Abstract: A bracket is fitted over an external connector that has fingers, such as EMI fingers, that are spring loaded and provide electrical connections between outside panels and the main enclosure of a device. The bracket depresses the EMI fingers and provides ease of removal. A tool is dimensioned so that a user has room to grip it while not interfering with a bracket, such as a PCI bracket, when in use. The tool is dimensioned so that it can be slid over a bracket so as to compress the fingers, such as EMI fingers, and the bracket can be removed without damaging the connector. A cut out may be offset from the center to provide additional surface to grip by a user.

Abstract: A method for populating and depopulating components of negligible impedance facilitates the testing of circuit boards. The test circuitry may be formed upon the circuit board under test. Testing may be performed with great accuracy for the time between the triggering edge of a clock pulse and a resulting valid signal change. Slew rates of bus signals may be more easily measured.

Abstract: A method for populating and depopulating components of negligible impedance facilitates the testing of circuit boards. The test circuitry may be formed upon the circuit board under test. Testing may be performed with great accuracy for the time between the triggering edge of a clock pulse and a resulting valid signal change. Slew rates of bus signals may be more easily measured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining automatic termination of a bus in the event of failure of a host computer are disclosed. The method includes the steps of (a) powering a first termination control circuit and a first terminating circuit of the first bus controller with the bus; (b) generating a first control signal (1) that is of an enable state if the first bus controller is located at an end of the bus, and (2) that is of a disable state if the first bus controller is located in a middle portion of the bus; (c) coupling the first terminating circuit to the bus if the first control signal is of the enable state; and (d) decoupling the first terminating circuit from the bus if the first control signal is of the disable state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing automatic termination of cables coupled to an adapter card is described. The presence or absence of devices attached to such cables are sensed. A terminator circuit is selectively activated to provide termination for the cables depending on the configuration of devices attached to the adapter card. In one embodiment, a plurality of dissimilar types of devices having different data widths are attached to a common adapter card via a plurality of cables. The cables provide for interconnection of devices to the adapter card via a bus protocol. The signals to/from the cables are sourced/sinked from a controller chip. A terminator circuit in close proximity to the controller chip is selectively activated to provide termination for the host side of the bus, depending on the types of devices attached to the bus.

Abstract: A pad is adjacent a hole that will be located on the trailing edge of the board when the board is processed through wave soldering. The pad includes a curved side that faces the hole. In addition, corners are absent from the pad. The intersections of sides of the pad occurs as a curve or radiused corner, rather than a verticed corner. Wave soldering the printed circuit board with the pad greatly reduces bridging of a lead inserted into the hole adjacent the pad.