108 of the same connector 104 and the shell segment of another connector. One or more angles may be provided to allow multiple lead segments to pass appropriately within the available space of the lead frame connectors 102A, 102B.

[0035] Figure 1B The illustration shows a cross-sectional view 100B of a lead frame connector according to at least one embodiment, the lead frame connector having a lead segment and a shell segment. As shown... Figure 1A The above and Figure 1C The wider portion shown can be folded into the cylinder. Furthermore, the material strip with the wider portion can include sections located at the top and bottom of the cylinder. The section located at the top of the cylinder can be folded 116A at the cylinder opening to prevent the spring 112 from leaving the cylinder from the top. Needle 110 (as shown) Figure 1B (As shown) can be compressed from the bottom of the cylinder. The portion located at the bottom of the cylinder can be folded inward or rolled up 116B to also prevent the pin from popping out after being pressed down. This forms the cylinder section 108 of connector 104. Connector 104 and other similar connectors can be used against surface contact pads of the backplate or middle plate, as detailed further. Figure 1B-7 .

[0036] Figure 1C The illustration depicts process details 100C of a cylindrical segment having a needle and a spring according to at least one embodiment. As shown, the first step may include forming a cylindrical segment 130 108 using a material that is narrow at the center 124 and wide at both ends 122. The material of width 122 may be suitable or predetermined so as to allow the ends to be formed into a cylindrical shape as part of the forming step 130. Process detail 100C illustrates the step of adding the spring 132 and the needle. The needle 110 and the spring 112 may be inserted through the top or bottom of the cylindrical segment such that the head 110A of the needle 110 engages 128 with the spring 112. The spring may have a compression 126 capability to allow insertion into the cylindrical segment.

[0037] After the spring 112 is inserted, the top portion 142A of the cylinder can be folded 116A at the opening of the cylinder to prevent the spring 112 from leaving the cylinder from the top. The pin 110 can be separately disposed from the bottom of the cylinder and can be configured to compress the spring from the bottom. The bottom portion 142B of the cylinder can be rolled inward 116B to also prevent the spring 112 from being ejected when the pin 110 is pressed down. This completes 134, or provides the cylinder section 108 of the connector 104. The connector 104 and other similar connectors can be used to abut against surface contact pads in the backplate or middle plate; see details below. Figure 1D-7 One or more figures. In some examples, when the cylindrical section 106 is formed separately from the lead section 106, the formed cylindrical section 108 can be soldered to the lead section 106 via solder point 124A.

[0038] Figure 1D It is a perspective view 100D of an angled feature according to at least one embodiment for allowing a 90-degree angle separation between the cylindrical segments of a connector, which is a lead frame connector portion. Figure 1D The illustration shows connectors 104 operating together as part of a differential signal connection, where at least two pins 110 form a differential signal pin group 152. Each connector can be part of a connector array, such as a one-dimensional (1D) array as shown in the figure, but can at least support a two-dimensional (2D) array, such as... Figure 2A As shown. These 1D or 2D arrays can form leadframe connectors 102A, 102B, which can be located between a circuit board and another circuit board or computing component. Two connectors 104 can be aligned to form a connector pair having at least one shell pair 156 and a lead pair 154. Each lead pair 154 can have at least two shell pairs 156, each shell pair 156 located at one end of the lead pair 154. Furthermore, these ends can be supported by angled features 118, thereby allowing a 90-degree angle separation 120 between the shell segments 108 of the connector 104.

[0039] Each connector 104 may be configured such that its lead segment 106 is part of a lead pair 154, and an insulating medium may be included between the lead pairs 154. In one example, the insulating medium may be air. In another example, a rigid insulator 150 may be provided around the lead segment 106, and the rigid insulator 150 may extend onto the housing segment 108. The rigid insulator 150 can give the connector a rigid profile 206, and can give the connector array a rigid profile, thereby forming lead frame connectors 102A, 102B. The lead segment 106 may include lead pairs 154 arranged in the form of parallel leads. These parallel leads may have parallel housings in the housing segment 108. In one example, these parallel housings form a housing pair 156, which may include additional pins and additional springs. The pins in the housing pair 156 may be different groups of signal pins used to support or allow differential signal transmission between them. Figure 1D It may include a 1D parallel lead array (e.g., in lead pair 154) to make connector 104 part of lead frame connectors 102A, 102B.

[0040] Figure 1EThe image 100E is a side view 100 of an angled feature according to at least one embodiment, which allows for a 90-degree angle separation between the shell sections of the connectors, which are part of the leadframe connector. The 90-degree angle separation 120 between the shell sections 108 of the respective connectors 104 allows the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B to be coupled between mutually perpendicular circuit boards, between mutually perpendicular computing components, or between mutually perpendicular circuit boards and computing components. The connectors 104 may include a rigid insulator 150 within the integral lead section 106, but a cage-like socket or envelope 158 including a rigid insulator may also be used. Furthermore, the envelope 158 may guide the connection between the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B and a receiving connector, for example, at least regarding... Figure 2A As described above. In one example, the short envelope 158 may support the connection between the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B and the daughter card. The short envelope 158 may include a daughter board connector for 160A. The long envelope 158 (relative to the short envelope) may support the connection between the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B and the backplane or middle plate. The long envelope 158 may include a middle plate or backplane connector for 160B. In one example, connector 104 is located between the daughter board and the backplane or middle plate, at least regarding Figure 2A To elaborate further.

