Apparatus and method for supporting multiple graphics adapters in a computer system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for supporting multiple graphics adapters in a computer system, comprising:
- an embedded graphics adapter having an AGP interface and a PCI interface;
a corelogic having a memory controller signally-connected to a graphics memory of the embedded graphics adapter;
an AGP bridge signally-connected with the AGP interface and the memory controller; and
a PCI bridge signally-connected with the PCI interface and the memory controller, wherein when an external AGP graphics adapter exists in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the PCI interface and the PCI bridge using PCI transactions, and wherein when an external PCI graphics adapter exists in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the AGP interface and the AGP bridge using AGP transactions.
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for supporting coexistence of an external AGP graphics adapter with an embedded graphics adapter. The embedded graphics adapter may be regarded as a PCI device, and the graphics memory of embedded graphics adapter is integrated into DRAM of a computer system. The corelogic and software capable of graphics address remapping and directed accessing graphics memory of the embedded graphics adapter for supporting external AGP graphics adapter and embedded graphics adapter respectively. The embedded graphics adapter could be an AGP device while the external graphics adapter would be a PCI device, and vice versa.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An apparatus for supporting multiple graphics adapters in a computer system, comprising:
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an embedded graphics adapter having an AGP interface and a PCI interface;
a corelogic having a memory controller signally-connected to a graphics memory of the embedded graphics adapter;
an AGP bridge signally-connected with the AGP interface and the memory controller; and
a PCI bridge signally-connected with the PCI interface and the memory controller, wherein when an external AGP graphics adapter exists in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the PCI interface and the PCI bridge using PCI transactions, and wherein when an external PCI graphics adapter exists in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the AGP interface and the AGP bridge using AGP transactions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer system, comprising:
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a motherboard;
an integrated chipset provided on the motherboard, including a corelogic having a memory controller;
an embedded graphics adapter having an AGP interface and a PCI interface, an AGP bridge signally-connected with the AGP interface and the memory controller, and a PCI bridge signally-connected with the PCI interface and the memory controller;
a DRAM provided on the motherboard and signally-connected with the memory controller; and
wherein when an external AGP graphics adapter appears in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the PCI interface and the PCI bridge using PCI transactions, wherein when an external PCI graphics adapter exists in the computer system, the embedded graphics adapter transfers data to the memory controller via the AGP interface and the AGP bridge using AGP transactions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
an AGP slot provided on the motherboard being capable of receiving the external AGP graphics adapter;
a PCI slot provided on the motherboard being capable of receiving the external PCI graphics adapter; and
a BIOS provided on the motherboard for detecting the occupancy status of the AGP slot and the PCI slot and setting a slot-status parameter to determine whether the embedded graphics adapter be an AGP device or a PCI device.
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13. The computer system according to claim 12, further comprising:
a register for storing the slot-status parameter.
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14. A method for supporting multiple graphics adapters in a computer system, the computer system having an embedded graphics adapter integrated in an integrated chipset, the method comprising:
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detecting the occupancy status of an AGP slot capable of receiving an external AGP graphics adapter and the PCI slot capable of receiving an external PCI graphics adapter in the computer system;
setting a slot-status parameter; and
checking the slot-status parameter to determine whether the embedded graphics adapter should be an AGP device or a PCI device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification