System providing an automatic patch of electrical signals between two different devices and associated method

Abstract

The invention concerns a system (10), providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices (12, 14) presenting a different number of connecting points, and comprising: - a connecting panel (161) presenting connecting points of one (12) of these device, - a PCB configuration card (18) configured to route some of the connecting points to a free face comprising at least one board to board connector with a predetermined input / output connection pattern; - a flex PCB comprising two identical ends (20) connected by a flexible PCB link (22), each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end being connected to the board to board connector, the other end being connected to the other device (14).

Description

[0001] System providing an automatic patch of electrical signals between two different devices and associated method

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a system providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices.

[0004] Particularly, said at least two different devices present a different number of connecting points, one of these at least two different devices being a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device of the at least two different devices.

[0005] More precisely, the present invention relates to a system providing a patch of electrical signals between two different devices, one of which being a modern analog (nonprogrammed or hardwired) safety instrumentation and control (l&C) platform designed specifically to implement category A, B or C (IEC 61226) and class 1 E nuclear safety or safety related l&C functions. In other words, the present invention relates to a solution providing automatic patch of electrical signals for the nuclear industry.

[0006] The present invention also concerns a method for providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points.

[0007] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Traditionally, patch of electrical signals between two different devices involves usually patching systems that may simplify later connectivity changes.

[0009] Typically, a communications patching system includes one or more “patch panels” that are mounted on equipment rack(s) or in cabinet(s), and a plurality of communication cables (e.g. communication wires) called “patch cords” that are used to make interconnections between different pieces of equipment. All these current existing patching systems are thus based on wiring (i.e. cabling).

[0010] More precisely, in the particular field of safety instrumentation and control platforms designed specifically to implement nuclear safety or safety related instrumentation and control functions, said patching wiring is implemented whether by wrapping, such as used in the UNICORN® or in the TELEPERM XS® safety l&C platforms of the Applicant or by using custom made cable harness, such as used in the SPINLINE® hardware product of the Applicant.

[0011] However, these current existing patching systems based on wiring are not completely satisfying since their implementation is very costly due to the costs associated with the wiring file or the specification of the custom made cable harness of each device of cabinet, the costs associated with the duration of wiring operations, typically several weeks when patch wiring is implemented by wrapping, the costs associated with the representativeness of the electromagnetic compatibility EMC qualification since there exists an infinite number of wiring combinations.

[0012] In addition, their implementation involves some difficulties to make changes once delivered on site, and / or error risk.

[0013] Moreover, these current existing patching systems based on wiring are usually cumbersome and impose an access from the back of the device of the cabinet, which is not always practical.

[0014] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The invention aims first of all at solving, at least in part the drawbacks of the prior art. The invention also aims at providing a universal electrical connection solution for patching systems, said solution avoiding wiring (i.e. cabling). The term “universal” is understood herein after as a solution working for all types of electrical signals, such as, but not limited to, all or nothing electrical signals of twenty-four Volts, electrical signals with an intensity between four and twenty mA, an electrical signal provided by a thermocouple sensor or by a PT00 sensor.

[0016] For this purpose, the invention relates to a system providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points, one of these at least two different devices being a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device of the at least two different devices, said system comprising:

[0017] - a connecting panel presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points, each being connected to a contact of the board to board connectors of the cards mounting panel;

[0018] - a PCB configuration card corresponding to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points through at least one board to board connector of said connecting panel and at least one corresponding board to board connector of said PCB configuration card, and configured to route at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to a free face comprising at least one board to board connector with a predetermined input / output connection pattern; a flex PCB comprising two identical ends connected by a flexible PCB link, each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the at least one board to board connector of said free face of said PCB configuration card, the other end being configured to be connected to the other device of the at least two different devices.