[0041] Figure 1F This is a partial view 100F of a connector having a retractable pin in its cylindrical section according to at least one embodiment. Figure 1F The illustration shows that when coupled to a circuit board or computing component, the pin 110 can be in the retracted pin 110B position within the cylinder section 108 of each cylinder pair 156. Figure 1F The illustration shows that air can be included as insulation between lead pair 154 and shell pair 156, or rigid insulation can be included. In one example, sleeve 158 can support the distance maintained between connectors 104 in each of lead pair 154 and shell pair 156. Figure 1F The illustration also shows that there may be multiple lead pairs 154 and shell pairs 156, depending in part on the type of lead frame connectors 102A and 102B. For example, lead frame connectors can transmit signals of different standards mentioned throughout this document, or they can transmit power, such as at least... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As described in one of the examples.

[0042] Figure 1F The diagram also illustrates the situation when the frame connectors 102A and 102B of the daughter board are coupled to the middle board or backplane 202 (as shown in the diagram). Figure 2A , Figure 2B The receiving connector (e.g., shown) Figure 2A , Figure 2BAs shown, when the pins 110 of connector 104 pass through the receiving connector and make contact 162 with the surface contact pads 220 of the middle plate or back plate 202, the contact 162 includes a predetermined pressure 164 between the pins 110 and the surface contact pads 220, which is sufficient to position each pin 110 in the retracted pin 110B position. The predetermined pressure 164 is also sufficient to ensure that the retracted pins 110B maintain electrical connectivity through the contact 162, thereby transmitting signals from the middle plate or back plate 202 through each of the connectors 104 in the lead frame connectors 102A, 102B. Figure 1F The diagram also illustrates a first cylindrical section 108A associated with the second cylindrical section 108B. The first cylindrical section 108A can be coupled to the second cylindrical section 108B via a lead segment 106A. The first cylindrical section 108A can also be coupled to a daughterboard 204 (e.g., Figure 2A (As shown). The second cylindrical section 108B can be coupled to the middle plate or back plate 202 of a rack in a data center (e.g., as shown). Figure 4 and Figure 5 (As shown).

[0043] Contact 162 avoids the problems associated with anchoring flexible interfaces to the PCB. Retractable pin 110B allows for coupling or decoupling without vias or crimp pins, enabling mating with surface contact pads. In each case, pin 110 can be in the retracted pin 110B position, allowing a predetermined insertion or compression force to be applied after repeated coupling and decoupling of leadframe connectors 102A, 102B without damage or loss of contact. Furthermore, pin 110 can be in the retracted pin 110B position, allowing a constant pressure (as part of pressure 164) to maintain contact between pin 110 and surface contact pad 220. Leadframe connectors 102A, 102B ensure that no additional interface is required between each connector 104 and the circuit board (e.g., middle board or backplane 202).

[0044] Figure 1G The illustration shows a partial cross-sectional view 100G of a connector according to at least one embodiment, the connector having a retractable pin and a compression spring in its cylindrical section. In one example, Figure 1G The diagram shows Figure 1F The partial view of the cross section at 100F. Figure 1G The illustration shows that when coupled to a circuit board or computing component, pin 110 can be in the retracted pin 110B position within the cylindrical section 108 of each cylindrical connector pair 156, which is achieved at least by compression to the corresponding spring 112, such that spring 112 is in the compressed spring 112A position.

[0045] Figure 2AThe illustration depicts a connection 200A between two circuit boards for differential signal transmission via leadframe connectors, according to at least one embodiment. One circuit board may be a middle board or back board 202, and the other circuit board may be a daughter board 204. Leadframe connectors 102A, 102B may include a rigid profile 206 provided by at least a rigid insulator that extends throughout the lead segment 106 and one or more barrel segments 108 of the individual connector 104. As shown, leadframe connectors 102A, 102B may be held in place by envelopes 158 of respective daughter board connector pairs 160A and respective middle board or back board connector pairs 160B. In another example, an external tie or other external retainer 208 may be used between the circuit board and the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B. The external tie or other external retainer 208 may be used to secure or restrict the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B, preventing them from disconnecting or shifting from the receiving connector 210 of the circuit board. In one example, on at least daughterboard 204, the receiving connector may be a surface contact pad and an external tie or other external retainer 208. On the middle or backplane, the surface contact pad 220 may be aligned with the receiving connector 210 and its associated sleeve 158 to enable connection of the leadframe connectors 202A, 202B. The pins 110 on the leadframe connectors 202A, 202B are pressed or pressed against the surface contact pad 220 at least under the biasing action of the spring 112.

