With the AGP interface conversion is the computer apparatus of pci interface and the method for conversion
Technical field
The present invention about a kind of be the computer apparatus of pci interface and the method for conversion with the AGP interface conversion, especially a kind of pci controller is connected to the AGP slot, being the computer apparatus of pci interface and the method for conversion with the AGP interface conversion.
Background technology
Motherboard belongs to the element of the bottom in the whole computer system, is responsible for carrying central processing unit, System on chip group storer, and getting in touch and data transfer path of these elements and other peripheral devices is provided.The main element of motherboard includes System on chip group and connector.The System on chip group is the maincenter element of whole computer system running, and major function is to be responsible between all the other elements, the distribution of signal and data and transmission, and the different central processing units different System on chip group of use of need arranging in pairs or groups.The function of connector then is in order to connect computer system each several part element, as display card, central processing unit, storer and hard disk etc.
The framework of System on chip group generally is to adopt south bridge (South Bridge), north bridge (North Bridge) wafer independent design separately.And element and function that north and south bridge wafer is controlled are also had nothing in common with each other.Please refer to Fig. 1, show an exemplary systems wafer set framework.North bridge wafer 100 is near central processing unit 120, mainly is responsible for data, the signal transmission of central processing unit 120, primary memory 140 and 0 of AGP slot 16, and by specific transfer protocol and 200 communications of south bridge wafer.The reception and the transmission of signal (Input/Output Signal) gone in every peripheral device 220,240,260,280 outputs on 200 responsible motherboards of south bridge wafer.South bridge wafer 200 can see through the interrupt request (Interrupt Request) that these peripheral devices sent north bridge wafer 100 and be passed to central processing unit 120.By this, central processing unit 120 is distributed working routine and the action that institute's desire is carried out.In addition, in order to connect every peripheral device 220,240,260,280, include the controller of IDE controller, USB controller and soft dish, keyboard and the mouse of pci controller, hard disk and CD-ROM device in the south bridge wafer.
The AGP interface is derived out by the basis with the pci interface, and its operational paradigm can reach the several times of pci interface.The fundamental purpose of AGP interface is pinup picture (Texture Mapping) function that adopted in response to the 3D picture, to deal with required that mass data transmits between storer and AGP.Please refer to table one, tabular goes out the difference of AGP interface and pci interface.As shown in Table, the AGP interface is not only that with the difference of pci interface employed connector specification is different, and the data transfer mode that the two adopted is also different.
Table one
Interface |
AGP |
PCI |
Data processing speed |
32Bits |
32Bits |
Frequency |
66MHz |
33/66MHz (being generally 33MHz) |
Pin count |
132 bilayers (4X), 124 bilayers (8X) |
120 individual layers |
Transmit the mode of data |
Many channelizations (pipelined) |
Non-channelization |
The transmission of address and data |
Address/data is uncommon |
Address/data is common |
Transmission speed |
1066M/S(4X) 2133MB/S(8X) |
133MB/S(33MHz) |
The characteristic of AGP interface and advantage mainly contain following several:
One, multiplex's function of excluded address line: the AGP slot aims at Presentation Function and designs, and does not have the transmission of other data-signals, therefore, after multiplex's function of excluded address line, can promote the operating efficiency of AGP interface.
Two, (Upper Memory Area, theory UMA): elasticity is adjusted the needed storage space of Presentation Function, to improve treatment efficiency to incorporate the high memory area of use into.
Three, ingenious transmitting and displaying information: keep previous demonstration information, only transmission has the partial data of change, to increase the efficient of transmission.
Four, redefine the mode that transmits data: the AGP interface is exclusively used in Presentation Function, therefore, has more simple data transmission operating environment.Via redefining transmission mode, can improve data-handling efficiency with special pipeline (pipeline) deal with data.
