WO2024068536A1 - Switching apparatus, computer system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a switching apparatus (1) for a printed circuit board (14), the switching apparatus (1), for applying signal lines to a board-to-board connector (8), comprising: - a plurality of connection pins (2) for a board-to-board connector (8), - at least one multiplexer (4) which is configured to connect at least one signal line (3, 7) applied to the at least one multiplexer (4) to at least one connection pin (2) of the plurality of connection pins (2) for the board-to-board connector (8), - a controller (5) which is configured to evaluate switching information relating to a signal assignment of the at least one signal line (3, 7) and to switch the at least one multiplexer (4) on the basis of the evaluated switching information.

Description

Description

Switching device, computer system, and method

The present invention relates to a switching device for a printed circuit board, a computer system comprising such a switching device, and a method for operating such a computer system.

Different platform architectures are used in known computer systems. Intel platforms and AMD platforms are particularly well known. On different platforms, signal lines, for example on a system board of the computer system, are sometimes coded differently, i.e. different signals are present on signal lines depending on which platform architecture is used.

If other elements are to be connected to these signal lines, many different designs are required for the different platform architectures in order to accommodate the differently coded signal lines. This results in a high level of effort and therefore high costs in development, production, final assembly, sales, etc.

An object of the invention is to solve or mitigate the above problems.

The task is solved with the objects and the method according to the independent patent claims. Further examples are given in the dependent ones Patent claims, as well as in the following description and the figures.

A switching device for a printed circuit board, the switching device being designed for connecting signal lines to a board-to-board connector, comprising:

- a plurality of connection pins for a board-to-board connector,

- at least one multiplexer which is designed to connect at least one signal line connected to the at least one multiplexer to at least one connection pin of the plurality of connection pins for the board-to-board connector,

- a controller that is set up to evaluate switching information regarding a signal assignment of the at least one signal line and to switch the at least one multiplexer based on the evaluated switching information.

An advantage of the switching device shown here is that platform independence is achieved for the board-to-board connector. One and the same board-to-board connector, also known as a board-to-board connector, can be used to connect another board, for example a so-called adapter board or input/output module board, to a circuit board on which the switching device is installed is appropriate to connect, regardless of what platform architecture is used on the circuit board and how signal lines are coded on the circuit board. This reduces costs for production, finishing, development, sales, etc. of such circuit boards to be connected and in particular of board-to-board connectors. According to at least one embodiment, the at least one multiplexer comprises at least one 2-to-1 multiplexer.

2-to-1 multiplexers represent particularly simple and cost-effective versions of such multiplexers, which ensure a particularly uncomplicated and simple structure of the switching device. Since 2-to-1 multiplexers only have two switching states, this also enables uncomplicated control and switching of the multiplexers used.

According to at least one embodiment, the at least one multiplexer comprises exactly three 2-to-1 multiplexers, wherein:

- a first 2-to-1 multiplexer of the three 2-to-1 multiplexers is connected to both a second and a third 2-to-1 multiplexer,

- the second and third of the three 2-to-1 multiplexers are connected to corresponding pins of the plurality of pins for the board-to-board connector,

- the first 2-to-1 multiplexer is set up to connect a first signal line either to the second or the third 2-to-1 multiplexer, and

- The second and the third 2-to-1 multiplexer are each set up to selectively connect a second or a third signal line or the first signal line to the corresponding connection pins.

Such a switching device with three 2-to-1 multiplexers according to the arrangement disclosed above makes it possible to connect a total of three signal lines on the circuit board with two signal lines of the board-to-board connector via the connection pins. This represents a particularly simple and cost-effective design of the switching device.

A computer system comprises a circuit board with a switching device according to one of the embodiments shown above.

Advantages of such a computer system essentially correspond to the advantages described above with regard to the switching devices.

According to at least one embodiment, this is based

Switching information regarding the signal assignment of the at least one signal line on a platform architecture and/or adapter plate information.

The information based on a platform architecture includes, for example, the information as to whether e.g. B. an Intel chipset or an AMD chipset is used on the circuit board. Based on this information, the controller can then switch the at least one multiplexer in accordance with the signal line coding belonging to the respective chipsets.

