US 5,517,623 A · Flexible entry level or advanced level computer system

Abstract

A system backplane has a pair of dual purpose connectors and a system bus controller. A shared resource card has a pair of connectors and a shared resource, such as memory. In an entry level system, the connectors on the shared resource card mate with the dual purpose connectors on the system backplane, connecting a system bus from the system bus controller to the shared resource. There are no unused expansion slots on the backplane. To form an advanced level system, an expansion backplane having mating connectors is inserted between the system backplane and the shared resource card. The expansion backplane allows the system bus to pass through from the system backplane to the shared resource card. The expansion backplane has an expansion bus controller, an expansion bus, and expansion slots. The expansion bus is connected to the expansion bus controller and to the expansion slots. The expansion bus is also connected to the shared resource on the shared resource card. The shared resource card also has a bus interface, which connects the expansion bus to the system bus. In an alternative embodiment, the expansion bus controller and the bus interface are contained on the system backplane instead of on the expansion backplane and the share shared resource card, respectively. The system backplane also contains a limited number of expansion slots.

A flexible computer system capable of being configured as an entry level system and capable of being upgraded from said entry level system to an advanced level system., said flexible computer system comprising:

a system backplane having a first connector and a second connector, said system backplane further comprising:
a system bus controller for controlling a system bus, and
a system bus having a first segment thereof, said first segment of said system bus being connected between said first connector and said system bus controller;
a shared resource card having a third connector capable of mating with said first connector, and a fourth connector capable of mating with said second connector, said shared resource card further comprising:
a shared resource, and
a second segment of said system bus, connected between said third connector and said shared resource;
wherein an entry level configuration of said flexible computer system comprises said system backplane and said shared resource card, said first connector being connected to said third connector and said second connector being connected to said fourth connector, said first and third connectors and said second and fourth connectors establishing a first communications path between said system backplane and said shared resource card,
wherein said first communications path of said entry level configuration comprises said first segment of said system bus,
wherein said first communications path of said entry level configuration comprises said second segment of said system bus,
wherein said system backplane and said shared resources card in communication with each other via said first communications path comprise circuitry for supporting said entry level system;
and
an expansion backplane having a fifth connector capable of mating with said first connector, a sixth connector capable of mating with said second connector, a seventh connector capable of mating with said third connector, and an eighth connector capable of mating with said fourth connector,
wherein an advanced level configuration of said flexible computer system comprises said system backplane, said shared resource card and said expansion backplane, said first connector being connected to said fifth connector and said second connector being connected to said sixth connector, said first and fifth connectors and said second and sixth connectors establishing a second communications path between said system backplane and said expansion backplane, said third connector being connected to said seventh connector and said fourth connector being connected to said eighth connector, said third and seventh connectors and said fourth and eighth connectors establishing a third communications path between said expansion backplane and said shared resource card,
wherein said second communications path of said advanced level configuration comprises said first segment of said system bus,
wherein said third communications path of said advanced level configuration comprises said second segment of said system bus,
wherein said system backplane, said expansion backplane and said shared resource card, in communication with each other via said second and third communications paths, comprise circuitry for supporting said advanced level system,
wherein said advanced level system further comprises a fourth communications path between said expansion backplane and said shared resource card, said fourth communications path comprising an expansion bus having a first segment thereof, said first segment of said expansion bus being connected between said shared resource and said fourth connector,
wherein said shared resource card further comprises:
a bus interface, connected between said system bus and said expansion bus, for communicating between said system bus and said expansion bus.

16 more elements

Flexible entry level or advanced level computer system

Life of this patent

Flexible entry level or advanced level computer system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11