Patent Publication Number: US-2013238942-A1

Title: Port test device for motherboards

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical field 
     The disclosure generally relates to test devices, and particularly to a port test device for motherboards. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic devices, such as servers, often employ a motherboard including a serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) port, and a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) port. Since the physical structures of the SAS port and the SATA port are different, it is very inconvenient for operators to have to use two different test devices to respectively test performances of the SAS port and the SATA port. Additionally, errors in testing may occur because of different test criterions of the two different test devices. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of an exemplary connection assembly and electronic device employing same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiment. 
         FIG. 1  is block diagram illustrating a port test device for a motherboard, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the motherboard as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a circuit view of a conversion member of the port test device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1-2  show a port test device  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The port test device  100  can be used in an electronic device (not shown), such as a server, for example. 
     The electronic device includes a motherboard  200 . The motherboard  200  includes a serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) port  201  and a plurality of serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) ports  202 . The SAS port  201  and the plurality of SATA ports  202  are all configured to output SAS signals. The port test device  100  is used to test the SAS port  201  and the plurality of SATA ports  202 , to determine whether performances of the SAS port  201  and the SATA port  202  are met a first predetermined common criterion and a second predetermined common criterion, respectively. 
     The port test device  100  includes a conversion member  13  and a test apparatus  15 . The conversion member  13  includes a SAS connector  131 , a SATA connector  133 , and a cable  135  connected between the SAS connector  131  and the SATA connector  133 . The SAS connector  131  is configured to couple to the test apparatus  15 , and the SATA connector  133  is configured to couple to the SATA port  202  to receive the SAS signals output from the SATA port  202 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the SAS connector  131  includes a plurality group of signal transmission pins TX 1 +, TX 1 −, TX 2 +, TX 2 −, TX 3 +, TX 3 −, . . . etc. The SATA connector  133  includes a group of signal connection pins TX 0 +, and TX 0 −. In one exemplary embodiment, the signal connection pins TX 0 +, and TX 0 − are respectively and electronically connected to the signal transmission pins TX 1 +, and TX 1 − via the cable  135 . Thus, the SAS signals output from the SATA port  202  can be transmitted to the SAS connector  131  via the SATA connector  133  and the cable  135 . 
     The test apparatus  15  can be electronically connected to the SAS port  201  or the SAS connector  131  to receive the SAS signals output from the motherboard  200 . The test apparatus  15  analyzes the SAS signals, and accordingly determines whether the performances of the SAS port  201  meets the first predetermined common criterion, or accordingly determines whether the performances of the SATA port  202  meets the second predetermined common criterion. 
     To test the performance of the SAS port  201 , the test apparatus  15  is directly and electronically connected to the SAS port  201  to receive the SAS signals. Thus, the performances of the SAS port  201  can be determined by the test apparatus  15 . 
     To test the performance of the SATA port  202 , the SATA connector  133  of the conversion member  13  is coupled to the SATA port  202 , and the test apparatus  15  is electronically connected to the SAS connector  131 . Then, the test apparatus  15  receives the SAS signals from the motherboard  200  via the SATA port  202  and the conversion member  13 . Thus, the performances of the SATA port  202  can be determined by the test apparatus  15 . 
     In summary, the port test device  100  can test both of the SAS port  201  and the SATA port  202  of the motherboard  200  through the conversion member  13  and the test apparatus  15 . Thus, an extra port test device is not needed, this is very convenient for operators. Additionally, test accuracy may be improved because of a sole test criterion for the SAS signals. 
     Although numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of arrangement of parts within the principles of disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.