Integrated Cable Routing Assembly for High-Speed Signal Integrity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit boards made from FR4 material experience significant signal loss and impedance issues at high frequencies, necessitating the use of active components and additional layers, which increase cost and design complexity, while custom materials are expensive and length limitations further complicate high-speed data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A routing assembly with integrated cables and connectors that bypass motherboard traces, using twin-ax cables and low-profile connectors to directly connect chip packages to external connectors, maintaining signal integrity and reducing losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If FR4 material is used for circuit boards, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but signal loss increases at high frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high-speed signal transmission function from the FR4 circuit board by introducing separate coaxial cable assemblies that bypass the board's trace routing. This allows the bulk of the signal path to avoid the lossy FR4 material while still using it for structural support and low-speed connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces coaxial cable assemblies as intermediary elements between the chip package and external connectors. These cables serve as a mediator that provides low-loss high-frequency transmission while allowing the FR4 board to continue serving its structural and electrical support functions.
2Reliability
If active components such as amplifiers and equalizers are added to correct losses, then signal integrity is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for active signal correction components by extracting the high-frequency signal path from the FR4 board environment. The coaxial cable assemblies provide passive, low-loss transmission that eliminates the requirement for amplifiers, equalizers, and other active components.
3Loss of energy
If custom materials are used to reduce signal losses, then signal transmission quality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs relatively inexpensive coaxial cable assemblies with standard connectors rather than expensive custom-engineered low-loss transmission lines. This approach achieves low signal loss through proven cable technology while maintaining cost-effectiveness and ease of manufacturing.
4Adaptability or versatility
If transmission line traces are extended to accommodate longer device form factors, then device versatility is improved, but signal loss becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal transmission path into two distinct parts: high-speed digital signals travel through short, controlled traces on the FR4 board to reach the coaxial cable connectors, while the majority of the transmission distance is covered by low-loss coaxial cables. This segmentation allows long device form factors without suffering from extended trace losses.
Data Source
AI summary
A routing assembly for an electronic device has a plurality of connectors ports and each of the connector ports contains a first connector connected to one or more cables. Cables are directly terminated, at first ends thereof, to terminals of the first connectors and the cables can be embedded in a routing substrate. The routing substrate has an opening which accommodates a chip package. Second ends of the cables are terminated to second connectors arranged in the package opening and the second connectors are in turn connected to the chip package.