阅读说明：本技术 用于改进的网络连接的装置和方法 (Apparatus and method for improved network connectivity ) 是由 多尔·奥兹 乌里·古菲多尔 鲍里斯·谢拉夫 于 2018-12-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本公开总体上涉及用于改进的网络连接的装置和方法。具体地,描述了提供减少通信系统中的串扰和其他干扰的连网连接的装置和关联的方法。所述网络连接包括印刷电路板(PCB),该印刷电路板限定第一端、第二端和PCB的表面上靠近第一端之处的接地区域。网络连接包括靠近第一端的网络连接器、靠近第二端的焊盘对,以及其间的电气线路。至少第一焊盘对相对于PCB在第二端处的边缘从第二焊盘对偏移,使得在其中至少第一焊盘对和第二焊盘对接纳差分信号线缆的操作配置下,每个差分信号线缆以对应的偏移配置被PCB支撑,从而减少差分信号线缆之间的串扰。(The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for improved network connectivity. In particular, apparatus, and an associated method, are described that provide networking connections that reduce crosstalk and other interference in a communication system. The network connection includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) defining a first end, a second end, and a ground area on a surface of the PCB proximate the first end. The network connection includes a network connector proximate the first end, a pair of pads proximate the second end, and an electrical line therebetween. The at least first pad pair is offset from the second pad pair relative to an edge of the PCB at the second end such that, in an operational configuration in which the at least first and second pad pairs receive differential signal cables, each differential signal cable is supported by the PCB in a corresponding offset configuration, thereby reducing crosstalk between the differential signal cables.)

1. A substrate assembly for network connection, comprising:

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), wherein the PCB defines:

at the first end of the first tube, the first tube is provided with a first end,

a second end, and

at least one ground area on the PCB proximate the second end;

a plurality of network connectors mounted on the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB, wherein each network connector is configured to receive a corresponding networking device connected thereto;

a plurality of pad pairs disposed on the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB, wherein each pad pair is configured to receive a differential signal cable such that each pad of the pad pair receives a signal lead of the differential signal cable attached thereto; and

a plurality of electrical traces defined by the PCB, wherein each electrical trace is configured to provide electrical communication between a network connector and a corresponding pad such that electrical signals can pass therebetween,

wherein at least a first pad pair is offset from a second pad pair relative to an edge of the PCB at the second end such that, in an operational configuration in which at least the first and second pad pairs receive differential signal cables, each differential signal cable is supported by the PCB in a corresponding offset configuration, thereby reducing crosstalk between the differential signal cables.

2. The substrate assembly of claim 1, wherein the PCB defines at least a first extension supporting the first pad pair and a second extension supporting the second pad pair, wherein the first and second extensions are positioned such that at least a portion of the at least one ground area proximate the second end is disposed between the first and second extensions.

3. The base plate assembly of claim 2, wherein the first extension defines a first length and the second extension defines a second length, wherein the first length is greater than the second length.

4. The substrate assembly of claim 2, further comprising one or more drain wires connected between each differential signal cable and the at least one ground region proximate the second end.

5. The substrate assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one of the one or more drain lines of a differential signal cable received by the first pad pair or a differential signal cable received by the second pad pair is connected to the ground region between the first extension and the second extension.

6. The substrate assembly of claim 2, wherein a distance between corresponding pads of the first and second pad pairs is about 1.4 mm.

7. The substrate assembly of claim 1, wherein the PCB further comprises:

a first surface supporting the plurality of network connectors disposed proximate the first end of the PCB and supporting the plurality of pad pairs disposed proximate the second end of the PCB; and

a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface supporting a plurality of network connectors disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate to the first end of the PCB and supporting a plurality of pad pairs disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate to the second end of the PCB.

8. A network connection assembly, comprising:

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), wherein the PCB defines:

at the first end of the first tube, the first tube is provided with a first end,

a second end, and

at least one ground area on the PCB proximate the second end;

a plurality of network connectors proximate the first end of the PCB, wherein each network connector is configured to receive a corresponding networking device connected thereto;

a plurality of pad pairs proximate the second end of the PCB, wherein each pad pair is configured to receive a differential signal cable; and

a plurality of electrical lines, wherein each electrical line is configured to provide electrical communication between a network connector and a corresponding pad such that electrical signals can pass therebetween; and

a plurality of differential signal cables, wherein each differential signal cable includes a pair of signal leads, such that each differential signal cable is in electrical communication with the PCB via attachment between the pair of signal leads and a corresponding pair of pads,

wherein at least a first differential signal cable is offset from a second differential signal cable relative to an edge of the PCB at the second end, thereby reducing crosstalk between the differential signal cables.

