Systems and methods for providing scalable parallel graphics rendering capability for information handling systems

• US 20100007668A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Brian P., Cubillos, Jeffrey A., Wetzel, Chris S., Rehman, Asif, O'Neill, Kevin P., Azor, Frank C., Casparian, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/06 Use of more than one graphics processor to process data before displaying to one or more screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing scalability of multiple graphic processor units (GPU) that work together in a multi-coprocessor fashion to provide parallel graphics rendering methodology for an information handling system. The total number of active GPUs working together to provide parallel graphics rendering methodology for a given information handling system may be increased in a modular manner beyond one or two GPUs, e.g., so as allow as many GPUs as desired to be attached to a given information handling system such as a desktop computer or notebook computer.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a motherboard including circuitry;

a primary graphics card coupled to said motherboard, said primary graphics card including at least one first graphics card graphics processing unit (GPU) and at least one graphics hub coupled to said first graphics card GPU by a first data bus;

at least one secondary graphics card including at least one second graphics card GPU thereon, said at least one second graphics card GPU being coupled to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card by a second data bus that creates a signal path that is completely separate from said motherboard;

wherein said graphics hub of said primary graphics card is coupled to receive signals from said circuitry of said motherboard; and

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said first graphics card GPU by said first data bus and to said second graphics card GPU by said second data bus to enable parallel graphics rendering using said first graphics card GPU and said second graphics card GPU.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said primary graphics card includes at least two first graphics card GPUs thereon;

wherein said secondary graphics card includes at least two second graphics card GPUs thereon; and

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first graphics card GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second graphics card GPUs by said second data bus to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first graphics card GPUs and said at least two second graphics card GPUs.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said graphics hub of said primary graphics card is removeably coupled to receive data signals from said circuitry of said motherboard by a first interconnect and via a third data bus;

and wherein said secondary graphics card is removeably coupled to receive power and ground from circuitry of said motherboard by a second interconnect.

4. The information handling system of claim 3, wherein each of said first and second interconnects each comprise a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) interconnect;

wherein said third data bus comprises a PCI-E data bus;

wherein said first interconnect acts to mechanically connect said primary graphics card to said motherboard; and

wherein said second interconnect acts to mechanically connect said secondary graphics card to said motherboard.

5. The information handling system of claim 3, wherein said information handling system comprises a desktop computer;

wherein said primary graphics card is a graphics card that has a plug-in connector that is received in a first plug-in connector slot of said motherboard to removeably couple said graphics hub of said primary graphics card to receive data signals from said circuitry of said motherboard; and

wherein said secondary graphics card is a graphics card that has a plug-in connector that is received in a second plug-in connector slot of said motherboard to removeably couple said secondary graphics card to receive power and ground from circuitry of said motherboard.

6. The information handling system of claim 3, wherein said information handling system comprises a notebook computer and a separate docking station for said notebook computer;

wherein said notebook computer comprises said components of said primary graphics card;

wherein said docking station comprises components of said secondary graphics card; and

wherein are is a graphics card that has a plug-in connector that is received in a first plug-in connector slot of said motherboard to removeably couple said graphics hub of said primary graphics card to receive data signals from said circuitry of said motherboard; and

wherein said secondary graphics card is a graphics card that has a plug-in connector that is received in a second plug-in connector slot of said motherboard to removeably couple said secondary graphics card to receive power and ground from circuitry of said motherboard.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, comprising at least two secondary graphics cards that each includes at least one second graphics card GPU thereon, each of said second graphics card GPUs of said at least two secondary graphics cards being coupled to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card by a data bus that creates a signal path that is completely separate from said motherboard.

8. A portable information handling system assembly, comprising:

a portable information handling system, said portable information handling system comprising;

a motherboard including circuitry, and

a primary graphics card, said primary graphics card including at least one first graphics card graphics processing unit (GPU) and at least one graphics hub coupled to said first graphics card GPU by a first data bus, said graphics hub also being coupled to receive signals from said circuitry of said motherboard;

a docking station for said portable information handling system, said docking station being configured to be removeably coupled to said portable information handling system by a docking expansion interconnect, and said docking station comprising;

at least one secondary graphics card including at least one second graphics card GPU thereon, said at least one second graphics card GPU being configured for coupling to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card of said portable information handling system by a second data bus and said docking expansion interconnect when said portable information handling system is docked with said docking station;

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said first graphics card GPU by said first data bus and to said second graphics card GPU by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect to enable parallel graphics rendering using said first graphics card GPU and said second graphics card GPU.

