General Description
2 General
Description
2.1 Introduction
The PCI Express Extender is a extender for x1 link PCI express bus with integrated logic to
support debugging and verification of PCI express cards (referred as UUT, Units-Under-Test).
The UUT is plugged-in to the motherboard slot through the extender.
The extender uses a bus switch to connect/disconnect the UUT PCI express card from the
motherboard without shutting down the system. This flexibility minimizes the testing time and
protects the motherboard from damage such as overcurrent
The extender supports two ways of feeding the secondary PCI express bus with power: internally,
through the motherboard PCI express slot (+3.3V and +12V), and from an external power supply.
The external power supply has to p5V and +12V voltages to satisfy all PCI express
needs:
+12V and 3.3V
The extender fully protects your UUT and host system from damage by monitoring and limiting
the voltage and current.
The extender includes logic (based on the Xilinx CPLD XC9536XL-10) for debugging and
verification purposes:
•
FPGA ByteBlaster functionality for the different types of the FPGA (like
Xilinx, Altera, Atmel, Lattice) through the external cable
•
Master I2C and SPI interfaces
The CPLD logic can be customized as required. The standard package of the extender includes
full schematics and logic for the CPLD.
All these functions communicate with the computer through a parallel interface. The same
interface can be used to update or to load the customer’s specific functions into the on- board
CPLD.
The extender supports two types of the computer enclosures: the 2U and the standard profiles.
The angled connector of the extender allows for easy access to the UUT card.
The Extender has additional support tabs for the stabilization of the PCI express add-in card
(UUT). Amfeltec Corporation filed a Patent Application that covers this unique future.
PCI Express Extender, Hardware Manual, Revision 1.4
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