[0019] Thanks to these features, it is thus proposed to use the printed circuit board PCB technology to replace the functions previously performed with wiring (i.e. cabling) in prior art solutions. The use of such a printed circuit board PCB technology provides an “automatic patch of electrical signals”, that is to say a patch for implementing automatically (i.e. without any human action once said system is correctly connected between said at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points) said at least one predetermined function

[0020] In addition, such a solution fits advantageously into a predetermined footprint such as for example a volume with a height equal to two rack units (i.e. 2U), a width equal to nineteen inches and a depth of one hundred millimetres. Moreover, the material qualification (i.e. in terms of electromagnetic compatibility EMC, vibration / earthquake, aging, etc.) of such a solution is advantageously generic and applicable to any connection configuration.

[0021] Such a system is very efficient providing a cost saving with a factor substantially equal to ten, a time saving with a factor substantially equal to two, and a gain in compactness with a factor substantially equal to ten.

[0022] According to particular embodiments, the system comprises one or more of the following characteristics, taken separately or in any technically feasible combination:

[0023] - said PCB configuration card is furthermore configured to implement interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting panel according to a predetermined interconnecting map;

[0024] - the cards mounting panel and the connecting panel are two different zones of a same panel;

[0025] - said PCB configuration card comprises a plurality of layers, said layers being ordered according to a predetermined order and configured to achieve:

[0026] - the contact of the PCB configuration card to the at least first part of said connecting points,

[0027] - the interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting panel according to the predetermined interconnection map,

[0028] - the routing of at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to the predetermined input / output connection pattern;

[0029] - the contact of the PCB configuration card to the at least first part of said connecting points is achieved by at least one layer of the plurality of layers, said at least one layer being called contact layer and being located in the first three layers of said plurality of layers according to said predetermined order;

[0030] - at least one other layer of the plurality of layers comprises the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called interconnection layer and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the contact layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;

[0031] - at least one other layer of the plurality of layers comprises a predetermined input / output map routing, towards an input / output section and according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points and / or of the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called input / output layer and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the interconnection layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;

[0032] - said plurality of layers comprises twenty layers and wherein:

[0033] - said at least one contact layer is, according to said predetermined order, the third layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;

[0034] - said at least one interconnection layer is, according to said predetermined order, the fifteenth layer in the stack of the plurality of layers; and

[0035] - said at least one input / output layer comprises two layers of said stack of the plurality of layers.

[0036] - the predetermined input / output connection pattern is the same whatever is the at least one predetermined function, and the predetermined input / output map is specific to the at least one predetermined function.

[0037] - the predetermined interconnection map is specific to the at least one predetermined function.

[0038] The invention also relates to a method for providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points one of these at least two different devices being a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device of the at least two different devices, said method comprising the following steps:

[0039] - inputting parameters of said plurality of electronic cards and said at least one predetermined function into a software configured to provide an associated manufacturing file of a corresponding PCB configuration card of a system comprising:

[0040] - a connecting panel presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points, each being connected to a contact of the board to board connectors of the cards mounting panel;

[0041] - said PCB configuration card corresponding to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points through at least one board to board connector of said connecting panel and at least one corresponding board to board connector of said PCB configuration card, and configured to route at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to a free face comprising at least one board to board connector with a predetermined input / output connection pattern; - a flex PCB comprising two identical ends connected by a flexible PCB link, each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the at least one board to board connector of said free face of said PCB configuration card, the other end being configured to be connected to the other device of the at least two different devices,

[0042] - manufacturing said corresponding PCB configuration card according to said manufacturing file,

[0043] - plugging said corresponding PCB configuration card to the to the at least first part of said connecting points;

[0044] - connecting said flex PCB to the predetermined input / output connection pattern of said free face of said PCB configuration card and to the other device of the at least two different devices.

[0045] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following description, which is given solely by way of non-limiting example and which is made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0047] - Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the system providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points, according to the present disclosure;

[0048] - Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the at least two different devices of figure 1 according to the present disclosure;

[0049] - Figure 3 is a schematic representation of an example of the two faces of the PCB configuration card;

[0050] - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the elements forming said system corresponding to a PCB configuration card and a flex PCB;

[0051] - Figure 5 illustrates the arrangement according to a vertical direction of the elements forming said system; - Figure 6 corresponds to a flowchart of a method for providing an automatic patch of electrical signals between two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points according to the present disclosure.

