Abstract: An apparatus includes a printed circuit board including a connector footprint comprising a first footprint portion operative to receive a first connector portion and a second footprint portion operative to receive a second connector portion. The first footprint portion is compliant with a first communications link type and the first and second footprint portions are jointly compliant with a second communications link type. The printed circuit board includes first conductive traces coupled to the first footprint portion and a first device footprint. The first conductive traces are selectively configurable according to a selected one of the first and second communications link types. The printed circuit board includes a second conductive traces coupled to the second footprint portion and the first device footprint. in at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the first communications link type is AC-coupled and the second communications link type is DC-coupled.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printed circuit board including a connector footprint comprising a first footprint portion operative to receive a first connector portion and a second footprint portion operative to receive a second connector portion. The first footprint portion is compliant with a first communications link type and the first and second footprint portions are jointly compliant with a second communications link type. The printed circuit board includes first conductive traces coupled to the first footprint portion and a first device footprint. The first conductive traces are selectively configurable according to a selected one of the first and second communications link types. The printed circuit board includes a second conductive traces coupled to the second footprint portion and the first device footprint. in at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the first communications link type is AC-coupled and the second communications link type is DC-coupled.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printed circuit board including a connector footprint comprising a first footprint portion operative to receive a first connector portion and a second footprint portion operative to receive a second connector portion. The first footprint portion is compliant with a first communications link type and the first and second footprint portions are jointly compliant with a second communications link type. The printed circuit board includes first conductive traces coupled to the first footprint portion and a first device footprint. The first conductive traces are selectively configurable according to a selected one of the first and second communications link types. The printed circuit board includes a second conductive traces coupled to the second footprint portion and the first device footprint. In at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the first communications link type is AC-coupled and the second communications link type is DC-coupled.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a printed circuit board including a connector footprint comprising a first footprint portion operative to receive a first connector portion and a second footprint portion operative to receive a second connector portion. The first footprint portion is compliant with a first communications link type and the first and second footprint portions are jointly compliant with a second communications link type. The printed circuit board includes first conductive traces coupled to the first footprint portion and a first device footprint. The first conductive traces are selectively configurable according to a selected one of the first and second communications link types. The printed circuit board includes a second conductive traces coupled to the second footprint portion and the first device footprint. In at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the first communications link type is AC-coupled and the second communications link type is DC-coupled.

Abstract: An improved method of preventing computer malfunction during a change of power consumption states is disclosed. The computer operates a microprocessor at a specified voltage during a normal operation. To offset the normal decrease in voltage due to an instantaneous increase in power requirements during a change of power consumption states, the specified voltage is increased prior to entering a higher power consumption state such that the voltage level remains within minimum operating limits.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for transmitting data upon an address portion of a computer system bus during periods of maximum or near-maximum utilization of a data portion of the bus. One embodiment of the computer system includes at least one central processing unit (CPU) and a main memory coupled to a processor bus. The main memory stores data, and the CPU executes instructions stored within the main memory. The processor bus is a split transaction bus. The processor bus is divided into an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus including address, data, and control signal lines, respectively. The CPU and the main memory each include a bus interface, and are coupled to the processor bus via the bus interface. The bus interface includes a transaction queue coupled to an interface unit. The interface unit is coupled to the address, data, and control buses, and performs bus transactions (i.e., read and/or write transactions) upon the processor bus.