JP2001290754A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such problem that the expansion of the function of a computer system cannot be easily carried out because the number of devices connectable to PCI bus is limited. SOLUTION: The function of the system can be expanded by being constituted of a computer main body 1 having the PCI bus, a PCI extension unit 10 having PCI slots 14 to 17 connecting PCI devices and a PCI controller 12 controlling the PCI devices connected to the PCI slots, and a PCI extension board 9 connected to the PCI slot of the computer main body and performing communication between the main body and the PCI extension unit, and expands the function of the system by configuring the PCI extension board and the PCI controller as a PCI-PCI bridge circuit, and also, connecting the PCI extension board and the PCI controller by a serial cable 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly, to a PCI (Peripheral Computer) inside.
nt Interconnect) relates to the extension of the functions of a computer system having a bus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a personal computer has adopted a PCI bus as a system bus in order to increase a data transfer speed. Such a PC
When the I bus is used, data transfer between the I / O devices and between the system memory and the I / O devices can be performed at high speed, and the performance of the computer system can be improved.

[0003]

Conventionally, most expansion devices are provided as PCI devices, but the number of devices that can be connected to the PCI bus is limited to a number within a predetermined range. To build a computer system with many devices,
The functions of the system cannot be easily expanded, for example, by providing a plurality of personal computer main bodies, and there is a problem that the system becomes large-scale and the cost increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to increase the scale without increasing the scale.
An object of the present invention is to provide a computer system capable of easily expanding its functions.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, a computer system according to the present invention is connected to a computer having a PCI bus, a PCI bus, a PCI slot for connecting a PCI device, and the PCI slot. A PCI expansion unit having a PCI controller for controlling a PCI device connected thereto, and a main body and a PC connected to a PCI slot of the computer main body.
A PCI expansion board for performing communication between the I expansion units, wherein the PCI expansion board and the PCI controller are connected to a PC.
An I-PCI bridge circuit;
By connecting the CI expansion board and the PCI controller with a serial cable, a PCI device connected to the PCI expansion unit is used as an additional device of the computer main body.

According to the present invention, the PCI device connected to the PCI expansion unit can be used as an additional device of the computer main body, so that the functions of the system can be easily expanded. In addition, since the computer main body and the PCI expansion unit can be installed at separate places, the computer main body and the PCI expansion unit can be installed in desired places such as separate rooms, and the usability of the system can be improved.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a computer system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a personal computer (PC) main body, in which a PCI local bus (PC) is provided.
I bus 2). In the personal computer main body 1, a CPU 3, a memory 4, a chip set 5,
And PCI devices 6 to 8 are connected to the PCI local bus 2. The personal computer body 1 is a normal computer.

A PCI expansion board 9 is connected to a PCI slot of the personal computer 1. P
The CI extension board 9 is a board used to extend the functions of the personal computer, and performs data communication between the personal computer main body 1 and a PCI extension housing (unit) 10 as described later.

The PCI expansion housing 10 is a function expansion unit different from the personal computer main body 1, that is, a unit for connecting a plurality of PCI devices for expanding functions. Inside the PCI expansion enclosure 10, P
A CI local bus 11, a PCI controller 12, and a power supply 13 are provided. The PCI local bus 11 has 4
PCI slots 14 to 17 are connected, and these P
PCI device for expansion (not shown) in CI slot
Can be connected. The PCI controller 12 controls the connected PCI device, and the power supply 13 supplies power to the connected PCI device and the PCI controller 12.

The P of the personal computer body 1
PCI expansion board 9 connected to CI slot and PCI
The expansion case 10 is connected by a serial cable 18. As the serial cable 18, it is desirable to use a cable using fiber channel technology. Thus, the PCI expansion board 9 and the PCI expansion enclosure 1
When 0 is connected by the serial cable 18, when viewed from the personal computer main body 1, the PCI expansion board 9 and the PCI controller 12 form a PCI-PCI bridge circuit.

Therefore, by connecting the PCI expansion board 9 and the PCI expansion enclosure 10 with the serial cable 18, the PCI expansion board 9 and the PCI controller 12
Since it functions as a CI-PCI bridge circuit, PCI devices connected to the PCI slots 14 to 17 of the PCI expansion chassis 10 can be used as additional devices in the personal computer main body 1, and system functions can be easily expanded. It is possible.

Here, the operation of the personal computer main body 1 is not different from the access to the ordinary PCI-PCI bridge circuit, and the description of the operation is omitted. PCI local bus 1 in expansion enclosure 10
1 is converted to a serial signal and transferred to the PCI controller 12 via the serial cable 18.

At this time, the transfer performance equivalent to the transfer performance of the PCI local bus can be obtained by using the fiber channel technology for the data transfer. The cable length of the serial cable 18 is about 10 m for copper wire,
The use of an optical cable allows further extension. The PCI controller 12 receives the transferred serial data, converts the serial data again into data for the PCI local bus, and transmits the data to the PCI device on the PCI local bus 11. Also, it controls the PCI local bus such as arbitration between the PCI devices connected to the PCI slots 14 to 17.

Conversely, the PCI device connected to the PCI slots 14 to 17 transfers the personal computer main unit 1 from the PCI device.
Is accessed, the PCI controller 12
Converts the data from the PCI device into serial data and transfers it to the PCI expansion board 9. When receiving the serial data, the PCI expansion board 9 converts the serial data into data for the PCI local bus again and transmits the data to the PCI local bus 2 in the personal computer main body 1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the PCI expansion board 9 and the PCI controller 12 function as a PCI-PCI bridge circuit, and access from the personal computer main body 1 to the PCI expansion chassis 10 and the PCI expansion chassis 1
0 can access the personal computer main body 1, and the PCI expansion enclosure 10 can be used as an additional device of the personal computer main body 1. Further, since the personal computer main body 1 and the PCI expansion enclosure 10 are connected using the serial cable 18, the personal computer main body 1 and the PCI expansion enclosure 10 can be installed at different locations.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, P
PCI expansion board and PCI controller
By configuring as a bridge circuit and connecting the PCI expansion board and the PCI controller with a serial cable, the PCI device connected to the PCI expansion unit can be used as an additional device of the computer main body, and the system functions easily. Can be extended. In addition, since the computer main body and the PCI expansion unit can be installed at separate locations, the usability of the system can be improved, such as the main body and the PCI expansion unit can be installed at desired locations such as separate rooms.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a computer system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Personal computer main body 2 PCI local bus 3 CPU 4 Memory 5 Chipset 6-8 PCI device 9 PCI expansion board 10 PCI expansion chassis 11 PCI local bus 12 PCI controller 13 Power supply 14-17 PCI slot 18 Serial cable

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A computer having a PCI bus, a PCI bus, a PCI slot for connecting a PCI device, and a PCI controller for controlling a PCI device connected to the PCI slot.
An expansion unit, and a PCI expansion board connected to a PCI slot of the computer main body and performing communication between the main body and the PCI expansion unit, wherein the PCI expansion board and the PCI controller are PCI-
A PCI bridge circuit, and the PCI
A computer system, wherein a PCI device connected to the PCI expansion unit is used as an additional device of the computer main body by connecting an expansion board and a PCI controller with a serial cable. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the serial cable is a cable using a fiber channel technology. 3. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said serial cable is an optical cable. 4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the computer main body and the PCI expansion unit are installed at different places.