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

• US 8,319,782 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• 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: Casparian, Mark A., Azor, Frank C., Cooper, Brian P., Cubillos, Jeffrey A., O'Neill, Kevin P., Rehman, Asif, Wetzel, Chris S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shin, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/217,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 345501-506, 345/519, 345/520, 345/522
• 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 first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled by a first data bus to at least one first graphics processing unit (GPU) that is part of the first modular component, said first modular component being coupled to the motherboard of the information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard, and said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port; 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 second GPU that is part of said first additional modular component, the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port coupled by a second data bus to the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

where the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first additional modular component further comprises a cascade-out port configured for coupling to a cascade-in port of a third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of a second additional modular component separate from said first modular component and said first additional modular component; and

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

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said first modular component includes at least two first GPUs;

wherein said first additional modular component includes at least two second GPUs; and

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

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said graphics hub of said first modular component 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 first additional modular component 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 first modular component to said motherboard; and

wherein said second interconnect acts to mechanically connect said first additional modular component to said motherboard.

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

wherein said first modular component 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 first modular component to receive data signals from said circuitry of said motherboard; and

wherein said first additional modular component 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 first additional modular component 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 first modular component;

wherein said docking station comprises components of said; 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 first modular component to receive data signals from said circuitry of said motherboard; and

wherein said first additional modular component 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 first additional modular component to receive power and ground from circuitry of said motherboard.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, comprising at least two first additional modular components that each includes at least one second GPU thereon, each of said second GPUs of said at least two first additional modular components being coupled to said graphics hub of said first modular component 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 first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled by a first data bus to at least one first graphics processing unit (GPU) that is part of the first modular component, said first modular component being coupled to the motherboard of the information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard, and said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port;

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;

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 second GPU that is part of said first additional modular component, the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port being configured for coupling by a second data bus and said docking expansion interconnect to the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub when said portable information handling system is docked with said docking station with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

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

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

wherein said first additional modular component includes at least two second GPUs thereon; and

wherein said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second GPUs by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect and said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first GPUs and said at least two second 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 first modular component coupled to the motherboard, the first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled by a first data bus to at least one first graphics processing unit (GPU) that is part of the first modular component, said first modular component being coupled to the motherboard of the information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard, and said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port;

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 second GPU that is part of said first additional modular component, the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port coupled by a second data bus to the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

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

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first modular component includes at least two first GPUs thereon;

wherein said first additional modular component includes at least two second GPUs thereon; and

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

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising selectably providing and coupling said first modular component to said motherboard and selectably providing and coupling said first additional modular component to said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of said first modular component 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 first modular component including a first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub coupled by a first data bus to at least one first graphics processing unit (GPU) that is part of the first modular component, said first modular component being coupled to the motherboard of the information handling system such that said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub receives signals from one or more components of said motherboard, and said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port;

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;

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 second GPU that is part of said first additional modular component, the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port being configured for coupling by a second data bus and said docking expansion interconnect to the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub when said portable information handling system is docked with said docking station with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

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

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first modular component includes at least two first GPUs thereon;

wherein said first additional modular component includes at least two second GPUs thereon; and

wherein said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is further configured to provide signals to said at least two first GPUs by said first data bus and to said at least two second GPUs by said second data bus via said docking expansion interconnect and said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub to enable parallel graphics rendering using said at least two first GPUs and said at least two second 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) that is part of the first modular component, said first modular component being coupled 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 said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port; 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 that is part of said first additional modular component, the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port coupled to the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub being coupled between said second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and said motherboard and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub; and

where the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first additional modular component further comprises a cascade-out port configured for coupling to a cascade-in port of a third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of a second additional modular component separate from said first modular component and said first additional modular component.

18. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, wherein said first modular component includes at least two GPUs that are part of the first modular component and that are 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 that are part of the first additional modular component and that are 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 the second additional modular component separate from said first modular component and said first additional modular component, said second additional modular component including the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and at least one GPU that is part of the third modular component and that is coupled to the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub;

where the cascade-in port of the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is coupled to the cascade-out port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub with said first additional modular component being coupled to said first modular component such that said first and second parallel graphics rendering graphics hubs are coupled together in cascade relationship, and with said second additional modular component is coupled 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 and such that the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is only configured to exchange signals with the motherboard and the first modular component through the cascade-out port of the first additional parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub; and

where the third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the second additional modular component further comprises a cascade-out port configured for coupling to a cascade-in port of a fourth parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of a third additional modular component separate from said first modular component, said first additional modular component, and said second additional modular component.

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. The scaleable circuit assembly of claim 17, where the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first modular component is configured to provide data to both the GPU that is part of the first modular component and to the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first additional modular component;

and where the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub is configured to in turn deliver the provided data to the GPU of the first additional modular component.

24. 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) that is part of the first modular component with said first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub including a cascade-out port, 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 that is part of said first additional modular component with the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub having a cascade-in port, and coupling the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub to the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub in cascade relationship to couple 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 and such that the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub only exchanges signals with the motherboard through the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub and the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub; and

where the provided second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first additional modular component further comprises a cascade-out port configured for coupling to a cascade-in port of a third parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of a second additional modular component separate from said first modular component and said first additional modular component.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

using the cascade-out port of the first parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first modular component to provide data to both the GPU that is part of the first modular component and to the cascade-in port of the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub of the first additional modular component; and

then using the second parallel graphics rendering graphics hub to deliver the provided data to the GPU of the first additional modular component.