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. A method comprising:
mapping first and second groups of pin-outs of a connector edge of a circuit board to pin-out assignments compatible with first and second interface standards, respectively, the circuit board having a form factor and the connector edge corresponding to the first interface standard;
providing 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
providing 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 method 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 method of claim 1 wherein the first group of pin-outs forms a functioning subset of the first interface standard.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first interface standard is a dual-in-line memory module (DIMM) standard.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second interface standard is a solid state drive (SSD) standard.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the SSD standard is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the first set of devices includes at least a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the SDRAM is a double data rate (DDR), a DDR2, DDR3, or a DDR4 SDRAM.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the second set of devices includes at least a flash memory and a solid state drive (SSD) controller.
10. The method 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.