Method and system for a scalable discrete graphics system
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorMichael B. Diamond
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scalable discrete graphics system (DGS) is disclosed. The DGS includes a serial bus bridge configured to couple a plurality of GPUs to a serial bus. A serial bus connector is coupled to the serial bus bridge. A system chassis coupled to the serial bus bridge and the serial bus connector and configured to house the GPUs. The serial bus connector is configured to removably connect to a computer system. The GPUs access the computer system via the serial bus bridge and the serial bus connector to cooperatively execute 3-D graphics instructions from the computer system.
Claims22
A scalable discrete graphics system, comprising:
- a serial bus bridge configured to couple a plurality of GPUs to a serial bus;
- a serial bus connector coupled to the serial bus bridge;
- and
- a system chassis coupled to the serial bus bridge and the serial bus connector and configured to house the GPUs, wherein the serial bus connector is configured to removably connect to a computer system, wherein the system chassis is separate and independent from the resources/constraints of the computer system, wherein the GPUs access the computer system via the serial bus bridge and the serial bus connector, and wherein the GPUs are operable to execute 3-D graphics instructions for the computer system to drive a display coupled to the computer system independent of the computer system GPU, and wherein results of execution of the 3D graphics instructions by the GPUs housed in the system chassis are sent back to the computer system.
A method for a scalable discrete graphics system, comprising:
- accessing a plurality of GPUs via a serial bus and by using a serial bus bridge;
- accessing a serial bus connector coupled to the serial bus bridge;
- and
- executing 3-D graphics instructions for a computer system, wherein the GPUs access the computer system via the serial bus bridge and the serial bus connector, and wherein the serial bus connector is configured to removably connect to the computer system, and wherein the GPUs are housed in a system chassis and the GPUs are operable to execute 3-D graphics instructions for the computer system to drive a display coupled to the computer system independent of the computer system GPU, and wherein results of execution of the 3D graphics instructions are sent back to the computer system.
A system for implementing scalable discrete graphics, comprising:
- a computer system;
- a PCI Express bridge configured to couple a plurality of GPUs to a PCI Express bus;
- a PCI Express connector coupled to the PCI Express bridge;
- and
- a system chassis coupled to the PCI Express bridge and the PCI Express connector and configured to house the GPUs, wherein the PCI Express connector is configured to removably connect to the computer system, and wherein the GPUs access the computer system via the PCI Express bridge and the PCI Express connector, wherein the GPUs are configured to execute 3-D graphics instructions for the computer system to drive a display coupled to the computer system independent of the computer system GPU, and wherein results of execution of the 3D graphics instructions by the GPUs housed in the system chassis are sent back to the computer system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.