CIRCUIT BOARD WITH ALTERNATE COMPONENT INTEGRATION CAPABILITY
A circuit board includes a first non-conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer. Additionally, the circuit board includes a first electronic component. The circuit board is configurable to operate in a first configuration with a second electronic component, and the circuit board is configurable to operate in a second configuration with a third electronic component instead of the second electronic component. Furthermore, the circuit board includes a first trace layer disposed on the first non-conductive layer. The first trace layer is configured to electrically couple the first electronic component to the second electronic component in a first configuration of the circuit board. Additionally, the circuit board includes a second trace layer disposed between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer. The second trace layer is configured to electrically couple the first electronic component to the third electronic component in a second configuration of the circuit board.
1 . A circuit board, comprising:
a first non-conductive layer and a second non-conductive layer;
a first electronic component, wherein the circuit board is configurable to operate in a first configuration with a second electronic component, and the circuit board is configurable to operate in a second configuration with a third electronic component instead of the second electronic component;
a first trace layer disposed on the first non-conductive layer, wherein the first trace layer is configured to electrically couple the first electronic component to the second electronic component in the first configuration of the circuit board; and
a second trace layer disposed between the first non-conductive layer and the second non-conductive layer, wherein the second trace layer is configured to electrically couple the first electronic component to the third electronic component in the second configuration of the circuit board.
2 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein:
the circuit board is configurable to operate in a third configuration with a fourth electronic component instead of the second electronic component or the third electronic component,
the circuit board comprises a third trace layer disposed on the second non-conductive layer, and
the third trace layer is configured to electrically couple the first electronic component to the fourth electronic component in the third configuration of the circuit board.
3 . The circuit board of claim 2 , wherein the first non-conductive layer is disposed between the first trace layer and the second trace layer, and the second non-conductive layer is disposed between the second trace layer and the third trace layer.
4 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein:
the first non-conductive layer comprises a first surface and a second surface,
the second non-conductive layer comprises a third surface and a fourth surface,
the first trace layer is disposed on the first surface, and
the second trace layer is disposed between the second surface and the third surface.
5 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic component is configured to communicate with the second electronic component via a first communication protocol in the first configuration, and the first electronic component is configured to communicate with the third electronic component via a second communication protocol in the second configuration.
6 . The circuit board of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic component is configured to utilize the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol based on respective signals received from the second electronic component and the third electronic component, respectively.
7 . The circuit board of claim 5 , comprising a dip switch communicatively coupled to the first electronic component, wherein the first electronic component is configured to utilize the first communication protocol or the second communication protocol based on a setting of the dip switch.
8 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic component is configured to:
determine a reference voltage at a location on the circuit board; and
determine that the circuit board is configured to operate in the first configuration or the second configuration based on the reference voltage.
9 . The circuit board of claim 8 , wherein the first electronic component is configured to operate in a first operating mode in response to a determination that the circuit board is configured to operate in the first configuration; and
operate in a second operating mode in response to a determination that the circuit board is configured to operate in the second configuration.
10 . The circuit board of claim 8 , comprising a voltage divider configured to produce the reference voltage.
11 . The circuit board of claim 10 , wherein the voltage divider is configured to:
receive an input voltage from the second electronic component or the third electronic component; and
output the reference voltage to a reference voltage pin of the first electronic component.
12 . The circuit board of claim 10 , wherein:
the voltage divider comprises an impedance element and a conductive bridge configurable to short-circuit the impedance element, and
the reference voltage is adjustable by short-circuiting the impedance element via the conductive bridge.
13 . The circuit board of claim 12 , wherein the conductive bridge is a solder bridge.
14 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein:
the first trace layer comprises a first trace segment extending from a first footprint of the first electronic component,
the first trace layer comprises a second trace segment extending from a second footprint of the second electronic component,
the second trace layer comprises a third trace segment extending from a third footprint of the third electronic component, and
the circuit board comprises a via extending from the third trace segment to the first trace layer.
15 . The circuit board of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic component is a microcontroller.
16 . A circuit board, comprising:
a microcontroller;
one of a primary electronic component or a secondary electronic component;
a first trace layer formed on a first surface of the circuit board, wherein the first surface comprises a primary component footprint corresponding to the primary electronic component; and
a second trace layer formed on a second surface of the circuit board, opposite the first surface, wherein:
the second surface comprises a secondary component footprint corresponding to the secondary electronic component,
the circuit board is configurable to operate in a first configuration associated with installation of the primary electronic component on the primary component footprint; and
the circuit board is configurable to operate in a second configuration associated with installation of the secondary electronic component on the secondary component footprint.
17 . The circuit board of claim 16 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to:
determine that the circuit board is in the first configuration; and
communicate with the primary electronic component using a first communication protocol in response to determining that the circuit board is in the first configuration.
18 . The circuit board of claim 16 , wherein:
the primary electronic component is an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of pins, and
the primary component footprint comprises a plurality of solder pads corresponding to the plurality of pins.
19 . A method, comprising:
fabricating a printed circuit board (PCB) with a first trace layer disposed on a first surface of the PCB and a second trace layer disposed on a second surface of the PCB, wherein the first surface comprises a primary component footprint, and the second surface comprises a secondary component footprint;
mounting an electronic component to the primary component footprint without mounting an additional electronic component to the secondary component footprint; and
configuring the PCB to operate in a first operating configuration selected from at least two operating configurations, wherein the first operating configuration corresponds to utilization of the primary component footprint, and the at least two operating configurations include a second operating configuration corresponding to utilization of the secondary component footprint.
20 . The method of claim 19 , comprising configuring the PCB to operate in the first operating configuration by applying solder to a solder bridge footprint, wherein solder bridge footprint is formed on the first surface, the second surface, or a third surface of the PCB.