Mid-connect architecture with point-to-point connections for high speed data transfer

摘要

Interconnected systems of function cards are presented. An interconnected system may include function cards with substantially identical sets of connectors. The interconnected system includes two groups of function cards, where the function cards within a group are parallel to each other but are perpendicular to the function cards of the other group. The function cards have sets of connectors, which form connector arrays. The connector array of one group of the function cards is reciprocal to the connector array of the other group of function cards. This reciprocity makes it possible to couple the two groups of function cards without a printed circuit board or back plane. The connectors can be male or female, and the male and female connectors of a function card can be arranged in various connector groups. The connectors can form checkerboard and other alternated and interchanged arrays.