Patents by Inventor Stephen F. Contreras
Stephen F. Contreras has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10757801Abstract: A printed circuit board having a substrate layer, at least one electrically conductive trace disposed on the substrate layer, and a solder mask layer disposed over the substrate layer and the electrically conductive trace, wherein the solder mask later includes a void region over at least a portion of the electrically conductive trace. Also, a method of optimizing printed circuit board designing including selecting printed circuit board data comprising at least a solder mask layer area, varying the solder mask layer area, determining an insertion loss value for each varied solder mask layer area, comparing the insertion loss values for each varied solder mask layer area, and selecting a solder mask layer area based on the comparing.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LPInventors: David W. Engler, Stephen F. Contreras
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Publication number: 20200084876Abstract: A printed circuit board having a substrate layer, at least one electrically conductive trace disposed on the substrate layer, and a solder mask layer disposed over the substrate layer and the electrically conductive trace, wherein the solder mask later includes a void region over at least a portion of the electrically conductive trace. Also, a method of optimizing printed circuit board designing including selecting printed circuit board data comprising at least a solder mask layer area, varying the solder mask layer area, determining an insertion loss value for each varied solder mask layer area, comparing the insertion loss values for each varied solder mask layer area, and selecting a solder mask layer area based on the comparing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2018Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: David W. Engler, Stephen F. Contreras
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Patent number: 10453516Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory module having a voltage regulator module (VRM) to receive input power and deliver output power to components of the memory module at a first power plane. A sufficient number of stitching capacitors are to couple the first power plane to a second power plane.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LPInventors: Reza M Bacchus, Melvin K Benedict, Stephen F Contreras, Eric L Pope, Chi K Sides, Chun-Pin Huang
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Publication number: 20180218763Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory module having a voltage regulator module (VRM) to receive input power and deliver output power to components of the memory module at a first power plane. A sufficient number of stitching capacitors are to couple the first power plane to a second power plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Reza M. BACCHUS, Melvin K. BENEDICT, Stephen F. CONTRERAS, Eric L. POPE, Chi K. SIDES, Chun-Pin HUANG
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Patent number: 9972941Abstract: A memory module connector (100) is described herein. The memory module connector (100) comprises a plurality of connector pins (102) distributed into a plurality of columns (104). The plurality of connector pins (102) further comprises a plurality of ground pins (106) for providing electrical ground to the memory module connector (100) and a plurality of signal pins (108) for carrying data signals across the memory module connector (100). Further, for each signal pin (108) provided in a column (104), each connector pin (102) adjacent to the signal pin (108) in an adjacent column (104) is a ground pin (106).Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2014Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LPInventors: Melvin K Benedict, Stephen F Contreras
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Patent number: 9928897Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory module having a voltage regulator module (VRM) to receive input power and deliver output power to components of the memory module at a first power plane. At least one stitching capacitor is to couple the first power plane to a second power plane.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LPInventors: Reza M. Bacchus, Melvin K. Benedict, Stephen F. Contreras, Eric L. Pope, Chi K. Sides, Chun-Pin Huang
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Publication number: 20170243626Abstract: An example device in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes a memory module having a voltage regulator module (VRM) to receive input power and deliver output power to components of the memory module at a first power plane. At least one stitching capacitor is to couple the first power plane to a second power plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2015Publication date: August 24, 2017Applicant: HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LPInventors: Reza M. BACCHUS, Melvin K. BENEDICT, Stephen F. CONTRERAS, Eric L. POPE, Chi K. SIDES, Chun-Pin HUANG
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Publication number: 20170005438Abstract: A memory module connector (100) is described herein. The memory module connector (100) comprises a plurality of connector pins (102) distributed into a plurality of columns (104). The plurality of connector pins (102) further comprises a plurality of ground pins (106) for providing electrical ground to the memory module connector (100) and a plurality of signal pins (108) for carrying data signals across the memory module connector (100). Further, for each signal pin (108) provided in a column (104), each connector pin (102) adjacent to the signal pin (108) in an adjacent column (104) is a ground pin (106).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2014Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Melvin K Benedict, Stephen F Contreras
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Publication number: 20160336047Abstract: A system can include a memory circuit having a first signal via, a first signal return via, and at least one second signal return via located closer to the control signal via than the first signal return via.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2014Publication date: November 17, 2016Inventors: Melvin K BENEDICT, Karl J BOIS, Stephen F CONTRERAS, Mark FRANK
