Patent ID: 7961990

Claim:
A system, comprising: a baseplate having an alternating pattern of first alignment features and second alignment features, wherein the baseplate is configured to communicate data signals via optical communication; and an array of single-chip modules (SCMs), wherein the array includes: first SCMs mechanically coupled to the baseplate, wherein a first SCM is mechanically coupled to a first alignment feature, and wherein the first SCM is electrically coupled to a set of electrical proximity connectors; second SCMs mechanically coupled to the baseplate, wherein a second SCM is mechanically coupled to a second alignment feature, and wherein nearest neighbors of the second SCM in the array are first SCMs; and bridge components, wherein a bridge component is electrically coupled to the second SCM; wherein the bridge component is electrically coupled to another set of electrical proximity connectors; wherein the another set of electrical proximity connectors is electrically coupled to the set of electrical proximity connectors, thereby facilitating communication of other data signals between at least adjacent first SCMs and second SCMs via electrical proximity communication; and wherein the bridge component is optically coupled to the baseplate, thereby facilitating optical communication of the data signals between SCMs via the baseplate.