Connector panel for plug-in units of a telecommunication system and associated shelf

1. A connector panel for plug-in units in a telecommunication system, the telecommunication system including a sub-rack or shelf adapted to accommodate a number of N plug-in units within the shelf and for enabling the N plug-in units within the shelf to communicate with each other;

wherein the connector panel is an entity separate from the shelf and includes a number of n connecting units providing an interface between n dedicated plug-in units among the N plug-in units within the shelf, with 2≤n<N; and

wherein the connector panel is configured to be removably attached to an interior wall of the shelf.

2. The connector panel of claim 1 wherein the shelf includes a separate backplane for power supply.

3. The connector panel of claim 1 including an alignment component for aligning the connectors to mating connectors of the plug-in units.

4. The connector panel of claim 3 , wherein the alignment component comprises one or more of: a pin, a wedge, or an inclined surface.

5. The connector panel of claim 1 including an attachment component for removably attaching the connector panel to the interior wall of the shelf allowing for limited lateral movement of the connector panel relative to the interior wall.

6. The connector panel of claim 5 wherein said attachment component comprises at least one of a leg or a snap arm mating with a corresponding recess at the interior wall of the shelf or a recess mating with a corresponding leg or snap arm at the interior wall of the shelf; and a biased retaining element, such as a spring-loaded ball or slider.

7. The connector panel of claim 1 wherein the connector panel is configured to remain attached at the interior wall of the shelf when one or more of the dedicated plug-in units are removed.

8. The connector panel of claim 1 including n connecting units for electrically and/or optically connecting the dedicated plug-in units.

9. The connector panel of claim 8 including means for detecting a plug-in unit inserted into a respective connecting unit and for verifying whether a detected plug-in unit is one of the n dedicated plug-in units.

10. The connector panel of claim 9 wherein the detecting and verifying means comprises an electronic memory, such as an EEPROM, storing data for verifying one or more predetermined types of plug-in units.

11. A shelf device of a telecommunication system including a connector panel for plug-in units in a telecommunication system, the telecommunication system including a sub-rack or shelf adapted to accommodate a number of N plug-in units within the shelf and for enabling the N plug-in units within the shelf to communicate with each other;

wherein the connector panel is an entity separate from the shelf and includes a number of n connecting units providing an interface between n dedicated plug-in units among the N plug-in units within the shelf, with 2≤n<N; and

wherein the connector panel is configured to be removably attached to an interior wall of the shelf; the shelf device further including

a chassis having a wall; and

a support rail for the connector panel attached to the interior side of the wall.

12. The shelf device of claim 11 , wherein the connector panel is configured to be removably attached to the interior wall of the shelf via the support rail.

13. The shelf device of claim 12 , wherein the support rail is fixed to the wall of the chassis and comprises a number of recesses, and wherein the connector panel comprises at least one leg or snap arm mating with a corresponding recess of the support rail for removably attaching the connector panel to the support rail.

14. The shelf device of a telecommunication system of one of claim 13 having a backplane attached to the interior side of the wall.

15. The shelf device of claim 14 ;

wherein the connector panel provides interface capabilities not provided by the backplane, including at least one of an interface supporting a higher data transmission rate and/or data transmission capacity than that of the backplane plugs, and an optical interface.

16. The shelf device of claim 15 , wherein the connector panel provides an interface for n dedicated plug-in units forming a cluster.

17. The shelf device of claim 16 wherein the cluster comprises a master board (first dedicated plug-in unit) and at least one slave board (second dedicated plug-in unit), the connector panel providing a high-speed interface between the main board and the at least one slave board.

18. A method for connecting n plug-in units in a shelf of a telecommunication system, the shelf being adapted to accommodate a number of N plug-in units, with N>n; the method comprising:

providing a connection device as a communication interface among the n plug-in units and removably attaching the connection device to the shelf;

forming a cluster of two or more of the n plug-in units in the shelf by plugging in the two or more plug-in units into corresponding slots of the connection device; and

establishing communication between the two or more plug-in units via the connection device.