In the case of information based on adapter plate information, this includes, for example, an adapter plate type that is to be connected to the plate-to-plate connector, for example that the adapter plate is a WLAN/LAN module plate, a PCIe module plate, a graphics module plate, or a USB module plate. Alternatively or additionally, the information based on adapter plate information can also be a signal flow direction act with regard to the adapter plate provided. For example, the computer system can act as a host or sink, and the signal line codings can be different accordingly. If the adapter plate is, for example, a USB module plate, the computer system can be configured as a USB host or as a USB drain. In both cases, the signal line codings differ, so that with the switching device shown here, the signal lines are connected to the respective connection pins so that, depending on the configuration, the appropriate signals are present at the correct connection pins. be tapped.

This means that both platform independence and configuration independence can be achieved for the plate-to-plate connector.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the computer system further comprises a board-to-board connector connected to the plurality of connection pins and an adapter plate connected to the circuit board via the board-to-board connector.

According to at least one embodiment, the computer system further comprises a system processor, wherein the system processor is set up to apply signals to the signal lines after switching the at least one multiplexer.

It is advantageous here that the switching information is provided and the at least one multiplexer is switched before signals are applied to the signal lines by means of the system processor. In this way, it can be prevented that signals are incorrectly coded and sent to the connection pins, which can lead to errors or even defects.

A method for operating a switching device according to at least one of the above-mentioned embodiments comprises the steps:

- Evaluate, using the controller, switching information regarding a signal assignment of the at least one

Signal line,

- Switching, using the controller, of the at least one multiplexer based on the evaluated

Switching information.

Advantages and refinements of the method correspond to the advantages and refinements according to the switching devices and computer systems described above.

In at least one embodiment of the method, the following steps are also carried out before the steps of evaluating the switching information and switching the at least one multiplexer:

- Starting a BIOS ,

- Reading adapter plate information from a memory module of an adapter plate connected to the plurality of connection pins via a plate-to-plate connector,

- Determining a platform architecture, and

- Providing the switching information for the controller based on the adapter plate information and/or the specific platform architecture.

In this way, the system can independently evaluate the corresponding information in order to provide suitable switching information to the controller. According to at least one embodiment of the method, after the steps of evaluating the switching information and switching the at least one multiplexer, the following step is also carried out:

- Applying signals to at least one signal line.

In this way, incorrectly coded signals can be prevented from being applied to the connection pins, which can lead to errors or even defects.

Further advantageous embodiments are described in the following exemplary embodiments using the figures. Features and advantages described according to any of the above embodiments of the switching device, method, or computer system may be suitably combined with any other embodiments and embodiments described herein. Elements with essentially the same function are provided with the same reference symbols in the following figures. However, this does not mean that they have to be identical in every detail.

The figures show:

Figure 1 shows a switching device according to a

From exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a switching device according to another

From exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows a computer system according to one

From example of the invention; and Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a switching device 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The switching device 1 is shown schematically here and shows a possible configuration; any further configurations are of course possible.

The switching device 1 includes a plurality of connection pins 2 for a board-to-board connector, which is not shown here. Four such connection pins 2 are shown here, which represent, for example, soldering points or plug-in devices on a circuit board for such a board-to-board connector. Any arrangement of such connection pins 2 is possible.

Two of the connection pins 2 shown here are directly connected to signal lines 3a of a circuit board on which this switching device 1 is arranged. The signal lines 3a that are directly connected to the connection pins 2 are signal lines 3a that always carry the same signal types regardless of the platform architecture used and regardless of the adapter plate used, so that no switching is necessary for these signal lines.

The switching device 1 further comprises a multiplexer 4. In the embodiment shown here, the multiplexer 4 is a 2-to-1 multiplexer 4, which connects either two further signal lines 3b to one of the connection pins 2 or one further signal line 3b to one of the connection pins 2. This is indicated by dashed lines. lines in Figure 1. Alternatively, the multiplexer 4 can of course also be a more complex multiplexer which can connect two or more signal lines 3b to two or more of the connection pins 2.

The switching device 1 also comprises a controller 5 which is designed to evaluate switching information relating to a signal assignment of the signal lines 3b connected to the multiplexer 4. The controller 5 is, for example, an input/output controller, also known as an I/O controller. The controller 5 is connected to the multiplexer 4 via a control line 6 and can thus switch the multiplexer 4 in accordance with the evaluated switching information.

