MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals and application method

Abstract

The invention relates to an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals and an application method. The MCIO test adapter card comprises an adapter card body, and the adapter card body is provided with multiple SFF-8639 interfaces, multiple NGFF interfaces, a jump cap selection circuit, a SWITCH monitoring circuit and a PCIE slot; the adapter card main body is inserted into the PCIE slot of a mainboard through the PCIE slot, and a proper connection mode is selected according to the type of a hard disk to be tested: if the hard disk is an SATA, SAS or NVME hard disk, the hard disk is connected to an SFF-8639 interface, and a corresponding mode is selected through a jump cap selection circuit; if the adapter card is an NVME hard disk, the adapter card is connected to an NGFF interface, and the adapter card body automatically identifies and configures a corresponding PCIE channel; according to the MCIO test adapter card, through the innovation points of compatibility of SATA / PCIE signals, multi-interface design, temperature monitoring and protection, power management optimization and the like, the problems that existing test equipment is poor in compatibility, low in efficiency, insufficient in stability and the like in a hard disk test are effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of computer testing equipment, and more particularly to an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals and an application method thereof. Background Art

[0002] During computer hardware testing and development, different types of hard drives need to be tested. Currently, SATA and PCIE are two common hard drive interfaces on the market. They differ in signal transmission characteristics, physical structure, and application scenarios. The SATA interface transmits data serially, offering advantages such as low power consumption, hot-swappable support, and differential signaling to ensure transmission accuracy. However, the data transmission rate is relatively low. The PCIE interface uses point-to-point transmission and a serial bus, with a flexible number of channels and full-duplex support. This allows for higher data transmission rates, but the hardware cost is relatively high.

[0003] Existing test equipment can usually only test one type of hard drive interface and is not compatible with both SATA and PCIE signals, which brings inconvenience and increased costs to the test work. A MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA / PCIE signals is needed to support hard drive testing of both SATA and PCIE interfaces, improve test efficiency, and reduce test costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals in response to the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, and also provide an application method of the MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0006] A MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals is constructed, which includes an adapter card body, on which multiple SFF-8639 interfaces, multiple NGFF interfaces, a jumper selection circuit, a switch monitoring circuit, and a PCIE slot are provided;

[0007] The SFF-8639 interface exchanges data with the motherboard via the SATA signal path;

[0008] The jumper selection circuit is used for allowing the user to manually select a preset working mode;

[0009] The SWITCH monitoring circuit is connected to the relevant pins of the SFF-8639 interface and monitors the changes in the pin levels in real time. When a level change is detected, the SWITCH monitoring circuit determines the type of hard disk currently connected according to a preset logic. When the selected preset working mode matches the type of hard disk connected, the connection is normal. When the selected preset working mode does not match the type of hard disk connected, the working mode of the adapter card is automatically switched to achieve seamless switching between SATA, SAS and NVME hard disks.

[0010] The NGFF interface exchanges data with the motherboard through the PCIE slot.

[0011] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention, wherein the adapter card body is provided with a power management module;

[0012] The power management module takes power from the PCIE slot and converts it into the power required by each module on the conversion card body through an internal voltage stabilizing circuit.

[0013] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention adopts a 12V / 5V soft start design, and gradually increases the power supply voltage through the soft start circuit at the moment of power on.

[0014] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention has an external 12V power supply slot provided on the adapter card body. When the power supply of the PCIE slot is insufficient, the power management module can draw power from the external 12V power supply slot.

[0015] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention has multiple SFF-8639 interfaces installed on the front panel of the adapter card body, and multiple NGFF interfaces distributed on the back of the adapter card body.

[0016] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention, wherein a temperature sensor is provided on the adapter card body;

[0017] The temperature sensor monitors the temperature changes of key parts of the adapter card in real time. Through the intelligent control algorithm, when the temperature exceeds the preset safety threshold, an alarm is issued and the external heat dissipation device is linked to perform cooling treatment.

