Abstract:
A system and method for providing the functionality of independent dedicated servers in a space savings and heat dissipation limited design, including a PC having a plurality of independent dedicated server cards which do not communicate over the PC system bus and only receive power therefrom. Communication with the server cards is done by independent pin connections on the exterior of the PC housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   In recent years, industrial personal computers have become increasingly prevalent in many industries. It is not uncommon today to see installations with rows of industrial PCs arranged in racks. Many of these PCs are independent servers dedicated to a single function, such as email, web serving, file storage, and DNS. 
   While these independent dedicated servers have been used extensively in the past, they do have some drawbacks. First of all, they typically consume extensive space. Secondly, they generate much heat, owing, at least in part, to the fact that each independent server typically has associated with it a power supply which generates heat. 
   Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and computer systems for providing independent dedicated server functions. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing independent dedicated server functionality in an efficient manner. 
   It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a single PC chassis with a plurality of servers disposed on independent dedicated expansion cards having industry standard interconnections. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to include a shared power supply. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to exclude inter-card communication over the system bus. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention to achieve improved efficiency in providing independent dedicated server functionality. 
   It is another advantage of the present invention to increase a system&#39;s functionality without a need to reconfigure existing system software. 
   It is yet another advantage to take advantage of a system&#39;s unused functionality without taxing existing limitations on the system bus. 
   The present invention is an apparatus and method for providing independent dedicated server functionality designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a “wasted space-less” and “wasted heat-less” manner in a sense that the space consumed and heat generated by multiple independent dedicated PC servers in a rack have been greatly reduced. 
   Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including a PC having a plurality of independent dedicated servers on industry standard PC expansion cards, where there is no communication between the servers over a system bus disposed in the PC. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded cut-away perspective view of a system of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Now referring to the drawing, there is shown a system of the present invention, generally designated  100 , including an industrial PC  102 , for insertion into a rack  104 , having an empty slot  106  therein. The PC housing  102  is shown, via dotted lines, as being removable from and insertable in rack  104  having an empty slot  106  therein. PC housing  102  is shown having a shared power supply  110  which can be any type of known power supply. It may have single or multiple outputs, depending upon the particular requirements of any system. Shared power supply  110  is shown coupled to a power distribution line  112 . This is preferably part of an industry standard connection system, such as ISA, compact PCI or PCI or any other industry standard expansion slot/card coupling convention. The terms “industry standard” are known in the art to mean design specifications which are established by some industry organization and adhered to by numerous manufacturers to assure compatibility. The terms “ISA” and “PCI” are well known in the art to refer to an established interface design. When “ISA” and “PCI” are used in this document, those terms are used to denote such existing and well-known specifications. First industry standard expansion card slot  114 , second industry standard expansion card slot  116 , and third industry standard expansion card slot  118  are coupled to said PC housing  102 , which has a chassis  101  and a shroud or cover  103  which, in combination with said chassis  101 , forms an enclosure around first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , and third industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  128 , which are shown as exploded from first industry standard expansion card slot  114 , second industry standard expansion card slot  116 , and third industry standard expansion card slot  118  respectively. When first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , and third industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  128  are coupled inside PC housing  102 , they are each preferably coupled to power distribution line  112 , which has power connections in registration with the slots  114 ,  116  and  118 . In the alternative, power distribution line  112  could be accomplished by a power line in a main section of the slots  114 ,  116  and  118 . 
   Preferably, the first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , and third industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  128  are unique server cards that each perform a single unique server function, such as email, web serving, file storage, and DNS, etc. Preferably, there are no direct communication connections between the cards  124 ,  126  and  128  via an internal system bus. This allows for insertion of a new server card without the need to make changes to the system software and without any interference in the communication of signals in and out of other independent dedicated server cards in the PC housing  102 . 
   Each of the cards, first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , and third industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  128 , is coupled to first dedicated communication connector  134 , second dedicated communication connector  136 , and third dedicated communication connector  138  respectively. These connectors are preferably independent and dedicated to a single circuit card. However, it is contemplated that pins in a single connector could be shared by two or more independent dedicated server circuit cards. It is, nevertheless, preferred that multiple server cards do not use the same pins in a connector, except for power provisioning pins, grounds, etc. The system  100  could have a power input connection  140  coupled to some external power source (not shown) and to an internal shared power supply  110 . 
   In operation, the apparatus and method of the present invention could function as follows: a chassis  101  is populated with a first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , and a second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 . These cards are coupled to industry standard connections first industry standard expansion card slot  114  and second industry standard expansion card slot  116 . The only electrical connections with first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124 , and second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , is a power provisioning connection via shared power supply  110  and power distribution line  112 . First industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124  and second industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  126 , communicate with the outside world and each other via dedicated external connections to first dedicated communication connector  134  and second dedicated communication connector  136  respectively. There are no direct communications between first industry standard expansion card having an independent dedicated server function  124  and any system communication bus. 
   Throughout this description, reference is made to an industrial PC because it is believed that the beneficial aspects of the present invention would be most readily apparent when used in connection with industrial PCs; however, it should be understood that the present invention is not intended to be limited to industrial PCs and should be hereby construed to include other non-industrial PCs as well. 
   It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.