PCIe Adapter Integrating Advanced Storage Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current PCIe cards lack support for advanced features like hot plugging and user-defined functions, limiting their adaptability to various storage devices and interfaces.
Innovation Solution
An adapter with a substrate and connectors that supports PCIe cards, enabling integration with different storage devices and interfaces, and allowing for additional features like independent power supply and heat monitoring, while maintaining existing PCIe card functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard PCIe card is used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing cost is low, but advanced features like hot plugging and user-defined functions cannot be supported
Solution Approach 1:
The PCIe card is nested within the adapter board, which itself connects to the storage device. This nested structure allows the simple PCIe card to gain advanced features through the adapter board's additional components like the controller and communication modules, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and feature advancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter board acts as an intermediary between the standard PCIe card and the storage device. It provides the missing advanced features (hot plugging support, user-defined functions) while allowing the PCIe card to maintain its simple structure, thus enabling feature enhancement without increasing the card's complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an adapter is introduced to support advanced features, then adaptability and user-defined functions are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter board is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a connector for the PCIe card and a provider of advanced features. The controller on the adapter board handles multiple tasks including hot plugging management, communication protocol conversion, and user-defined function execution, thereby reducing the need for separate dedicated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter board implements dynamic configuration capabilities, allowing the system to adapt its functionality based on the inserted PCIe card type and requirements. The controller can dynamically allocate resources and configure communication protocols, enabling the system to handle various interfaces and functions without requiring fixed, dedicated hardware for each scenario.
3Adaptability or versatility
If custom I/O cards are developed to support advanced features, then functionality is improved, but development time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter board is pre-configured with all the necessary components for advanced features (controller, communication modules, power management circuits) before the PCIe card is inserted. This preliminary preparation allows standard PCIe cards to immediately gain advanced capabilities without requiring custom development, significantly reducing time to market.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of developing custom I/O cards for each advanced feature requirement, the invention uses a standardized PCIe card design that can be copied and deployed universally. The advanced features are implemented once in the adapter board design, which then serves multiple PCIe cards, eliminating the need for repeated custom development and reducing both time and cost.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an adapter for use in a storage device. The adapter comprises a substrate including a circuit board and adapted to support a PCIe card in the storage device; a first connector fixed on the substrate and electrically connected with the circuit board, the first connector adapted to connect to the storage device; and an adapting part connected with the substrate and electrically connected with the circuit board, the adapting part including a slot that is adapted to connect to a second connector of the PCIe card. In this manner, additional user-defined IC card functions and advanced features are supported while functions of the existing PCIe cards are fully utilized.