TWM580702U - Electronic apparatus and main board thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic apparatus comprising a main board and an electronic device is provided. The main board includes a connector with an analog signal input pin and an analog signal output pin, and a controller. The connector is utilized for removably connecting the electronic device. The controller is electrically connected to the analog signal input pin and the analog signal output pin. The electronic device has a digital control module, which is communicated with the controller through the analog signal input pin and the analog signal output pin by using a communication protocol.

Description

Electronic device and its motherboard

The present invention relates to an electronic device and its motherboard.

The traditional motherboard uses four pins to connect to the fan. The four pins are power supply pin (VDD), ground pin (GND), pulse width modulation control pin (PWM), and feedback signal. Foot (FG). The motherboard can only use the pulse width modulation control pin to control the fan rotation, and obtain the fan speed information through the feedback signal pin, but limited by the hardware architecture (especially the connector), the traditional motherboard and device The signals that can be transmitted are limited.

The present invention provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes a motherboard and an electronic device. The motherboard includes a connector and a controller. The connector is used to electrically connect the electronic device. This connector has an analog output pin and an analog input pin. The controller is electrically connected to the analog output pin and the analog input pin. The electronic device includes a digital control module. The digital control module communicates with the controller through an analog output pin and an analog input pin using a communication protocol.

The present invention also provides a motherboard. The motherboard includes a connector and a controller. The connector is electrically connected to an electronic device and has an analog output pin and an analog input pin. The controller is electrically connected to the analog output pin and the analog input pin for communicating with the electronic device using a communication protocol.

Compared with the conventional electronic device, the electronic device and the motherboard thereof provided by the present invention can be applied to an existing hardware structure, and can transmit additional signals by using existing pins to increase the relationship between the motherboard and the device. The signal transmission path provides the user with more control options.

The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further illustrated by the following embodiments and drawings.

10‧‧‧Electronic equipment

100‧‧‧ motherboard

200‧‧‧fan

120‧‧‧Connector

140‧‧‧ Controller

160‧‧‧Power Module

VDD‧‧‧Power supply pin

GND‧‧‧ Grounding Pin

PWM‧‧‧ pulse width modulation control pin

FG‧‧‧Response signal pin

220‧‧‧Digital Control Module

222‧‧‧Digital Analog Converter

224‧‧‧Fan drive unit

240‧‧‧Power level

CLK‧‧‧ clock signal

DATA‧‧‧ data signal

300‧‧‧ analog fan

320‧‧‧ analog drive chip

The first figure is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the electronic device of the present invention.

The second figure is a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which a conventional analog fan is applied to the motherboard of the present invention.

The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the schematic drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims. It should be noted that the drawings all adopt a very simplified form and all use non-precision ratios, and are only used to facilitate and clearly explain the purpose of the novel embodiments.

The first figure is an embodiment of the electronic device 10 of the present invention. Block diagram. As shown in the figure, the electronic device 10 includes a motherboard 100 and a fan 200. The motherboard 100 is electrically connected to the fan 200 to supply power to the fan 200 and control the fan 200.

In one embodiment, the electronic device 10 is a computer host. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and any electronic device 10 having a motherboard 100 and capable of controlling an electronic device using the motherboard 100 can be applied to the present invention. Next, the electronic device 10 of the embodiment has a motherboard 100 and a fan 200 electrically connected to the motherboard 100. However, it is not limited to this. In an embodiment, any electronic device that can be controlled by the motherboard 100 (especially the firmware of the motherboard 100), such as a hard disk, a flash drive, or other peripheral components of the motherboard 100, is suitable for use in the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the motherboard 100 includes a connector 120, a controller 140, and a power module 160. The controller 140 and the power module 160 are electrically connected to the connector 120.

In one embodiment, connector 120 is a typical four pin power connector. The four-pin connector is a connector that is often used to connect a fan on a motherboard. The four pins are a power supply pin VDD, a ground pin GND, a pulse width modulation control pin PWM, and a feedback signal pin FG.

The power module 160 is electrically connected to the power supply pin VDD and the ground pin GND to provide power required for the fan 200 to operate. The controller 140 electrically connects the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal pin FG, and communicates with the fan 200 through the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal pin FG. It is worth noting that, according to the definition of the four-pin connector, the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal are connected. The foot FG is used to transmit the analog signal. That is to say, the pulse width modulation control pin PWM can be understood as an analog output pin, and the feedback signal pin FG can be understood as an analog input pin. However, the present invention is not limited to this four-pin connector. Any connector with two analog signal transmission pins can be applied to the present invention. Additionally, in an embodiment, the controller 140 is a micro control unit (MCU) or an embedded controller (EC).

As shown in the figure, the fan 200 includes a digital control module 220 and a power stage 240. The digital control module 220 controls and drives the fan to rotate through the power stage 240.

