High-reliability switch

Abstract

The utility model discloses a high-reliability switch, and the switch comprises a switch module which comprises a switch chip, a first PHY chip, a debugging interface, and a network interface. Wherein the first PHY chip is in communication connection with the switching chip; the debugging interface is connected with the first PHY chip through a serial communication bus and is used for configuring a physical layer address and communication protocol parameters of the first PHY chip; the network interface is in communication connection with the switch chip and is used for realizing communication of data link layers of different switch modules; and the flexible connector is used for enabling the switch module to be in communication connection with the port board based on the network interface. Compared with the prior art, the hardware replacement cost can be reduced, and diversified scenes such as user-defined port functions, data centers and the like are supported. And secondly, the problem of heat dissipation of the switch is solved fundamentally. Furthermore, heat dissipation processing is not needed, so that the size of the switch is reduced, and the wiring complexity is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of network communication equipment technology, specifically relating to a high-reliability switch. Background Technology

[0002] A switch is a network device used for forwarding electrical (or optical) signals. It provides a dedicated signal path for any two network nodes connected to the switch. It is a technology that, according to the needs of information transmission at both ends of a communication connection, uses manual or automated methods to send the information to be transmitted to the appropriate route that meets the requirements.

[0003] Traditional Ethernet switching modules have the following problems: First, traditional Ethernet switch modules usually use rigid connectors for signal transmission and power supply, which often leads to complex switch wiring and large size, making it difficult to meet the requirements of high-density integration.

[0004] Secondly, the interface types of traditional switches are fixed by hardware, which users cannot flexibly adjust dynamically. This results in the need to replace hardware when adapting to different network environments, which is costly and complex to maintain, making it difficult to adapt to diverse application scenarios.

[0005] In addition, high-density integrated electronic components generate a lot of heat during operation. Traditional heat dissipation designs, such as a single fan or heat sink, are difficult to meet the requirements of long-term stable operation and cannot reduce the heat dissipation intensity of the board interface from the root. High temperature environments can easily lead to equipment performance degradation or failure.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a highly reliable switch to address the aforementioned technical issues.

[0007] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of this utility model and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-reliability switch that simplifies the switch wiring structure, reduces the module size, and solves the problems of heat dissipation and lack of flexibility in the switch.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by a specific embodiment of this utility model is as follows:

[0010] This invention provides a high-reliability switch, comprising:

[0011] A switch module includes a switching chip, a first PHY chip, a debugging interface, and a network interface; wherein, the first PHY chip is communicatively connected to the switching chip; the debugging interface is connected to the first PHY chip via a serial communication bus and is used to configure the physical layer address and communication protocol parameters of the first PHY chip; the network interface is communicatively connected to the switching chip and is used to enable communication at the data link layer of different switch modules;

[0012] A flexible connector is used to enable communication connections between multiple switch modules based on a network interface.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the flexible connector includes:

[0014] The first connection terminal group is connected to at least one network interface of the switch module;

[0015] The second connection terminal group is connected to the interface on the port board used for communication with the switch module;

[0016] A flexible substrate is used to connect the first connection terminal group and the second connection terminal group with a predetermined bending curvature to form a signal transmission channel.

[0017] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switch further includes a rectangular connector and indicator lights for indicating the status of the network interface:

[0018] One end of the rectangular connector is connected to the switch module, and the other end is connected to the indicator light.

[0019] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the flexible connector is embedded with a graphene-based thermally conductive layer or a liquid metal filling structure;

[0020] The thermally conductive layer comprises stacked graphene sheets and an interface-reinforcing phase.

[0021] The liquid metal includes gallium-based liquid metal alloys.

[0022] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switch module further includes a storage unit;

[0023] The storage unit is communicatively connected to the switching chip. The storage unit includes a dynamic memory for caching forwarded data, a static register for storing configuration parameters, and a flash memory chip for storing firmware.

[0024] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switching chip is connected to a second PHY chip, the second PHY chip is connected to the network interface, and the switching chip and the second PHY chip communicate via a high-speed serial bus, the high-speed serial bus adopting the QSGMII bus standard.

[0025] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switching chip is connected to a third PHY chip, the third PHY chip is connected to the network interface, and the bus standard used between the switching chip and the third PHY chip is 10G BASE-R.

