System and method for coupling peripheral buses through a serial bus using a split bridge implementation

A system for coupling peripheral devices to a computer, comprising:

• a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a CPU and memory, wherein the computer system includes:
• a first bus;
• and
• a first interface coupled to the first bus, wherein the first interface includes first bus interface circuitry for interfacing to the first bus;
• a remote device located remotely from the computer system, the remote device comprising:
• a second bus;
• one or more devices coupled to the second bus;
• and
• a second interface coupled to the second bus, wherein the second interface includes second bus interface circuitry for interfacing to the second bus;
• a serial bus coupled between the first interface and the second interface, wherein the serial bus includes first and second ends, wherein the first end of the serial bus is coupled to the first interface and the second end of the serial bus is coupled to the second interface;
• wherein each of the first interface and the second interface include parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first bus and second bus, respectively, to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first bus and second bus, respectively;
• wherein the first interface and the second interface operate as a single bridge.

A bridge for expanding access over a first bus to a second bus, the bridge comprising:

• a first interface operable to couple to a first PCI bus, wherein the first interface includes PCI interface circuitry for interfacing to the first PCI bus, wherein the first interface further includes a serial interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• a second interface operable to couple to a second PCI bus, wherein the second interface includes PCI interface circuitry for interfacing to the second PCI bus, wherein the second interface further includes a serial interface for interfacing to the serial bus, wherein the second interface is located remotely from the first interface;
• and
• the serial bus coupled between the first interface and the second interface, wherein the serial bus includes first and second ends, wherein the first end of the serial bus is coupled to the first interface and the second end of the serial bus is coupled to the second interface;
• wherein each of the first interface and the second interface include parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first PCI bus and second PCI bus, respectively, to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first PCI bus and second PCI bus, respectively;
• wherein the first interface and the second interface operate as a single PCI-PCI bridge.

A bridge for expanding access over a first bus to a second bus, the bridge comprising:

• a first interface operable to couple to a first bus, wherein the first interface includes first bus interface circuitry for interfacing to the first bus, wherein the first interface further includes a serial interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• a second interface operable to couple to a second bus, wherein the second interface includes second bus interface circuitry for interfacing to the second bus, wherein the second interface further includes a serial interface for interfacing to the serial bus, wherein the second interface is located remotely from the first interface;
• and
• the serial bus coupled between the first interface and the second interface, wherein the serial bus includes first and second ends, wherein the first end of the serial bus is coupled to the first interface and the second end of the serial bus is coupled to the second interface;
• wherein each of the first interface and the second interface include parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first bus and second bus, respectively, to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first bus and second bus, respectively;
• wherein the first interface and the second interface operate as a single bridge.

A first interface useable in expanding access over a first bus to a second bus, the first interface comprising:

• first bus interface circuitry operable to couple to the first bus for interfacing to the first bus;
• and
• a serial interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first bus to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first bus;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive first bus cycles on the first bus and generate first serial data on the serial bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive second serial data from the serial bus and generate second bus cycles on the first bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface implements a first portion of a bridge;
• wherein the first interface is operable to interface through the serial bus to a second interface, wherein the second interface is operable to interface to the second bus located at a remote location relative to the first bus;
• wherein the first interface and the second interface operate as a single bridge.

A first interface useable in expanding access over a first bus to a second bus, the first interface comprising:

• first bus interface circuitry operable to couple to the first bus for interfacing to the first bus;
• and
• a serial interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first bus to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first bus;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive first bus cycles on the first bus and generate first serial data on the serial bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive second serial data from the serial bus and generate second bus cycles on the first bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface implements a first portion of a bridge.

A first interface useable in expanding access over a first PCI bus to a second PCI bus, the first interface comprising:

• first PCI bus interface circuitry operable to couple to the first PCI bus for interfacing to the first PCI bus;
• and
• a serial interface for interfacing to a serial bus;
• parallel/serial transceivers for converting parallel data generated on the first PCI bus to serial data for transmission on the serial bus and for converting serial data received from the serial bus to parallel data for generation on the first PCI bus;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive first PCI bus cycles on the first PCI bus and generate first serial data on the serial bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface is operable to receive second serial data from the serial bus and generate second PCI bus cycles on the first PCI bus in response thereto;
• wherein the first interface implements a first portion of a PCI-PCI bridge.