TWI552003B - Function card slot and mainboard using the same - Google Patents

Description

Function slot and motherboard using this function slot

The present invention relates to a motherboard for an electronic product, and more particularly to a motherboard capable of selectively providing at least two interface specifications and a motherboard using the aforementioned function slot while maintaining the original motherboard area.

In general, in order to enable users to enhance or expand their functions, the motherboard will have multiple slots for input and output signal interfaces, and corresponding line layouts, so that each slot can be connected to the motherboard. Communicate on the central processor. However, the current trend toward miniaturization and multi-functionality of electronic products has led to a limited number of slots in the motherboard, while providing a sufficient number of slots to support various transmission interfaces, which greatly increases the design difficulty of the motherboard.

For example, the motherboard used by the server usually has a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) function. Under the premise of a large motherboard area, the layout of the motherboard is relatively easy, but if it is for a small area. Motherboard specifications, such as microATX, provide BMC functionality and support at least four expansion slots, audio and networking features at the same time, the motherboard's line design will become quite difficult. In addition, the motherboard must design different line layouts for different usage requirements, which will increase design and test costs.

In order to solve the foregoing problems, the main object of the present invention is to provide a function slot and a motherboard using the function slot, to solve the design constraints faced by the current motherboard, and to support multiple transmissions without increasing the original motherboard area. The interface standard and optional BMC function can improve the flexibility of the motherboard configuration.

The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a functional slot and a motherboard using the function slot, which can save time and cost for designing and testing the motherboard circuit in response to various use occasions.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a functional slot that is compatible with the next generation size specification (NGFF or M.2) and optionally plugs in a riser card to provide Peripheral Interconnect Standard (PCI) transmission. interface. Therefore, the M.2 and PCI transmission interface standards can be provided in a single slot.

The present invention further provides a main board using the aforementioned functional slot, the surface of which is provided with at least one of the functional slots. In addition, the motherboard can also be equipped with a Quick Peripheral Interconnect (PCIe) slot for optional insertion of a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) card.

Thereby, the present invention can selectively insert a shortcut peripheral interconnect (PCIe) card or a BMC card by using the shortcut peripheral interconnect (PCIe) slot, and can selectively insert the function slot. An M.2 card or a riser card to flexibly support the BMC function or provide a PCI slot with multiple configurations.

10‧‧‧ motherboard

20‧‧‧Quick peripheral interconnect slot

21‧‧‧PCIe X4 card

22‧‧‧BMC card

30‧‧‧ function slot

31‧‧‧M.2 card

32‧‧‧Transfer card

321‧‧‧ Peripheral interconnection standard slot

322‧‧‧Transformer

40‧‧‧PCIe X1 slot

1 is a plan view showing a PCIe X4 card inserted into a PCIe slot of the first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a left side view of the BMC card inserted into the PCIe peripheral of the second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the BMC card is an upright card.

3 is a top view of a BMC card inserted in a PCIe slot of a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein the BMC card is a horizontal card.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the function slot of the fourth embodiment of the present invention in which the M.2 card is inserted. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a function slot insertion riser card of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In order to enable the reviewing committee to further understand the present invention, the preferred embodiments and drawings of the present invention are described below.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the present invention provides a motherboard 10 having a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) slot 20 on the surface, a function slot 30 and a PCIe X1 slot 40 along the shortcut peripheral. The length of the interconnect (PCIe) slot 20 is located on both sides of the shortcut peripheral interconnect slot 20.

The PCIe slot 20 is based on the PCIe X4 specification. The Pin Definition supports both the PCIe X4 transmission interface and the BMC transmission interface for fast peripheral interconnection (PCIe). The slot 20 can be selectively inserted with a PCIe X4 card 21 (as shown in Figure 1) or a BMC card 22 (as in Figures 2 and 3). The pin of the PCIe slot 20 is defined in the art and will not be described here.

