Patent Application
20140133083
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201210448878.2, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to graphics processing, and in particular, to a graphics card and a base plate and a core board for the graphics card.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphics card, which is one of the most basic components of a personal computer, takes on the task of outputting graphics for being displayed. Currently, technology of electronics industry becomes more and more complex, and the integration level of electronics elements grows ever higher and the power consumption is ever larger. Therefore layers of graphics card PCB become more and more. The existing high-end graphics cards generally employ a multi-layer PCB design. However, the increasing number of PCB layers increases product costs greatly. For example, for a common graphics card, the cost of an eight-layer PCB is 50%-70% higher than that of a six-layer PCB, though the former only has two more layers than the latter. Moreover, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a memory, a power module and an IO interface are integrated on a single PCB in an existing graphics card, but the update of a GPU and a memory is very fast and the improvement of a power module and an IO interface is relatively slow. Therefore integrating those elements on a single PCB goes against effective utilization of resources, a simple design, low product costs and short product cycle.
Therefore, there is a need for an optimized graphics card design to reduce the waste of resources and lower costs.
A series of concepts in abbreviated forms are introduced in the summary of the invention, which will be further explained in detail in the part of detailed description. This part of the present invention does not mean trying to define key features and essential technical features of the technical solution claimed for protection; even not mean trying to determine a protection scope of the technical solution claimed for protection.
In order to solve the above problem, the present invention discloses a base plate for a graphics card, including: a base plate PCB and a core board interface slot, a power module and a graphics output interface located on the base plate PCB, wherein the core board interface slot is used to accommodate and be electrically connected with a core board which is replaceable; the power module is used to power the core board via the core board interface slot; and the graphics output interface is used to output graphic data for being displayed that are received from the core board via the core board interface slot.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a base plate interface for being connected with another base plate.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate PCB is a multi-layer board including at least one signal layer and at least one power layer.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layer board is a four-layer plate including two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a forth layer of the base plate PCB and two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a third layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layer board is a six-layer plate including two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the multi-layer board is a six-layer plate including four power layers located respectively at a second layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a PCIE interface located on the base plate PCB and used to receive a data signal and a control signal that are to be transmitted to the core board via the core board interface slot.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a power interface, which is located on the base plate PCB, connected with the power module and used for being connected with an external power.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the power module includes a graphics processing unit power module for powering a graphics processing unit of the core board via the core board interface slot and a memory power module for powering a memory of the core board via the core board interface slot.
In another aspect of the invention, a core board for a graphics card is also provided. The core board includes: a core board PCB and a base plate interface and a graphics processing module located on the core board PCB, wherein the core board is used to be accommodated into a core board interface slot of a base plate and electrically connected with the base plate via the base plate interface; and the graphics processing module is used to receive a power signal from the base plate and output graphic data for being displayed via the base plate interface.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the core board PCB is a six-layer plate including four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the core board PCB and two power layers that are two ground layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the core board PCB.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a graphics card is also provided. The graphics card includes a base plate and a core board, wherein the base plate includes a base plate PCB and a core board interface slot, a power module and a graphics output interface located on the base plate PCB; the core board includes a core board PCB and a base plate interface and a graphics processing module located on the core board PCB, and the core board is accommodated in the core board interface slot of the base plate and electrically connected with the base plate via the base plate interface; the graphics processing module receives a power signal from the power module and output graphic data for being displayed via the base plate interface; the graphics output interface is used to output the graphic data for being displayed that are received from the core board.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a base plate interface for being connected with another base plate.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the core board PCB is a six-layer plate including four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the core board PCB and two power layers that are two ground layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the core board PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate PCB is a four-layer plate including two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a forth layer of the base plate PCB and two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a third layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate PCB is a six-layer plate including two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate PCB is a six-layer plate including four power layers located respectively at a second layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a PCIE interface located on the base plate PCB and used to receive a data signal and a control signal that are to be transmitted to the core board via the core board interface slot.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base plate further includes a power interface, which is located on the base plate PCB, connected with the power module and used for being connected with an external power.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the graphics processing module includes a graphics processing unit and a memory, and the power module includes a graphics processing unit power module for powering the graphics processing unit via the core board interface slot and a memory power module for powering the memory via the core board interface slot.