[0052] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0053] Before describing the invention, it is to be understood that it is not limited to the details of construction set forth in the following description. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure that the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

[0054] The expression “substantially equal to” is understood hereinafter as an equality at plus or minus 10% and preferably at plus or minus 5%.

[0055] In figure 1 , the system 10 according to the present invention is represented when being currently connected to at least two different devices 12 and 14, said at least two devices presenting a different number of connecting points respectively visible later on figure 2 wherein the at least two different devices 12 and 14 of figure 1 are represented separately.

[0056] Globally, the system 10 comprises four elements roughly illustrated by figure 1 : a connecting panel 161 (for example of a backplane 16 of the device 12), a PCB configuration card 18 in contact with said connecting panel 161 and a flex PCB comprising two identical ends 20 connected by a flexible PCB link 22, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to said PCB configuration card 18, and the other end 20 of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the other device 14,

[0057] Each element of the arrangement of the system 10 is then described in details in relation with figures 2 to 5.

[0058] Figure 2 represents separately, the at least two different devices 12 and 14 of figure 1 . More precisely, said figure 2 permits to illustrate the connecting panel 161 of said system 10 without being covered by the PCB configuration card 18 and the flex PCB as previously described. More precisely, one of the two different devices 12 and 14 is a device 12 corresponding at least to a set of a plurality of electronic cards. Each electronic card is mounted to a cards mounting panel 162 through a board to board connector 163 dedicated to plug said electronic card to said cards mounting panel 162.

[0059] For example, said device 12 is an analog or digital safety instrumentation and control platform configured to implement nuclear safety or safety related instrumentation and control functions.

[0060] Said device 12 is configured to be connected to the at least one other device 14 through a system 10 according to the present disclosure and as further detailed, said device 12 and said at least one other device 14 presenting a different number of connecting points 165 and 240 respectively. For example, said device 12 comprises more than four hundred connecting points 165, each connecting point 165 corresponding to one connecting point of the twelve board to board connectors 163 of said cards mounting panel 162, whereas said device 14 comprises, for example, one hundred and eighty four connecting points 240.

[0061] Said device 12 presents for example a backplane 16, with said cards mounting panel 162 and with said connecting panel 161 presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points 164, each connecting point 164 being connected to a contact 165 of the board to board connector 163 of said cards mounting panel 162, said board to board connector 163 of said cards mounting panel 162 receiving at least one card of said plurality of electronic cards.

[0062] More precisely, said connecting panel 161 of the backplane 16 presents at least one “connecting panel board to board connector” 23 (two board to board connectors 23 on the example of figure 2) gathering at least a part of said predetermined number of connecting points 164.

[0063] Each electronic card is configured to participate in the realisation of one of the instrumentation and control, l&C, functions.

[0064] Such backplane 16 has the advantage of being able to “trace back” all of the connectors of the board to board connectors to permit a connection access by using the front of the rack, instead of the rear of the rack which is less practical. The compactness of the cabinet is also drastically increased as the connections are no more done through the back of the cabinets, so it allows the possibility to arrange the cabinets back to back or against a wall where in the prior art it is needed to leave an access to the back of the cabinets for the connections.

[0065] As another optional extra, the cards mounting panel 162 and the connecting panel 161 are two different zones of a same panel. For example, said same panel corresponds to said backplane 16 of said device 12.

[0066] When filling such device 12 (i.e. platform) with electronic cards, in order to perform at least one l&C function, on the one hand it is necessary to implement connections between said electronic cards and within the device 12, and on the other hand it is necessary to implement input / output connections of said electronic cards towards devices out of said device 12, such as the device 14 corresponding to a “client terminal block” presenting a different number of connecting points than the one of the device 12, said client terminal block 14 being random, and presenting for example one hundred and eighty four connecting points 240.