9. The network connection assembly of claim 8, wherein the PCB defines at least a first extension supporting a first pad pair and a second extension supporting a second pad pair, wherein the first and second extensions are positioned such that at least a portion of the at least one ground area proximate the second end is disposed between the first and second extensions.

10. The network connection assembly of claim 9, wherein the first extension defines a first length and the second extension defines a second length, wherein the first length is greater than the second length.

11. The network connection assembly of claim 9, further comprising one or more drain wires connected between each differential signal cable and the at least one ground region proximate the second end.

12. The network connection assembly of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more drain wires of the first or second differential signal cables is connected to the ground region between the first and second extensions.

13. The network connection assembly of claim 9, wherein a distance between corresponding pads of the first and second pad pairs is about 1.4 mm.

14. The network connection assembly of claim 8, wherein the PCB further comprises:

a first surface supporting the plurality of network connectors disposed proximate the first end of the PCB and supporting the plurality of pad pairs disposed proximate the second end of the PCB; and

a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface supporting a plurality of network connectors disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate to the first end of the PCB and supporting a plurality of pad pairs disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate to the second end of the PCB.

15. A method of manufacturing a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for a network connection assembly, wherein the PCB has a first end and a second end, the method comprising:

forming at least one ground region on the PCB proximate the first end;

providing a plurality of network connectors on the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB, wherein each network connector is configured to connect to a corresponding networking device;

defining a plurality of pad pairs on the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB, wherein each pad is configured to receive a differential signal cable such that each pad of the pad pair receives a signal lead of the differential signal cable attached thereto; and

defining a plurality of electrical lines, wherein each electrical line is configured to provide electrical communication between a network connector and a corresponding pad, such that electrical signals can pass therebetween,

wherein the PCB is formed such that at least a first pair of pads is offset from a second pair of pads relative to an edge of the PCB at the second end.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising defining at least a first extension supporting the first pad pair and a second extension supporting the second pad pair, wherein the first extension is adjacent to the second extension, and the first and second extensions are positioned such that the ground region proximate the second end is disposed between the first and second extensions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first extension defines a first length and the second extension defines a second length, wherein the first length is greater than the second length.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the ground region disposed between the first extension and the second extension is configured to receive one or more drain wires attached thereto.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a distance between corresponding pads of the first pair of pads and the second pair of pads is about 1.4 mm.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing the plurality of network connectors on a first surface of the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB;

defining the plurality of pad pairs on the first surface of the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB;

providing a plurality of network connectors on a second surface of the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB; and

a plurality of pad pairs are provided on the second surface of the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB.

Technical Field

Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to communication systems and, more particularly, relate to reducing crosstalk and other interference in network connections.

Background

There is a consistent need for data centers and other related communication systems to increase data transmission rates, increase bandwidth densities, enhance capacity, and the like. Such a need is often accompanied by a need to optimize the physical space, such as data center racks, present within the elements of the communication system in order to maximize the amount of circuitry housed therein.

As the space between electronic components (e.g., networking leads, electrical lines, etc.) decreases, the likelihood of electrical or other related interference (e.g., crosstalk) increases. The presence of crosstalk between elements in a communication system tends to degrade the signals transmitted by these elements.

Disclosure of Invention

Substrate assemblies, network connection assemblies, and associated methods of manufacture for providing improved network connections are provided herein. In one embodiment, a substrate assembly for network connection is provided for the claimed substrate assembly. The assembly may include a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and the PCB may define a first end, a second end, and at least one ground region on the PCB proximate the second end. The assembly may also include a plurality of network connectors mounted on the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB, and each network may be configured to receive a corresponding networking device connected thereto. The assembly may also include a plurality of pad pairs disposed on the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB, and each pad pair may be configured to receive a differential signal cable such that each pad of the pad pair receives a signal lead of the differential signal cable attached thereto. The assembly may also include a plurality of electrical lines defined by the PCB, and each electrical line is configured to provide electrical communication between the network connector and a corresponding pad such that electrical signals may pass therebetween. The first pad pair may be offset from the second pad pair relative to an edge of the PCB at the second end such that, in an operational configuration in which at least the first and second pad pairs receive differential signal cables, each differential signal cable is supported by the PCB in a corresponding offset configuration, thereby reducing crosstalk between the differential signal cables.

