# Patent

## Title
Motherboard assembly

## Abstract

A computer motherboard includes a board body and an expansion unit that is provided on the board body and that defines a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification.

## Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a motherboard assembly, more particularly to a motherboard assembly with a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the PCI specification and the PCIE specification.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional computer motherboard normally includes expansion slots that comply respectively with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE)-associated specification.
In view of the current trend toward miniaturization of electronic devices, there is always a need for reducing the size of the computer motherboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a computer motherboard that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.
Accordingly, there is provided a computer motherboard that comprises: a board body; and an expansion unit provided on the board body and defining a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the preferred embodiment of a computer motherboard according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view a riser card used in conjunction with an expansion slot in the computer motherboard of the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an interface card that complies with the PCIE×1 specification and that is used in conjunction with the expansion slot in the computer motherboard of the preferred embodiment.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a computer motherboard assembly according to this invention. The computer motherboard assembly includes a computer motherboard 1 and a riser card 2. The computer motherboard 1 includes: a board body 11; an I/O connector 13 provided on the board body 11; an I/O controller hub 14 provided on the board body 11; a graphic memory controller hub 15 provided on the board body 11; a central processing unit 16 provided on the board body 11; a power connector 17 provided on the board body 11; and an expansion unit 12 provided on the board body 11 and defining a hybrid expansion slot 120 that complies with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification.
Since the PCI specification generally requires 124 conductive pins on two sides of a PCI expansion slot, and since the PCIE specification generally requires the total number of 164 conductive pins on two sides of a PCIE expansion slot, the total number of the conductive pins required for a hybrid expansion slot 120 with all of these pins would amount to 288, which would result in a large size for the expansion slot 120. Hence, there is a need to redefine first and second conductive pins 121, 122 of the hybrid expansion slot 120 so as to reduce the total number of the conductive pins while complying with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification.
In this embodiment, the expansion unit 12 has 100 first conductive pins 121 that are marked from A1 to A100 and that are formed on one of two sides of the hybrid expansion slot 120, and 100 second conductive pins 122 that are marked from B1 to B100 and that are formed on the other of the two sides of the hybrid expansion slot 120. The first conductive pins 121 that are marked from A1 to A63 and the second conductive pins 122 that are marked from B1 to B63 correspond to pins of the PCIE×16 specification as noted in Table 1. The first conductive pins 121 that are marked from A64 to A100 and the second conductive pins 122 that are marked from B64 to B100 correspond to pins of the PCI specification as noted in Table 1. In addition, the first conductive pins 121 that are marked from A1 to A18 and the second conductive pins 122 that are marked from B1 to B18 correspond to pins of the PCIE×1 specification as noted in Table 1.
Table 1 illustrates the definitions of the first and second conductive pins 121, 122.











TABLE 1





Pin
Definition
Pin
Definition
Specification







A1
RSNT1*
B1
12 V
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A2
12 V
B2
12 V
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A3
12 V
B3
12 V
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A4
GND
B4
GND
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A5
JTAG2
B5
SMCLK
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A6
JTAG3
B6
SMDAT
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A7
JTAG4
B7
GND
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A8
JTAG5
B8
3V3
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A9
3.3 V
B9
JTAG1
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A10
3.3 V
B10
3.3VAUX
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A11
PWRGD
B11
WAKE#
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A12
GND
B12
RSVD
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A13
REFCLK+
B13
GND
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A14
REFCLK−
B14
HSOP0
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A15
GND
B15
HSON0
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A16
HSIP0
B16
GND
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A17
HSIN0
B17
PRSNT2*
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A18
GND
B18
GND
PCIE × 16 and