[0067] In addition, in figure 2, it can be seen that the other device 14, presenting a different number of connecting points 240, comprises at least one board to board connector 24, (two board to board connector 24 on the example of figure 2) configured to be plugged, according to a predetermined input / output connection pattern as later detailed, to one end 20 of the flex PCB as previously illustrated in figure 1 .

[0068] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of an example of the two faces of the PCB configuration card 18.

[0069] More precisely, said PCB configuration card 18 corresponds to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points 164 through at least one board to board connector 23 of said connecting panel 161 , previously illustrated in figure 2, and at least one corresponding board to board connector 25 of said PCB configuration card 18, illustrated in said figure 3.

[0070] Said PCB configuration card 18 is configured to route at least some of the connecting points 164 of said first part of said connecting points to a free face 18EF (i.e. an accessible face) of said PCB configuration card 18, said free face 18EF comprising at least one board to board connector 26 with a predetermined input / output connection pattern. As an optional extra, said PCB configuration card 18 is furthermore configured to implement interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting panel according to a predetermined interconnecting map.

[0071] According to an optional preferred embodiment, said PCB configuration card 18 corresponds to a PCB with, first, an intern face 18IF configured to be in contact with at least a part of said connecting points 164 of the connecting panel 161 of figure 2.

[0072] Said intern face 18IF is dedicated to the interconnection mapping of said electronic cards, and to a predetermined input / output map (i.e. said intern face 18IF comprises both said predetermined input / output map and said optional interconnecting map). Said predetermined input / output map routes some connecting points 164 of said part of said connecting points towards an input / output section of said PCB configuration card 18.

[0073] Said intern face 18IF is configured to be in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points 164 of the connecting panel 161 of figure 2, through, on the one hand, at least one board to board connector 23 as represented on figure 2 of said connecting panel 161 , and, on the other hand, through at least one corresponding board to board connector 25 of said PCB configuration card. In other words, said intern face 18IF of said PCB configuration card 18 comprises at least one board to board connector 25, each board to board connector 25 of said PCB configuration card is complementary to each board to board connector 23 of the connecting panel of said device 12 as represented in figure 2.

[0074] In addition, figure 3 illustrates also the free face 18EF of said PCB configuration card 18, said free face being also called extern face. The extern face 18EF (i.e. accessible and not in contact with said backplane 16, also referenced as 180 in figure 5) of said PCB configuration card 18 comprises said predetermined input / output connection pattern, said predetermined input / output connection pattern being connected to the input / output section of said intern face 18IF.

[0075] Said free face 18EF comprises at least one board to board connector 26 with said predetermined input / output connection pattern, said predetermined input / output connection pattern being connected to the input / output section of said configuration card 18. As illustrated later in relation with figure 5, said at least one board to board connector 26 with said predetermined input / output connection pattern of said free face 18EF of said PCB configuration card 18, is configured to be connected to a flex PCB board to board connector 27 of one end 20 of the flex PCB.

[0076] In another optional embodiment, the predetermined input / output map and the input connection pattern are on the same free face.

[0077] In another optional embodiment, the optional interconnecting map is on the same face as the predetermined input / output map.

[0078] In another optional embodiment, the optional interconnecting map is not on the same face as the predetermined input / output map.

[0079] The figure 4 illustrates the flex PCB comprising two identical ends 20 connected by a flexible PCB link 22, each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector 27 configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end 20 of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to at least one board to board connector 26 of said free face 18EF (or layer 180 in figure 5) of said PCB configuration card 18, the other end 20 being configured to be connected to the other device 14 different from said device 12.

[0080] As an optional extra, the predetermined input / output connection pattern is the same whatever is the at least one predetermined function, and the predetermined input / output map is specific to the at least one predetermined function.

