Multi-function module
An embodiment is a method and apparatus to provide a multi-function module. A circuit board has a form factor and a connector edge corresponding to a first interface standard. The connector edge includes first and second groups of pin-outs that are mapped to pin-out assignments compatible with the first interface standard and a second interface standard, respectively. A first interface is provided on the circuit board for a first set of devices connected to the first group of pin-outs to operate according to the first interface standard. A second interface is provided on the circuit board for a second set of devices connected to the second group of pin-outs to operate according to the second interface standard.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a circuit board having a form factor and a connector edge corresponding to a first interface standard, the connector edge including first and second groups of pin-outs that are mapped to pin-out assignments compatible with the first interface standard and a second interface standard, respectively;
a first interface on the circuit board for a first set of devices connected to the first group of pin-outs to operate according to the first interface standard; and
a second interface on the circuit board for a second set of devices connected to the second group of pin-outs to operate according to the second interface standard.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second group of pin-outs includes at least a pin-out assigned to a function that is not used, or optionally used, by the first interface standard.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first group of pin-outs forms a functioning subset of the first interface standard.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first interface standard is a dual-in-line memory module (DIMM) standard.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second interface standard is a solid state drive (SSD) standard.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the SSD standard is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first set of devices includes at least a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the SDRAM is a double data rate (DDR), a DDR2, a DDR3, or a DDR4 SDRAM.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the second set of devices includes at least a flash memory and a solid state drive (SSD) controller.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second group of pin-outs include pin-outs assigned to Tx+, Tx−, Rx+, and Rx− functions of the SATA standard.
11. A board assembly comprising:
a main board having a connector socket compatible with a first interface standard; and
a multi-function module connected to the main board via the connector socket, the multi-function module comprising:
a circuit board having a form factor and a connector edge corresponding to the first interface standard, the connector edge including first and second groups of pin-outs that are mapped to pin-out assignments compatible with the first interface standard and a second interface standard, respectively, a first interface on the circuit board for a first set of devices connected to the first group of pin-outs to operate according to the first interface standard, and
a second interface on the circuit board for a second set of devices connected to the second group of pin-outs to operate according to the second interface standard.
12. The board assembly of claim 11 wherein the second group of pin-outs includes at least a pin-out assigned to a function that is not used, or optionally used, by the first interface standard.
13. The board assembly of claim 11 wherein the first group of pin-outs forms a functioning subset of the first interface standard.
14. The board assembly of claim 11 wherein the first interface standard is a dual-in-line memory module (DIMM) standard.
15. The board assembly of claim 11 wherein the second interface standard is a solid state drive (SSD) standard.
16. The board assembly of claim 15 wherein the SSD standard is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard.
17. The board assembly of claim 14 wherein the first set of devices includes at least a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).
18. The board assembly of claim 17 wherein the SDRAM is a double data rate (DDR), a DDR2, DDR3, or a DDR4 SDRAM.
19. The board assembly of claim 15 wherein the second set of devices includes at least a flash memory and a solid state drive (SSD) controller.
20. The board assembly of claim 16 wherein the second group of pin-outs include pin-outs assigned to Tx+, Tx−, Rx+, and Rx− functions of the SATA standard.