[0046] Figure 2B The diagram illustrates a connection 200B between a daughter card and a backplane or middle plane, as well as other computing components, according to at least one embodiment. Figure 2B The diagram illustrates the use of a right-angle lead frame connector 262 between the daughterboard 204 and the middle or backplane 202. The right-angle lead frame connector 262 can be used as follows: Figure 2A Specifically, as described in the text, it can be related to... Figure 2A The lead frame connectors 102A and 102B are the same. Figure 2B The diagram also illustrates the use of a through-type leadframe connector 264, each connector 104 of which has a straight lead segment 106 and a straight cylindrical body segment 108. The through-type leadframe connector 264 can be positioned between a computing component 266 and a daughterboard 204. The computing component can be an adapter, memory stick, communication card, or other components that may be connected to the daughterboard 204 or the middleboard / backplane 202 via the daughterboard 204. In one example, the through-type leadframe connector 264 does not need to include the angled feature 118 in its individual connectors 104.

[0047] Each of the right-angle lead frame connector 262 and the through lead frame connector 264 may integrate the spring-loaded pin 110 as part of the internal structure of its lead frame connector, which includes a lead segment 106 and a cylindrical segment 108 formed by portions of the lead segment, utilizing... Figure 1A-1G One or more figures are discussed in detail. In at least one example, pins 110 in each connector 104 of the right-angle leadframe connector 262 and the through leadframe connector 264 may extend or retract 114 into the cylinder section 108 in part based on engagement 128 with the spring 112. Pins 110 are used to contact surface contact pads on a circuit board (which may be a daughter card 204, a middle plate, or a back plate 202, depending on the connection method). This contact can transmit signals from the circuit board through the connector. Furthermore, each connector 104 may include a first cylinder section coupled to a second cylinder section via lead sections. Each conductor may be part of a conductor array of the leadframe connector, and may allow the first cylinder section to be coupled to the daughter board 204 and the second cylinder section to the middle plate or back plate 202 of a rack in a data center, at least in Figure 5 A more detailed description is available in the text.

[0048] Figure 3 The illustration depicts a process or method 300 of a connector having lead segments and a housing segment according to at least one embodiment. For example, method 300 may include the step of forming a lead segment 302 according to a connector layout. In one example, this layout may be provided during circuit board design. In another example, this layout may be provided during rack design. In one example, the layout may include the distance and space between one or more circuit boards that can be used for coupling together and for use with cables or other computing devices. Method 300 may include the step of forming a portion of the lead segment into a housing segment 304. Method 300 may include the step of associating a pin 306 and a spring within the housing segment. Method 300 may include the step of allowing a pin 308 to extend from or retract into the housing segment based partially on abutment with the spring. Method 300 may include the step of allowing a connector 310 to be used for signal transmission between at least two circuit boards or circuit board assemblies. The pin may contact a surface contact pad on at least one circuit board to transmit signals from the circuit board through the connector. In another example, the step of allowing the connector 310 to be used may include a power connection between a power source and a circuit board.

[0049] Figure 4 The illustration shows an example data center that utilizes... Figure 1A-3 and Figure 5-7At least one power connection embodiment is described. Data center 400 may include racks 404, which may be associated with servers 406 therein (in the form of server bays, server chassis, or server / computer modules), and racks 404 may contain computing devices therein for performing workloads. Although servers 406 are shown horizontally in the figures, they may also be mounted vertically within racks 404. These racks 404 may be tethered as part of the data center 400 infrastructure (e.g., via hardwired connections or natively within rack rows). For example, racks 404 may be associated with power supply units (PSUs) and may be connected to busbars 416 for receiving and distributing power for servers 406. These racks 404 may necessarily contain power supply components (e.g., busbars 418) closely associated with racks 404. These power supply components may be part of the infrastructure in data center 400. Racks 404 may include high-speed interconnects to enable high-speed communication between various subsystems, including servers 406.

[0050] Computing devices can be mounted on a circuit board and can 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.).

[0051] In at least one embodiment, data center 400 may include a server room 402 with one or more racks 404, wherein racks 404 may include server bays or servers 406. Data center 400 may be powered by a 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 step down the voltage to a level suitable for data center equipment and apparatus (e.g., the aforementioned processors in server bays or servers 406 within each rack 404). Switching device 412 may be able to control, protect, and isolate downstream and upstream power.

[0052] Switching device 412 can be used to manage power flow reliably and efficiently using switches for control circuits and circuit breakers and fuses to detect and respond to faults or overloads in the downstream and upstream directions. In addition to the external power supplied by the transmission system, a backup system 414 (e.g., a generator or uninterruptible power supply (UPS)) can be used in conjunction with the power distribution system 408 (Power Dist.) to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Furthermore, cooling unit 426 can provide air cooling at least for the cold aisle 430 side of the data center 400 and deliver cooled air through rack 404 to the hot aisle 428 side. In one example, fans can assist in the air cooling flow.

[0053] Switching device 412 may be associated with 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 those represented by the processors mentioned above, which may be located within server racks or computer modules (also referred to 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.

[0054] Data center 400 may include a midplane or backplane 202, such as Figure 2A , Figure 2B As shown in the related discussion, the middle or back plate 202 may have surface contact pads for receiving signals from other circuit boards (e.g., Figure 2A and Figure 2B Daughter card 204) or lead frame connectors 102A, 102B, 264 and 266 (e.g., in the data center) or other components of the data center Figure 1A and Figure 2B (e.g., lead frame connectors in the design). For example, these components may include the power supply components described herein and, as in combination with... Figure 2B The computing component 266 described herein. A middle plate or back plate 202 may be associated with a receiving connector 210 for receiving a leadframe connector of daughter boards 204, wherein multiple daughter boards 204 may be inserted into the middle plate or back plate 202. The leadframe connector may include a separate connector 104 with pins 110 and springs 112. Pins 110 may be used to contact surface contact pads within the receiving connector. A robust connection may be formed between the pins 110 and the surface contact pads, based in part on the spring bias of the springs 112 of the leadframe connector against the surface contact pads of the receiving connector, and in part on the alignment supported by the envelope 158 and any rigid insulation 150 provided as portions of the leadframe connectors 102A, 102B.

