PCIe Console Compute Card with Mirrored Endpoints for Local Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game console hardware is proprietary and complex to adapt for game development, especially in cloud-based environments, lacking easy integration with other systems.
Innovation Solution
A console compute card with an APU, Southbridge, and endpoint management bridge (EMB) in a PCIe form factor, enabling communication and storage access between the console compute card and a host system, allowing native execution of game titles and facilitating high-speed, low-latency operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary game console hardware is used, then gaming experience is improved, but adaptability for game development is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The game console system is segmented into a console compute card component and a host system component. The console compute card contains the proprietary console hardware (APU, Southbridge) while the host system provides development tools and interfaces. This segmentation allows the proprietary console hardware to maintain its gaming reliability while the host system provides adaptability for game development through standard PCIe interfaces and development environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The endpoint management bridge acts as an intermediary between the console compute card and the host system. It translates and manages communications between the proprietary console hardware and the standard PCIe host system, enabling the console hardware to maintain its original gaming functionality while providing controlled access for development purposes through the bridge interface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional specialized hardware is created for game development, then game development capability is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the game console hardware (APU, Southbridge) with standard PCIe interface components into a single console compute card. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate specialized development hardware by integrating console functionality directly into a standard PCIe form factor that can be installed in conventional host systems, thereby providing game development capability without increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The console compute card is designed with universal PCIe interfaces that allow it to function both as a gaming device and a development platform. The same hardware components (APU, Southbridge, EMB) serve dual purposes: maintaining console gaming functionality while providing standardized interfaces for game development, thus eliminating the need for separate specialized development hardware.
3Ease of operation
If cloud-based development is implemented, then accessibility is improved, but integration ease is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from traditional remote cloud-based development (accessing console hardware over networks) to local development by installing the console compute card directly in the developer's host system. This dimensional change from network-remote access to local physical integration maintains accessibility while dramatically simplifying integration by using standard PCIe interfaces and eliminating network latency and configuration complexities.
Data Source
AI summary
A console compute card for installation in a host system is provided, including: an accelerated processing unit (APU); a Southbridge having a PCIe connection to the APU; an endpoint management bridge (EMB) having a PCIe connection to the Southbridge, the EMB exposing one or more mirrored PCIe endpoints, including one or more local endpoints for enumeration by the APU, and one or more host-facing endpoints for enumeration by the host system; a PCIe edge connector for insertion into a PCIe slot of the host system to form a PCIe connection between the console compute card and the host system; wherein the console compute card includes compute resources substantially similar to compute resources of a retail game console.