9. The portable information handling system assembly of claim 8, wherein said primary graphics card includes at least two first graphics card GPUs thereon;

wherein said secondary graphics card includes at least two second graphics card GPUs thereon; and

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first graphics card GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second graphics card GPUs by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first graphics card GPUs and said at least two second graphics card GPUs.

10. The portable information handling system assembly of claim 8, wherein said portable information handling system comprises a notebook computer.

11. A method of configuring an information handling system, comprising:

providing a motherboard including circuitry;

providing a primary graphics card coupled to said motherboard, said primary graphics card including at least one first graphics card graphics processing unit (GPU) and at least one graphics hub coupled to said first graphics card GPU by a first data bus, and said graphics hub of said primary graphics card being coupled to receive signals from said circuitry of said motherboard;

providing at least one secondary graphics card including at least one second graphics card GPU thereon, said at least one second graphics card GPU being coupled to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card by a second data bus that creates a signal path that is completely separate from said motherboard;

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said first graphics card GPU by said first data bus and to said second graphics card GPU by said second data bus to enable parallel graphics rendering using said first graphics card GPU and said second graphics card GPU.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said primary graphics card includes at least two first graphics card GPUs thereon;

wherein said secondary graphics card includes at least two second graphics card GPUs thereon; and

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first graphics card GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second graphics card GPUs by said second data bus to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first graphics card GPUs and said at least two second graphics card GPUs.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising selectably providing and coupling said primary graphics card to said motherboard and selectably providing and coupling said at least one secondary graphics card to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card only in response to an order from a customer that requires parallel graphics rendering capability.

14. A method of configuring a portable information handling system assembly, comprising:

providing a portable information handling system, said portable information handling system comprising;

a motherboard including circuitry, and

a primary graphics card, said primary graphics card including at least one first graphics card graphics processing unit (GPU) and at least one graphics hub coupled to said first graphics card GPU by a first data bus, said graphics hub also being coupled to receive signals from said circuitry of said motherboard;

providing a docking station for said portable information handling system, said docking station being configured to be removeably coupled to said portable information handling system by a docking expansion interconnect, and said docking station comprising;

at least one secondary graphics card including at least one second graphics card GPU thereon, said at least one second graphics card GPU being configured for coupling to said graphics hub of said primary graphics card of said portable information handling system by a second data bus and said docking expansion interconnect when said portable information handling system is docked with said docking station;

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said first graphics card GPU by said first data bus and to said second graphics card GPU by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect to enable parallel graphics rendering using said first graphics card GPU and said second graphics card GPU.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said primary graphics card includes at least two first graphics card GPUs thereon;

wherein said secondary graphics card includes at least two second graphics card GPUs thereon; and

wherein said graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first graphics card GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second graphics card GPUs by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first graphics card GPUs and said at least two second graphics card GPUs.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said portable information handling system comprises a notebook computer.

17. A scaleable circuit assembly for an information handling system, comprising:

a first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled to at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), said first modular component being configured for coupling to a motherboard of an information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard; and

a first additional modular component separate from said first modular component, said first additional modular component including a second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled to at least one GPU of said first additional modular component, said first additional modular component being configured for coupling to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard.

18. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, wherein said first modular component includes at least two GPUs coupled to said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of said first modular component;

and wherein said first additional modular component includes at least two GPUs coupled to said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of said first additional modular component.

19. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, further comprising a second additional modular component separate from said first modular component and said first additional modular component, said second additional modular component including a third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and at least one GPU coupled to third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

wherein said second additional modular component is configured for coupling to said first additional modular component such that said second parallel graphics rending graphics hub is coupled between said first and third parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs.

20. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, wherein each of said first modular component and said first additional modular component are configured as modular bookshelf units.

21. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, further comprising a docking station for a portable information handling system;

wherein said first modular component and said first additional modular component are each configured to be removeably mechanically attachable as modular components to said docking station; and

wherein said docking station comprises a data bus connector for receiving a corresponding data bus connector of a portable information handling system notebook in a manner to removeably couple a motherboard of said portable information handling system to said modular components of said docking station.

22. An information handling system comprising the scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17.

23. A method of configuring a portable information handling system assembly, comprising:

providing an information handling system, said information handling system comprising a motherboard;

providing a first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled to at least one graphics processing unit (GPU), and coupling said first modular component to said motherboard of said information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard; and

providing a first additional modular component separate from said first modular component, said first additional modular component including a second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled to at least one GPU of said first additional modular component, and coupling said first additional modular component to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard.