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The invention provides a component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane for assembly in a modular electro-optical backplane, the component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane comprising: optical channels for the propagation and transmission of optical data signals and electric

The invention provides a component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane for assembly in a modular electro-optical backplane, the component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane comprising: optical channels for the propagation and transmission of optical data signals and electrical channels for the propagation and transmission of power and control signals; connectors for connection in-plane to at least one other component electro-optical printed circuit board; and, at least one socket for receiving, in use, a user circuit. The invention also provides a modular backplane made up of plural such component backplanes.

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1. A component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane for assembly in a modular electro-optical backplane, the component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane comprising: optical channels for the propagation and transmission of optical data signals and electrical channels for the

1. A component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane for assembly in a modular electro-optical backplane, the component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane comprising: optical channels for the propagation and transmission of optical data signals and electrical channels for the propagation and transmission of control signals;connectors for connection in plane to at least one other component electro-optical printed circuit board thereby to form a co-planar modular electro-optical backplane; and,at least one socket for receiving, in use, a user circuit in a plane orthogonal to the plane of the modular electro-optical backplane. 2. A component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane according to claim 1, wherein the connectors include: electrical connectors to enable power distribution and/or transmission of control signals between the component electro-optical printed circuit board and the at least one other component electro-optical printed circuit board to which in use it is connected; and;optical connectors to enable transmission of data signals between the component electro-optical printed circuit board and the at least one other component electro-optical printed circuit board to which in use it is connected. 3. A component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane according to claim 2, in which the electrical connectors are power and/or low speed connectors and/or the optical connectors are high speed connectors. 4. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, comprising connectors for connection in plane to at least two other component electro-optical printed circuit boards. 5. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, in which the connectors are arranged in use to connect directly to connectors on one or more adjacent component electro-optical printed circuit boards. 6. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, in which the connectors are arranged in use to connect via connection bridges to connectors on one or more adjacent component electro-optical printed circuit boards. 7. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 2, in which the optical connectors are passive optical connectors. 8. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 2, in which the optical connectors are active optical connectors. 9. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, in which the component PCB is substantially rectangular and connectors are provided on all four sides of the component PCB. 10. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, in which the component PCBs are substantially rectangular and both optical and electrical connectors are provided on only two adjacent sides of the component PCB. 11. A component electro-optical backplane according to claim 1, in which the component PCBs are substantially rectangular and both optical and electrical connectors are provided on only three sides of the component PCB. 12. A component electro-optical backplane according claim 1, in which the connectors arranged so as to enable formation of a two-dimensional array of component electro-optical printed circuit boards. 13. A storage assembly, comprising: a holding rack arranged to receive plural storage devices;a backplane arranged to interconnect the plural storage devices when received in the storage assembly, wherein the backplane is a modular backplane made up of plural component optical printed circuit boards, each of which is a component electro-optical printed circuit board backplane according to claim 1. 14. An electro-optical printed circuit board backplane, comprising plural component electro-optical printed circuit board backplanes according to claim 1, in which the electrical and optical connectors of one of the component electro-optical printed circuit boards are connected respectively to the electrical and optical connectors of another one of the component electro-optical printed circuit board backplanes. 15. A backplane according to claim 14, in which at least two of the adjacent plural component electro-optical printed circuit boards are connected to each other directly. 16. A backplane according to claim 14, in which at least two of the adjacent plural component electro-optical printed circuit boards are connected to each other with a connecting bridge. 17. A backplane according to claim 16, in which the bridge is an in-plane bridge or an out-of-plane bridge. 18. A first component electro-optical printed circuit board, such as a backplane, for assembly in a modular electro-optical backplane, the component electro-optical printed circuit board comprising: optical channels for the propagation and transmission of optical data signals and electrical channels for the propagation and transmission of control signals;connectors for connection orthogonally to at least one second component electro-optical printed circuit board, further comprising one or more connectors for connection in plane to at least one third component electro-optical printed circuit board, thereby to form a modular optical PCB including a co-planar modular electro-optical PCB, co-planar with the first component electro-optical PCB or the second component electro-optical PCB. 19. A component electro-optical printed circuit board according to claim 18, in which the component electro-optical printed circuit board is a component backplane and includes at least one socket for receiving, in use, a user circuit. 20. A component electro-optical printed circuit board according to claim 18, in which connectors are provided on both major surfaces. 21. A component electro-optical printed circuit board according to claim 18, in which the orthogonal connectors comprise one or more of electrical, electronic, optical connectors and/or electro-optical bridges.