[0026] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switch module further includes a first network transformer and a second network transformer;

[0027] The input terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the second PHY chip, and the output terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard adopted by the first network transformer and the network interface is 1000BASE-T.

[0028] The input terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the third PHY chip, and the output terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard adopted by the second network transformer and the network interface is 10G BASE-T.

[0029] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switch further includes a power module, which includes a DC input terminal and a DC output terminal. Each DC output terminal is connected in series with a DC / DC regulator to output power voltages of different values.

[0030] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the switch module is equipped with a temperature sensor for detecting the module temperature.

[0031] Compared to existing technologies, this invention, based on a debugging interface, allows for the acquisition of the required interface through software configuration of the PHY address and switching chip mode, eliminating the need to replace rigid connectors. It adapts to future network upgrade needs. In use, it reduces hardware replacement costs, supports customer-defined port functions, and is suitable for diverse scenarios such as data centers.

[0032] Secondly, because this invention uses a flexible connector with an embedded graphene thermally conductive layer or a liquid metal filling structure, the heat conduction efficiency is significantly improved and the contact thermal resistance is reduced. The high-speed signal interfaces on the board no longer require heat dissipation, thus solving the heat dissipation problem of the switch at its root.

[0033] Furthermore, since no heat dissipation is required, and power, differential signals, and control signals are integrated through flexible connectors, the size of the switch can be reduced and the wiring complexity can be decreased. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a hardware design diagram of the switch module in one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a design drawing of a power module according to one embodiment of the present utility model;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship of the flexible connector in the embodiment of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this utility model, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0039] This invention provides a high-reliability switch, including a switch module and a flexible connector. The switch module includes a switching chip, a first PHY chip, a debugging interface, and a network interface. The first PHY chip is communicatively connected to the switching chip. The debugging interface is connected to the first PHY chip via a serial communication bus and is used to configure the physical layer address and communication protocol parameters of the first PHY chip. The network interface is communicatively connected to the switching chip and is used to enable communication at the data link layer between different switch modules. The flexible connector is used to enable communication between multiple switch modules based on the network interface.

[0040] The switching chip can efficiently perform data switching operations, automatically adjusting the data packet transmission rate based on port status and load to ensure network quality and stability. Furthermore, since this invention aims to address the poor interface type and speed flexibility of traditional switch modules, the switching chip in this invention should support multiple interface types to meet the need for dynamic adaptation of switch module interfaces. Based on the above conditions, the embodiments of this invention do not limit the specific selection of the switching chip, and can dynamically adjust it based on the bandwidth and interface requirements of the user's actual usage scenario.

[0041] Preferably, the switching chip in this invention can be the Shengke CTC7132 chip, which integrates a dual-core processor, provides a switching capacity of 440Gbps and a 64-byte full-port line-speed forwarding capability. It supports multi-port communication protocols such as QSGMII and USXGMII-M, and simultaneously provides full-rate port capabilities from 100M to 100G, meeting the requirements of this invention.

[0042] It should be noted that in the communication connection of the switch module of this utility model, the flexible connector is used to achieve the requirements of high-speed signal transmission and physical space adaptability. It needs to possess the characteristics of being bendable, foldable, high bandwidth, and low latency. The selection of the flexible connector can be dynamically changed based on the switch architecture, signal type, and physical environment requirements of the actual use scenario to ensure optimal switch compatibility and performance.