In some embodiments, wherein the PCB defines at least a first extension supporting the first pad pair and a second extension supporting the second pad pair, the first and second extensions may be positioned such that at least a portion of the at least one ground region proximate the second end is disposed between the first and second extensions.

In such an embodiment, the first extension may define a first length and the second extension may define a second length. In some cases, the first length may be greater than the second length.

In some other embodiments, the assembly may include one or more drain wires connected between each differential signal cable and at least one ground region proximate the second end. In such embodiments, at least one of the one or more drain lines of the differential signal cable received by the first pad pair or the differential signal cable received by the second pad pair may be connected to a ground region between the first extension and the second extension.

In some cases, the distance between corresponding pads of the first and second pad pairs is about 1.4 mm.

In other cases, the PCB may further include a first surface supporting a plurality of network connectors disposed proximate to a first end of the PCB and supporting a plurality of pad pairs disposed proximate to a second end of the PCB. The PCB may further include a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface supporting a plurality of network connectors disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB and supporting a plurality of pad pairs disposed on the second surface of the PCB proximate the second end of the PCB.

The above summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments, to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the present invention in any way. It is understood that the scope of the present invention includes many potential embodiments, some of which will be described in detail below, in addition to those summarized here.

Drawings

Having described certain example embodiments of the disclosure in general, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings. The components shown in the figures may or may not be present in certain embodiments described herein. Some embodiments may include fewer (or more) components than shown in the figures.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a data center rack including switch modules for use with some embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an example external networking cable of the data center rack of FIG. 1 for use with some embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a network connection assembly in an operating configuration, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) of the network connection assembly of FIG. 2, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart depicting a method of assembling a network connection assembly, according to an example embodiment.

Detailed Description

SUMMARY

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, terms such as "front," "back," "top," and the like are used in the examples provided below for explanatory purposes to describe the relative position of certain components or component parts. Further, the terms "substantially" and "approximately" indicate that the referenced element or associated description is accurate to within applicable engineering tolerances, as would be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. As used herein, "solder pad" and "solder signal pad" are used interchangeably to refer to a portion of a printed circuit board that is configured to provide electrical communication between components attached thereto (e.g., between signal leads and electrical traces).

As discussed herein, example embodiments may be described with reference to a Passive Copper Cable (PCC) (e.g., a differential signal cable or other networking cable) as a suitable transmission medium. However, the present disclosure is equally applicable for use with any networking cable (e.g., Direct Attach Cable (DAC), active cable (ACC), etc.) or interconnections employed by data center racks and associated switch modules (e.g., Small Form Plug (SFP), quad small form-factor plug (QSFP), etc.).

There are also various different types of connectors for enabling the transmission of signals between switch modules and other devices in a data center. For example, quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP) connectors and cables, as well as other forms of connectors such as small form-factor pluggable (SFP) connectors and C-form-factor pluggable (CFP) connectors, have long been an industry standard for providing high-speed information-handling interface interconnections. Recently, eight channel small-form-factor pluggable (OSFP) transceivers have been developed to provide increased bit rate capabilities of up to 400 Gbps. As described above, the consistent demand for increased functionality and capacity in communication systems tends to result in increased crosstalk or interference between components. Fig. 1 depicts a conventional data center rack 100 designed to house servers, networking equipment, modules, and other data center computing equipment, and may be used in conjunction with embodiments of the networking connection assemblies of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1, a switch module 102, which may house an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and other internal components (not visible in the figure), is typically incorporated into a data center network via connections to other switch systems, servers, and network components. The switch module 102 may be configured to be received by the data center rack 100 and may be configured to allow conversion between optical signals and electrical signals. For example, the external networking cable 104 (as shown in fig. 1A) may carry electrical signals as inputs to the switch module 102. The electrical signals may be received by a network connection assembly 200 housing a transceiver system (e.g., one or more QSFPs) configured to convert the electrical signals to optical signals. Referring to fig. 1A, an example external networking cable 104 is illustrated having a QSFP connector 106, the QSFP connector 106 being connected to four (4) SFP connectors 108. The QSFP connector 106 and the SFP connector 108 may be received by corresponding ports of the switch module 102 as shown in fig. 1. Although illustrated with QSFP connector 106 and SFP connector 108, external networking cable 104 of the present invention may include any combination of any type, size, etc. of networking cable, as described below.