The communication control module 220 of the fan 200 and the controller 140 of the motherboard use a communication protocol, and communicates with the feedback signal pin FG through the pulse width modulation control pin PWM of the connector 120. That is, the digital control module 220 of the fan 200 communicates with the controller 140 of the motherboard 100 in a digital manner.

In an embodiment, in order to control the rotation of the fan 200 by using a digital control signal from the controller, the digital control module 220 includes a digital analog converter 222 and a fan driving unit 224. The digital analog converter 222 is configured to receive the digital control signal and generate an analog control signal according to the digital control signal. The fan drive unit 224 receives such a ratio control signal to generate an analog drive signal to the power stage 240 to drive the fan 200 to rotate.

Moreover, in an embodiment, the digital control module 220 can provide two fan control modes, namely an analog mode and a digital mode. In the digital mode, the digital control module 220 receives the digital control signal from the controller 140 of the motherboard 100, and controls the signal driving according to the digital position. The fan 200 rotates. In addition, the digital control module 220 can read fan information, such as the speed, model, and the like, and transmit the information to the controller 140 of the motherboard 100 for confirmation by the user. In the analog mode, the digital control module 220 directly drives the fan 200 to rotate using an analog pulse width modulation signal from the pulse width modulation control pin PWM, and generates an analog feedback signal through the feedback signal pin FG. Transfer to the motherboard 100. Such ratio control methods are known in the art and will not be described here.

In one embodiment, the digital control module 220 communicates with the controller 140 on the motherboard 100 by using a communication protocol commonly used on the motherboard 100, that is, an SMBUS communication protocol or an I2C communication protocol. However, it is not limited to this. Any communication protocol that defines the time pulse signal CLK and the data signal DATA can be applied to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the two signals CLK, DATA can be transmitted via two analog signal transmission pins, such as the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal pin FG. That is, the clock signal CLK and the data signal DATA can be respectively transmitted through the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal pin FG, or respectively via the feedback signal pin FG and the pulse width modulation control pin. The PWM is transmitted.

The second figure is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the conventional analog fan 300 applied to the motherboard 100 of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the conventional analog fan 300 uses an analog drive die 320 to control the fan speed without the digital control module 220 of the present invention.

Since the digital control module 220 is not provided, the conventional analog fan 300 cannot communicate with the controller 140 of the motherboard 100 by using a communication protocol. The controller 140 can determine whether the communication protocol is established or not. It is judged that the connected fan is a conventional fan 300 or the fan 200 in the first figure. After confirming that the connected fan is a conventional fan 300, the motherboard 100 can stop the function of the controller 140, and is controlled by the power module 160 through the pulse width modulation control pin PWM and the feedback signal pin FG. The analog fan 300 rotates. Therefore, the motherboard 100 provided by the present invention can automatically determine the type of the connected fan and select a suitable control mode for control without being limited to a specific fan type.

The electronic device and the motherboard provided by the present invention are compatible with the control of the traditional analog mode, and can directly transmit digital signals on the existing analog transmission architecture. In this way, on the one hand, it can save the time required for the traditional motherboard to use the firmware to convert the analog signal into digital information. On the other hand, the transmission of digital signals also helps to provide users with more information and more control options.

Compared with the conventional electronic device, the electronic device and the motherboard thereof provided by the present invention can be applied to an existing hardware structure, especially the existing connector on the motherboard, and can transmit the extra with the existing pin. The signal is used to increase the signal transmission path between the motherboard and the device, providing the user with more control options.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not impose any limitation on the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make any form of equivalent replacement or modification to the technical means and technical content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the technical means of the present invention. The content is still within the protection scope of this new model.

Claims (11)

An electronic device comprising: a motherboard comprising: a connector having an analog output pin and an analog input pin; and a controller electrically connecting the analog output pin and the analog input pin; An electronic device is electrically connected to the connector. The electronic device includes: a digital control module that communicates with the controller through the analog output pin and the analog input pin by using a communication protocol. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the digital control module comprises a digital analog converter and a fan drive unit. For example, the electronic device of claim 1 is the SMBUS communication protocol or the I2C communication protocol. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a fan, and the digital control module comprises a fan driving unit for driving the fan to rotate. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the analog output pin is a pulse width modulation (PWM) pin. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the communication protocol defines a clock signal and a data signal, and the clock signal and the data signal are transmitted via the analog output pin and the analog input pin. A motherboard includes: a connector for electrically connecting an electronic device, and having an analog output pin and an analog input pin; and a controller electrically connecting the analog output pin and the analog input A pin for communicating with the electronic device using a communication protocol. For example, the motherboard of claim 7 of the patent scope, wherein the communication protocol is an SMBUS communication protocol or an I2C communication protocol. The motherboard of claim 7, wherein the connector is for connecting a fan. For example, the motherboard of the seventh application patent scope, wherein the analog output pin is a pulse width modulation pin. For example, in the motherboard of claim 7, the communication protocol defines a clock signal and a data signal, and the clock signal and the data signal are transmitted through the analog output pin and the analog input pin.