Systems and methods for providing co-processors to computing systems

• US 7,454,550 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XtremeData, Inc.
• Original Assignee: XtremeData, Inc.
• Inventors: Finley, Gary A., Kononov, Roman, Benbow, James B., Woods, Nathan A., Chandran, Ravi V. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knoll; Clifford H
• Application Number:
  US11/324,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20060149883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 710/306, 710/315
• US Class Current: 710/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/186 Securing of expansion boards in correspondence to slots provided at the computer enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7864 on more than one IC chip
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/049 PCB for one component, e.g. for mounting onto mother PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10212 Programmable component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10704 Pin grid array [PGA]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10734 Ball grid array [BGA]; Bump grid array

Abstract

Computing systems with conventional CPUs coupled to co-processors or accelerators implemented in FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays). One embodiment of the systems and methods according to the invention includes a FPGA accelerator implemented in a computer system by providing an adapter board configured to be used in a standard CPU socket.

Claims

1. An adapter board for use in a computer having a motherboard that includes one or more CPU sockets, the adapter board comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

the first side including a plurality of first connectors configured to be connected to and in communication with a first CPU socket of the one or more CPU sockets of the motherboard, wherein the first CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters;

the second side including a plurality of second connectors configured to be connected to an I/O translator device that is communicatively coupled to one or more of a processor and a co-processor, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor are associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters;

the I/O translator device connected to the second connectors, wherein the I/O translator device translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters; and

circuitry associated with the printed circuit board connecting the pluralities of first and second connectors to enable communication between the motherboard and the one or more of the processor and co-processor.

2. The adaptor board of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor comprises the co-processor, and wherein the co-processor is all or a portion of an FPGA, ASIC, or DSP.

3. The adapter board of claim 1, further including a pin base disposed adjacent the first side of the printed circuit board.

4. The adapter board of claim 1, wherein the second connectors include solder balls.

5. The adapter board of claim 4, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor comprises the co-processor, and wherein at least a portion of the solder balls are positioned to operatively connect the printed circuit board to the co-processor.

6. The adapter board of claim 4, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor comprises the processor, and wherein at least a portion of the solder balls are positioned to operatively connect the printed circuit board to the processor.

7. The adapter board of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the solder balls are positioned to operatively connect the printed circuit board to the one or more of the processor and the co-processor.

8. The adapter board of claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of traces.

9. The adapter board of claim 8, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor comprises the co-processor, and wherein the circuitry includes support devices for supporting the function of the co-processor.

10. The adapter board of claim 9, wherein the support devices include one or more of RAM, ROM, a PLD device, a power conditioner, and an oscillator or other frequency reference.

11. The adapter board of claim 1, wherein the adapter board is sized and shaped to accommodate a heat sink.

12. The adapter board of claim 1, wherein the adapter board is sized and shaped to be received in the first CPU socket.

13. The adapter board of claim 3, wherein the first connectors include a plurality of pins extending through the pin base.

14. The adapter board of claim 13, wherein each of the pins terminate in a solder pad adjacent the first side of the printed circuit board and operably connect to the circuitry.

15. The adapter board of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the processor and the co-processor comprises the co-processor, and wherein the I/O translator device and the co-processor are combined into a single device.

16. An adapter board for providing a co-processor to a computer, the computer having a motherboard that includes one or more CPU sockets, the adapter board comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first side and a second side opposite the first side;

a plurality of first connectors disposed on the first side configured to be connected to and in communication with a first CPU socket of the one or more CPU sockets of the motherboard, wherein the first CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters; and

a co-processor operably connected to the printed circuit board and provided in communication with the plurality of first connectors, wherein the co-processor is associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters, the adapter board further comprising an I/O translator that translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters.

17. The adapter board of claim 16, further including a pin base including the first connectors, the pin base disposed adjacent the first side of the printed circuit board.

18. The adapter board of claim 16, further including a plurality of second connectors, the second connectors including solder balls positioned to operatively connect the printed circuit board to the co-processor.

19. The adapter board of claim 16, wherein the co-processor is an FPGA.

20. The adapter board of claim 16, wherein the co-processor is a DSP.

21. The adapter board of claim 16, wherein the co-processor is an ASIC.

22. The adapter board of claim 18, further including circuitry operatively connecting the first and second connectors.

23. The adapter board of claim 22, wherein the circuitry includes support devices for supporting the function of the co-processor.