[0081] In other words, according to said optional preferred embodiment, said input / output connection pattern is standard and is identical for (i.e. shared by) both said extern face 18EF of said PCB configuration card 18 and said two ends 20. For example, said standard input / output connection pattern comprises one hundred and eighty four connecting points, which corresponds to the standard of an l&C terminal block for nuclear plant. In other words, said flex PCB can be seen as a generic strap linking the two devices 12 and 14, said flex PCB being used identically from one function to another (i.e. independently of said function).

[0082] As an optional extra, the predetermined interconnection map is specific to the at least one predetermined function. In figure 4, only the elements 18, 20 and 22 forming said system 10, and their relation with, for example, the backplane 16 of the device 12 are represented at the top of figure 4 in a perspective view from above showing only the free face (i.e. extern face) of the flex PCB comprising two identical ends 20 connected by the flexible link 22.

[0083] As illustrated by the example of figure 4, each end 20 is fixed by means of screws respectively on the backplane 16 of the device 12 and on the client terminal block 14.

[0084] At the bottom left of figure 4, the intern face of the flex PCB is also represented. More precisely, each intern face 20IF of each identical end 20 of the flex PCB is provided with at least one flex PCB board to board connector 27 configured to be plugged to one board to board connector 26 with a predetermined input / output connection pattern of the free face (i.e. extern face) 18EF of PCB configuration card 18 as previously illustrated by figure 3.

[0085] As already said, preferentially, said input / output connection pattern is standard and independent from said at least one predetermined function. For example, said standard input / output connection pattern comprises one hundred and eighty four connecting points, which corresponds to the standard of an l&C terminal block for nuclear plant.

[0086] According to an optional preferred embodiment, figure 5 illustrates the arrangement according to a vertical direction D of the elements forming said system 10 in relation with backplane 16 of the device 12. In other words said vertical direction D is a stacking vertical direction starting from the backplane 16 of the device 12 to one end 20 of the flex PCB.

[0087] The base of the stack being the backplane 16 of the device 12, at least partly in contact with the PCB configuration card 18, via its board to board connector 23 plugged to the board to board connector 25 of the PCB configuration card 18 intern face (18IF as previously represented in figure 3). Said board to board connector 23 is placed on top of the connecting panel 161 of said backplane 16 and extends upwards according to said stacking vertical direction D. Said PCB configuration card board to board connector 25 is placed on the PCB configuration card intern face and extends downwards according to said stacking vertical direction D. Said board to board connector 23 of the connecting panel 161 and said PCB configuration card board to board connector 25 are complementary and configured to be plugged in. Said PCB configuration card 18 is itself also in contact, via its extern face (or free face 18EF 3S previously represented in figure 3), with one end 20 of said flex PCB, said contact being established by connecting at least one board to board connector 26 of its free face to at least one flex PCB board to board connector 27, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern. More precisely, said at least one board to board connector 26 of the free face of PCB configuration card extends upwards according to said stacking vertical direction D, whereas said flex PCB board to board connector 27 extends downwards according to said stacking vertical direction D. Said board to board connector 26 of the free face of PCB configuration card and said flex PCB board to board connector 27 are complementary and configured to be plugged in according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern.

[0088] According to said optional embodiment represented by figure 5, said PCB configuration card 18 comprises a plurality of layers, said layers being ordered according to a predetermined order and configured to achieve:

[0089] - the contact of the PCB configuration card to the at least first part of said connecting points,

[0090] - the interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting pane according to the predetermined interconnection map,

[0091] - the routing of at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to the predetermined input / output connection pattern.

[0092] Furthermore, optionally in said above optional embodiment, the contact of the PCB configuration card to the at least first part of said connecting points is achieved by at least one layer 184 of the plurality of layers, said at least one layer being called contact layer and being located in the first three layers of said plurality of layers according to said predetermined order; at least one other layer 182 of the plurality of layers comprises the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called interconnection layer and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the contact layer 184 in the stack of the plurality of layers; and at least one other layer 180 of the plurality of layers comprises the predetermined input / output map routing, towards the input / output section and according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points and / or of the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called input / output layer and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the interconnection layer in the stack of the plurality of layers. For example applied to said optional preferred embodiment, said predetermined order starts from a first layer 184, corresponding to the intern face 18IF configured to be in contact with at least a part of said connecting points 164 of the connecting panel 161 of the backplane 16, to the last layer 180 corresponding to said extern face 18EF, according to the direction D of said figure 5.