[0055] Figure 5 The illustration shows aspect 500 of an example rack, which can be applied to Figures 1-4 and... Figure 6A-7 At least one embodiment of the above. Aspect 500 illustrates that rack 404 may have at least one circuit board, which may be a middle plate or back plate 202. Although shown as open, rack 404 may be fully enclosed with a front cover, rear cover, side cover, and top cover or access panel. Furthermore, although shown as a high-level flat structure, the circuit board may include at least one PCB (also as...). Figure 2A and Figure 2B (As shown and described). When used as a backplane, the circuit board may include a single-sided receive connector 506 for receiving a lead frame connector 504 of a daughter board or card 204. When used as a middle board, the circuit board may include dual-sided receive connectors 506 for receiving lead frame connectors 504 of daughter boards or cards 204 on both sides of the circuit board. Figure 5 In aspect 500, the circuit board is a middle board located in the middle of rack 404. The middle board can receive a vertical board server 406 or a daughter card 204, which can be pushed to insert 502 against, for example, the receiving connector 506 of the middle board, thereby forming one or more connections between the middle board and the server or daughter card 204.

[0056] 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, the data center 600 includes a data center infrastructure layer 610, a framework layer 620, a software layer 630, and an application layer 640. The data center 600 may include one or more racks, for example, in combination with... Figure 1A and Figure 1B The racks described herein. These racks may include one or more server racks. These one or more server racks may include one or more electronic components for performing at least a portion of the workload in the data center. The racks and server racks may be represented at least 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.

[0057] The data center 600 may include a cooling loop for removing heat from electronic components during workload execution. The cooling loop may include a manifold, which comprises a manifold module and a cover, as shown in the figure. Figures 2A to 5As detailed in one or more figures. A cover may include a curved surface located within the manifold's passageway. This curved surface may be configured to receive cooling fluid flow and guide the cooling fluid flow away from stagnant areas within the manifold. Data center 600 may include multiple segmented cooling loops for removing heat from electronic components during workload execution. A segmented cooling loop may include multiple manifold modules. Individual outlets of the manifold modules may guide cooling fluid. Multiple covers located at different ends of the multiple manifold modules may reduce the cooling fluid flow rate at each outlet to a predetermined threshold.

[0058] In at least one embodiment, such as Figure 6A As shown, the data center infrastructure layer 610 may include a resource orchestrator 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.), memory 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.

[0059] In at least one embodiment, the grouped computing resource 614 may include multiple individual groups of node CRs housed within one or more racks (not shown), or multiple racks housed within data centers (not shown) in different geographical locations. The individual groups of node CRs within the grouped computing resource 614 may include computing, networking, memory, or storage resources that can be configured or allocated to support one or more workloads. In at least one embodiment, several 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, the one or more racks may also include any number of power modules, cooling modules, and network switches, in any combination thereof.

[0060] In at least one embodiment, resource orchestrator 612 may configure or otherwise control one or more nodes CR 616(1)-616(N) and / or group computing resources 614. In at least one embodiment, resource orchestrator 612 may include a software design infrastructure (“SDI”) management entity for data center 600. In at least one embodiment, resource orchestrator may include hardware, software, or some combination thereof.

[0061] In at least one embodiment, such as Figure 6A As 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 free and open-source software web application framework, such as Apache Spark™ (hereinafter “Spark”), which can leverage 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 scheduling 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, to support large-scale data processing. In at least one embodiment, resource manager 626 may be able to manage cluster or group computing resources mapped to or allocated to support distributed file system 628 and job scheduler 622. In at least one embodiment, cluster or group computing resources may include group computing resources 614 at data center infrastructure layer 610. In at least one embodiment, resource manager 626 may coordinate with resource orchestrator 612 to manage these mapped or allocated computing resources.

[0062] 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), the grouped computing resources 614, and / or the distributed file system 628 of the framework layer 620. 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.

[0063] In at least one embodiment, the application 642 included in the application layer 640 may include one or more types of applications available for use by at least a portion of the nodes CR 616(1)-616(N), the grouped computing resources 614, and / or the distributed file system 628 of the framework layer 620. One or more types of applications may include, but are not limited to, 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.

[0064] In at least one embodiment, any of the configuration manager 624, resource manager 626, and resource orchestrator 612 can implement any number and type of self-modification actions based on any amount and type of data obtained in any technically feasible manner. In at least one embodiment, the self-modification actions can enable the data center operator of data center 600 to avoid making potentially erroneous configuration decisions and may avoid using underutilized and / or poorly performing portions of the data center.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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. Figure 1A-5 At least one embodiment of the above. According to at least one embodiment, the computing system 650 may include multiple subsystems, such as multiple processing devices, multiple network devices, and multiple networks coupled to each other. The computing system 650 is designed to have 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.