The function slot 30 adopts a Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF or M.2), and defines 15 to 20 pin changes among the pin numbers 8 to 48 of the aforementioned NGFF standard specifications as a power source. (Power), the function slot 30 can be selectively inserted with an M.2 card 31 (as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4) and a riser card 32 (as shown in FIG. 5). Wherein, the aforementioned M.2 card 31 It can be a wireless network module, and the aforementioned riser card 32 provides a Peripheral Interconnect Standard (PCI) slot.

The configuration of the first embodiment provided by the motherboard 10 of the present invention is as shown in FIG. 1. The PCIe slot 20 is inserted into the PCIe X4 card 21, and the function slot 30 is inserted into the wireless network. The M.2 card 31 of the module is in an unused state as for the PCIe X1 slot 40. Therefore, the configuration of the embodiment can be applied to the use requirements of a general personal computer.

In the case where the BMC function needs to be provided, referring to FIG. 2, the second embodiment of the present invention is configured to provide a BMC function by placing a BMC card 22 upright in the PCIe slot 20. In addition, the aforementioned PCIe slot 20 can also be changed to a horizontal type for horizontally inserting a BMC card 22, as shown in FIG. 3, which is a third embodiment of the present invention, such that the PCIe X1 The slot 40 can be exposed and the user has more slots available.

In combination with the foregoing description, the PCIe slot 20 can be disposed in the upright or horizontal manner on the motherboard 10 for inserting the BMC card 22 in an upright or horizontal manner, so that the motherboard 10 can flexibly provide the PCIe X1 slot 40. At the same time, the function slot 30 is provided to provide the function of the wireless network.

Referring to FIG. 4, the present invention further provides a fourth embodiment, which mainly removes the PCIe slot 20 and the PCIe X1 slot 40 of the foregoing embodiment, and the motherboard 10 has three screw holes H. Located in front of the opening of the function slot 30, the function slot 30 can be inserted into a long length of the riser card 32, and the screw hole H is fixed by screws to fix the riser card 32, as shown in FIG. 5; The adapter card has a peripheral interconnect standard (PCI) slot 321 and a conversion chip 322 for providing a PCI slot for the user to use. Based on different riser card designs, technicians can adjust the number and position of the screw holes on the motherboard.

In summary, the present invention provides a resiliently configurable, versatile motherboard. Efficient use of the motherboard area, and the ability to use a single line layout to adapt to a variety of different applications, can reduce the cost of testing due to the change of the motherboard design.

The embodiments described above are used to clarify the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-exemplified embodiments, and some modifications are made within the scope of the technical idea disclosed by the present invention. Changes are still within the scope of the invention.

10‧‧‧ motherboard

30‧‧‧ function slot

32‧‧‧Transfer card

321‧‧‧ Peripheral interconnection standard slot

322‧‧‧Transformer

Claims (8)

A feature slot that is compatible with the Next Generation Dimensional Standard (NGFF) and optionally plugs in a riser card to provide a Peripheral Interconnect Standard (PCI) transport interface, which is the next generation size 15 to 20 pin changes among pin numbers 8 to 48 in the specification are defined as power supplies. A motherboard comprising at least one functional slot as claimed in claim 1 disposed on a surface of the motherboard. The motherboard of claim 2, further comprising a PCIe slot disposed on the surface of the motherboard, and optionally inserting a PCIe card or a substrate management control (BMC) card. The motherboard of claim 3, wherein the PCIe slot is PCIe X4 compliant. The motherboard of any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the shortcut peripheral interconnect (PCIe) slot is an upright or horizontal slot. The motherboard of claim 5, wherein the function slot is capable of inserting a wireless network module. The motherboard of claim 5, when the shortcut peripheral interconnect (PCIe) slot is a horizontal slot, the motherboard further includes a PCIe X1 slot. The motherboard of claim 2, further comprising at least one screw hole in front of the opening of the function slot, a riser card inserted in the function slot to provide a peripheral interconnect standard (PCI) transmission interface, and The riser card is locked to the at least one screw hole by at least one screw to be positioned on the main board.