Daughter card approach to employing multiple graphics cards within a system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A digital data processor, comprising:
- A. a motherboard including a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, B. a graphics interface device that is mounted in the primary slot and that is in mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard, and C. the graphics interface device having a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-express industry standard.
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Abstract
The invention provides, in one aspect, a digital data processor including a motherboard comprising a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (a) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (b) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard. The digital data processor further includes a graphics interface device that is mounted in the primary slot and that, as a consequence, is in mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard. That graphics interface device, itself, has a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard.
240 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A digital data processor, comprising:
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A. a motherboard including a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, B. a graphics interface device that is mounted in the primary slot and that is in mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard, and C. the graphics interface device having a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-express industry standard. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A digital data processor, comprising:
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A. a motherboard including a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, the primary slot providing signal coupling over N channels, each providing a separate respective point-to-point serial connection between the motherboard and the graphics interface device, the primary slot providing mechanical coupling sufficiently sized for N corresponding conductor sets, each providing an electrical signaling pathway for the serial connection of a respective one of the N channels, B. a graphics interface device that is mounted in the primary slot and that is in mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard, and C. the graphics interface device having a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A graphics interface device for use in a digital data processor of the type comprising a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, the graphics interface device comprising
A. a connector for mounting in the primary slot so as to provide mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard, and B. a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard.
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35. A graphics interface device for use in a digital data processor of the type comprising a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, the primary slot providing signal coupling over N channels, each providing a separate respective point-to-point serial connection between the motherboard and the graphics interface device, the primary slot providing mechanical coupling sufficiently sized for N corresponding conductor sets, each providing an electrical signaling pathway for the serial connection of a respective one of the N channels, the graphics interface device comprising
A. a connector for mounting in the primary slot so as to provide mechanical and signal coupling with the motherboard, and B. a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard.
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51. A digital data processor, comprising:
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A. a motherboard including a printed circuit board having disposed thereon (i) a central processing unit and one or more associated memories, and (ii) a primary slot adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, B. a graphics interface device that is in signal coupling with the motherboard, C. the graphics interface device having a plurality of further slots, each of which is adapted to provide signal coupling compatible with the PCI-Express industry standard, D. one or more graphics devices are mounted in, and in mechanical and signal coupling with, respective ones of the further slots on the graphics interface device, and E. those graphics devices are housed and/or cooled separately from the motherboard.
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Specification