[0018] In the MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals of the present invention, the external heat dissipation device includes an annular heat dissipation bracket, and the inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket is provided with two elastic claws for clamping and fixing the adapter card body;

[0019] The annular heat dissipation bracket is internally formed with an annular air duct, a fan for providing annular air to the air duct, and a control unit;

[0020] The inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket is formed with a plurality of first hard disk brackets corresponding to the SFF-8639 interface and a plurality of second hard disk brackets corresponding to the NGFF interface;

[0021] The bottom of each of the first and second hard drive brackets is provided with a plurality of heat dissipation slots connected to the air duct, wherein metal heat sinks are provided in the heat dissipation slots. The plurality of metal heat sinks corresponding to the first or second hard drive bracket are linked by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is connected to a micro motor for controlling the movement of the connecting rod.

[0022] The control unit receives the signal from the temperature sensor and controls the micro motor corresponding to the hard disk whose temperature exceeds a preset safety threshold to operate, opens multiple metal heat sinks, and performs air cooling on the hard disk.

[0023] An application method of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, according to the above-mentioned MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

[0024] Insert the adapter card into the PCIE slot on the motherboard. Select the appropriate connection method based on the hard drive type to be tested:

[0025] If it is a SATA, SAS or NVME hard drive, connect it to the SFF-8639 interface and select the corresponding mode through the jumper selection circuit;

[0026] If it is an NVME hard drive, connect it to the NGFF interface, and the adapter card will automatically identify and configure the corresponding PCIE channel.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the adapter card body is inserted into the PCIE slot of the motherboard through the PCIE slot, and the appropriate connection mode is selected according to the type of hard disk to be tested: if it is a SATA, SAS or NVME hard disk, it is connected to the SFF-8639 interface, and the corresponding mode is selected through the jumper selection circuit; if it is an NVME hard disk, it is connected to the NGFF interface, and the adapter card body automatically identifies and configures the corresponding PCIE channel; the MCIO test adapter card of the present application effectively solves the problems of poor compatibility, low efficiency, insufficient stability, etc. of existing test equipment in hard disk testing through innovative features such as compatibility with SATA / PCIE signals, multi-channel interface design, temperature monitoring and protection, and power management optimization, and has broad market application prospects and practical promotion value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive efforts.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a front view of an adapter card body of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an annular heat dissipation bracket of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting rod structure of the MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of an application method of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, the following will be a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals in a preferred embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 1 See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 , including an adapter card body 1, on which are provided multiple SFF-8639 interfaces 2, multiple NGFF interfaces, a jumper cap selection circuit 4, a SWITCH monitoring circuit 5 and a PCIE slot 6;

[0035] SFF-8639 interface 2, exchanges data with the motherboard 7 through the SATA signal path;

[0036] Jumper selection circuit 4, used for allowing the user to manually select a preset working mode;

[0037] The SWITCH monitoring circuit 5 is connected to the relevant pins of the SFF-8639 interface and monitors the changes in the pin levels in real time. When a level change is detected, the SWITCH monitoring circuit determines the type of the currently connected hard disk according to the preset logic. When the selected preset working mode matches the connected hard disk type, the connection is normal. When the selected preset working mode does not match the connected hard disk type, the working mode of the adapter card is automatically switched to achieve seamless switching between SATA, SAS and NVME hard disks.

[0038] NGFF interface, which exchanges data with the motherboard through PCIE slot 6;

[0039] Insert the adapter card body into the PCIE slot of the motherboard through the PCIE slot, and select the appropriate connection method according to the type of hard disk to be tested: if it is a SATA, SAS or NVME hard disk, connect it to the SFF-8639 interface and select the corresponding mode through the jumper selection circuit; if it is an NVME hard disk, connect it to the NGFF interface, and the adapter card body automatically identifies and configures the corresponding PCIE channel; the MCIO test adapter card of the present application effectively solves the problems of poor compatibility, low efficiency, and insufficient stability of existing test equipment in hard disk testing through innovative features such as compatibility with SATA / PCIE signals, multi-channel interface design, temperature monitoring and protection, and power management optimization, and has broad market application prospects and practical promotion value.

[0040] Specifically:

[0041] Compatible with multiple signal interfaces: The adapter card has two SFF-8639 interfaces, and its physical structure is compatible with multiple hard disk interfaces such as SATA, SAS, and NVME. When connected to a SATA / SAS hard disk, data interaction with the motherboard is carried out through the SATA signal path; when connected to an NVME hard disk, data interaction with the motherboard is carried out through the MCIO interface. This design realizes the unified access of multiple interface types, greatly improving the versatility and flexibility of the test equipment.