With continued reference to fig. 1-1A, the size of components used in the transmission of data as electrical signals, such as the components present in QSFP106, are often limited to meet predetermined manufacturing specifications (e.g., to provide consistent sizing between components). As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of this disclosure, minimizing interference between components, such as the four (4) connections between the QSFP connector 106 and the SFP connector 108 of fig. 1A, while maintaining compliance with these limitations is critical to producing an efficient network communications component. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention described herein provide network connection assemblies and associated methods of assembly that optimize networking communication performance by employing non-conventional offset ground spacing (offset ground spacing) to reduce crosstalk and other interference between networking cables.

Network connection assembly

Referring to fig. 2, a perspective view of a network connection assembly 200 is illustrated. As shown, the network connection assembly 200 may include a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)201, the printed circuit board 201 defining a first end 202, a second end 204, and at least one ground region 205 on a surface of the PCB 201. The network connection assembly 200 may also include a plurality of network connectors (not shown), a plurality of pad pairs 208, and a plurality of electrical lines 210. The network connection assembly 200 of fig. 2 is illustrated in an operational configuration in which one or more differential signal cables 212 are received by the second end 204 of the PCB 201.

With continued reference to fig. 2, the first end 202 of the PCB201 may be configured to support a plurality of network connectors (not shown) disposed on a surface of the PCB 201. The plurality of network connectors (not shown) may be located near the first end 202 of the PCB201, and each network connector (not shown) may be configured to receive a corresponding networking device therein. Network connectors (e.g., gold fingers, structures for crimp connectors, etc.) (not shown) may each be configured to connect to any type of networking device (e.g., QSFP-DD, OSFP, SFP-DD, DSFP, DAC, ACC, etc.) and may thus be sized (e.g., sized and shaped) to mate with or otherwise connect with any corresponding network device. In the operating configuration shown in fig. 2, a first end 202 of a PCB201 supporting a plurality of network connectors (not shown) may be inserted in, attached to, or otherwise received by the QSFP connector 106 (for receipt by a port in a switch module) shown in fig. 1A. Although the present disclosure illustrates and describes the network connection assembly 200 without a housing or other protective casing, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, some or all of the network connection assembly 200 may be supported or enclosed by any housing used in a communication system in order to protect the components supported therein (e.g., QSFP connector 106 housing, etc.). Further, while PCB201 is illustrated herein as having a substantially rectangular shape defining a first end 202 and a second end 204 opposite first end 202, it is contemplated within the present disclosure for PCB201 to be sized (e.g., sized and shaped) to mate with any communication system regardless of geometric constraints (e.g., L-shaped, square, etc.).

With continued reference to fig. 2, the second end 204 of the PCB201 may be configured to support a plurality of pad pairs 208 disposed on a surface of the PCB 201. The plurality of pad pairs 208 may be located near the second end 204 of the PCB201, and each pad of the pad pairs 208 may be configured to receive a corresponding differential signal cable 212 connected thereto via a connection between a pair of signal leads 214 and a corresponding pad of the pad pair 208. The pads of the pad pair 208 may each be configured to receive a differential signal cable 212 of any type or material (e.g., copper, aluminum, etc.), and may be sized (e.g., sized and shaped) to provide sufficient space for attachment with a corresponding differential signal cable 212. As shown in fig. 2, in an operating configuration, in which a first end 202 of the PCB201 is received by a switch module, a second end 204 of the PCB201 may extend outwardly from the switch module and may be used to connect the network connection assembly 200 to another assembly located on an opposite end of a networking cable via the networking cable. In other words, the networking cable may allow electrical signals to be transmitted between the network connection assemblies 200 on opposite ends of the differential signal cable 212 (e.g., as shown in fig. 1A).

The second end 204 of the PCB201 may also define at least one ground region 205 located on the surface of the PCB201 proximate the second end 204. As shown in fig. 2, in some embodiments, the at least one ground region 205 may extend along the entire second end 204 of the PCB201, or may partially cover the region. As further described with reference to fig. 3, the grouping of the pad pairs 208 may be such that the ground regions 205 may define a plurality of ground regions 206 located between adjacent pad pairs 208. In such embodiments, the ground regions 205 near the second end 204 may be positioned such that each pad pair 208 and the corresponding differential signal cable 212 attached thereto (e.g., via the pair of signal leads 214) are adjacent to the corresponding ground region 206. For example, the ground regions 205 may extend between adjacent pad pairs 208 to define multiple regions 206 as shown, or separate and distinct ground regions 205 disposed between adjacent pad pairs 208 may be provided in other instances. In the operating configuration as shown, the plurality of pad pairs 208 and corresponding differential signal cables 212 may be connected to the ground regions 205 (e.g., specifically, the plurality of ground regions 206) via one or more drain lines 216. In some embodiments, each differential signal cable 212 may use only a single drain line 216 connected to a corresponding ground region 206 between adjacent pad pairs 208 near the second end 204. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of this disclosure, drain line 216 operates to remove undesirable electrical noise from differential signal cable 212 to ground potential (e.g., ground region 206).