[0093] In other words, according to said particular embodiment, said PCB configuration card 18 is a multi-layer PCB, wherein at least one layer 184 is configured to ensure the contact of said connecting points of said part of said connecting points of the backplane with the PCB configuration card.

[0094] In other words, said multi-layer PCB configuration card 18 comprises three different sections represented on figure 5 by said at least one layer 184, said at least one layer 182 and said at least one layer 180. More precisely, said at least on layer 184 (i.e. first section) corresponds at least to the intern face 18IF (as previously illustrated by figure 3) of said multi-layer PCB configuration card 18 and, if applicable, to a predetermined number of following layers according to the predetermined order according to said stacking vertical direction D, which permit(s) to:

[0095] - electrically associate / solder the PCB configuration card board to board connector(s) 25 to the PCB configuration card 18, and

[0096] - neutralise / insulate the contact(s) that do not need to be patched.

[0097] The at least one layer 180 (i.e. third section) corresponds at least to the extern face 18EF (as illustrated by figure 3) of said multi-layer PCB configuration card 18 and, if applicable, to a predetermined number of previous layers according to the predetermined order according to said stacking vertical direction D, which permit(s) to:

[0098] - electrically associate / solder the at least one board to board connector 26 with a predetermined input / output connection pattern to the PCB configuration card 18, and

[0099] - neutralise / insulate the contact(s) that do not need to be input / output routed.

[0100] The intermediate layers 182 (i.e. second intermediate section), between said at least on layer 184 and said at least one layer 180 permit to:

[0101] - electrically link the contact of the at least on layer 184 (i.e. first section) to the ones of the at least one layer 180 (i.e. third section) to ensure the input / output patch, and optionally

[0102] - electrically link the contacts together (i.e. interlink) of the at least on layer 184 to ensure the interconnecting patch (i.e. according to said interconnecting map). Preferentially, said PCB configuration card comprises twenty layers wherein:

[0103] - said at least one contact layer is, according to said predetermined order, the third layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;

[0104] - said at least one interconnection layer is, according to said predetermined order, the fifteenth layer in the stack of the plurality of layers; and

[0105] - said at least one input / output layer comprises two layers of said stack of the plurality of layers.

[0106] Thus, preferentially, said at least one layer configured to ensure the contact is one of the first three layers according to said predetermined order, and preferentially said at least one layer configured to ensure the contact is the third layer. In other words, said third layer is configured to ensure the contact of at least a part of the four hundreds connecting points 165 of the backplane 16 of the device 12 with the configuration card 18.

[0107] Moreover, preferentially, at least one other layer comprises an interconnection map binding together some predetermined connecting points of said part of said connecting points of the backplane. In other words, said interconnection map is configured to bind together a part of the four hundreds connecting points 165 of the backplane 16 of the device 12. Said at least one other layer comprising an interconnection map is one of the first fifteen layers according to said predetermined order, and preferentially the interconnection map is configured through the combination of the fifteen layers.

[0108] In addition, preferentially, at least one other layer comprises the predetermined input / output map routing some predetermined connecting points of said part of said four hundreds connecting points of the backplane 16 and / or some predetermined connecting points of said interconnection map towards an input-output section of the PCB configuration card 18 according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, said input / output connection pattern being standard and independent from said at least one predetermined function. For example, said standard input / output connection pattern comprises one hundred and eighty four connecting points, which corresponds to the standard of an l&C terminal block for nuclear plant. And optionally, two layers comprises said predetermined input / output map, said layers being distinct from said at least one layer configured to ensure the contact, and from the at least one other layer comprising an interconnection map. The method 30 for providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points will now be described in reference to figure 6 illustrating a flowchart of its steps.