[0042] Flexible mode switching: The adapter card features both a jumper selection circuit and a switch monitoring circuit. Users can manually adjust the jumpers to preset the operating mode, while the switch monitoring circuit monitors pin level changes in real time. If the connected drive type is inconsistent with the current mode, the monitoring circuit triggers an automatic switch function, ensuring the adapter card always operates in the correct signaling mode. This dual-mode switching mechanism not only facilitates user operation but also adapts to the automatic recognition requirements of different drives, effectively preventing test failures or data transmission errors caused by incorrect mode settings.

[0043] Multi-channel NGFF interface expansion: Equipped with four NGFF interfaces, connected to the motherboard via PCIE slots, it enables simultaneous testing of multiple NVME drives. Each NGFF interface has an independent data transmission channel, which does not interfere with each other, ensuring stable and efficient data transmission, meeting the needs of large-scale hard drive testing scenarios. Flexible configuration of PCIE lanes (x1, x2, x4, x8, x12, x16, etc.) is supported, fully utilizing the motherboard's PCIE resources to achieve efficient bandwidth allocation and data transmission, adapting to hard drive testing tasks with different performance requirements.

[0044] Temperature Monitoring and Protection: A built-in high-precision temperature sensor monitors temperature changes in key areas of the adapter card in real time. Using an intelligent control algorithm, the system immediately issues an alarm when the temperature exceeds a preset safety threshold and activates external cooling devices for cooling. This innovation effectively addresses the performance degradation and potential damage caused by heat during high-speed signal transmission, improving the adapter card's reliability and stability during long, intense testing, and extending its lifespan.

[0045] Power Management Module 3 Optimization: A 12V / 5V soft-start design gradually increases the power supply voltage at startup, effectively reducing the impact on the power system and protecting the adapter card and hard drive from inrush current. In addition to the 12V power provided by the PCIE slot, the adapter card also features an external 12V power supply slot, ensuring sufficient and stable power support when testing multiple hard drives simultaneously. This dual power supply mechanism provides a solid foundation for the normal operation of the hard drive device and stable data transmission, preventing data transmission errors and hard drive failures caused by insufficient power.

[0046] Data transmission protocol adaptation: The adapter card has a built-in intelligent protocol conversion module to adapt to the different data transmission protocols of SATA and PCIE interfaces. It can automatically identify and adapt the two protocols, ensuring accurate data transmission between different interfaces without the need for complex protocol configuration, improving testing convenience and efficiency.

[0047] The adapter card body serves as the physical carrier of the entire adapter card and adopts a multi-layer circuit board design to ensure the stability and anti-interference ability of signal transmission. Two SFF-8639 interfaces are installed on the front panel of the adapter card body to facilitate connection with the hard disk. The internal circuit of each SFF-8639 interface has been specially designed to make it compatible with the standard signal definitions of various hard disk interfaces such as SATA, SAS, and NVME at the physical level. When a SATA / SAS hard disk is connected, the signal is transmitted to the motherboard through the 7-pinSATA interface on the adapter card. This path performs signal processing and data transmission in accordance with the SATA protocol standard. When an NVME hard disk is connected, the signal is transmitted to the motherboard through the signal path corresponding to the MCIO interface. The signal definition and transmission protocol of the MCIO interface match the NVME hard disk to ensure accurate data transmission.

[0048] The jumper selection circuit is located on the adapter card, allowing users to manually adjust the position of the jumper to select different operating modes. A switch monitoring circuit is connected to the relevant pins of the SFF-8639 interface and monitors changes in pin voltage levels in real time. When a voltage level change is detected, the switch monitoring circuit determines the currently connected hard drive type based on pre-set logic and automatically switches the adapter card's operating mode, enabling seamless switching between SATA, SAS, and NVME drives, improving testing flexibility and convenience.

[0049] Four NGFF interfaces are located on the back of the adapter card and are connected to the PCIe signal processing circuitry within the adapter card. Each NGFF interface supports independent PCIe lane configuration, allowing for flexible channel count adjustments based on the requirements of the connected NVMe drives. The PCIe slot, located on the other side of the adapter card, connects to the motherboard. The PCIe slot supports multiple lane counts. The channel allocation circuitry within the adapter card allocates the PCIe slot's lane resources to each NGFF interface, ensuring efficient data transmission.

