Display Card Module with Nested Expansion Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
The shrinking size of electronic device components, such as ITX motherboards, limits the number of PCI-E and m.2 slots, making it difficult to expand device performance without affecting user experience, as traditional methods like swapping SATA interfaces are inefficient due to performance limitations.
Innovation Solution
A display card module with a gold finger assembly and a first slot, allowing users to plug in expansion components directly, with BIOS-adjustable PCI-E interface modes to optimize channel usage, enabling performance expansion without modifying motherboard slots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size of electronic device components is reduced to make devices thin and light, then the portability and compactness are improved, but the number of available PCI-E slots and m.2 slots on the motherboard is reduced, making it difficult to expand device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by placing an m.2 slot and additional PCI-E slots inside the display card body, which itself connects to the motherboard via a PCI-E interface. This nested structure allows multiple expansion capabilities to be contained within the display card, effectively adding functionality without requiring additional slots on the compact motherboard.
Solution Approach 2:
The display card acts as an intermediary device between the motherboard and expansion components. By incorporating a controller that can switch between graphics processing mode and storage/USB interface mode, the display card mediates between the limited motherboard resources and the user's need for expansion capabilities, enabling functions that would otherwise require separate dedicated slots.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional methods like swapping SATA interfaces are used to expand storage functionality, then additional storage connectivity is achieved, but the performance is limited and user experience is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The controller in the display card is designed with multi-functionality, capable of operating in different modes: graphics processing mode when a display is connected, and storage/USB interface mode when an m.2 component or USB device is connected. This universal design allows the same hardware to provide high-performance graphics or high-speed storage/USB connectivity, eliminating the need for separate dedicated cards and ensuring optimal performance regardless of the connected device.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a display card module, which includes a display card body, a graphics processor, and a first slot. The display card body includes a gold finger assembly, and the gold finger assembly includes a first portion and a second portion. The graphics processor is disposed on the display card body and electrically connected to the first portion. The first slot is disposed on the display card body and electrically connected to the second portion. An electronic device including the display card module is also mentioned.