Patent ID: 7439449

Claim:
A flexible circuit comprising: a flexible substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; a first connecting area comprising a first data pad on the first surface; a second connecting area comprising a second data pad on the first surface; a first conductive trace on the first surface of the flexible substrate, the first conductive trace conductively connecting the first data pad to the second data pad; and a ground trace on the second surface of the flexible substrate and having at least one contact pad on at least one of the first connecting area and the second connecting area, the ground trace having a portion that is adjacent to but not in contact with at least one of the first data pad and the second data pad, wherein the ground trace connects through the flexible substrate to ground pads on the first surface, the ground pads positioned on both sides of the first conductive trace such that the ground trace and the ground pads wrap around the first conductive trace, wherein the ground trace is arranged to maintain an impedance by producing a controlled amount of capacitance that compensates for inductance associated with coming up from the ground trace or through the flexible substrate.