[0109] As previously introduced one of these two different devices is a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device of the at least two different devices. Thus, during a first classical step 32, a plurality of electronic cards is mounted within said device 12. More precisely said plurality of electronic cards is configured to implement at least one predetermined function, and said electronic cards are configured to be interconnected within said device, and / or connected to some devices out of said device, said device 12 presenting a backplane with a predetermined number of connecting points, each connecting point corresponding to a board to board connector receiving at least one card of said plurality of electronic cards.

[0110] During a second step 34, parameters of said plurality of electronic cards and said at least one predetermined function are input into a software configured to provide an associated manufacturing file of a corresponding PCB configuration card 18 of said system 10.

[0111] As previously described, said system comprises:

[0112] - a connecting panel presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points, each being connected to a contact of the board to board connectors of the cards mounting panel;

[0113] - said PCB configuration card corresponding to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points through at least one board to board connector of said connecting panel and at least one corresponding board to board connector of said PCB configuration card, and configured to route at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points 164 to a free face 18EF (i.e. an accessible face) comprising at least one board to board connector 26 with a predetermined input / output connection pattern;

[0114] - a flex PCB comprising two identical ends connected by a flexible PCB link, each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector 27 configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the at least one board to board connector of said free face of said PCB configuration card, the other end being configured to be connected to the other device of the at least two different devices.

[0115] Said software is an autorouting software configured to generate automatically said PCB configuration card 18, which ensures the distribution of signals between the exterior and / or interior of the device 12 and also the distribution of the signals within said device.

[0116] The automatic generation algorithm of said PCB configuration card ensures the respect of the electrical connections and thus the respect of the system functional.

[0117] In addition, said automatic generation algorithm of said PCB configuration card ensures the electrical segregation of the signals of different nature. In other words, aid automatic generation algorithm of said PCB configuration card ensures EMC immunity, and allows to be in conformity with the state of the art PCB routing rules as a function of the signals nature.

[0118] Moreover, said automatic generation algorithm of said PCB configuration card 18 ensures the respect of a group of rules permitting to ensure the representativeness of the material qualification (i.e. in terms of isolation, dielectric, short-circuit resistance, etc.)

[0119] During a third step 36, said corresponding PCB configuration card is manufactured according to said manufacturing file.

[0120] During a fourth step 38, said corresponding PCB configuration card is installed into said device 12 in a cabinet, by plugging it to panel of said device, for example its backplane. Said plugging 38 permits to implement both the electronic cards interconnection and the grouping of input / output according to the standard input / output connection pattern on the free face (i.e. accessible extern face) of the configuration card.

[0121] During a fifth step 40, the flex PCB comprising two ends connected by a flexible PCB link is itself connected, each end presenting said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being connected to said free face of said PCB configuration card, the other end being connected to the other device 14 different from said device 12. The one skilled in the art will understand that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described, nor to the particular examples of the specification, the above- mentioned embodiments and variants being suitable for being combined with each other to generate new embodiments of the disclosure.

[0122] Thanks to the invention, a universal electrical connection solution is obtained when using said system providing an automatic patch of electrical signals between two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points, with a reduced cost and compactness, and time saving.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system (10) providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices (12, 14) presenting a different number of connecting points (165, 240), one of these at least two different devices being a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel (162) through a board to board connector (163), said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device (14) of the at least two different devices, said system (10) being characterized in that it comprises:- a connecting panel (161 ) presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points (164), each being connected to a contact (165) of the board to board connectors (163) of the cards mounting panel (162);- a PCB configuration card (18) corresponding to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points (164) through at least one board to board connector (23) of said connecting panel (161) and at least one corresponding board to board connector (25) of said PCB configuration card (18), and configured to route at least some of the connecting points (164) of said first part of said connecting points to a free face (18EF, 180) comprising at least one board to board connector (26) with a predetermined input / output connection pattern; a flex PCB comprising two identical ends (20) connected by a flexible PCB link (22), each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector (27) configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the at least one board to board connector (26) of said free face of said PCB configuration card (18), the other end being configured to be connected to the other device of the at least two different devices (12, 14).

