JP2000010912A - Multi-function peripheral component inter-connection adapter card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a PCI adapter card which has high extensibility at a low cost and can utilize an LSI containing a PCI interface or a chip set. SOLUTION: A host card 3 having a 1st function block which includes a PCI-to-PCI bridge 8, a PCI bus 9a and a PCI bus interface is connected to a module card 2 having a 2nd function block which includes a PCI bus 9b and a PCI bus interface via the connectors 7 and 12, and thus, a multi-function adapter card 1 is obtained. Then the card 1 is connected to a PCI mother board 4 having a 1st PCI bus 5 via a PCI edge connector 7 and a PCI slot 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a multifunction PCI adapter card mounted in a PCI slot of a personal computer (PC) server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the dramatic improvement in the processing speed of a CPU, a high-speed bus system corresponding to a higher data transfer speed has been demanded. One of the high-speed bus systems is a PCI bus (Perip) developed by Intel Corporation.
heral Component Interconne
ct). Conventional multi-function PCI using PCI bus
As a system, for example, JP-A-9-34609 is known. FIG. 5 shows the configuration. This multifunctional PCI
The system includes a first expansion board 200 and a second expansion board 20.
1, a PCI bus connection board 202, and a PC motherboard 203. The first expansion board 200 controls the printer engine 204 to operate the printer device 205. The second expansion board 201 controls the scanner 206. The first expansion board 200 having the first function is a function module 207 for realizing the first function.
a, 207b, 207c, 207d, an internal local bus 208 connecting them, and a connector 209. The second expansion board 201 having the second function includes the function modules 210a and 210b for realizing the second function.
And an internal local bus 211 for connecting them, and connectors 212 and 213. The PCI bus connection board 202 includes a driver / receiver 214 for exchanging data with the internal local bus side, a controller 215 for controlling the driver / receiver 214, and a PCI for connecting the internal local bus to the PCI bus. Bridge 216, connector 21 for PCI interface
7 and connectors 218 and 219 for the internal local bus interface. The PCI bus connecting board 202 connects the internal local bus 208 of the first expansion board 200 and the internal local bus 211 of the second expansion board 201 to the PCI bus 22 of the PC motherboard 203.
Connected to 0. The PC motherboard 203 includes a PCI bus 220, a memory 221, an I / O 222, a PCI host bridge 223, an internal local bus 224, and a CPU 22.
5. Memory 226 and PCI connectors 227, 22
8, 229.

A conventional multi-function PC by connecting an expansion board
A method of configuring the I system will be described with reference to FIG. PCI connector 209 of function 1 expansion board 200
The first expansion board 200 and the PCI bus connection board 202 are connected by inserting them into the connector 218 of the bus connection board 202. Similarly, the second expansion board 20
By inserting the first connector 212 (not shown) into the connector 219 of the PCI bus connection board 202,
The expansion board 201 and the PCI bus connection board 202 are connected. Thus, a multifunction PCI system having the first function and the second function is configured. Then, the PCI bus connection board 202 and the PC motherboard 203 are connected by inserting the connector 217 of the PCI bus connection expansion board 202 into the PCI bus slot 227 of the PC motherboard 203. In this way, the internal local buses 208 and 211 of the first expansion board 200 and the second expansion board 201 are connected to the PCI connection expansion board 202.
Through the PCI bus 220 of the PC motherboard 203.

[0004]

In the conventional multi-function PCI system, an internal local bus based on a unique specification is used for an expansion board, so that an LSI or a chipset having an inexpensive PCI interface can be used. Did not. In addition, when making a design change in which a function block in an expansion board is replaced with another new function block, a function module having an internal local bus interface corresponding to a unique specification must be developed. For this reason, there has been a problem that the manufacturing and development costs of the apparatus are increased and the expandability of the system is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a low-cost, high-scalability multifunctional PCI adapter card.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first PCI bus and a PC
An adapter card for function expansion connected to a PC motherboard having an I slot, wherein the adapter card includes a host card and a module card, and the host card includes a PCI slot provided in the PC motherboard. A connectable PCI edge connector, a PCI-to-PCI bridge, a second PCI bus, a first functional block having a PCI bus interface, and a module connector connectable to a host connector provided on a module card. Wherein the module card includes a host connector connectable to a module connector provided on the host card, and a third PCI
It includes a bus and a second functional block having a PCI bus interface.

Further, the host card is connected to the module card by inserting the host connector into the module connector.

The host card and the module card are connected by connecting the module connector and the host connector via a cable.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the multi-function PCI adapter card according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The multi-function PCI adapter card 1 includes a module card 2 and a host card 3. The functions are expanded by mounting the adapter card 1 on the PC motherboard 4. PC motherboard 4 is PCI local bus 5
And a plurality of PCI slots 6 for connecting the host card 3 to a PCI local bus 5 in the motherboard 4. The host card 3 includes a PCI edge connector 7 for connecting to a PC motherboard 4, a PCI-to-PCI bridge 8 for connecting between PCI local buses, and a PC.
It includes an I local bus 9a, functions 1 LSIs 10a and 10b having a PCI local bus interface, and a module connector 11 for connecting to a module card.
The module card 2 includes a host connector 12 for connecting to a host card, a PCI local bus 9b,
Function 2 LSI 13 having local bus interface
a, 13b. Here, the difference from the conventional example is that all the buses used for connecting the functional LSIs are standard PCI local buses.