The switching information can, for example, be based on platform information and/or adapter plate information, so that the signal lines 3b, which are coded depending on the platform, are connected to corresponding suitable connection pins 2, which correspond to an adapter plate type of an adapter plate which is connected to the plate-to-plate connector via a plate-to-plate connector Connection pins 2 should be connected or connected, different applied signals are required.

In this way, the same plate-to-plate connectors can always be used for different adapter plate types and platform architectures, as well as the same adapter plates for different platform architectures for the same adapter plate types.

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a

Switching device 1 according to an embodiment of the Invention. The switching device 1 is shown schematically here and shows one possible embodiment; any other embodiments are of course possible. Details that have already been described with reference to Figure 1 are not explicitly repeated here, but apply accordingly.

The switching device 1 according to Figure 2 comprises a total of three 2-to-1 multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c. A first multiplexer 4a is connected to a first signal line 7a, which provides a first signal input. The first multiplexer 4a is set up to selectively connect this first signal line 7a to one of two outputs of the first multiplexer 4a.

A second multiplexer 4b and a third multiplexer 4c of the three 2-to-1 multiplexers of the switching device 1 are each arranged in such a way that one of two inputs can be selectively connected to an output. The second multiplexer 4b has a second signal line 7b and one of the outputs of the first multiplexer 4a as inputs, corresponding to the first signal line 7a when connected accordingly. The third multiplexer 4c has a third signal line 7c and the other of the outputs of the first multiplexer 4a as inputs, corresponding to the first signal line 7a when connected accordingly. All signal lines 7a, 7b, 7c and corresponding connections are shown here with double lines for differential signal transmission. Alternatively, single lines can of course also be used, depending on the area of application. The outputs of the second and third multiplexers 4b, 4c are connected to connection pins 2a, 2b of a plate-to-plate connector 8. The plate-to-plate connector 8 represents a connection port for an adapter plate 9. The signals present at pins 2a, 2b are forwarded to the adapter plate 9 via the plate-to-plate connector 8. The adapter plate 9 is, for example, a module plate, also known as a flexible input/output plate (FlexIO plate), which provides a connection of a module, for example a WLAN and/or LAN module, a graphics module, e.g. a DisplayPort module, a PCIe module, or a USB module.

All three multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c also each have a control connection 10a, 10b, 10c, via which the multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c are connected to corresponding control pins 11 of a controller 5 using control lines not shown here. The controller 5 is set up via these control pins 11 to send control signals to the respective multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c and to switch them based on control information, for example information regarding a platform architecture used or an adapter plate type used.

In addition, in the exemplary embodiment shown here, the controller 5 is connected via an I2C bus (clock signal and data signal) directly via the plate-to-plate connector 8 to an I2C EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) memory module 12, via which the controller 5 can read information from the EEPROM memory module 12, for example information regarding an adapter plate type or a signal flow direction (e.g. whether it is a host or a receiver). About it In addition, the controller 5 knows in which platform architecture the switching device 1 is used. For this purpose, the controller 5 also has a memory module, not shown here, for example. All this information can then be used to switch the multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c accordingly.

To evaluate the switching information, the controller 5 includes, for example, a list in which available types of adapter plates 9 (or corresponding types of modules) and associated switching states of the multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c are linked. An example of this looks like this:

MUX 1 to 3 stand for the first multiplexer (MUX1), second multiplexer (MUX2), and the third multiplexer (MUX3). S = 1 and S = 0 represent the two possible switching states of the corresponding multiplexers (MUX1, MUX2, MUX3). Using this list, depending on the type of module on the adapter plate 9, the multiplexers 4a, 4b, 4c can be switched so that the desired signals are present at the respective connection pins 2a, 2b.

Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a computer system 13 according to an embodiment of the invention. The computer system 13 is shown schematically here and shows a possible embodiment, any Further configurations are of course possible. Details which have already been described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 are not explicitly repeated here, but apply accordingly.

The computer system 13 includes a system board 14 on which a switching device 1 is arranged, for example a switching device 1 as described according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. The system board 14 is chosen here as an example; it can also be any other circuit board. The switching device 1 is further connected to a plate-to-plate connector 8 and an adapter plate 9. An EEPROM memory module 12 is arranged on the adapter plate 9. Details of this have already been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and will not be repeated here.