[0069] The various processing devices are interconnected via NVLink or other high-speed interconnects to enable high-speed communication between subsystems and are connected via NICs or DPUs to ensure efficient data transmission across computing system 650 and with one or more external networks 6530, 653. In this example, computing 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.

[0070] Coupling processing devices via NVLink enables 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 demanding applications requiring powerful processing capabilities, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data-intensive computing, while ensuring robust connectivity and scalability across diverse network environments. The integrated circuits of the Computing System 650 may include one or more CPUs and one or more GPUs.

[0071] Figure 6BAn example architecture of a multi-GPU architecture is also demonstrated. As shown in the figure, computing system 650 includes a processing device 6502 with a multi-GPU architecture. Specifically, processing device 6502 may be a system-on-a-chip (SoC) and includes multiple subsystems, such as CPU 6506, GPU 6508, and GPU 6510. CPU 6506 may be coupled to GPU 6508 via die-to-die interconnect (D2D) or chip-to-chip interconnect (C2C) 6512 (e.g., ground reference signaling interconnect (GRS interconnect)). CPU 6506 may be coupled to GPU 6510 via D2D or C2C interconnect 6514. CPU 6506 may also be coupled to GPU 6508 and GPU 6510 via PCIe interconnect.

[0072] The CPU 6506 can be coupled to one or more NICs or DPUs, which in turn are 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.

[0073] 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 may be coupled to the GPU 6518 via a D2D or C2C interconnect 6522. The CPU 6516 may be coupled to the GPU 6520 via a D2D or C2C interconnect 6524. The CPU 6516 may also be coupled to the GPUs 6518 and 6520 via a PCIe interconnect. The CPU 6516 may be coupled to one or more NICs or DPUs, which in turn are coupled to one or more networks. For example, as Figure 6BAs shown, CPU 6516 is coupled to a first NIC / DPU 6534, which is coupled to network 6536. CPU 6516 is also coupled to a second NIC / DPU 6532, 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.

[0074] 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, such as NVLink interconnect or other high-speed interconnects. For example, Figure 6B The packet switches in the diagram can include Nvidia Quantum-2 switches. The NIC / DPU shown in the diagram can include, for example, an Nvidia Bluefield DPU.

[0075] 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 the components and features in computing system 650 and can be communicatively coupled to each other to extend leakage detection capabilities.

[0076] Figure 6C The illustration depicts a computer system according to at least one example, in which... Figure 1A-6B and Figure 7 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.

[0077] 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 Fast Interconnect (“PCI-Express”), AGP (“Accelerated Graphics Port”), 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 and control logic (e.g., implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof), and data is 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 to other computing devices and networks for receiving data from the computer system 690 and sending data to other systems.

[0078] 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 be implemented using 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 to form a processing system.

[0079] In at least one embodiment, a computer program, existing 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 enables system 690 to perform various functions according to at least one embodiment. Main memory 6904, storage devices, and / or any other storage medium are 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, e.g., 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 architectures and / or functions shown in the foregoing figures are implemented in the context of: CPU 6902, parallel processing system 6912; integrated circuits capable of implementing at least some of the functions of CPU 6902 and parallel processing system 6912; chipsets (e.g., a set of integrated circuits designed to operate and be sold as units performing related functions); and any suitable combination of integrated circuits.

[0080] In at least one embodiment, the architecture and / or functionality shown in the foregoing figures are implemented within the context of a general-purpose computer system, a circuit board system, a game console system dedicated to entertainment, a special-purpose application system, etc. In at least one embodiment, the computer system 690 may be 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 device, television, workstation, game console, embedded system, and / or any other type of logic.

[0081] 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 the PPUs 6914, and these tasks can be executed in parallel, for example, as part of distributing computational tasks across multiple graphics processing units (“GPUs”) thread blocks. In at least one embodiment, memory can be shared and accessed (e.g., for read and / or write access) on some or all of the PPUs 6914, although such shared memory may result in performance degradation compared to using local memory and registers residing on 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., executing across multiple PPUs 6914) must reach a specific point in code execution before continuing execution.

[0082] Figure 7An example network configuration 700 of components is illustrated, which includes aspects that can be used to implement various embodiments, such as providing, generating, modifying, encoding, processing, fusing, and / or transmitting generated image data, calculated measurements, or other such content. In at least one embodiment, client device 702 can use components of content application 704 on client device 702, as well as data stored locally on the client device, to generate or receive data for a dialogue. In at least one embodiment, content application 724 executing on computer or processor 720 (e.g., cloud server or control system) can initiate a dialogue associated with at least one client device 702 (e.g., vehicle or robot), which can use a dialogue manager and user data stored in user database 736, and can select and / or retrieve content such as liquid coolant or server thermal data from thermal storage repository 734 for use by test module 732 to calculate one or more performance metrics in an environment where the data will be used to determine appropriate operation, for use by monitoring module 728, which can provide flow data or thermal data to control module 730 to control flow or temperature. Content manager 726 can act on these different modules to perform tests and analyses, and potentially indicate any actions to be taken in response to performance metrics failing 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 via download, streaming, or other such transmission channels using appropriate delivery manager 722. 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 it to a corresponding content application 704, which may also or optionally include a graphical user interface (GUI) 710, a streaming monitoring module 712, and a control module 714 for providing, compositing, rendering, combining, modifying, or using the content on or through client device 702 for presentation, navigation, control (or other purposes), such as 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 through the image content or performance metrics of display device 706, and through audio via at least one audio playback device 708 (e.g., a speaker or headphones), such as corresponding sound or synthesized speech.In at least one embodiment, at least a portion of the content may already be stored on, rendered on, or accessible to client device 702, thus at least this portion of the content does not need to be transmitted over network 740. For example, this portion of the content (e.g., hot data) may have been pre-downloaded or stored locally on a hard disk or optical disk. 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 other sources (e.g., third-party service 760 or other client device 750), which may also contain applications 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, for example, a combination of CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit).

