Composite Connector Integrating Optical I/O, Power, and Liquid Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In disaggregated computing systems, Input/Output (I/O) access between processing subsections and system resources often becomes a bottleneck due to bandwidth and distance limitations, especially as data volume increases, and thermal management challenges arise with increasing computing power, requiring efficient scaling of I/O connectivity and cooling solutions.
Innovation Solution
The composite connector modularizes data connectors with a combination of electrical and optical data connectors, fluid interconnects for liquid cooling, and alignment features to align and secure these components within a confined physical space, enabling scalable I/O connectivity and thermal management by replacing electrical I/O signals with optical ones and integrating fluid exchange for high-power nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If electrical I/O connectors are used for data transmission, then the system structure remains simple, but the bandwidth and transmission distance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electrical power connectors, fluid exchange connectors, and optical data connectors into a single integrated composite connector assembly. This merging allows optical connectors to provide high bandwidth and long-distance transmission while the integrated structure manages the complexity through unified design, resolving the contradiction between improved I/O capabilities and increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite connector serves multiple functions simultaneously: electrical power delivery, fluid cooling exchange, and optical data transmission. This multi-functionality allows a single connector structure to address bandwidth limitations through optical interfaces while maintaining system integration, thus improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Power
If computing power is increased, then processing capability improves, but thermal management becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges thermal management functionality directly into the I/O connector by integrating fluid exchange connectors with power and data connectors. This allows cooling fluid to be delivered precisely where high-power components generate heat, enabling higher computing power while effectively managing the resulting thermal challenges through co-located cooling.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate connectors are used for power, data, and cooling, then each connector can be optimized independently, but the physical space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate connectors (power, data, cooling) into a single composite connector assembly that occupies minimal physical space. The merging maintains ease of manufacture by using modular sub-components that can be independently optimized and manufactured, then assembled into the integrated structure, thus reducing area while preserving manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite connector employs a nested structure where fluid exchange connectors, electrical power connectors, and optical data connectors are arranged in concentric or layered configurations. This nesting allows multiple connector types to occupy overlapping or adjacent spaces efficiently, minimizing the overall footprint while maintaining independent optimization of each connector type.
4Productivity
If optical data connectors are integrated into the composite connector, then I/O bandwidth increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges optical data connectors with electrical and fluid connectors into a unified composite structure. This integration delivers high I/O bandwidth through optical interfaces while managing complexity through systematic design principles that organize the multiple connector types into a coherent whole, allowing the bandwidth benefit to be realized without overwhelming complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A composite connector includes modular data connectors, electrical power connectors, a fluid exchange connector, an alignment feature, and a housing. The modular data connectors include electrical data connectors and optical data connectors and are configured to carry data. The electrical power connectors are configured to carry electrical power, and the fluid exchange connector is configured to carry cooling fluid. The composite connector includes an alignment feature to align the composite connector with a complementary connector. The housing of the composite connector is configured to contain the modular data connectors, the electrical power connectors, the fluid exchange connector, and the alignment feature in a confined physical space.