Peripheral Expansion Card Hot Plug via PCIe Power Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional peripheral device expansion cards, such as THUNDERBOLT® cards, require a sideband cable for functionality, increasing cost and complexity, and limiting the number of devices that can be connected due to the need for a single header on the motherboard, which can lead to user errors and hardware issues.
Innovation Solution
A peripheral device expansion card system that connects via a PCIe connector without a sideband cable, using a power activation device for auxiliary power and a system power reporting device to determine the computing system's power state, and an interrupt signal to signify hot plug events, eliminating the need for sideband cables and enabling multiple connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sideband cable is used to connect peripheral device expansion cards to the motherboard, then the functionality of the expansion card is enabled, but the cost and complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sideband cable from the system by implementing hot plug capability directly through the PCIe connector. The PCIe connector is enhanced to include additional pins that provide hot plug signaling and power capabilities, eliminating the need for separate sideband cables while maintaining the ability to enable/disable expansion cards dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCIe connector is designed to serve multiple functions: data transmission, power delivery, and hot plug signaling. By integrating these functions into a single connector, the patent eliminates the need for separate sideband cables and reduces system complexity while maintaining full functionality.
2Reliability
If a sideband cable is used to enable peripheral device expansion card functionality, then the expansion card can be connected, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the PCIe connector and the sideband cable into a single integrated connector. The PCIe connector includes integrated hot plug pins and power delivery capability, combining what were previously separate components into one unified interface, thereby reducing bill of materials cost and simplifying assembly.
3Ease of operation
If a single THUNDERBOLT header is provided on the motherboard, then a single expansion card can be connected, but the number of connectable peripheral devices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes each PCIe connector universal by integrating hot plug capability directly into the connector itself. This allows any PCIe connector to function as a hot plug capable connector, enabling multiple expansion cards to be connected and dynamically managed without requiring dedicated special-purpose headers, thereby increasing the number of connectable peripheral devices.
4Reliability
If sideband cables are required for peripheral device expansion cards, then functionality is enabled, but user errors such as neglecting to utilize the cable or connecting to the wrong connector can occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the hot plug capability from the sideband cable and integrates it directly into the PCIe connector. This eliminates the separate cable that users could forget or misconnect, while maintaining the dynamic enable/disable functionality through pins that are automatically connected when the expansion card is inserted into the PCIe connector.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system includes a system board having a system controller device with an interrupt input. A system expansion bus connector is located on the system board and includes power pin(s) and an interrupt signal pin connected to the interrupt input. A peripheral device expansion card system is coupled to the computing system through system expansion bus connector and includes a system power reporting device coupled to the power pin(s) to receive power from the computing system via the power pin(s), and a card controller device coupled to the system power reporting device and to the interrupt signal pin. The card controller device determines, using the system power reporting device, a power state of the computing system. The card controller device also sends, to the system controller device through the interrupt signal pin, an interrupt signal that the system controller device interprets as a hot plug event.