[0083] In at least one embodiment, the cold plate described herein may include adjustable fins that form microchannels through which fluid flows. In at least one embodiment, the fins in the cold plate allow heat from at least one associated computing device to be transferred to fluid flowing through the microchannels formed between the multiple fins. In at least one embodiment, the fins of the cold plate may be dynamically and in real-time adjusted to allow more heat to be transferred from at least one computing device to 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 cold plate fins, such that these fins can 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 with each other that together constitute the fins.

[0084] In at least some examples, 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 that operates or controls one or more electronic resources within the cloud provider's environment, such as data centers or server clusters. In at least one embodiment, 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's environment. This reduces latency and improves the security of resources within the cloud provider's environment by allowing client devices to interact with closer servers.

[0085] In at least one embodiment, such a system can be used to monitor or manage the thermal condition of a server that includes a cold plate as a liquid manifold. In other embodiments, such a system can be used for other purposes, such as controlling the flow rate of liquid coolant or performing deep learning operations. In at least one embodiment, such a system can be implemented using an edge device or may include one or more virtual machines (VMs). In at least one embodiment, such a system can be implemented at least partially within a data center or at least partially utilizing cloud computing resources.

[0086] Other variations also fall within the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, while the disclosed technology can be modified and alternatively constructed in various ways, certain exemplary embodiments have been shown in the accompanying drawings and described in detail above. However, it should be understood that this disclosure is not intended to limit the scope to the specific forms or multiple specific forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents that fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0087] In describing the disclosed embodiments (particularly in the following claims), the terms “a,” “an,” “the,” and similar pronouns should be interpreted to cover both singular and plural forms unless otherwise stated herein or the context clearly indicates otherwise, and should not be considered as limiting the terms. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” should be interpreted as open-ended terms (meaning “including but not limited to”) unless otherwise stated. When the word “connection” is unmodified and refers to a physical connection, it should be interpreted as partially or wholly contained within, attached to, or linked together, even with the intervention of an intermediary. The enumeration of numerical ranges herein is intended only as a convenient method to individually refer to each individual value falling within a range, unless otherwise stated herein, and each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it had been individually enumerated herein. Unless otherwise stated or the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms “set” (e.g., “item set”) or “subset” should be interpreted as a non-empty set containing one or more members. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated or the context indicates otherwise, a “subset” of a given set does not necessarily mean a proper subset of the given set, but rather that a subset and the given set can be equal.

[0088] Conjunctive phrases such as "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, and C" are generally understood, depending on the context, to mean that an item, term, etc., can be A, B, or C, or any non-empty subset of the set A, B, and C, unless explicitly stated otherwise or contradicted by the context. For example, in an illustrative example of a set containing three members, the conjunctive 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 conjunctive phrases are generally not intended to imply that some embodiments require the simultaneous inclusion of at least one A, at least one B, and at least one C. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise or contradicted by the context, the term "multiple" indicates a plural state (e.g., "multiple items" means multiple items). A plural number means at least two items, but the number can be more if explicitly stated or determined by the context. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated or the context clearly indicates otherwise, the phrase “based on” means “at least partially based on” rather than “completely based on”.

[0089] The operations of the processes described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise stated herein or there is a clear contradiction in the context. In at least one embodiment, processes such as those described herein (or variations and / or combinations thereof) are executed under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions and implemented in the form of code (e.g., executable instructions, one or more computer programs, or one or more application programs) that execute cooperatively on one or more processors, or implemented by hardware or a combination thereof. In at least one embodiment, the code is stored on a computer-readable storage medium, for example, in the form of a computer program containing multiple instructions executable by one or more processors. In at least one embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium is a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium that excludes transient signals (e.g., propagating transient electrical or electromagnetic transmissions) but includes a non-volatile data storage circuitry system (e.g., buffers, caches, and queues) within a transient signal transceiver. In at least one embodiment, code (e.g., executable code or source code) is stored on a collection of one or more non-volatile computer-readable storage media that store executable instructions (or other memory for storing executable instructions) that, 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 collection of non-volatile computer-readable storage media includes multiple non-volatile computer-readable storage media, and one or more individual non-volatile storage media do not contain all the code, while the multiple non-volatile computer-readable storage media collectively store all the code. In at least one embodiment, the executable instructions are executed such that different instructions are executed by different processors—for example, instructions are stored on non-transitory computer-readable storage media, and the main central processing unit (“CPU”) executes some instructions, while the graphics processing unit (“GPU”) executes the remaining instructions. In at least one embodiment, different components of the computer system have separate processors, and different processors execute different subsets of instructions.