24. The adapter board of claim 23, wherein the support devices include one or more of RAM, ROM, a PLD device, a power conditioner, and an oscillator or other frequency reference.

25. The adapter board of claim 16, wherein the adapter board is sized and shaped to accommodate a heat sink.

26. The adapter board of claim 16, wherein the adapter board is sized and shaped to be received in the first CPU socket.

27. The adapter board of claim 17, wherein the first connectors include a plurality of pins extending through the pin base.

28. The adapter board of claim 27, wherein each of the pins terminates in a solder pad adjacent the first side of the printed circuit board and operably connects to the co-processor through circuitry on the printed circuit board.

29. A computer system including a motherboard with a CPU socket, the computer system comprising:

an adapter board disposed in and in operable communication with the CPU socket, wherein the CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters; and

a processor and a co-processor disposed on the adapter board and in communication with the socket through an I/O translator, wherein the processor and the co-processor are associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters, wherein the I/O translator translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters.

30. The computer system of claim 29, further comprising an FPGA, wherein the FPGA comprises the co-processor and the I/O translator.

31. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the adapter board further includes support devices for supporting the function of the co-processor.

32. A computer system having a motherboard that includes two or more CPU sockets, the computer system comprising:

an adapter board disposed in a first CPU socket of the two or more CPU sockets of the motherboard, wherein the first CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters, the adapter board including a co-processor associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters, the adapter board further including an I/O translator to adaptively permit communication between the first CPU socket having the adapter board connected directly thereto, wherein the I/O translator translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the co-processor and the I/O translator are combined in an FPGA.

34. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the adapter board further includes support devices for supporting the function of the co-processor.

35. A computer system including a motherboard with a CPU socket, the computer system comprising:

an adapter board disposed in and in operable communication with the CPU socket, wherein the CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters; and

a processor disposed on the adapter board and in communication with the socket through an I/O translator to adapt the function of the processor to the CPU socket, wherein the processor is associated with a second set of operating parameter different than the first set of operating parameters, and wherein the I/O translator translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters.

36. A computer system including a motherboard with a CPU socket, the computer system comprising:

an adapter board disposed in and in operable communication with the CPU socket, wherein the CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters;

an FPGA connected to the adapter board, wherein the FPGA is associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters; and

an I/O translator in communication with the FPGA and the CPU socket to adapt the function of the FPGA to the CPU socket, wherein the I/O translator translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters.

37. A computer system including a motherboard with two or more CPU sockets, the two or more CPU sockets in communication with each other through a bus, the computer system comprising:

an adapter board disposed in and in operable communication with a first CPU socket of the two or more CPU sockets, wherein the first CPU socket is associated with a first set of operating parameters;

an FPGA connected to the adapter board, wherein the FPGA is associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters;

an I/O translator in communication with the FPGA and the first CPU socket to adapt the function of the FPGA to the first CPU socket, wherein the I/O translator translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters; and

a CPU disposed in a second CPU socket of the two or more CPU sockets and in operable communication with each of the other of the two or more CPU sockets, wherein the FPGA and the CPU are in communication through the bus.

38. A computer system comprising:

a motherboard; and

an adapter board,

wherein the motherboard includes a first CPU socket including a first CPU disposed therein, and a second CPU socket having the adapter board disposed therein, wherein the adapter board replaces a second CPU when the adapter board is disposed in the second CPU socket, wherein both the second CPU and the second CPU socket are associated with a first set of operating parameters, and

wherein the adapter board includes an I/O translator device and a co-processor, wherein the co-processor is associated with a second set of operating parameters different than the first set of operating parameters, wherein the I/O translator device translates between the first and second sets of operating parameters to enable the co-processor to operate in conjunction with the motherboard and the first CPU via the second CPU socket.

39. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the motherboard includes a first plurality of motherboard resources designed according to the first set of operating parameters, and wherein the I/O translator device is further arranged to enable the co-processor to use the first plurality of motherboard resources.

40. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the first plurality of motherboard resources includes at least one of a CPU bus, data storage, power supply, and a communication interface.

41. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the second CPU socket includes a plurality of pin sockets that are designed to receive a corresponding first plurality of pins from the second CPU, wherein the co-processor includes a second plurality of pins, and wherein the I/O translator device bridges pin connections from the second plurality of pins to the first plurality of pin sockets.

42. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the co-processor is at least one of an FPGA, ASIC, and DSP.