PCIE × 1


A19
HSIP1
B19
HSOP1
PCIE × 16


A20
HSIN1
B20
HSON1
PCIE × 16


A21
GND
B21
GND
PCIE × 16


A22
HSIP2
B22
HSOP2
PCIE × 16


A23
HSIN2
B23
HSON2
PCIE × 16


A24
GND
B24
GND
PCIE × 16


A25
HSIP3
B25
HSOP3
PCIE × 16


A26
HSIN3
B26
HSON3
PCIE × 16


A27
GND
B27
GND
PCIE × 16


A28
HSIP4
B28
HSOP4
PCIE × 16


A29
HSIN4
B29
HSON4
PCIE × 16


A30
GND
B30
GND
PCIE × 16


A31
HSIP5
B31
HSOP5
PCIE × 16


A32
HSIP5
B32
HSON5
PCIE × 16


A33
GND
B33
GND
PCIE × 16


A34
HSIP6
B34
HSOP6
PCIE × 16


A35
HSIN6
B35
HSON6
PCIE × 16


A36
GND
B36
GND
PCIE × 16


A37
HSIP7
B37
HSON7
PCIE × 16


A38
HSIN7
B38
HSON7
PCIE × 16


A39
GND
B39
GND
PCIE × 16


A40
HSIP8
B40
HSOP8
PCIE × 16


A41
HSIN8
B41
HSON8
PCIE × 16


A42
GND
B42
GND
PCIE × 16


A43
HSIP9
B43
HSOP9
PCIE × 16


A44
HSIN9
B44
HSON9
PCIE × 16


A45
GND
B45
GND
PCIE × 16


A46
HSIP10
B46
HSOP10
PCIE × 16


A47
HSIN10
B47
HSON10
PCIE × 16


A48
GND
B48
GND
PCIE × 16


A49
HSIP11
B49
HSOP11
PCIE × 16


A50
HSIN11
B50
HSON11
PCIE × 16


A51
GND
B51
GND
PCIE × 16


A52
HSIP12
B52
HSOP12
PCIE × 16


A53
HSIN12
B53
HSON12
PCIE × 16


A54
GND
B54
GND
PCIE × 16


A55
HSIP13
B55
HSOP13
PCIE × 16


A56
HSIN13
B56
HSON13
PCIE × 16


A57
GND
B57
GND
PCIE × 16


A58
HSIP14
B58
HSOP14
PCIE × 16


A59
HSIN14
B59
HSON14
PCIE × 16


A60
GND
B60
GND
PCIE × 16


A61
HSIP15
B61
HSOP15
PCIE × 16


A62
HSIN15
B62
HSON15
PCIE × 16


A63
GND
B63
GND
PCIE × 16


A64
PCI_INTE-
B64
−12 V
PCI


A65
PCI_INTG-
B65
PCI_INTF-
PCI


A66
SERIRQ
B66
PCI_INTH-
PCI


A67
PCIRST
B67
PCICLK1
PCI


A68
PCI_GNT-
B68
GND
PCI


A69
GND
B69
PCICLK2
PCI


A70
PCI_PME-
B70
GND
PCI


A71
AD30
B71
PCI_REQ2-
PCI


A72
AD28
B72
AD31
PCI


A73
AD26
B73
AD29
PCI


A74
AD24
B74
AD27
PCI


A75
AD22
B75
AD25
PCI


A76
AD20
B76
C_BE-(3)
PCI


A77
AD18
B77
AD23
PCI


A78
AD16
B78
AD21
PCI


A79
3.3 V
B79
AD19
PCI


A80
PCI_FRAME-
B80
AD17
PCI


A81
PCI_TRDY-
B81
C_BE-(2)
PCI


A82
GND
B82
GND
PCI


A83
PCI_STOP-
B83
PCI_IRDY-
PCI


A84
3.3 V
B84
PCI_DEVSEL
PCI


A85
SMB_CLK_STBY
B85
GND
PCI


A86
SMB_DAT_STBY
B86
PCI_LOCK-
PCI


A87
GND
B87
PCI_PERR-
PCI


A88
PCI_PAR
B88
PCI_SERR-
PCI


A89
AD15
B89
C_BE-(1)
PCI


A90
AD13
B90
AD14
PCI


A91
AD11
B91
AD12
PCI


A92
AD9
B92
AD10
PCI


A93
C_BE-(0)
B93
AD8
PCI


A94
AD6
B94
AD7
PCI


A95
AD4
B95
AD5
PCI


A96
AD2
B96
AD3
PCI


A97
AD0
B97
AD1
PCI


A98
PCI_REQ1-
B98
PCI_GNT1-
PCI


A99
5 V
B99
5 V
PCI


A100
5 V
B100
5 V
PCI









The riser card 2 is connected removably to the hybrid expansion slot 120, is formed with at least a first expansion slot 21 that complies with the PCI specification and a second expansion slot 22 that complies with the PCIE specification, and includes a goldfinger 23 that is formed with conductive pins on two opposite sides thereof. The conductive pins on the sides of the goldfinger 23 correspond respectively to the first and second conductive pins 121, 122 of the expansion unit 12. When the graphic memory controller hub 15 supports PCIE×1 specification, the PCIE×4 specification, the PCIE×8 specification, the second expansion slot 22 of the riser card 2 and the PCIE interface card (not shown), which is to be inserted into the second expansion slot 22, comply with one of the PCIE×1 specification, the PCIE×4 specification, the PCIE×8 specification, and the PCIE×16 specification. When the graphic memory controller hub 15 supports only the PCIE×1 specification and the PCIE×16 specification, the second expansion slot 22 of said riser card 2 and the PCIE interface card comply with one of the PCIE×1 specification and the PCIE×16 specification. Since the PCI specification supports up to four PCI interface cards, the riser card 2 can be formed with up to four PCI expansion slots 21 for connection with four PCI interface cards.
FIG. 3 illustrates an interface card 3 that complies with the PCIE×1 specification, that includes a goldfinger 31, and that can be directly used in conjunction with the expansion slot 120 on the computer motherboard 1.
Since the computer motherboard 1 of this invention is provided with the hybrid expansion slot 120 that complies with both the PCI specification and the PCIE specification, the size of the computer motherboard 1 can be reduced, thereby permitting miniaturization of the computer that is installed with the computer motherboard 1.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

## Claims

1. A motherboard assembly comprising:
a board body;
an expansion unit provided on said board body and defining a hybrid expansion slot that complies with the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification and the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) specification; and
a riser card connected removably to said hybrid expansion slot and formed with at least a first expansion slot that complies with the PCI specification and a second expansion slot that complies with the PCIE specification;
wherein said hybrid expansion slot has two opposite sides, said expansion unit having 100 first conductive pins that are marked from A1 to A100 and that are formed on one of said sides of said hybrid expansion slot, and 100 second conductive pins that are marked from B1 to B100 and that are formed on the other of said sides of said hybrid expansion slot, said first conductive pins that are marked from A1 to A63 and said second conductive pins that are marked from B1 to B63 correspond to pins of the PCIE×16 specification, said first conductive pins that are marked from A64 to A100 and said second conductive pins that are marked from B64 to B100 correspond to pins of the PCI specification; and
wherein said riser card has conductive pins corresponding to said first conductive pins and said second conductive pins.

2. The motherboard assembly of claim 1, wherein said first conductive pins that arc marked from A1 to A18 and said second conductive pins that are marked from B1 to B18 comply with the PCIE×1 specification.

3. The motherboard assembly of claim 1, wherein said second expansion slot of said riser card supports at least one of the PICE×1 specification, the PCIE×4 specification, the PCIE×8 specification, and the PICE×16 specification.

4. The motherboard assembly of claim 3, wherein said second expansion slot of said riser card supports the PCIE×1 specification and the PCIE×16 specification.