PRINTED CIRCUIT ASSEMBLY WITH DETERMINATION OF STORAGE CONFIGURATION BASED ON INSTALLED PADDLE BOARD

• US 20090268390A1
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keener, Don Steven, King, Ku Jei, Wang, Mw
• Granted Patent: US 8,498,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence

Abstract

A printed circuit assembly, along with a server and method incorporating such printed circuit assembly, are disclosed for determining a storage configuration for use in a computer system via a simple hardware change. The printed circuit assembly may comprise a paddle board slot for connection to a paddle board for determining a storage configuration; a bus coupled to the paddle board; and a southbridge coupled to the bus, the southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to the paddle board slot through the bus. The storage configuration of the printed circuit assembly may be determined via the paddle board when the paddle board is connected to the paddle board slot.

Claims

1. A printed circuit assembly comprising:

a paddle board slot for connection to a paddle board;

a bus coupled to said paddle board; and

a southbridge coupled to said bus, said southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot through said bus;

wherein a storage configuration of said printed circuit assembly is determined via said paddle board when said paddle board is connected to said paddle board slot.

2. The printed circuit assembly according to claim 1, wherein said paddle board is a SATA paddle board, and wherein said southbridge controls a SATA hard disk by using said signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SATA paddle board to said paddle board slot.

3. The printed circuit assembly according to claim 1, wherein said paddle board is a SAS paddle board comprising a SAS controller, and wherein said SAS controller controls a SAS hard disk by using SAS signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SAS paddle board to said paddle board slot.

4. A printed circuit assembly comprising:

a paddle board slot for connection to a paddle board;

a bus coupled to said paddle board; and

a storage device connector for coupling a storage device to said bus;

wherein a storage configuration of said printed circuit assembly is determined via said paddle board when said paddle board is connected to said paddle board slot.

5. The printed circuit assembly according to claim 4, further comprising a southbridge coupled to said bus, wherein said southbridge comprises signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot through said bus, wherein said paddle board is a SATA paddle board, wherein said storage device is a SATA hard disk, and wherein said southbridge controls said SATA hard disk by using said signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SATA paddle board to said paddle board slot.

6. The printed circuit assembly according to claim 4, wherein said paddle board is a SAS paddle board comprising a SAS controller, wherein said storage device is a SAS hard disk, and wherein said SAS controller controls said SAS hard disk by using SAS signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SAS paddle board to said paddle board slot.

7. The printed circuit assembly according to claim 4, wherein said storage device is selected from at least one of a SATA hard disk, a SAS hard disk, and a solid-state hard disk.

8. A server comprising:

an enclosure;

a paddle board;

a printed circuit assembly mounted within said enclosure, wherein said printed circuit assembly comprises;

a paddle board slot for connection to said paddle board;

a bus coupled to said paddle board; and

a southbridge coupled to said bus, said southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot through said bus;

wherein a storage configuration of said printed circuit assembly is determined via said paddle board when said paddle board is connected to said paddle board slot; and

a storage device accessed based on said storage configuration.

9. The server according to claim 8, wherein said paddle board is a SATA paddle board, wherein said storage device is a SATA hard disk, and wherein said southbridge controls said SATA hard disk by using said signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SATA paddle board to said paddle board slot.

10. The server according to claim 8, wherein said paddle board is a SAS paddle board comprising a SAS controller, wherein said storage device is a SAS hard disk, and wherein said SAS controller controls said SAS hard disk by using SAS signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SAS paddle board to said paddle board slot.

11. The server according to claim 8, wherein said storage device is selected from at least one of a SATA hard disk, a SAS hard disk, and a solid-state hard disk.

12. A method for determining a storage configuration for use in a computer system having a printed circuit assembly, said method comprising:

providing a paddle board; and

connecting said paddle board to a paddle board slot of said printed circuit assembly to determine said storage configuration of said printed circuit assembly via said paddle board.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising operatively engaging a southbridge of said printed circuit assembly with said paddle board, said southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising operatively engaging a storage device with said paddle board.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

operatively engaging a southbridge of said printed circuit assembly with said paddle board, said southbridge comprising signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot; and

operatively engaging a storage device with said paddle board.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said paddle board is a SATA paddle board, wherein said storage device is a SATA hard disk, the method further comprising controlling said SATA hard disk by using said signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SATA paddle board to said paddle board slot.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said paddle board is a SAS paddle board comprising a SAS controller, wherein said storage device is a SAS hard disk, the method further comprising controlling said SAS hard disk by using SAS signal lines coupled to said paddle board slot via the connection of said SAS paddle board to said paddle board slot.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said storage device is selected from at least one of a SATA hard disk, a SAS hard disk, and a solid-state hard disk.