Configurable System Board Voltage Regulator Substitution
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Solution Overview
Problem
High availability system boards require extensive redesign and retesting when a component becomes unavailable, as they are specifically designed for a particular circuit, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for substitution and validation.
Innovation Solution
A system board design with two circuit board regions, one populated with a first model voltage regulator circuit and another unpopulated for a second model circuit, allowing for easy substitution and ensuring compatibility and functionality with either circuit, even if produced by different manufacturers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a system board is designed with a specific circuit configuration for high availability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases when component substitution is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system board is divided into multiple independent circuit board regions, each capable of accommodating different voltage regulator circuits. This segmentation allows the board to be configured with different components in different regions without requiring complete redesign, thus maintaining reliability while reducing redesign complexity when components become unavailable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system board is designed with universal mounting structures and electrical connection interfaces that can accommodate multiple models of voltage regulator circuits from different manufacturers. This multi-functionality enables the same board to support various components, eliminating the need for complete redesign when a specific component becomes unavailable, thereby maintaining high availability while reducing complexity.
2Reliability
If extensive testing is performed to ensure functionality after component substitution, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system board is pre-configured with multiple unpopulated circuit board regions and universal mounting structures during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows for quick component substitution without requiring extensive retesting, as the board is already designed to accommodate different components. The preliminary design ensures functionality while minimizing the time needed for validation after substitution.
3Manufacturing precision
If a system board is designed for a specific circuit model, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates when component availability changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system board is segmented into multiple independent regions with standardized mounting structures. This segmentation maintains manufacturing precision for each region while providing adaptability across regions, allowing different voltage regulator circuits to be installed in different regions without compromising manufacturing accuracy or requiring complete redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The system board employs standardized electrical connection interfaces and mounting parameters that can accommodate different models of voltage regulator circuits. By using consistent parameter standards across all regions, the board maintains manufacturing precision while achieving high adaptability to component availability changes, enabling substitution without redesign.
4Reliability
If the system board requires complete redesign when a component becomes unavailable, then reliability is maintained through dedicated design, but productivity decreases due to retesting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system board is designed with universal mounting structures and electrical interfaces that can accommodate multiple models of voltage regulator circuits from different manufacturers. This universality maintains reliability by ensuring functional equivalence while dramatically improving productivity, as no complete redesign or extensive retesting is required when a component becomes unavailable - only local replacement in the affected region.
Data Source
AI summary
A system board includes at least one microprocessor coupled to the system board. A first circuit board region is populated with a first model voltage regulator circuit. The first model voltage regulator circuit is configured to provide electrical power to the at least one microprocessor. A second circuit board region is unpopulated and configured to receive a second model voltage regulator circuit.