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Patent number: 8866023Abstract: A method and system are disclosed to reduce trace length and capacitance in a large memory footprint. When more dual in-line memory module (DIMM) connectors are used per memory channel, the overall bus bandwidth may be affected by trace length and trace capacitance. In order to reduce the overall trace length and trace capacitance, the system and method use a palm tree topology placement, i.e., back-to-back DIMM placement, to place surface mount technology (SMT) DIMM connectors (instead of through-hole connectors) back-to-back in a mirror fashion on each side of a printed circuit board (PCB). The system and method may improve signal propagation time when compared to the commonly used traditional topology placements in which all DIMM connectors are placed on one side of the PCB.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2009Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Rachid M. Kadri, Stephen F. Contreras
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Publication number: 20120175160Abstract: A method and system are disclosed to reduce trace length and capacitance in a large memory footprint. When more dual in-line memory module (DIMM) connectors are used per memory channel, the overall bus bandwidth may be affected by trace length and trace capacitance. In order to reduce the overall trace length and trace capacitance, the system and method use a palm tree topology placement, i.e., back-to-back DIMM placement, to place surface mount technology (SMT) DIMM connectors (instead of through-hole connectors) back-to-back in a mirror fashion on each side of a printed circuit board (PCB). The system and method may improve signal propagation time when compared to the commonly used traditional topology placements in which all DIMM connectors are placed on one side of the PCB.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2009Publication date: July 12, 2012Inventors: Rachid M. Kadri, Stephen F. Contreras
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Patent number: 7219322Abstract: A first signal passes through a first layer of a circuit apparatus at a first propagation speed, and a second signal passes through a second layer of the circuit apparatus at a second propagation speed different from the first propagation speed.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Reza M. Bacchus, Stephen F. Contreras, Mitchel E. Wright
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Patent number: 6738857Abstract: A computer system with various component modules with each of the modules interconnected with a single midplane board, thereby eliminating the need for ribbon cables to interconnect between the modules. One of the modules includes an embedded controller and associated data bus. An in-line connector is coupled in the data bus which receives either a jumper connector or interconnect connector. The interconnect connector intercepts the data bus from the embedded controller and transfers connection to a user added controller. The interconnect connector can operate in two modes, a single mode and a differential mode. The interconnect connector includes logic circuitry that determines the type of controller connected and places the interconnect connector in the appropriate mode. If the logic circuitry detects that a single-ended controller is connected to the interconnect connector, a quick switch, which is connected to one wire of the data bus, is closed, thereby grounding the one wire.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2002Date of Patent: May 18, 2004Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Michael C. Sanders, Stephen F. Contreras, John T. Spencer, Morrel O. Jones, III
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Publication number: 20030041204Abstract: A computer system with various component modules with each of the modules interconnected with a single midplane board, thereby eliminating the need for ribbon cables to interconnect between the modules. One of the modules includes an embedded controller and associated data bus. An in-line connector is coupled in the data bus which receives either a jumper connector or interconnect connector. The interconnect connector intercepts the data bus from the embedded controller and transfers connection to a user added controller. The interconnect connector can operate in two modes, a single mode and a differential mode The interconnect connector includes logic circuitry that determines the type of controller connected and places the interconnect connector in the appropriate mode. If the logic circuitry detects that a single-ended controller is connected to the interconnect connector, a quick switch, which is connected to one wire of the data bus, is closed, thereby grounding the one wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2002Publication date: February 27, 2003Inventors: Michael C. Sanders, Stephen F. Contreras, John T. Spencer, Morrel O. Jones
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Patent number: 6449680Abstract: A computer system with various component modules with each of the modules interconnected with a single midplane board, thereby eliminating the need for ribbon cables to interconnect between the modules. One of the modules includes an embedded controller and associated data bus. An in-line connector is coupled in the data bus which receives either a jumper connector or interconnect connector. The interconnect connector intercepts the data bus from the embedded controller and transfers connection to a user added controller. The interconnect connector can operate in two modes, a single mode and a differential mode. The interconnect connector includes logic circuitry that determines the type of controller connected and places the interconnect connector in the appropriate mode. If the logic circuitry detects that a single-ended controller is connected to the interconnect connector, a quick switch, which is connected to one wire of the data bus, is closed, thereby grounding the one wire.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1999Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Compaq Computer CorporationInventors: Michael C. Sanders, Stephen F. Contreras, John T. Spencer, Morrel O. Jones, III
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Patent number: 6249832Abstract: A bus configuration and associated termination for an Intel Slot 2 bus supporting communication for at least one Intel Pentium II Xeon processor. The Intel Slot 2 bus is configured in an in-line topology and includes a plurality of Intel Slot 2 bus connectors connected to the Intel Slot 2. A first plurality of bus terminators are electrically connected to a first end of the in-line Intel Slot 2 bus and a second plurality of bus terminators are electrically connected to a second end of the in-line Intel Slot 2 bus. The first and second plurality of bus terminators are constructed in accordance with termination specifications required by Intel on terminator cards which are inserted into unpopulated Intel Slot 2 bus connectors except that one end of the bus has the one hundred and fifty ohm pull-up resistor required by Intel replaced with an eighty two ohm pull-up resistor.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1999Date of Patent: June 19, 2001Assignee: Compaq Computer CorporationInventors: Michael C. Sanders, Stephen F. Contreras