[0043] Specifically, the flexible connector should include at least a first connection end group, a second connection end group, and a flexible substrate connecting the first connection end group and the second connection end group. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the first connection group is connected to at least one network interface of the switch module (switching module); the second connection group is connected to an interface on the port board used for communication with the switch module; the flexible substrate can be bent or folded at a predetermined curvature to form a signal transmission channel. In one embodiment of this utility model, the flexible connector is mainly used for differential signals, and the length of differential signals such as HS_S0_RX0 should be controlled to ≤4200mil (e.g., HS_S0_RX0 is 4116.76mil) to reduce signal attenuation and crosstalk. Because of the use of the flexible connector, the interface of the board can adapt to various speeds and modes without requiring the replacement of corresponding hardware for switching.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the first connection terminal group and / or the second connection terminal group may be composed of a high-density gold finger array, achieving physical connection with the switch module based on a self-locking snap-fit ​​mechanism. Simultaneously, to fundamentally address the issue of the switch's heat dissipation module occupying space and exhibiting poor heat dissipation performance, a graphene-based thermally conductive layer or a liquid metal filling structure is embedded in the flexible connector. The thermally conductive layer may include interlayer stacked graphene sheets and an interface-enhancing phase; the liquid metal may be composed of metallic elements and their alloys with melting points below a preset threshold, such as neptunium, indium, sodium, potassium, bismuth, gallium-indium alloy (GaIn), gallium-indium-tin alloy (Galinstan), and lead-bismuth eutectic alloy (Pb-Bi), etc. These materials combine the high thermal conductivity characteristics of metals (>30 W / m·K) with the interfacial adaptability of fluids.

[0045] Actual experimental measurements show that this invention improves heat conduction efficiency by 40% compared to existing technologies, reduces contact thermal resistance to ≤0.1°C / W, operates stably across the entire temperature range (-40℃ to +65℃), has an MTBF ≥7200 hours, and improves reliability by 44%. Therefore, the high-speed signal interfaces on the board do not require heat dissipation, solving the heat dissipation problem at its source. This also saves the space required for the original heat dissipation module. Actual measurements show that this invention simplifies wiring (reducing redundancy by 60%), reduces size (280mm × 270mm), and supports thermal maintenance.

[0046] To meet the demands of high-density integration while simultaneously displaying the real-time network interface status of the corresponding switch module, thus improving system maintainability, a status monitoring module can optionally be integrated into the switch module. An independent monitoring branch is led out from the switching chip via a pre-set rectangular connector and connected to a pre-set indicator light. The switch also includes a rectangular connector and indicator lights for indicating the network interface status: one end of the rectangular connector is connected to the switch module, and the other end is connected to the indicator light. When a network interface malfunctions, the corresponding indicator light illuminates. This achieves real-time visual monitoring of the network interface status.

[0047] Similarly, the switch module also integrates a temperature sensor and a fan interface. The temperature sensor can collect the port interface temperature at predetermined time intervals. When the temperature exceeds a preset threshold, the fan is activated and the board is automatically powered off to protect the function of the board chip.

[0048] like Figure 1The diagram shows a hardware design of a switch module according to a specific embodiment of this utility model. The switch module further includes a storage unit; the storage unit is communicatively connected to the switching chip, and is used to store data packets, configuration files, and other information generated during switch operation. The storage unit may include, but is not limited to, dynamic memory for caching forwarded data, static registers for storing configuration parameters, and flash memory chips for firmware storage. The specific configuration of the storage unit can be adjusted based on actual needs, preferably as follows: Figure 1 As shown, it is configured with DDR3, eMMC Flash, and BOOT Flash.

[0049] DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3 SDRAM) is a third-generation synchronous dynamic random access memory, primarily used in switches as a cache or temporary data storage. EMMC (Embedded MultiMediaCard) is an embedded storage solution integrating a controller and flash memory, used in switches to store firmware or configuration files. BOOT FLS is a flash memory chip used to store the switch's boot program.

[0050] Furthermore, the switching chip is not only connected to the first PHY chip, but also to a second PHY chip and a third PHY chip, respectively, enabling data to be forwarded through the switching chip based on different types of network ports. The second and third PHY chips should each use different communication protocols to communicate with the switching chip, to meet the dynamic adaptation requirements of this invention. Specifically, unlike the first PHY chip, whose physical address and related parameters can be adjusted via a debugging interface, the second and third PHY chips preferably use fixed preset parameters, reducing the configuration burden on the user side.

[0051] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this utility model, the difference between the second PHY chip and the third PHY chip is that, in order to expand the adaptability of the switch module in different usage scenarios, the second PHY chip can output a gigabit port, while the third PHY chip can output a 10 gigabit port in the form of an electrical port, without the need to use a 10 gigabit optical module.

