Asynchronous input/output interface protocol
First Claim
1. A system for transmitting packets between a host system and a storage device, wherein the storage device includes one or more special purpose registers and each packet includes at least command, data, or status information, the system comprising:
- a data signal for transmitting data between the host system and the storage device;
a plurality of address signals for selecting the registers based on whether the packet includes command, data, or status information;
an enable signal for allowing the packets to be transmitted to and from the storage device;
a read strobe signal; and
a write strobe signal.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interface protocol for transmitting variable-sized packets between a host system and a storage device. The protocol supports a plurality of signals for transmitting data between the host system and the storage device. One or more address signals indicate whether the packet includes command, data, or status information. An enable signal indicates when the packets may be transmitted to and from the storage device. Read and write strobe signals are also included to allow the host to request data from and transmit data to the storage device. The protocol includes an extensible command set which includes a function code, one or more interrupt requests, and signals to indicate when the storage device is busy, when the storage device is ready to transfer data, when the storage device is ready to receive bytes from a command packet, when the storage device is ready to receive or transmit a data block, and when the storage device is ready to transmit status bytes.
-
Citations
53 Claims
-
1. A system for transmitting packets between a host system and a storage device, wherein the storage device includes one or more special purpose registers and each packet includes at least command, data, or status information, the system comprising:
-
a data signal for transmitting data between the host system and the storage device;
a plurality of address signals for selecting the registers based on whether the packet includes command, data, or status information;
an enable signal for allowing the packets to be transmitted to and from the storage device;
a read strobe signal; and
a write strobe signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for transmitting data between a host system and a storage device using an asynchronous interface protocol, the method comprising:
-
issuing an abort function before issuing a command packet if the storage device is busy;
transmitting a packet including the size of the next command packet to be transmitted and a start command function code from the host system to the storage device;
setting the storage device busy signal;
determining if the size of the next command packet is within the maximum command packet size supported by the storage device;
issuing an error signal if the next command packet is greater than the maximum command packet size supported by the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. An interface protocol for transmitting variable-sized packets between a host system and a storage device, the interface protocol comprising:
-
a plurality of parallel data signals for transmitting data between the host system and the storage device;
a plurality of address signals for indicating whether the packet includes command, data, or status information;
an enable signal for indicating when the packets may be transmitted to and from the storage device;
a read strobe signal; and
a write strobe signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. An interface protocol for communicating packets of information between a host system and a storage device, the interface protocol comprising:
-
a status signal to indicate the state of the storage device;
a start command signal to initiate processing of a command in the storage device;
a command packet size signal to indicate the amount of data to be transferred between the host system and the storage device, wherein the packet size can vary between packets; and
a plurality of command signals for accessing information on the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
Specification