Telecommunications components having reduced alien crosstalk

A telecommunications system comprising: a first printed circuit board associated with a first port, the first printed circuit board having first plated through holes for receiving first insulation displacement contacts associated with a first connecting block and first traces on the first printed circuit board; a second printed circuit board associated with a second port, the second printed circuit board having second plated through holes for receiving second insulation displacement contacts associated with a second connecting block and second traces on the second printed circuit board; wherein one of the first plated through holes, second plated through holes, first traces and second traces is positioned to reduce alien crosstalk between the first port and the second port.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates generally to telecommunications components, and in particular to telecommunications components designed to reduce alien crosstalk. In an electrical communication system, it is sometimes advantageous to transmit information signals (video, audio, data) over a pair of wires (hereinafter “wire-pair” or “differential pair”) rather than a single wire, wherein the transmitted signal comprises the voltage difference between the wires without regard to the absolute voltages present. Each wire in a wire-pair is susceptible to picking up electrical noise from sources such as lightning, automobile spark plugs and radio stations to name but a few. Because this type of noise is common to both wires within a pair, the differential signal is typically not disturbed. This is a fundamental reason for having closely spaced differential pairs.

Alien crosstalk is the differential crosstalk that occurs between communication channels. To reduce this form of alien crosstalk, shielded systems containing shielded twisted pairs or foiled twisted pair configurations may be used. However, the inclusion of shields can increase cost of the system. Another approach to reduce or minimize alien crosstalk utilizes spatial separation of cables within a channel and/or spatial separation between the jacks in a channel. However, this is typically impractical because bundling of cables and patch cords is common practice due to “real estate” constraints and ease of wire management.

Thus, there is a need in the art for telecommunications components that reduce or minimize alien crosstalk between communications channels.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the invention is a telecommunications system comprising: a first printed circuit board associated with a first port, the first printed circuit board having first plated through holes for receiving first insulation displacement contacts associated with a first connecting block and first traces on the first printed circuit board; a second printed circuit board associated with a second port, the second printed circuit board having second plated through holes for receiving second insulation displacement contacts associated with a second connecting block and second traces on the second printed circuit board; wherein one of the first plated through holes, second plated through holes, first traces and second traces is positioned to reduce alien crosstalk between the first port and the second port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention provide category 6 augmented compliant components for the new IEEE 802.3an 10GBASE-T application which is furthered defined in the draft TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10 Augmented category 6 draft. Connectors, cables, and patch cords meet the new alien near end crosstalk (ANEXT) and alien far end crosstalk (AFEXT) requirements. The alien crosstalk requirements are defined by limits in the TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10 draft and are called powersum alien NEXT and powersum alien equal level far end crosstalk (ELFEXT). These limits were defined to minimize noise from one connector or channel to another.

Market trends have shown a need for faster networks with greater bandwidth. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has established a project team (formally known as IEEE 802.3an™) to develop 10 Gigabit Ethernet that would operate over horizontal, structured twisted pair cabling.

The IEEE project team has identified alien crosstalk to be the most dominant noise source in the proposed channel. A channel is comprised of cable, connectors and patch cords. The “channel” is designed to meet minimum performance criteria to ensure its ability to transmit the given application such as 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) is given the task of defining the cable, cord and connector requirements in support of the “channel” requirements needed to guarantee 10 Gigabit Ethernet transmissions.

Alien crosstalk is a measure of unwanted signal coupling from one or more pairs from one channel (or more) to a neighboring adjacent channel, expressed in decibels.FIGS. 1A and 1Bshow conceptual drawings of alien crosstalk in a cluster of connectors and cables. InFIG. 1A, outlets10are depicted contributing alien crosstalk to outlet12. The outlets10and12are connected to cables and patch cords in a channel and are subject to alien crosstalk from the neighboring connectors as shown. InFIG. 1B, cables20are depicted contributing alien crosstalk to cable22.

Alien crosstalk is a very difficult parameter to model due to its random statistical nature. The affects of alien crosstalk are best described using the powersum mathematical relationship. The requirements specified by TIA and IEEE are in the form of Powersum alien NEXT and Powersum alien ELFEXT as shown below:PS ANEXTkof pair k is computed as follows:

PS⁢⁢ANEXTk=-10⁢⁢lg⁢∑i=1,i≠kn⁢10-ANEXTik10(6)wherei is the number of the disturbing pair;k is the number of the disturbed pair;n is the total number of disturbing pairs;ANEXTikis the alien near end crosstalk loss coupled from pair i into pair k.

In exemplary embodiments, within each connector and through the channel there are 4 pairs of wires. Powersum adds the noise from the different combinations for each pair, 1 through 4. For example, each connector has four pairs, P1, P2, P3 and P4. The noise from each connector to the victim connector for each pair combination is summed (P1/1, P2/1, P3/1, P4/1) for each connector that surrounds the victim. The TIA test method calls for 6 connectors to surround the victim cable. The affects of all pair1combinations are then summed together. The worse case alien crosstalk coupling occurs with pairs exhibiting similar twist rates. The response of the multiple disturbers to one (of 4 possible) victim pair is summed to obtain the mathematical powersum coupling.

The like pair responses tend to add and can cause spikes in the data due to the powersum formula. To minimize the spikes of like pair combinations, it is advantageous to limit the likeness of cables and connectors in the surrounding area. This can be done in several ways as described herein.