[0052] Based on this, in an exemplary embodiment, the switching chip and the second PHY chip communicate via a high-speed serial bus. The high-speed serial bus can adopt the QSGMII bus standard, and this embodiment of the invention does not limit this. QSGMII (Quad Serial Gigabit Media Independent Interface) is a high-speed serial interface standard, which is used in this embodiment for communication between the switching chip and the second PHY chip. It increases port density by multiplexing four gigabit Ethernet signals into a single channel, which can reduce PCB routing complexity. The bus standard used between the switching chip and the third PHY chip is 10G BASE-R or USXGMII, which is used for long-distance, interference-resistant signal transmission of the switch.

[0053] The switch module further includes a first network transformer and a second network transformer. The input terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the second PHY chip, and the output terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard used by the first network transformer and the network interface is 1000BASE-T. The input terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the third PHY chip, and the output terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard used by the second network transformer and the network interface is 10G BASE-T. Therefore, the electrical signal output by the switch module can be transmitted to the port board through a flexible connector connected to the network port to achieve data communication based on the user's configuration.

[0054] Network transformers can couple signal levels, enhance signals, and extend their transmission distance; they isolate the chip from the external environment, enhancing anti-interference capabilities and increasing chip protection (e.g., against lightning strikes); and when connected to network ports with different voltage levels, they will not affect each other's devices. This further enhances the stability and reliability of this invention.

[0055] It is understood that the high-reliability switch provided by this utility model also includes a power supply module. Since different components within the switch are adapted to different voltages, the power supply module includes a DC input terminal and multiple DC output terminals. Each DC output terminal is connected in series with a DC / DC regulator to output power supply voltages of different values. For example... Figure 2 The diagram shown is a design diagram of the power module of this utility model. Its input voltage is 12V, and its output voltages are 0.9V, 3.3V, 1.8V, 1.5V, and 0.75V, respectively.

[0056] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0057] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A high-reliability switch, characterized in that, include: A switch module includes a switching chip, a first PHY chip, a debugging interface, and a network interface; wherein, the first PHY chip is communicatively connected to the switching chip; the debugging interface is connected to the first PHY chip via a serial communication bus and is used to configure the physical layer address and communication protocol parameters of the first PHY chip; the network interface is communicatively connected to the switching chip and is used to enable communication at the data link layer of different switch modules; A flexible connector is used to enable communication connections between multiple switch modules based on a network interface.

2. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible connector includes: The first connection terminal group is connected to at least one network interface of the switch module; The second connection terminal group is connected to the interface on the port board used for communication with the switch module; A flexible substrate is used to connect the first connection terminal group and the second connection terminal group with a predetermined bending curvature to form a signal transmission channel.

3. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switch also includes rectangular connectors and indicator lights for indicating the status of network interfaces: One end of the rectangular connector is connected to the switch module, and the other end is connected to the indicator light.

4. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible connector is embedded with a graphene-based thermally conductive layer or a liquid metal filling structure; The thermally conductive layer comprises stacked graphene sheets and an interface-reinforcing phase. The liquid metal includes gallium-based liquid metal alloys.

5. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switch module also includes a storage unit; The storage unit is communicatively connected to the switching chip. The storage unit includes a dynamic memory for caching forwarded data, a static register for storing configuration parameters, and a flash memory chip for storing firmware.

6. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switching chip is connected to a second PHY chip, which is connected to the network interface. The switching chip and the second PHY chip communicate via a high-speed serial bus, and the high-speed serial bus adopts the QSGMII bus standard.

7. The high-reliability switch according to claim 6, characterized in that, The switching chip is connected to a third PHY chip, which is connected to the network interface. The bus standard used between the switching chip and the third PHY chip is 10G BASE-R or USXGMII.

8. The high-reliability switch according to claim 7, characterized in that, The switch module also includes a first network transformer and a second network transformer; The input terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the second PHY chip, and the output terminal of the first network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard adopted by the first network transformer and the network interface is 1000BASE-T. The input terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the third PHY chip, and the output terminal of the second network transformer is connected to the network interface. The bus standard adopted by the second network transformer and the network interface is 10GBASE-T.

9. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switch also includes a power module, which includes a DC input terminal and a DC output terminal. Each DC output terminal is connected in series with a DC / DC regulator to output power voltages of different values.

10. The high-reliability switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switch module is equipped with a temperature sensor for detecting the module temperature.

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