Flex Cable Interface With Re-Driver Circuitry

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Solution Overview

Problem

The high cost and impracticality of impedance-controlled cables for connecting main and secondary boards in computing systems, which can lead to signal loss and distortion due to their non-impedance-controlled nature, particularly at high frequencies.

Innovation Solution

Employing a non-impedance-controlled flexible cable with re-driver circuitry, such as a USB re-driver module, to compensate for signal losses and restore integrity by regenerating and boosting signals at the secondary board.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If impedance-controlled cables are used to connect main and secondary boards, then signal integrity is maintained, but manufacturing cost increases and board layout flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal integrityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces re-driver circuitry as an intermediary component between the non-impedance-controlled cable and the secondary board. This re-driver circuit compensates for signal losses and maintains signal integrity without requiring expensive impedance-controlled cables, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive impedance-controlled cables with cheaper non-impedance-controlled cables combined with re-driver circuitry. This substitution uses lower-cost components to achieve the same functional outcome, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining signal integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of manufacture

If non-impedance-controlled cables are used to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost decreases, but signal loss and distortion increase at high frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidsignal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The re-driver circuitry acts as a mediator that receives degraded signals from the non-impedance-controlled cable, regenerates them, and outputs clean signals to the secondary board. This intermediary component compensates for the cable's deficiencies while maintaining cost-effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The re-driver circuitry changes signal parameters by regenerating and re-timing the received signals. This parameter transformation restores signal integrity and eliminates distortion caused by the non-impedance-controlled cable, particularly at high frequencies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If impedance-controlled cables are used, then signal integrity is maintained, but design flexibility and board layout accommodation are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal integrityVSAvoidboard layout flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The re-driver circuitry serves as an intermediary that decouples the signal integrity requirement from the cable type. This allows the use of flexible non-impedance-controlled cables that can accommodate various board layouts while the re-driver ensures signal integrity is maintained

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9785203B1Flex cable interface

Publication Date: 2017.10.10 WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for transmitting data between printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) using a flexible, non-impedance-controlled data transmission cable coupled between the boards and treating the received signal with re-driver circuitry configured to boost a data signal according to a communication interface standard.