Patent ID: 7562174
Filing Date: 2009-07-14
Classification: G06F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A graphics system to support a variable number of graphics cards, comprising: a motherboard comprising: a first connector operative to receive a first card, the first connector having contact positions for a first set of serial data lanes; a first bus formed in said motherboard electrically coupled to contact positions of a first number of serial data lanes of said first connector; a second connector operative to receive a second card, the second connector having contact positions for a second set of serial data lanes; a second bus formed in said motherboard electrically coupled to contact positions of a second number of serial data lanes of said second bus; and a private bus having dedicated hard-wired electrical connections formed in said motherboard coupling contact positions of a subset of data lanes of said first connector and said second connector; the graphics system having a first mode of operation in which the graphics system has a first graphics card in said first connector and a second graphics card in said second connector with the private bus coupling the first graphics card and the second graphics card; the graphics system having a second mode of operation in which one of said first graphics card and said graphics card is replaced with a printed circuit board having a bridge section to recover bandwidth associated with the private bus.