[0050] Temperature sensors are installed in key heat-generating locations on the adapter card, such as near the signal processing chip and power management chip. The temperature sensors are connected to the adapter card's control chip via the I2C bus and regularly send temperature data to the control chip. The control chip analyzes and processes this temperature data in real time. When the temperature exceeds a preset threshold, the control chip triggers an alarm mechanism, such as illuminating an alarm indicator or sending an alarm signal to the host computer. This prompts the user to take appropriate measures, such as disabling non-essential functional modules and adding cooling devices, to ensure that the adapter card operates within a safe temperature range.

[0051] Preferably, the temperature sensor monitors the temperature changes of key parts of the adapter card in real time. Through the intelligent control algorithm, when the temperature exceeds the preset safety threshold, an alarm is issued and the external heat dissipation device is linked to perform cooling treatment;

[0052] like Figure 2-Figure 3 As shown, the external heat dissipation device includes an annular heat dissipation bracket 8, and the inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket 8 is provided with two elastic claws 80 for clamping and fixing the adapter card body 1;

[0053] The annular heat dissipation bracket 8 is internally formed with an annular air duct 81, a fan 82 for providing annular air to the air duct, and a control unit 83;

[0054] The inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket 8 is formed with a plurality of first hard disk brackets 84 corresponding to the SFF-8639 interface and a plurality of second hard disk brackets 85 corresponding to the NGFF interface;

[0055] The bottom of the first hard disk bracket 84 and the bottom of the second hard disk bracket 85 are both provided with a plurality of heat dissipation grooves connected to the air duct, and metal heat sinks 87 are provided in the heat dissipation grooves. The plurality of metal heat sinks corresponding to the same first hard disk bracket or the second hard disk bracket are linked by a connecting rod 88, and a micro motor 89 is connected to the connecting rod 88 to control its movement; the driving structure of the connecting rod 88 and the micro motor 89 can be referred to Figure 3 As shown, the two rotating shafts are linked by a synchronous belt assembly to form a connecting rod. Of course, it can be understood that other existing connecting rod structures can also be used, and this is not limited to this.

[0056] During operation, the control unit receives signals from the temperature sensor and controls the operation of the micro motor corresponding to the hard disk whose temperature exceeds the preset safety threshold, opens multiple metal heat sinks, and guides the wind in the air duct to blow towards the hard disk, thereby cooling the hard disk; when the preset safety threshold is not exceeded, the metal heat sink ensures normal heat absorption and heat dissipation functions.

[0057] The power management module is responsible for power distribution and management within the adapter card. It utilizes a 12V / 5V soft-start design. By adding soft-start circuitry, such as a soft-start chip and buffer capacitors, to the power input, this effectively suppresses inrush current during startup, protecting the power supply system and hard drive. The power management module draws 12V power from the PCIE slot and, through internal voltage stabilization circuitry, converts it to the 5V, 3.3V, and other voltage levels required by the various modules within the adapter card. The adapter card also features an external 12V power supply slot. If the PCIE slot's power supply is insufficient, an external power supply can be used to provide additional power to the hard drive, ensuring proper operation and stable data transmission.

[0058] In actual use, the user inserts the adapter card into the motherboard's PCIE slot via the PCIE slot and selects the appropriate connection method based on the drive type being tested. For example, for a SATA drive, connect it to the SFF-8639 port and select SATA mode using a jumper cap; for an NVMe drive, connect it to the NGFF port. The adapter card automatically identifies and configures the appropriate PCIE lanes. During testing, a temperature sensor monitors the adapter card's temperature in real time, and the power management module ensures a stable power supply, providing users with an efficient, stable, and reliable hard drive testing platform.

[0059] In summary, the MCIO test adapter card of the present invention effectively solves the problems of poor compatibility, low efficiency, and insufficient stability in hard disk testing of existing test equipment through its innovative features such as compatibility with SATA / PCIE signals, multi-channel interface design, temperature monitoring and protection, and power management optimization. It has broad market application prospects and practical promotion value.