As above-mentioned, because the AGP interface provides preferable transmission speed, display card now adopts the AGP Interface design more.On the contrary, the display card of pci interface is more and more rare, but wafer set manufacturer (for example Intel) still continues the north bridge wafer (for example 845GV) that the lower-order of AGP interface is not supported in release.Therefore, for old-fashioned motherboard, if the System on chip group can't be supported the AGP interface, or its north bridge wafer of new-type motherboard is not supported the AGP interface, will more and more be difficult to find the pci interface display card that share, will cause not having the awkward situation that display card can be used.Secondly, if desire the computer system of framework TVGA, to reach the purpose that double screen shows.Because the System on chip group on the general motherboard only has one group of AGP slot, so only can support single AGP display card, another display card have to adopt the display card of pci interface, the puzzlement that the display card that also will face pci interface like this is difficult to obtain.
Please refer to Fig. 2, in known technology, adopting an adapter 20 is pci interface with the AGP interface conversion.As shown in FIG., one side of adapter 20 has PCI golden finger 22, opposite side is an AGP slot 24, and wherein PCI golden finger 22 inserts the PCI slot 12 on the motherboards 10, and the AGP slot 24 of opposite side then connects an AGP display card 30 (display card of an AGP interface).It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 3A, when AGP display card 30 is inserted on the motherboard 10 via an AGP slot 14, the opening that end must correctly correspond to the backboard (back panel) of computer chassis 40 is gone in the output of this AGP display card 30, otherwise this AGP display card 30 can't be locked on the computer chassis 40, and the use that the output of display card 30 goes into to hold also can be hindered.
Therefore, please refer to Fig. 3 B, if on PCI slot 12, increase by an adapter 20, the position of AGP display card 30 will be therefore and on move, and cause the lockhole 32 of display card 30 can't involutory lockhole 42 on computer chassis 40, will cause this AGP display card 30 use, assembling and the difficulty of fixing.
Summary of the invention
In view of this, to propose a kind of be the computer apparatus of pci interface and the method for conversion with the AGP interface conversion in the present invention.
Fundamental purpose of the present invention is to provide a kind of motherboard, can be pci interface with the AGP interface conversion, therefore, can solve the puzzlement that the pci interface display card is difficult to obtain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a forwarding method, cause the AGP display card can't involutoryly be fixed in the puzzlement of computer chassis to solve use adapter in the traditional approach.
In the motherboard of the present invention, a pci controller can be independently IC or is positioned at north bridge or the south bridge wafer, and the part signal pin (I/O pins) of an AGP slot connects pci controller so far.In being connected to the signal pin of pci controller, include a plurality of address/data pins (A/D pin), as the usefulness of transmitting address and data.Secondly, the AGP slot is connected with a voltage source.The magnitude of voltage that this voltage source provided corresponds to the employed driving voltage value of PCI slot.
In addition, in all pins of this AGP slot, in order to the pin of performance AGP feature, such as: address control (Strobe) pin, status signal (Status Signal) pin, side signal (Sideband Signal) pin, read buffers alarm signal (Read Buffer Full signal) pin, write buffer alarm signal (Write Buffer Full Signal) the equal sky of pin connect.
The invention provides a kind of is the method for pci interface with the AGP interface conversion, comprises the following steps: to provide a motherboard or the circuit board with pci controller at least; Form an AGP slot on this motherboard or circuit board, and this AGP slot have first group of signal pin and second group of signal pin; The first group of signal pin that connects this AGP slot then be pci controller so far, and to keep second group of signal pin be that sky meets (opened).
Can be further understood by the following detailed description and accompanying drawings about the advantages and spirit of the present invention.
Description of drawings
Fig. 1 is the synoptic diagram of an exemplary systems wafer set framework.
Fig. 2 adopts adapter pci interface to be converted to the synoptic diagram of the framework of AGP interface.
Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3 B see through adapter with the AGP display card to plug together in the synoptic diagram of PCI slot.
Fig. 4 A is the synoptic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 B is the synoptic diagram of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 C is the synoptic diagram of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is the pin bitmap of a typical AGP slot.