With continued reference to fig. 2, the PCB201 of the network connection assembly 200 may also define a plurality of electrical lines 210. The electrical lines 210 may be configured to provide electrical communication between a network connector (not shown) and corresponding differential signal cables 212 attached (e.g., via signal leads 214) to corresponding pairs of pads 208 such that electrical signals may pass therebetween. The electrical lines 210 may be attached to a surface of the PCB201 in some embodiments, or may be defined by a surface of the PCB201 in some embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the electrical lines 210 may pass between opposing surfaces of the PCB201, such as by passing through the PCB201, in order to enable electrical communication between the different surfaces of the PCB 201.

Referring to fig. 2-3, in an operational configuration, at least a first pad pair (e.g., first pad pair 302 in fig. 3) and a second pad pair (e.g., second pad pair 304 in fig. 3) are each attached to a corresponding differential signal cable 212 via a pair of signal leads 214. As shown, in some embodiments, a ground region 205 may be formed between a first pad pair 302 and a second pad pair 304 (e.g., ground region 206) to provide an offset configuration of pad pairs 208 to provide an increased ground area for connecting drain lines 216 to ground region 206. In this way, crosstalk (e.g., electrical interference) between the differential signal cable 212 connected to the first pad pair 302 and the differential signal cable 212 connected to the second pad pair 304 may be reduced. For example, the differential signal cable 212 may transmit electrical signals that are received by the PCB201 via connections to the pad pairs 208 (e.g., differential signals carried by signal leads 214 from corresponding network connector assemblies on opposite ends of the differential signal cable 212). The electrical signal (e.g., a differential signal) may then be transmitted by the electrical lines 210 to a corresponding network connector (not shown) in electrical communication with the pair of pads 208. In this manner, the offset configuration between adjacent differential signal cables 212 (e.g., between adjacent pairs of signal leads 214) reduces insertion loss variation and associated signal noise, and thus improves the quality and strength of the resulting signal. In this regard, as shown in fig. 2, adjacent differential signal cables 212 may be considered "offset" in examples where the respective ends of the differential signal cables are misaligned.

Referring to fig. 3, a top cross-sectional view of the network connection assembly 200 is illustrated. As shown, PCB201 may define a first pair of pads 302 supported by a first extension 306 of PCB201 and a second pair of pads 304 supported by a second extension 308 of PCB 201. As illustrated in fig. 3 and described below, PCB201 may be configured such that first pad pair 302 is offset from second pad pair 304 relative to an edge of PCB201 at second end 204. In this manner, the offset configuration operates to reduce crosstalk (e.g., interference) between the differential signal cables 212 (e.g., attached via the signal leads 214 and the pad pairs 208). Although referred to herein as first extension 306 and second extension 308, the present disclosure contemplates that these "extensions" may instead refer to regions, portions, areas, etc. that are part of PCB 201. In other words, PCB201 may not extend, but may include regions (e.g., first extension 306 and second extension 308) that support the pad pairs such that a ground region (or a portion of a ground region) is disposed between adjacent pad pairs (e.g., between "extensions").

