Abstract: A storage card module having a front panel card component and a rear panel transition module disposed on a backplane in accordance with the Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (CPCI) bus standard, wherein the front panel card component is provided with at least one Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) storage medium drive. Power is supplied to the SCSI drive from a CPCI bus connector on the backplane, whereas a user-defined I/O connector on the backplane provides interconnection between the drive and the SCSI bus that is coupled to an I/O controller via an interface formed on the real panel transition module. Bus cabling coupled via the user-defined I/O connector may be used to daisy-chain other SCSI-based cards, mass storage devices, or may be terminated. A power cable deriving power from the CPCI bus connector provides auxiliary power output via a rear panel power connector to such daisy-chained mass storage devices.

Abstract: A signal transfer point (STP) includes a plurality of control and sense points that enable the STP to collect sensory information of all types and to provide control of individual pieces of equipment. The STP is operable to generate reports that record the activity of external devices that are either being monitored or where operation is being controlled. Each sense and control point board provided within the STP is operable to provide up to 32 sense points and twenty-four control points in one described embodiment of the invention. The sense points are operable to detect either a low voltage condition or a high voltage condition. The sense points are operable to monitor up to 60-volt signals and thus may monitor telecom voltage levels for US (48 volts) as well as European systems (60 volts). The sense points are optically isolated to eliminate the possibility of unwanted current flows. The control points are relays capable of handling up to a 60-volt difference in potential in its switching operations.

Abstract: A storage card module for supporting more than one SCSI storage device on a printed circuit board to be coupled to a CPCI backplane. The storage devices are positioned on the board with a predetermined spacing disposed therebetween. One or more low profile connectors are disposed in the predetermined spacing for each storage device depending on the number of pins needed. For an 8-bit fast tape drive, a 50-pin low profile connector is utilized. A pair of 34-pin low profile connectors are utilized for connecting to a 16-bit fast-wide SCSI disk drive. Electrical traces are buried in the board substrate which couple the low profile connectors to a card connector on the printed circuit board. The card connector is mated to the CPCI backplane via a backplane connector. A SCSI I/O interface is in an electrical conductive relationship with at least a portion of the backplane connector. Power is provided to the drives via a pair of 4-pin low profile power connectors disposed in the predetermined spacing.