[0090] The transmission medium can be any type of network cable, such as a direct-connect copper cable (DAC), an active copper cable (ACC), an active optical cable (AOC), a cable assembly with an OSFP connector, or an interconnect used in data center racks and related switching modules (e.g., Small Form Factor (SFP), Quad Small Form Factor (QSFP), etc.). It can also be a passive copper cable (PCC), an active optical cable, and an active optical module for transmitting optical signals. Alternatively, the cable may include an Ethernet cable, an active optical cable (AOC), or a cable assembly with an OSFP connector. The semiconductor device can be a pluggable network interface device, which may include the male portion of a direct-connect cable assembly (DAC). Network connectors can each be configured to connect to any type of network device (e.g., QSFP, direct-connect copper cable, active optical cable (AOC), etc.), so their dimensions (e.g., size and shape) can be matched to or otherwise connected to any corresponding network device. Cable connectors can be of any type (e.g., AOC connectors, Ethernet connectors, direct-connect copper cable connectors, active optical modules, etc.). A PCB is used to electrically connect electronic components via conductive paths or traces etched onto a metal plate. In many electronic systems, one or more Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) components are coupled to the printed circuit board (PCB) of the host system. Such VLSI components may include a central processing unit (CPU) and a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. The PCB may accommodate at least one processing circuit. This processing circuit may include hardware such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processing circuit may include an ASIC and / or may be capable of operating as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a network interface controller (NIC), a data processing unit (DPU), or any other computing device for receiving and / or transmitting data. Other non-limiting examples of processing circuits include integrated circuit (IC) chips, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), microprocessors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), sets of logic gates or transistors, 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 circuit. Many embodiments are described below in which semiconductor packages are mounted within through-holes in the PCB. Although PCBs of specific types and dimensions are shown in the accompanying drawings 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 for 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 be coupled to a system board or motherboard of a host system. In other embodiments, the PCB mounting the semiconductor package may itself be a system board or motherboard of a host system.Furthermore, the system board or motherboard can be associated with any type of host system. For example, the PCB can include a system board in a multi-node rack-mounted server in a data center, or it can include a motherboard for a workstation, desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Other embodiments are also possible.

[0091] Therefore, in at least one embodiment, the computer system is configured to implement one or more services that individually or collectively perform the operations of the processes described herein, and the computer system is configured with corresponding hardware and / or software to enable the execution of these operations. Furthermore, the computer system implementing at least one embodiment of this disclosure may be a single device, or in another embodiment, a distributed computer system comprising multiple devices operating in different ways, such that the distributed computer system performs the operations described herein, and that a single device does not perform all operations.

[0092] Any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein are for the purpose of better illustrating embodiments of this disclosure and, unless otherwise stated, do not constitute a limitation on the scope of this disclosure. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating that any unstated element is essential to the practice of this disclosure.

[0093] In the specification and claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected” and their derivatives may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not synonymous with each other. More specifically, in some 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 indicate that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0094] Unless otherwise expressly stated, it will be understood that throughout this specification, terms such as “processing,” “calculation,” “operation,” and “determine” refer to the operations and / or processes of a computer or computing system or similar electronic computing device that manipulate data represented as physical quantities (such as electronic quantities) in the registers and / or memory of the computing system and / or convert them into other data represented as physical quantities in the memory, registers, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices of the computing system.

[0095] Similarly, the term "processor" can refer to any device or part of a device that processes electronic data from registers and / or memory and transforms that electronic data into other electronic data that can be stored in registers and / or memory. As a non-limiting example, "processor" can be a CPU, GPU, DPU, QPU, or PPU. 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. Furthermore, each process can refer to multiple processes for executing instructions sequentially or in parallel, continuously or intermittently. The terms "system" and "method" are used interchangeably herein, as a system can contain one or more methods, and a method can be considered a system.

[0096] This document may refer to the acquisition, reception, or input of analog or digital data into a subsystem, computer system, or computer-implemented machine. Acquiring, receiving, or inputting analog and digital data can be achieved in various ways, such as receiving data as a parameter of a function call or application programming interface (API) call. In at least some embodiments, the process of acquiring, receiving, or inputting analog or digital data can be implemented by transmitting data via a serial or parallel interface. In at least another embodiment, the process of acquiring, receiving, or inputting analog or digital data can be implemented by transferring data from a providing entity to an receiving entity via a computer network. The provision, output, transmission, sending, or presentation of analog or digital data may also be mentioned. In various examples, 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 of a function call, a parameter of an application programming interface, or a parameter of an inter-process communication mechanism.

[0097] While the foregoing discussion illustrates exemplary implementations of the described technology, other architectures can be used to implement the described functionality, and all such architectures are within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although specific assignments of responsibilities may have been defined above for ease of description, various functions and responsibilities may be allocated and divided in different ways depending on the specific circumstances.

