Connector having a bypass capacitor and method for reducing the impedance and length of a return-signal path

摘要

The invention includes a device and method providing a return-signal pathway through a circuit board connector. In one embodiment of the invention, a circuit board connector having an integral bypass capacitor provides a return-signal path between the circuit boards without using the ground planes of the circuit boards outside of an area occupied by the connector. The circuit board connector includes first connector reference conductor arranged for coupling with a first circuit-board reference plane, a second connector reference conductor arranged for coupling with a second circuit-board reference plane, and a capacitor coupled between the first and second reference planes.