The graphics card provided by the present invention may be divided into two parts: a base plate and a core board, which achieves different functions with different configuration and is beneficial to the replacement of the graphics card. Furthermore, the graphics card described herein reduces product costs and improves the performance of graphics processing system.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,
a illustrates a schematic block diagram of a base plate for a graphics card, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
b illustrates a schematic block diagram of a base plate for a graphics card, according to another embodiment of the present invention;
a illustrates a cross section view of a base plate PCB, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
b illustrates a cross section view of a base plate PCB, according to another embodiment of the present invention;
c illustrates a cross section view of a base plate PCB, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;
A plenty of specific details are presented so as to provide more thoroughly understanding of the present invention in the description below. However, the present invention may be implemented without one or more of these details, as is obvious to those skilled in the art. In other examples, some of the technical features known in the art are not described so as to avoid confusions with the present invention.
Detailed structures will be presented in the following description for more thoroughly appreciation of the invention. Obviously, the implementation of the invention is not limited to the special details well-known by those skilled in the art. Preferred embodiments are described as following; however, the invention could also comprise other ways of implementations.
The present invention provides a base plate for a graphics card.
Optionally, the power module may be a separate module. Preferably, the power module includes a graphics processing unit power module 103 for powering a graphics processing unit of the core board via the core board interface slot 102 and a memory power module 104 for powering a memory of the core board via the core board interface slot 102. The power module may configure external power to be applied to the core board and then apply the configured power to the core board via the core board interface slot 102. The external power may be power from a computer motherboard, a main power supply of a computer or other external powers.
Optionally, the base plate 100 may further include a PCIE interface 106 located on the base plate PCB 101 and used to receive a data signal and a control signal that are to be transmitted to the core board via the core board interface slot 102. The data signal or the control signal may be from a main processor, such as a CPU or a DSP of a computer. Therefore, the PCIE interface 106 enables a graphics card configured with the base plate to realize communication with the main processor.
Optionally, the base plate 100 may further include a power interface 107, which is located on the base plate PCB 101, connected with the power module and used for being connected with an external power. The power interface 107 transmits power from the external power to the power module for being processed by the power module. Therefore, the external power may supply power to the base plate 100 through the power interface 107. Optionally, the power interface 107 may be a D-4PIN power interface, an 8PIN power interface, a double 6PIN power interface and an 8+6PIN interface, etc.
Optionally, the base plate 100 may further include a base plate interface for being connected with another base plate.
Optionally, the base plate PCB 101 may be a multi-layer board including at least one signal layer and at least one power layer. Multi-layer board design may meet the needs of high current and large power consumption, such that a graphics card configured with the base plate PCB could do more complex graphics processing and calculating and show better performance.
Optionally, the multi-layer board may be a four-layer plate including two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a forth layer of the base plate PCB and two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a third layer of the base plate PCB.
Optionally, the multi-layer board may be a six-layer plate including two power layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
Optionally, the multi-layer board may be a six-layer plate including four power layers located respectively at a second layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a fifth layer of the base plate PCB and two signal layers located respectively at a first layer and a sixth layer of the base plate PCB.
In another aspect of the invention, a core board for a graphics card is also provided.
Optionally, the core board PCB 301 may be a six-layer plate including four signal layers located respectively at a first layer, a third layer, a forth layer and a sixth layer of the core plate PCB 301 and two power layers that are two ground layers located respectively at a second layer and a fifth layer of the core board PCB 301.
Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that insulating layers could be provided between various layers with respect to the base plate PCB and the core board PCB described above.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a graphics card is also provided.
Similar with the related description of the above base plate, the power module may include a graphics processing unit power module 504 and a memory power module 505.
