Abstract: An electrical interconnect for passing high speed signals through an electronic system with a high density of signals and high signal integrity. The interconnect includes an electrical connector and a transition portion of a printed circuit board to which the connector is mounted. Signal conductors are connected to pads on the surface of the PCB using edge-to-pad mounting. The pads align with intermediate portions of the signal conductors such that transitions within the connector that could degrade signal integrity are avoided. The signal conductors may be positioned as individually shielded broadside coupled pairs extending in rows within the connector. Surface traces on the PCB connect the pads to signal vias aligned for vertical routing out of the connector footprint. Ground planes underlying the surface traces facilitate a transition from the signal paths in the connector to those in the PCB with low mode conversion avoiding resonances in the connector shields.

Abstract: An electrical interconnect for passing high speed signals through an electronic system with a high density of signals and high signal integrity. The interconnect includes an electrical connector and a transition portion of a printed circuit board to which the connector is mounted. Signal conductors are connected to pads on the surface of the PCB using edge-to-pad mounting. The pads align with intermediate portions of the signal conductors such that transitions within the connector that could degrade signal integrity are avoided. The signal conductors may be positioned as individually shielded broadside coupled pairs extending in rows within the connector. Surface traces on the PCB connect the pads to signal vias aligned for vertical routing out of the connector footprint. Ground planes underlying the surface traces facilitate a transition from the signal paths in the connector to those in the PCB with low mode conversion avoiding resonances in the connector shields.

Abstract: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.

Abstract: A method of managing bandwidth usage at a customer premises includes receiving a content stream at a set-top box device coupled to a display device. The method also includes receiving a power-off command for the display device. Furthermore, the method includes displaying a prompt on the display device, wherein the prompt comprises an instruction to confirm that the display device is active via a confirmation input. The method further includes directing, responsive to the determining that the confirmation input has not been received, a source device to cease sending the content stream to the set-top box.

Abstract: Embodiments related to electrical connectors including superelastic components are described. The high elastic limit of superelastic materials compared to conventional connector materials may allow for designs which provide reliable connections and high frequency operation. Superelastic components also may enable connector designs with higher densities of connections. In some embodiments, a connector includes one or more superelastic elongated members forming the mating contacts of the connector. The superelastic elongated members deform within one or more conductive receptacles to generate a suitable contact force. The conductive receptacles may include a plurality of protrusions arranged to deflect the superelastic elongated members during mating. A superelastic component may also be provided in a receiving portion of a connector, and may form a portion of a conductive receptacle.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation. The connector may be assembled with multiple subassemblies, each of which may have multiple pairs of signal conductors. The subassemblies may be formed from an insulative portion having grooves in opposite sides into which the intermediate portions of signal conductors. Covers, holding the signal conductors in the grooves, may establish the position of the signal conductors relative to reference conductors at the exterior of subassembly, so as to provide a controlled impedance. Lossy material may be positioned between the pairs in a subassembly and/or may contact the reference conductors of the subassemblies, and the lossy material of the subassemblies may in turn be connected with a conductive structure.

Abstract: Embodiments related to electrical connectors including superelastic components are described. The high elastic limit of superelastic materials compared to conventional connector materials may allow for designs which provide reliable connections and high frequency operation. Superelastic components also may enable connector designs with higher densities of connections. In some embodiments, a connector includes one or more superelastic elongated members forming the mating contacts of the connector. The superelastic elongated members deform within one or more conductive receptacles to generate a suitable contact force. The conductive receptacles may include a plurality of protrusions arranged to deflect the superelastic elongated members during mating. A superelastic component may also be provided in a receiving portion of a connector, and may form a portion of a conductive receptacle.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion and edge coupled end portions. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation, while edge coupling provides a high density interconnection system at low cost. Each module has separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The shielding is shaped to avoid or suppress undesirable propagation modes within an enclosure formed by shielding per module. Lossy material is selectively placed within and outside the shielding per module to likewise avoid or suppress unwanted signal propagation.

Abstract: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: A modular electrical connector with broad-side coupled signal conductors in a right angle intermediate portion and edge coupled end portions. Broadside coupling provides balanced pairs for very high frequency operation, while edge coupling provides a high density interconnection system at low cost. Each module has separately shielded signal conductor pairs. The shielding is shaped to avoid or suppress undesirable propagation modes within an enclosure formed by shielding per module. Lossy material is selectively placed within and outside the shielding per module to likewise avoid or suppress unwanted signal propagation.

Abstract: An electrical connector module with openings in an insulative support selectively positioned to limit dielectric loss in a signal. The connector may include a first and second conductor including first and second sides between first and second edges. An insulative support holds the first conductor adjacent the second conductor and may have at least five pedestal portions, wherein the first pedestal portion contacts the first side of the first conductor, the second pedestal portion contacts the second side of the first conductor, the third pedestal portion contacts the first side of the second conductor, the fourth pedestal portion contacts the second side of the second conductor, and at least a portion of the fifth pedestal portion is disposed between two edges of the first and second conductors. The pedestal portions may have widths less than the widths of the first and second sides of the first and second conductors.

Abstract: Various aspects relate to using structured messages within systems that implement instant messaging function in a distributed computing environment. In particular, structured information may be encoded and embedded in unstructured instant messages and communicated among one or more computer systems, networks, applications or other entities. In one aspect, instant messaging may be leveraged as middleware for application integration. Other aspects relate to using structured message information to perform functions in a distributed instant messaging system. For example, structured message information may be used to control the display of instant message information to a user, or may be used to control how the instant message information is distributed, processed, or otherwise handled by a receiving system, application or process. Other aspects relate to an interface for displaying information relating to a number of instant messaging conversations to a user.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.

Abstract: A method and system for remote control of multimedia content using a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) is configured to establish a connection between a customer premises equipment (CPE) gateway and a local area network (LAN) device that is a personal user device. A user of the LAN device may be authenticated. Responsive to user input, the LAN device may send remote control messages corresponding to remote control functions for an MCDN terminal device. The CPE gateway may determine a network address for the MCDN terminal device, and forward the remote control messages to the addressed MCDN terminal device. The LAN device may so remotely control the addressed MCDN terminal device.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; and via patterns formed in the plurality of layers, each of the via patterns including first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through at least the attachment layers; ground vias extending through at least the attachment layers, the ground vias including ground conductors; and shadow vias located adjacent to each of the first and second signal vias, wherein the shadow vias are free of conductive material in the attachment layers. The printed circuit board may further include slot vias extending through the attachment layers and located between via patterns.