A system processor 15 is also arranged on the system board 14. The system processor 15 is, for example, set up to start a BIOS of the computer system 14 or to wake up the computer system 14 from a sleep state and, when switching of the multiplexers of the switching device 1 is completed, to apply the corresponding signals to the signal lines.

Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Figure 4 shows a possible embodiment of such a method; any further embodiments are of course possible. The method according to FIG. 4 is particularly suitable for a switching device or to operate a computer system according to one of the examples as described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3. Details already related to figures 1, 2 and 3 are not explicitly repeated here, but apply accordingly.

In a step S 1, a BIOS of a computer system is started or the computer system is woken up from a sleep state.

In a step S2, adapter plate information is read from a memory module of an adapter plate connected to a plurality of connection pins of the switching device via a plate-to-plate connector.

In a step S3, a platform architecture used in the computer system in which the switching device is arranged is determined.

In a step S5, switching information regarding a signal assignment of at least one signal line of the switching device is evaluated.

In a step S 6 , at least one multiplexer of the switching device is switched based on the evaluated switching information.

In a step S 6 , signals are applied to the at least one signal line of the switching device. Reference symbol list

1 switching device

2 connection pin

3 Signal line

4 multiplexers

5 Controller

6 control line

7 Signal line

8 panel-to-panel connectors

9 Adapter plate

10 Control connection

11 control pin

12 EEPROM memory module

13 Computer system

14 system board

15 system processor

S I - S 6 process steps

Claims

Patent claims 1. Switching device (1) for a printed circuit board (14), the switching device (1) for connecting signal lines to a board-to-board connector (8), comprising: - a plurality of connection pins (2) for a plate-to-plate connector (8), - at least one multiplexer (4) which is designed to connect at least one signal line (3, 7) connected to the at least one multiplexer (4) to at least one connection pin (2) of the plurality of connection pins (2) for the board-to-board connector (8), - a controller (5) which is set up to evaluate switching information regarding a signal assignment of the at least one signal line (3, 7) and to switch the at least one multiplexer (4) based on the evaluated switching information. 2. Switching device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one multiplexer (4) comprises at least one 2-to-1 multiplexer (4). 3. Switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the at least one multiplexer (4) comprises exactly three 2-to-1 multiplexers (4), wherein: - a first 2-to-1 multiplexer (4) of the three 2-to-1 multiplexers (4) is connected to both a second and a third 2-to-1 multiplexer (4), - the second and the third of the three 2-to-1 multiplexers (4) are connected to corresponding connection pins (2) of the plurality of connection pins (2) for the board-to-board connector (8), - the first 2-to-1 multiplexer (4) is designed to connect a first signal line (3, 7) selectively to the second or the third 2-to-1 multiplexer (4), and - The second and the third 2-to-1 multiplexer (4) are each set up to selectively connect a second or a third signal line (3, 7) or the first signal line (3, 7) with the corresponding connection pins (2). connect. 4. Computer system (13) comprising a circuit board (14) with a switching device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3. 5. Computer system (13) according to claim 4, wherein the switching information regarding the signal assignment of the at least one signal line (3, 7) is based on a platform architecture and/or adapter plate information. 6. Computer system (13) according to one of claims 4 or 5, further comprising a board-to-board connector (8) connected to the plurality of connection pins (2) and an adapter plate (9) connected to the circuit board (14) via the board-to-board connector (8). 7. Computer system (13) according to one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising a system processor (15), wherein the system processor is set up to apply signals to the signal lines (3, 7) after switching the at least one multiplexer (4). 8. A method for operating a computer system (13) according to one of claims 4 to 7, the method comprising the steps: - Evaluate, using the controller (5), one Switching information regarding a signal assignment of the at least one signal line (3, 7), - Switching, by means of the controller (5), the at least one multiplexer (4) based on the evaluated Switching information . 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the following steps are also carried out before the steps of evaluating the switching information and switching the at least one multiplexer (4): - starting a BIOS, - Reading out adapter plate information from a memory module (12) of an adapter plate (9) connected to the plurality of connection pins (2) via a plate-to-plate connector (8), - Determine a platform architecture, and - Providing the switching information for the controller (5) based on the adapter plate information and/or the specific platform architecture. 10. Method according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein after the steps of evaluating the switching information and switching the at least one multiplexer (4), the following step is further carried out: - Applying signals to the at least one signal line (3, 7).