2. The system (10) according to claim 1 , wherein said PCB configuration card (18) is furthermore configured to implement interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting panel according to a predetermined interconnecting map.

3. The system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cards mounting panel (162) and the connecting panel (161 ) are two different zones of a same panel (16).

4. The system (10) according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein said PCB configuration card (18) comprises a plurality of layers, said layers being ordered according to a predetermined order and configured to achieve:- the contact of the PCB configuration card to the at least first part of said connecting points (164),- the interconnections between at least a second part of said connecting points of the connecting panel (161 ) according to the predetermined interconnection map,- the routing of at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to the predetermined input / output connection pattern.

5. The system (10) according to claim 4, wherein:- the contact of the PCB configuration card (18) to the at least first part of said connecting points (164) is achieved by at least one layer of the plurality of layers, said at least one layer being called contact layer (184) and being located in the first three layers of said plurality of layers according to said predetermined order;- at least one other layer (182) of the plurality of layers comprises the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called interconnection layer and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the contact layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;- at least one other layer (180) of the plurality of layers comprises a predetermined input / output map routing, towards an input / output section and according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, at least some of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points and / or of the predetermined interconnection map, said at least one other layer being called input / output layer (180) and being located, according to said predetermined order, further than the interconnection layer in the stack of the plurality of layers.

6. The system (10) according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of layers comprises twenty layers and wherein:- said at least one contact layer (184) is, according to said predetermined order, the third layer in the stack of the plurality of layers;- said at least one interconnection layer (182) is, according to said predetermined order, the fifteenth layer in the stack of the plurality of layers; and- said at least one input / output layer (180) comprises two layers of said stack of the plurality of layers.

7. The system (10) according to any one of claims 5 or 6 wherein the predetermined input / output connection pattern is the same whatever is the at least one predetermined function, and wherein the predetermined input / output map is specific to the at least one predetermined function.

8. The system (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the predetermined interconnection map is specific to the at least one predetermined function.

9. A device (12) corresponding at least to a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, wherein said device is an analog or digital safety instrumentation and control platform configured to implement nuclear safety or safety related instrumentation and control functions, and wherein said device (12) is configured to be connected to at least one other device (14) through a system (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, said device and said at least one other device presenting a different number of connecting points.

10. A method (30) for providing a patch of electrical signals between at least two different devices presenting a different number of connecting points, one of these at least two different devices being a set of a plurality of electronic cards each mounted to a cards mounting panel through a board to board connector, said set of a plurality of electronic cards being configured to implement at least one predetermined function through interconnections between them and / or input / output connections with the other device of the at least two different devices, said method comprising the following steps:- inputting (34) parameters of said plurality of electronic cards and said at least one predetermined function into a software configured to provide an associated manufacturing file of a corresponding PCB configuration card of a system comprising:- a connecting panel presenting at least a predetermined number of connecting points, each being connected to a contact of the board to board connectors of the cards mounting panel;- said PCB configuration card corresponding to a PCB, in contact with at least a first part of said connecting points through at least one board to board connector of said connecting panel and at least one corresponding board to board connector of said PCB configuration card, and configured to route at leastsome of the connecting points of said first part of said connecting points to a free face comprising at least one board to board connector (26) with a predetermined input / output connection pattern;- a flex PCB comprising two identical ends connected by a flexible PCB link, each end presenting at least one flex PCB board to board connector (27) configured to be plugged, according to said predetermined input / output connection pattern, one end of said flex PCB being configured to be connected to the at least one board to board connector of said free face of said PCB configuration card, the other end being configured to be connected to the other device of the at least two different devices,- manufacturing (36) said corresponding PCB configuration card according to said manufacturing file,- plugging (38) said corresponding PCB configuration card to the to the at least first part of said connecting points; - connecting (40) said flex PCB to the predetermined input / output connection pattern of said free face of said PCB configuration card and to the other device of the at least two different devices.

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