FIG. 3 shows a method of configuring a multifunctional PCI system by connecting a multifunctional PCI adapter card.
By inserting the host connector 12 of the module card 2 into the module connector 11 of the host card 3, the host card 3 and the module card 2 are connected. Next, the host card 3 and the PC motherboard 4 are connected by inserting the PCI edge connector 7 of the host card 3 into the PCI slot 6 on the motherboard 4. As a result, the PCI local buses 9a and 9b on the adapter card are connected to the PCI local bus 5 on the motherboard 4 via the PCI-to-PCI bridge 8. Thus, as shown in FIG.
10b and the function 2 LSIs 13a and 13b are connected to the PC motherboard 4 as PCI devices.

Since each host card and module card constituting the adapter card use a PCI local bus based on a standard specification, an inexpensive LSI having a PCI interface can be mounted. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the apparatus and the development cost when developing an adapter card provided with a new functional block. In addition, since a function 1 LSI having a PCI-to-PCI bridge and a PCI interface is provided on a host card, and a function 2 LSI having a PCI interface is provided on a module card, a multifunctional PCI adapter with low cost and high system expandability is provided. Cards can be configured. Also, by combining a module card using another function 3 LSI in place of the function 2 LSI with a host card, a multifunctional PC having a different configuration can be obtained.
The I adapter card can be easily configured.

Embodiment 2 FIG. In the first embodiment,
Although the host connector 12 is inserted into the module connector 11, a second embodiment in which the host card is connected to the module card when the position of the module connector cannot be matched with that of the host connector will be described. It is shown in FIG.

The card connection cable 16 has cable connectors 14 and 1 at both ends of the flexible cable 13.
5 is provided. The cable connector 14 is a connector that can be connected to the module connector 11, and the cable connector 15 is a connector that can be connected to the host connector 12. The cable connector 14 is inserted into the module connector 11, and the cable connector 15 is inserted into the host connector 12. Thereby, the host card 3 and the module card 2 are connected via the card connection cable 16.

Module connector 2 and host connector 3
Are connected via the card connection cable 16,
It is not necessary to adjust the position of the connector between the module card and the host card when creating the adapter card, and the connector can be freely arranged on each card.

[0015]

As described above, since each host card and module card constituting the adapter card of the present invention use the PCI local bus based on the standard specification, an inexpensive LSI having a PCI interface is used. Can be installed. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the apparatus and the development cost when developing an adapter card provided with a new functional block. According to the multifunctional PCI adapter card of the present invention, the PCI-to-
-A multifunctional PCI adapter card with low cost and high system expandability because the function 1 LSI having the PCI bridge and the PCI interface is arranged on the host card and the function 2 LSI having the PCI interface is arranged on the module card. Has the effect of being able to configure. Further, since the host card and the module card are connected by inserting the module connector and the host connector, a multifunctional PCI adapter card can be configured at low cost.

Further, since the host card and the module card are connected by the cable between the module connector and the host connector, it is not necessary to adjust the positions of the module connector and the host connector, and the connectors can be freely arranged on the card.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a multi-function PCI adapter card of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing Embodiment 1 of the multifunction PCI adapter card of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating the mounting of the multifunctional PCI adapter card according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a mounting explanatory diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the multifunction PCI adapter card of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional multifunctional PCI system.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of mounting a conventional multi-function PCI bus system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Multifunctional PCI adapter card, 2 module card, 3 host card, 4 PC motherboard, 5P
CI local bus, 6 PCI slots, 7 PCI edge connector, 8 PCI-to-PCI bridge, 9
a, 9b PCI local bus, 10a, 10b function 1 LSI, 11 module connector, 12 host connector, 13a, 13b function 2 LSI, 14, 15
Cable connector, 16 Card connection cable, 20
0,201 expansion board, 202 PCI bus connection board, 203 PC motherboard, 208, 211, 22
4 Internal local bus, 209, 212, 213, 21
7,218,219 Connector, 227,228,22
9 PCI slot.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An adapter card for function expansion connected to a personal computer motherboard having a first peripheral component interconnect bus and a peripheral component interconnect slot, wherein the adapter card comprises a host card and a module card. The host card includes a peripheral component interconnect edge connector connectable to a peripheral component interconnect slot provided on a personal computer motherboard, a bridge between peripheral component interconnects, a second peripheral component interconnect bus, and a peripheral component interconnect bus interface. A first functional block having And a host connector that can be connected to module connector provided on Rukado, the module card includes a host connector that can be connected to the module connector provided on the host card, third
Peripheral component interconnect bus,
A second functional block having a peripheral component interconnect bus interface. A multifunctional peripheral component interconnect adapter card. 2. The multi-functional peripheral component interconnect adapter card according to claim 1, wherein the host card and the module card are connected by inserting the host connector into the module connector. 3. The host card and the module card are connected by connecting the module connector and the host connector via a cable.
The multifunction peripheral component interconnect adapter card described in 1.