[0098] Furthermore, although this document has described the subject matter using language specific to structural features and / or method steps, it should be understood that the subject matter claimed in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or steps described. Rather, the specific features and steps described are disclosed only as exemplary forms for implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A connector comprising a lead segment and a cylindrical body segment, wherein, The cylindrical section is partially formed by the lead section and includes a pin and a spring, wherein the pin extends from or retracts into the cylindrical section in part based on engagement with the spring, and wherein the pin is used to contact surface contact pads on a circuit board to transmit signals from the circuit board through the connector.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The connector is configured to be placed between the daughter plate and the back plate or middle plate.

3. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The needle and the spring form a single spring-pin feature within the connector.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The connector is part of one or more of the following: Differential signal connection, wherein the pin is one of a group of differential signal pins; or A connector array that forms lead frame connectors between the circuit board and other circuit boards or computing components.

5. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The lead segment is part of a pair of differential signal pins, and wherein the lead segment includes an insulating medium located between the pair of pins.

6. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The cylindrical section allows electrical connections from and through the needle to transmit the signals from the circuit board via the connector.

7. The connector of claim 1, further comprising: Rigid insulation surrounds the lead segment and the shell segment to allow the connector to have a rigid form factor.

8. The connector of claim 1, further comprising: The second cylindrical section is used to be coupled to the cylindrical section via the lead section, wherein the second cylindrical section is coupled to the sub-board, and the cylindrical section is used to be coupled to the middle plate or back plate of the rack in the data center.

9. The connector of claim 1, further comprising: The parallel leads in the lead segment and the parallel cylinder in the cylinder segment, wherein the parallel cylinder includes an additional pin and an additional spring, and wherein the pin and the additional pin are used to support or allow differential signals between them; and The array of parallel leads allows the connector to become part of the lead frame connector.

10. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The needle comprises one or more of a copper alloy or gold plating, the cylinder comprises one or more of a copper alloy or nickel plating, and the spring comprises stainless steel.

11. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The lead segment includes angled features to allow a 90-degree angle separation between the body segment of the connector and another body segment of the connector or another connector.

12. A system for a leadframe connector, the system comprising: Multiple lead segments; A plurality of cylindrical segments are located at the respective ends of a plurality of lead segments, wherein each of the plurality of cylindrical segments is formed by a portion of a corresponding lead segment, and wherein the plurality of lead segments and the plurality of cylindrical segments form a connector array of the lead frame connector; and At least two pins and at least two springs are provided within each of the plurality of cylindrical segments, wherein the at least two pins extend from or retract into each of the plurality of cylindrical segments in part based on engagement with a corresponding spring among the at least two springs, and wherein the at least two pins are used to support or allow differential signals to pass through the lead frame connector.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising: A middle plate or back plate, the middle plate or back plate including a receiving connector; and A sub-board, the sub-board including the lead frame connector, wherein the plurality of lead segments of the lead frame connector include angled features to allow a 90-degree separation between the plurality of cylindrical segments at the respective ends of the plurality of lead segments, and wherein the lead frame connector is coupled to the receiving connector, the sub-board being at a 90-degree angle relative to the middle plate or the back plate.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising: Rigid insulation surrounds the lead segment and the shell segment to allow the lead frame connector to have a rigid profile.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein, The connector is part of a connector array that forms lead frame connectors between multiple circuit boards or between a circuit board and a computing component.

16. A data center, the data center comprising: A middle plate or back plate, the middle plate or back plate including a plurality of surface contact pads for differential signals; as well as One or more sub-boards, said one or more sub-boards being coupled to the middle plate or back plate via lead frame connectors, said lead frame connectors comprising: Multiple connectors arranged in an array; and Each of the plurality of connectors comprises a lead segment and a barrel segment, wherein each barrel segment is formed by a portion of a corresponding lead segment, wherein each barrel segment includes at least two pins and at least two springs, wherein the at least two pins extend from or retract into the respective barrel segment based on engagement with a corresponding spring, and wherein the at least two pins are used to support or allow the differential signal to pass through the lead frame connector to or from at least some of the plurality of surface contact pads.

17. The data center of claim 16, further comprising: Rigid insulation surrounds the lead segment and the shell segment to allow the lead frame connector to have a rigid profile.

18. The data center as described in claim 16, wherein, The connector is part of a connector array that forms a lead frame connector between the middle plate or the back plate and the one or more sub-plates.

19. A method for implementing signal transmission in a connector, the method comprising: Lead segments are formed according to the layout of the connector; The cylindrical section is formed from a portion of the lead wire segment; Associate the needle and spring within the cylindrical section; Allowing the needle to extend from or retract into the cylindrical section partially based on engagement with the spring; and The connector is permitted for signal transmission between at least two circuit boards or components of the circuit boards, wherein the pins are used to contact surface contact pads on at least one of the circuit boards to transmit signals from the circuit boards and through the connector.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising one of the following: The connector is provided as part of a plurality of connectors forming a leadframe connector, wherein, The connector is a differential signal connection portion, and the pin is one of a set of differential signal pins from the plurality of connectors; An electrical connection from the needle and through the barrel segment is permitted for transmitting the signal between the circuit boards via the connector; Provide rigid insulation around the lead segment and the shell segment to allow the connector to have a rigid profile; or The lead segment is allowed to have an angled feature, so that the cylindrical segment of the connector is separated from the connector or another cylindrical segment of another connector at a 90-degree angle.

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