Fig. 6 is the pin bitmap of a typical PCI slot.
Fig. 7 is the pin bitmap of AGP slot among the present invention.
Fig. 8 is that the present invention is the process flow diagram of method one preferred embodiment of pci interface with the AGP interface conversion.
Fig. 9 is that employing mainboard architecture of the present invention is the synoptic diagram of computer system one preferred embodiment of main body.
Table one has been listed the difference of AGP interface and pci interface.
Each AGP feature pin of table two classification declaration.
The empty pin position of each AGP slot of table three classification declaration.
Embodiment
Please refer to Fig. 4 A, it shows that the present invention is mainboard architecture one preferred embodiment of pci interface with the AGP interface conversion.As shown in FIG., this mainboard architecture comprises a north bridge wafer 100, a south bridge wafer 200, an AGP slot 230 and at least one PCI slot 220.North bridge wafer 100 is connected with central processing unit 120 and primary memory 140, and is connected to south bridge wafer 200 through a pci bus (PCI bus).And having a pci controller 210 in the south bridge wafer 200, this pci controller 210 is connected to AGP slot 230 and PCI slot 220 simultaneously.
In Fig. 4 A, pci controller 210 is positioned within the south bridge wafer 200.Yet also be not limited thereto, this pci controller 210 can also be made in the north bridge wafer 100 if needed, or is made in one separately independently on the wafer and be an IC independently.Be made in separately at pci controller 210 under the situation of an individual wafers, shown in Fig. 4 C, AGP slot 230 can see through this pci controller 210 and be connected to south bridge wafer 200, or shown in Fig. 4 B, AGP slot 230 sees through this pci controller 210 and is connected directly to north bridge wafer 100.
Please refer to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, show the pin bitmap of a typical AGP slot and a typical PCI slot respectively.As shown in FIG., relatively the signal pin that the PCI slot is all can be found in the pin position of AGP slot and PCI slot, all can find corresponding pin in the pin bitmap of AGP slot.Otherwise, with regard to the AGP slot,, also increased by 20 in addition in order to present the AGP feature pin of AGP transport property except these correspond to the pin of PCI slot fully.Following table two is that these 20 AGP feature pins are given classification declaration.
Table two
As shown in Table 2, these AGP feature pins can be divided into AGP side addressing signal, AGP data flow con-trol signal, AGP status signal and AGP clock signal four classes.AGP side addressing signal system is in order to realize distinctive many channelizations (Multi-Pipelined) transfer function of AGP interface and side addressing (Sideband Addressing) function.AGP clock signal system is in order to the sequential of control signal transmission, to replace the timer of pci interface.AGP data flow con-trol signal and AGP status signal are in order to the operating state of prompting user AGP display card.
In addition, no matter be AGP slot or PCI slot, all must connect a driving voltage source (not shown), so that being provided, exports each pin of driving into the required voltage of signal.Generally speaking, driving voltage value is gone in 1.5 volts of typical A GP slot uses or 3.3 volts output, and driving voltage value is gone in 3.3 volts of typical PCI slot uses or 5 volts output.
As above-mentioned, please refer to Fig. 7 simultaneously, in order to connect pci controller and AGP slot, make pci controller keep normal operation simultaneously.As step 300, at first, the part signal pin of AGP slot (first group of signal pin) is connected to pci controller, and all the other signal pins (second group of signal pin) keep sky to meet (opened), that is this AGP slot remaining part signal pin (second group of signal pin) except that first group of signal pin is not used.These signal pins that connect (not being connected to pci controller) by sky comprise (1) address control pin, (2) status signal pin, (3) side signal pin, (4) read buffers alarm signal pin and (5) write buffer alarm signal pin.Following table three is connect the signal pin classification declaration of (not being connected to pci controller) with these by sky.