FIG. 2shows a series of conventional PCBs corresponding to adjacent ports in a patch panel, for example. The PCBs may be similar to those described in U.S. published patent application 20040147165, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The PCBs inFIG. 2have the same trace layout.

FIG. 3illustrates a distance A between connecting block insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) of conventional PCBs. As known in the art, (IDCs) are electrically connected to the PCB at plated through holes30and32. The IDCs are preferably part of a connecting block, which provides a point at which wires are terminated to the component. As discussed herein, the IDCs in plated through holes30and32provide a location for alien crosstalk as the IDCs radiate signals between PCBs36and38. One of the major contributors to alien crosstalk coupling between connectors comes from the termination of the cable to the connecting block. The close proximity and the size (height and width) of the IDCs tend to radiate a lot of coupling signals.

Embodiments of the invention increase the distance between IDCs in connecting blocks by offsetting the connector ports completely (meaning the jack, PCB, and block are shifted) or by offsetting the connecting block only.FIG. 4shows a first embodiment in which PCBs42and44use a two different connecting blocks resulting in different footprints for plated through holes46and48. Plated through holes46and48receive IDCs in the connecting blocks. The PCB used may alternate (e.g.,42,44,42,44) across the ports in a patch panel. The jack connections remain in the same location from port to port. As shown inFIG. 4, this results in increased distance A between connecting block IDCs46and48, thus reducing alien crosstalk.

FIG. 5shows four adjacent port PCBs52and54using the same connecting block design having the same footprint of plated through holes56and58. In this embodiment, the connecting block is shifted in a first direction on port52and a second direction (opposite the first direction) on port54. The shifting of the plated through holes for the connecting block is relative to the jack through holes60on the PCBs52and54. The jack through holes footprint60remains in the same location from port to port aligned on axis X. The plated through holes56and58are shifted relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to axis X to achieve separation. The PCB used may alternate (e.g.,52,54,52,54) across the ports in a patch panel.

By utilizing a different connecting block on the connector (as shown inFIG. 4) or shifting the location of a common connecting block (asFIG. 5), the distance, A, between the connecting block IDCs of one port to the next is increased.

In many PCB embodiments, PCB traces are used to reduce crosstalk for a given category or transmission performance. Exemplary PCB designs are described in U.S. published patent application 20040147165. In conventional designs, each adjacent port in a patch panel uses a PCB having the same trace layout.

FIG. 6illustrates the alien crosstalk coupling from adjacent PCBs62to the “victim” PCB64. The connectors inFIG. 6are identical as represented by their PCB trace layouts.

The amount of alien crosstalk is also dependent on the distance between connectors. As the distance increases the magnitude of the coupling fields decrease and the level of Powersum ANEXT and Powersum alien ELFEXT also decreases. However, in instances when space is not available, improvements can also be obtained from eliminating similar features from adjacent ports.

FIG. 7illustrates embodiments of the invention in which adjacent connectors have the same jack and connecting block (not shown), but different trace patterns on the PCB. PCB72has a trace pattern that differs from that on PCB74. Improvements in alien crosstalk are obtained by eliminating or repositioning like/similar compensation traces or current carrying traces, in one port design versus the next. Port A has one PCB trace design72and port B has another PCB trace design74. The two trace patterns can be alternated in a multi-port panel or faceplate (ABABABAB . . . B). The differing trace patterns on the PCBS72and74reduces alien crosstalk between the two PCBs.

FIG. 8is a perspective view of the rear of a patch panel80that utilizes PCBs52and54ofFIG. 5. As shown inFIG. 8, the connecting blocks100and102are staggered relative to each other. This is due to the different circuit boards52and54, and the locations of the plated through holes56and58on the respective boards. Connecting blocks100and102are the same, but shifted due to the configuration of circuit boards52and54.

Embodiments of the invention use varying PCB layouts to reduce alien crosstalk. Exemplary designs utilize two different printed connector designs in adjacent ports of a patch panel (or faceplate) to eliminate similarities in adjacent designs that would couple as noise from one connector (channel) to the adjacent connector (channel). These designs cover a minimum of two ports but can also be utilized in any number of ports. A connector includes a jack, printed circuit board (PCB), and connecting block as known in the art. A connector design can also be of the lead-frame type. Connectors can be individually arranged in patch panels or be part of a PCB type multi-connector design where one PCB board has several connector ports. To reduce alien crosstalk, adjacent ports have different electrical layouts. This difference can be accomplished by having a different printed circuit board trace layout in the adjacent ports or completely different components, such as the jack, connecting block, and PCB.

Embodiments of the invention use different connectors in adjacent ports. In a side-by-side scenario or patch panel implementation, each connector location is designated as a “port”. A two-port implementation would then have two completely different connectors such as a PCB type connector next to a lead frame type connector or two different types of PCB style connectors. This could also be done in a patch panel that uses individual connectors. Each port would alternate connectors. For example, ports 1,3, 5 . . x would be the same PCB type connector and ports 2,4,6 . . y would be the lead frame type.

Patch panels can have multiple ports, such as 24, or they can be individually inserted connectors or a finished patch panel with connector components (connecting block and jack) mated a single PCB with multiple jacks/blocks. In most multi-port (2 or more) printed circuit board designs, the jack and block at each port are the same and the PCB compensated trace layout is the same as shown inFIG. 3.