[0060] An application method of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, according to the above-mentioned MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, such as Figure 4 As shown, the method includes the steps of:

[0061] S01: Insert the adapter card into the PCIE slot on the motherboard. Select the appropriate connection method based on the type of hard drive to be tested:

[0062] S02: If it is a SATA, SAS or NVME hard drive, connect it to the SFF-8639 interface and select the corresponding mode through the jumper selection circuit;

[0063] S03: If it is an NVME hard drive, connect it to the NGFF interface, and the adapter card will automatically identify and configure the corresponding PCIE channel;

[0064] The MCIO test adapter card applied in this application effectively solves the problems of poor compatibility, low efficiency, and insufficient stability of existing test equipment in hard disk testing through innovative features such as compatibility with SATA / PCIE signals, multi-channel interface design, temperature monitoring and protection, and power management optimization. It has broad market application prospects and practical promotion value.

[0065] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make improvements or changes based on the above description, and all such improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, characterized in that: The adapter card comprises an adapter card body, on which are provided multiple SFF-8639 interfaces, multiple NGFF interfaces, a jumper cap selection circuit, a SWITCH monitoring circuit and a PCIE slot; The SFF-8639 interface exchanges data with the motherboard via the SATA signal path; The jumper selection circuit is used for allowing the user to manually select a preset working mode; The SWITCH monitoring circuit is connected to the relevant pins of the SFF-8639 interface and monitors the changes in the pin levels in real time. When a level change is detected, the SWITCH monitoring circuit determines the type of hard disk currently connected according to a preset logic. When the selected preset working mode matches the type of hard disk connected, the connection is normal. When the selected preset working mode does not match the type of hard disk connected, the working mode of the adapter card is automatically switched to achieve seamless switching between SATA, SAS and NVME hard disks. The NGFF interface exchanges data with the motherboard through the PCIE slot.

2. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adapter card body is provided with a power management module; The power management module takes power from the PCIE slot and converts it into the power required by each module on the conversion card body through an internal voltage stabilizing circuit.

3. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 2, characterized in that: The 12V / 5V soft start design is adopted, and the power supply voltage is gradually increased through the soft start circuit at the moment of startup.

4. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adapter card body is provided with an external 12V power supply slot. When the PCIE slot is not providing enough power, the power management module can draw power from the external 12V power supply slot.

5. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple SFF-8639 interfaces are installed on the front panel of the adapter card body, and multiple NGFF interfaces are distributed on the back of the adapter card body.

6. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 1, characterized in that: A temperature sensor is provided on the adapter card body; The temperature sensor monitors the temperature changes of key parts of the adapter card in real time. Through the intelligent control algorithm, when the temperature exceeds the preset safety threshold, an alarm is issued and the external heat dissipation device is linked to perform cooling treatment.

7. The MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals according to claim 6, characterized in that: The external heat dissipation device includes an annular heat dissipation bracket, and the inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket is provided with two elastic claws for clamping and fixing the adapter card body; The annular heat dissipation bracket is internally formed with an annular air duct, a fan for providing annular air to the air duct, and a control unit; The inner wall of the annular heat dissipation bracket is formed with a plurality of first hard disk brackets corresponding to the SFF-8639 interface and a plurality of second hard disk brackets corresponding to the NGFF interface; The bottom of each of the first and second hard drive brackets is provided with a plurality of heat dissipation slots connected to the air duct, wherein metal heat sinks are provided in the heat dissipation slots. The plurality of metal heat sinks corresponding to the first or second hard drive bracket are linked by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is connected to a micro motor for controlling the movement of the connecting rod. The control unit receives the signal from the temperature sensor and controls the micro motor corresponding to the hard disk whose temperature exceeds a preset safety threshold to operate, opens multiple metal heat sinks, and performs air cooling on the hard disk.

8. An application method of an MCIO test adapter card compatible with SATA and PCIE signals, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The method comprises the steps of: Insert the adapter card into the PCIE slot on the motherboard. Select the appropriate connection method based on the hard drive type to be tested: If it is a SATA, SAS or NVME hard drive, connect it to the SFF-8639 interface and select the corresponding mode through the jumper selection circuit; If it is an NVME hard drive, connect it to the NGFF interface, and the adapter card will automatically identify and configure the corresponding PCIE channel.

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