Board-to-Board Optical Interconnect Assembly Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
High data bandwidths in electronics systems lead to issues with electromagnetic interference, crosstalk, and alignment challenges in optical interconnects, increasing complexity and cost, while existing optical backplane designs face difficulties in maintaining signal quality and mechanical reliability.
Innovation Solution
An optical interconnect assembly with pre-aligned optical fibers and rigid optical mounts, along with optical transducers and electrical contacts, allows for easy installation and removal of circuit boards, reducing alignment complexities and mechanical tolerances, and enabling flexible positioning within the electronic system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If optical backplane is used to provide high bandwidth data transfer, then electromagnetic interference is reduced, but alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-aligns optical fibers to the circuit board within a tolerance range (e.g., 50-100 micrometers) during manufacturing, before the board is installed in the card cage. This preliminary alignment action allows the system to accommodate the mechanical tolerances of standard card cages while still achieving functional optical connection, thereby reducing alignment difficulty during system assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the alignment tolerance parameter from tight optical precision (micrometers) to relaxed mechanical tolerance (50-100 micrometers) by using flexible optical fibers that can accommodate the tolerance range. This parameter change allows standard card cage mechanical structures to be used without requiring precision optical alignment mechanisms.
2Reliability
If tight alignment tolerance is used for optical connectors, then signal loss is reduced, but mechanical complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible optical fibers with a tolerance range (e.g., 50-100 micrometers) instead of tight tolerance rigid optical connectors. This parameter change in alignment tolerance allows the use of simpler, less expensive mechanical structures in the card cage while still achieving functional optical connection and acceptable signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flexible optical fibers as an intermediary element between the rigid circuit board and the card cage connector. These flexible fibers act as a mediator that can accommodate mechanical tolerances and misalignments, thereby simplifying the mechanical structure while maintaining optical functionality.
3Ease of operation
If auxiliary connections with ribbon cables are used between boards, then alignment tolerance is accommodated, but electromagnetic interference problems persist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both approaches by combining flexible optical fibers (which accommodate alignment tolerance like ribbon cables) with optical transmission (which eliminates electromagnetic interference). This merged solution uses flexible optical fibers to provide both mechanical flexibility and electromagnetic immunity, achieving both ease of operation and reduced harmful factors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The optical interconnect assembly provides high bandwidth data transfer with reduced electromagnetic interference, improved reliability, and lower costs by simplifying alignment and installation processes, while allowing for flexible configuration and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
data can be transmitted optically between the circuit boards through the optical interconnect assembly
Implementation Method 2
The optical interconnect assembly includes a plurality of optical transducers mounted to the rigid optical mount
Data Source
AI summary
An optical interconnect assembly provides board to board interconnect in an electronic system. The optical interconnect assembly can include a plurality of optical fibers, having a connector disposed at the first ends, and a rigid optical mount disposed at the second ends. The rigid optical mount holds the optical fibers in alignment and in optical communication with a plurality of optical transducers mounted on the optical mount. Electrical contacts coupled to the optical transducers enable solder-attachment of one end of the optical interconnect assembly to a circuit board.