Table three
Title |
The pin position |
OVRCNT# |
B1 |
USB |
A4,B4 |
RESERVED |
A22,B22,A24,A44,B44,A42 |
PIPE# |
A12,B14 |
SBA[7:0] |
A15,B15,A17,B17,A20,B20,A21,B21 |
RBF# |
B12 |
WBF# |
A14 |
ST[2:0] |
A10,B10,B11 |
ADSTB |
A32,B32,A59,B59 |
SBSTB |
A18,B18 |
The pin of listing in the table three can be divided into two classes, and the just empty originally pin that connects of generic tradition AGP slot is as three kinds of OVRCNT#, USB and RESERVED.The another kind of listed AGP feature pin of table two (totally 20) that then belongs to promptly comprises address control pin, status signal pin, side signal pin, read buffers alarm signal pin and write buffer alarm signal pin.Therefore, with regard to the angle of pci controller, no matter be connected to PCI slot or AGP slot, all use identical bus configuration pattern.Therefore, with regard to the angle of pci controller, no matter be connected to PCI slot or AGP slot, all use identical bus configuration pattern.
Secondly, because the listed AGP feature pin of table two, be in order to presenting the transport property of AGP slot, therefore, as step 320, each AGP feature pin of AGP slot all keeps sky to connect the state of (opened).In other words, make these AGP feature pins remain open-circuit condition exactly.It should be noted that above-mentioned AGP feature pin belongs to useless for pci controller.Again, even if these AGP feature pins are connected to the north bridge wafer, because each signal/address (A/D) pin of this AGP slot all is connected to pci controller, the running of the also uncontrollable AGP slot of north bridge wafer.
Subsequently, as above-mentioned, because the driving voltage value that the AGP slot uses is different with the PCI slot, therefore, as step 340, the AGP slot must be connected to a PCI driving voltage source.This PCI driving voltage source can provide the driving voltage value of accord with PCI specification, to correspond to the required of pci controller.
Please refer to Fig. 8, the figure illustrates and adopting mainboard architecture of the present invention is computer system one preferred embodiment of main body.As shown in FIG., north bridge wafer 100 is to be connected with central processing unit 120, primary memory 140 and an AGP slot 232, and is connected to south bridge wafer 200 through a bus (bus).Have a pci controller 210 in the south bridge wafer 200, and this pci controller 210 connects the 2nd AGP slot 234 and three PCI slots 220 simultaneously.
As shown in the figure, provide two AGP slots 232 and 234 in this computer system, the user can insert two AGP display cards 250, the one, see through north bridge wafer 100, running speed according to the AGP interface is carried out, and another then sees through south bridge wafer 200, carries out according to the running speed of pci interface.Therefore, this computer system can provide two AGP display cards 250 to carry out the demand that double screen shows.
Again, use in Fig. 3 adapter 20 that pci interface is converted to the mode of AGP interface, conversion regime proposed by the invention and mainboard architecture have following advantage:
One, as shown in Figure 4, mainboard architecture of the present invention directly uses AGP slot 230 to replace PCI slot 220, has therefore omitted adapter, and can reduce the use of motherboard element, to reduce cost of manufacture.
Two, as described above, the present invention has omitted adapter, thereby the computing signal that has shortened the AGP display card transfers to the line distance of pci controller.Therefore, can reduce the consume of signal transduction process, signal transmission speed faster is provided simultaneously.
Three, the present invention directly is made in the AGP slot on the motherboard, and therefore, any AGP display card inserts this AGP slot as inserting traditional AGP slot (being connected to the north bridge wafer).Thereby can avoid among the 3rd B figure, known technology is because of using adapter 20, the puzzlement that causes display card 30 can't involutory lockhole 42 on computer chassis 40 to be produced.
The above is to utilize preferred embodiment to describe the present invention in detail, but not limit the scope of the invention, and be familiar with present technique field person and should be able to understand, suitably do slightly change and adjustment, will not lose main idea of the present invention place, also not break away from the spirit and scope of the present invention.