Expansion apparatus for serial advanced technology attachment dual in-line memory module and motherboard for supporting the expansion apparatus

1. An expansion apparatus for a serial advanced technology attachment dual in-line memory module (SATA DIMM), the expansion apparatus comprising:

a circuit board;

a plurality of expansion slots mounted on the circuit board, to receive a plurality of SATA DIMM modules;

a plurality of serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) interfaces mounted on the circuit board and connected to SATA connectors of the plurality of SATA DIMM modules, wherein the number of the plurality of SATA interfaces is the same as the number of the plurality of expansion slots; and

an edge connector set on a bottom side of the circuit board, the edge connector comprising a plurality of power pins connected to the plurality of expansion slots for providing voltages to the plurality of expansion slots, a plurality of signal pins connected to the plurality of SATA interfaces for providing SATA signals to the plurality of SATA interfaces, and a plurality of ground pins being grounded.

2. The expansion apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of signal pins comprises a pair of signal input pins and a pair of signal output pins.

3. A motherboard for supporting an expansion apparatus for a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) dual-in-line memory module (DIMM), the motherboard comprising:

a circuit board;

a power connector mounted on the circuit board;

an expansion slot mounted on the circuit board, and comprising a plurality of power pins connected to the power connector for providing a voltage from the power connector, a plurality of ground pin being grounded, and a plurality of idle pins; and

a hard disk drive controller mounted on the circuit board and connected to the plurality of idle pins for providing a SATA signal to the expansion slot through the plurality of idle pins.

4. The motherboard of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of idle pins comprises four idle pins.

5. The motherboard of claim 3 , wherein the expansion slot is a peripheral component interconnection express (PCIe) slot.

6. A motherboard assembly comprising:

a motherboard comprising a first circuit board, a first expansion slot mounted on the first circuit board, a hard disk drive (HDD) controller mounted on the first circuit board, and a power connector mounted on the first circuit board, the first expansion slot comprising a plurality of first power pins connected to the power connector for receiving a voltage from the power connector, a plurality of first ground pins being grounded, and a plurality of idle pins connected to the HDD controller for receiving a SATA signal from the HDD controller; and

an expansion apparatus comprising a second circuit board, a plurality of second expansion slots to receive a plurality of SATA DIMM modules, a plurality of serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) interfaces connected to SATA connectors of the plurality of SATA DIMM modules and set on the second circuit board, and an edge connector set on a side of the second circuit board to be detachably engaged in the first expansion slot of the motherboard, the edge connector comprising a plurality of second power pins connected to the second expansion slots for providing voltages to the plurality of SATA DIMM modules through the plurality of second expansion slots, a plurality of second ground pins being grounded, and a plurality of signal pins connected to the plurality of SATA interfaces for providing SATA signals to the plurality of SATA DIMM modules through the plurality of SATA interfaces;

wherein in response to the edge connector of the expansion apparatus being engaged in the first expansion slot, the second power pins of the expansion apparatus are connected to the first power pins of the first expansion slot, the second ground pins of the expansion apparatus are connected to the first ground pins of the first expansion slot, and the signal pins of the expansion apparatus are connected to the idle pins of the first expansion slot.

7. The motherboard assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of signal pins comprises a pair of signal input pins and a pair of signal output pins.