Adapter Card MXM to PCIe Conversion Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
As electronic devices become smaller, they often have fewer expansion slots, making it difficult to connect additional storage devices like SSDs to discrete GPUs, as SSDs with a PCIe ×4 interface may not natively mate with MXM slots used by motherboards, limiting the number of PCIe slots available for storage over discrete graphics processing.
Innovation Solution
An adapter card that converts MXM slots to PCIe slots, utilizing a voltage converter circuit and level shifter to facilitate the connection of PCIe devices, allowing reconfiguration of PCIe lanes and voltage levels to support multiple SSDs without requiring a discrete GPU, thereby enabling the use of additional SSDs in devices with reduced expansion slots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If electronic devices are made smaller, then portability and compactness are improved, but the number of expansion slots is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter card enables a single MXM slot to serve multiple functions by allowing connection of PCIe devices through reconfiguration of PCIe lanes. The slot can alternatively accommodate discrete graphics cards or PCIe storage devices, making the limited physical space serve multiple purposes and increasing system versatility without adding physical expansion slots.
2Power
If MXM slots are used for discrete GPUs, then graphics processing capability is improved, but the number of available PCIe slots for storage devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic reconfigurability where the MXM slot can be dynamically assigned to different functions. When a discrete GPU is not required, the slot can be reconfigured via software or hardware switches to provide PCIe connectivity for storage devices, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on current needs rather than being fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter card acts as an intermediary device that bridges the MXM slot interface and PCIe devices. It includes voltage conversion circuits and signal conditioning components that translate between the MXM slot electrical characteristics and PCIe device requirements, enabling compatibility between otherwise incompatible interfaces.
3Power
If PCIe lanes are allocated to discrete GPUs, then graphics performance is improved, but storage expansion capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The PCIe lane resource is segmented and dynamically allocated. The adapter card can configure the available PCIe lanes into different bandwidth configurations (e.g., x1, x4, x8) depending on whether a graphics card or storage device is connected, allowing the same physical infrastructure to support different performance requirements for different device types.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adapter card effectively allows for the connection of multiple SSDs by reconfiguring PCIe lanes and voltage levels, providing increased storage options in devices with limited expansion slots, enhancing user flexibility and storage capacity without the need for discrete GPUs.
Implementation Method 1
an adapter card that converts MXM slots to PCIe slots, utilizing a voltage converter circuit and level shifter to facilitate the connection of PCIe devices
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a voltage converter circuit and level shifter to facilitate the connection of PCIe devices
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, an adapter card may include a circuit board having a male interface to be inserted into a discrete graphics card slot and a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) slot to communicatively couple a PCIe device. Further, the adapter card may include a voltage converter circuit disposed on the circuit board to convert a first voltage associated with the discrete graphics card slot to a second voltage corresponding to the PCIe device and a level shifter circuit disposed on the circuit board to modify a signal level in the discrete graphics card slot to a signal level in the PCIe device.