With continued reference to fig. 3, the first extension 306 may define a first length (L) between a point along the reference line R on the PCB201 and an edge of the first extension 306 proximate the second end 204 of the PCB201₁). The second extension portion 308 may define a second length (L) between a corresponding point along the same reference line R on the PCB201 and an edge of the second extension portion 308 proximate the second end 204 of the PCB201₂). As shown, the first length (L)₁) Greater than the second length (L)₂) Such that the first extension portion 306 and the corresponding first pad pair 302 supported thereon are located closer to the first pad of the PCB201 than the second pad pair 304 of the second extension portion 308And two ends 204. As described above, in some embodiments, the ground region 205 may extend between the first pair of pads 302 and the second pair of pads 304 (e.g., the ground region 206). In this manner, in an operating configuration such as shown in fig. 2, the differential signal cable 212 attached to the first pad pair 302 (e.g., via the signal leads 214) and the second pad pair 304 may be connected to the ground region 206 between adjacent pad pairs via the drain wires 216. As shown, wherein the first length (L)₁) Greater than the second length (L)₂) In an example of (e), the ground region 205 proximate the second end 204 of the PCB201 may extend between an outer edge of the second extension 308 proximate the second end 204 and an outer edge of the first extension 306 proximate the second end 204 to define a fourth length (L) between the respective outer edges₄) To provide an offset arrangement for the differential signal cable 212 attached thereto. In one such embodiment, the fourth length (L)₄) Can be determined in a periodic manner to be in the range of 0.1mm to 5.0 mm. Further, in such embodiments, the third length (L)₃) May correspond to a distance between corresponding pads of an adjacent pair of pads (e.g., pads 208 located at the same relative position within the pair), such as a pair of pads of first extension 306 and a pair of pads of second extension 308.

Example manufacturing method

Referring to fig. 4, a method of manufacturing a PCB for a network connection assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The method (e.g., method 400) may include the step of providing a PCB in block 402. As described above with reference to fig. 2-3, the PCB may define a first end configured to be inserted into, attached to, or otherwise received by a switch module (such as the switch module described above with reference to fig. 1) in an operational configuration. The PCB may also define a second end that may extend outwardly from the switch module in examples where the first end of the PCB is received by the switch module, and may be used to connect the PCB to another PCB on the opposite end of the differential signal cable via one or more networking cables. The method 400 may also create a PCB using any known means (e.g., subtractive processes, additive processes, semi-additive processes, chemical etching, copper patterning, lamination, plating, etc.) in block 402.

The method 400 may also include forming at least one ground region on the PCB proximate the second end in block 404. As described above, in some embodiments, the ground region proximate the second end of the PCB may extend along the entire second end of the PCB. In other embodiments, the ground region proximate the second end may define a plurality of regions located between adjacent pairs of pads as described below. In an operational configuration, the ground region proximate the second end may be connected to the plurality of pad pairs via one or more drain lines. The method 400 may also include providing a plurality of network connectors on the PCB proximate the first end of the PCB in block 406. The plurality of network connectors may be located proximate to the first end of the PCB, and each network connector may be configured to connect to a corresponding networking device. The network connectors may each be configured to connect to any type of networking device (e.g., QSFP, direct copper cable, AOC, etc.), and thus may be sized (e.g., sized and shaped) to mate with or otherwise connect to any corresponding networking device.

The method 400 may also include defining a plurality of pad pairs on the PCB proximate a second end of the PCB in block 408. As described above, the plurality of pad pairs may be located proximate the second end of the PCB, and each pad may be configured to receive a corresponding signal lead of a differential signal cable (e.g., signal lead 214 and differential signal cable 212 in fig. 2) attached thereto. The pads may each be configured to receive a networking cable of any type or material (e.g., copper, aluminum, etc.), and may be sized (e.g., sized and shaped) to provide sufficient space for attachment with a corresponding signal lead.

The method 400 may define a first pair of pads offset from a second pair of pads relative to an edge of the PCB at a second end in block 410. In particular, a ground region of the PCB may be formed between the first and second pad pairs so as to provide an offset configuration of the pad pairs, thereby providing an increased ground area for connecting the drain wire to the ground region as described above. In this way, crosstalk (e.g., electrical interference) between the differential signal cable connected to the first pad pair and the differential signal cable connected to the second pad pair may be reduced. As described above, the offset configuration between adjacent differential signal cables (e.g., signal lead pairs) reduces insertion loss skew and associated signal noise, and thus improves the quality and strength of the resulting signal.

The method 400 may also include defining a plurality of electrical traces of the PCB in block 412. The electrical lines may be configured to provide electrical communication between the network connector and a corresponding differential signal cable attached to a corresponding pad (e.g., via signal leads of the differential signal cable) such that electrical signals may pass therebetween. The electrical lines may be attached to, or in some embodiments defined by, a surface of the PCB. In some embodiments, one or more of the electrical lines may pass between opposing surfaces of the PCB, for example by passing through the PCB, in order to enable electrical communication between the different surfaces of the PCB.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although the figures show only certain components of the methods and systems described herein, it should be understood that other components may be part of any optical or optoelectronic component. Moreover, the above-described methods may include fewer steps in some cases, and additional steps in other cases. In some cases, modifications to the steps of the above-described methods can be performed in any order and in any combination.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.