The base plate and the core board involved in the above graphics card have been described in the description about embodiments for the base plate and the core board. For brevity, a detailed description thereof is omitted. Those skilled in the art can understand that specific structure and operation mode of the graphics card with reference to
The core board 502 is replaceable. Different ways of combining the base plate 501 and the core board 502 may be realized by standardizing the core board interface slot and the base plate interface. Several different combination schemes of the base plate and the core board that may realize the function of a single ten-layer plate (including four layers of 2 oz copper) are illustrated below. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the core board PCB is a six-layer plate with an area of 95×118 mm2. The base plate PCB may be a six-layer plate or a four-layer plate. The four-layer plate may include only copper foil of 1 oz thickness or include copper foil of both 1 oz and 2 oz thickness depending on the size of power required by the core board. In addition, if the base plate is provided with a base plate interface, then the area of the base plate PCB is 111×267 mm2, or else the area of the base plate PCB is 111×230 mm2. Therefore, there are at least six combination schemes of the base plate and the core board.
Table 1 shows the costs of multi-layer PCB with different configuration.
The above six combination schemes are:
1. A six-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 plus a six-layer core board;
2. A six-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 plus a six-layer core board;
3. A four-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 plus a six-layer core board;
4. A four-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 plus a six-layer core board;
5. A four-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 (including 2 layers of 2 oz copper) plus a six-layer core board;
6. A four-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 (including 2 layers of 2 oz copper) plus a six-layer core board.
Table 2 shows the costs of different types of combinations of the base plate and the core board.
The results of computing the cost ratios of various schemes to a single ten-layer plate respectively are shown below:
1. A six-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 plus a six-layer core board: 41.7%;
2. A six-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 plus a six-layer core board: 45.4%;
3. A four-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 plus a six-layer core board: 56.8%;
4. A four-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 plus a six-layer core board: 63.0%;
5. A four-layer base plate of 111×230 mm2 (including 2 layers of 2 oz copper) plus a six-layer core board: 64.9%;
6. A four-layer base plate of 111×267 mm2 (including 2 layers of 2 oz copper) plus a six-layer core board: 72.3%.
Therefore, the costs of the six combination schemes are 27.7%-58.3% lower than the cost of the single ten-layer plate. So the type of graphics card implemented with combination of a base plate and a core board has lower cost than an integrated graphics card.
According to the graphics card provided by the present invention, the wiring of a memory is laid on the core board instead of the base plate, and therefore the effective channel area of a power layer of the base plate may be doubled approximately, thus enabling copper foil of the power layer of the base plate to become thinner. From Table 1 and Table 2, with the same line width, the thinner the copper foil is, the lower the cost is. Therefore, the decreasing thickness of the copper foil is beneficial to the reduction of the cost. In addition, the IR drop of the power of the graphics processing unit of the graphics card is reduced and the load capacity thereof is strengthened due to the increase in the effective channel area. The power of the graphics processing unit rises vertically to the core board from the base plate and is only at the central portion of the graphics processing unit, thus the number of layers of the core board does not affect the power of the graphics processing unit. The power of the graphics processing unit and the memory information are completely separated, which may eliminate the influence of the power of the graphics processing unit on the memory information, thus enhancing the stability of a graphics processing system and improving the over clocking ability of the system.
According to the graphics card provided by the present invention, which may be divided into two parts, the connection interface of the base plate and the core board may be standardized, so that the graphics card may be configured to be different combinations of the base plate and the core board in order to realize different functions to meet a variety of user requirements. Although GPU is quickly updated, modular design makes what is needed is just replacing the core board and the mature base plate may be reused when the GPU is being updated. Furthermore, the independence of module functions and the consistency of interfaces make the base plate and the core board be designed, developed and tested in parallel and problematic modules be identified and replaced in time. Therefore, modular design may shorten production cycle, improve production efficiency, lower production costs and have greater market advantages.
The present invention has been described through the above-mentioned embodiments. However, it will be understand that the above-mentioned embodiments are for the purpose of demonstration and description and not for the purpose of limiting the present to the scope of the described embodiments. Moreover, those skilled in the art could appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above mentioned embodiments and that various modifications and adaptations in accordance of the teaching of the present invention may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention is further defined by the following claims and equivalent scope thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201210448878.2 | Nov 2012 | CN | national |
