Extended secure-digital (SD) devices and hosts

• US 20050197017A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Technology, Corporation
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, I-Kang, Chou, Szu-Kuang, Wang, Kuang-Yu, Chou, Horng-Yee
• Granted Patent: US 7,836,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/26 Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only for modular jack type connectors H01R24/62
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Systems and methods for communicating using various protocols through the Secured Digital (SD) physical interface are disclosed. The invention covers, among others, single-mode and multi-mode hosts, single-mode and multi-mode devices, as well as techniques for initializing these hosts and devices in order to facilitate the aforementioned communication.

Claims

1. A multi-protocol host configured to communicate with a device, comprising:

a receptacle configured to be at least mechanically compatible with at least one of an industry-standard Secure Digital (SD) plug and an industry-standard MultiMedia Card (MMC) plug;

a multi-protocol element coupled to said receptacle;

a plurality of protocol processors coupled to said multi-protocol element;

a host processor coupled to said plurality of protocol processors, whereby said multi-protocol element is configured to enable, responsive to a determination of a first protocol supported by said device, only one of said plurality of protocol processors to communicate with said host processor when said host is connected with said device, said one of said plurality of protocol processors supports said first protocol.

3. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 wherein said first protocol is USB.

4. The multi-protocol host of claim 3 wherein one pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

5. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 wherein said first protocol is PCIE.

6. The multi-protocol host of claim 5 wherein a first pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PETn signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PETp signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PERp signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PERn signal.

7. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 wherein said first protocol is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).

8. The multi-protocol host of claim 7 wherein one pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the A−

signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the A+signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the B+ signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the B−

signal.

9. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 wherein said first protocol is SmartCard.

10. The multi-protocol host of claim 9 wherein a first pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the I/O signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the CLK signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the RST signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the VPP signal.

11. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 wherein one pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

83. The multi-protocol host of claim 6 wherein a fifth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the REFCLK+ signal, a sixth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the REFCLK−

signal.

88. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 further comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) configured to indicate activity pertaining to a corresponding protocol, said at least one LED being turned on responsive to said corresponding protocol being employed for communication.

89. The multi-protocol host of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to indicate protocol activity, a first one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to said first protocol being employed for communication, a second one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to said second protocol being employed for said communication.

2. (canceled)

12. A multi-protocol device configured to communicate with a host, comprising:

a plug configured to be at least mechanically compatible with at least one of an industry-standard Secure Digital (SD) receptacle and an industry-standard MultiMedia Card (MMC) receptacle;

a multi-protocol element coupled to said receptacle;

a plurality of protocol processors coupled to said multi-protocol element;

a device processor coupled to said plurality of protocol processors, whereby said multi-protocol element is configured to enable, responsive to a determination of a first protocol supported by said host, only one of said plurality of protocol processors to communicate with said device processor when said device is coupled with said host, said one of said plurality of protocol processors supports said first protocol.

14. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 wherein said first protocol is USB.

15. The multi-protocol device of claim 14 wherein one pin of said plug is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said plug is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

16. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 wherein said first protocol is PCIE.

17. The multi-protocol device of claim 16 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETn signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETp signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERp signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERn signal.

18. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 wherein said first protocol is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).

19. The multi-protocol device of claim 18 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the A−

signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the A+ signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the B+ signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the B−

signal.

20. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 wherein said first protocol is SmartCard.

21. The multi-protocol device of claim 20 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the I/O signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the CLK signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the RST signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the VPP signal.

22. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 wherein one pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

84. The multi-protocol device of claim 17 wherein a fifth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK+ signal, a sixth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK−

signal.

90. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 further comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) configured to indicate activity pertaining to a corresponding protocol, said at least one LED being turned on responsive to said corresponding protocol being employed for communication.

91. The multi-protocol device of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to indicate protocol activity, a first one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to said first protocol being employed for communication, a second one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to a second protocol being employed for said communication.

13. (canceled)

23. A single-mode device configured to communicate with a host, comprising:

a plug configured to be at least mechanically compatible with at least one of an industry-standard Secure Digital (SD) receptacle and an industry-standard MultiMedia Card (MMC) receptacle;

a protocol processor coupled to said plug, said protocol processor supporting a first protocol, said first protocol being a protocol other than one of a SD protocol and an MMC protocol; and

a device processor coupled to said protocol processor.

25. The single-mode device of claim 23 wherein said first protocol is USB.

26. The single-mode device of claim 25 wherein one pin of said plug is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said plug is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

27. The single-mode device of claim 23 wherein said first protocol is PCIE.

28. The single-mode device of claim 27 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETn signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETp signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERp signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERn signal.

29. The single-mode device of claim 23 wherein said first protocol is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).

30. The single-mode device of claim 29 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the A−

signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the A+ signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the B+ signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the B−

signal.

31. The single-mode device of claim 23 wherein said first protocol is SmartCard.

32. The single-mode device of claim 31 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the I/O signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the CLK signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the RST signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the VPP signal.

85. The single-mode device of claim 28 wherein a fifth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK+ signal, a sixth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK−

signal.

24. (canceled)

33. In a multi-protocol device configured to communicate with a host using a plug that is configured to be at least mechanically compatible with at least one of an industry-standard Secure Digital (SD) receptacle and an industry-standard MultiMedia Card (MMC) receptacle, a method for initializing said device for communication with said host, comprising:

ascertaining whether said device is a multi-protocol device;

if said device is a multi-protocol device, performing steps a) through b) as follows;

a) receiving a command from said host;

b) responding to said host with a protocol list that specifies protocols supported by said device.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising switching a bus transceiver associated with said device to a first protocol specified by said host if said subsequent command represents a switch protocol command.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising initializing said device to said first protocol specified by said host.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising receiving a subsequent command from said host and executing said subsequent command if said subsequent command is not a switch protocol command.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said first protocol is PCIE.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETn signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the PETp signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERp signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the PERn signal.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein said first protocol is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).

40. The method of claim 39 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the A−

signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the A+ signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the B+ signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the B−

signal.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein said first protocol is SmartCard.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein a first pin of said plug is employed to carry the I/O signal, a second pin of said plug is employed to carry the CLK signal, a third pin of said plug is employed to carry the RST signal, a fourth pin of said plug is employed to carry the VPP signal.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein said first protocol is USB.

86. The method of claim 37 wherein a fifth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK+ signal, a sixth pin of said plug is employed to carry the REFCLK−

signal

92. The method of claim 33 further comprising turning on at least one light emitting diode (LED) configured to indicate activity pertaining to a corresponding protocol, said at least one LED being turned on responsive to said corresponding protocol being employed for communication.

93. The method of claim 33 further comprising turning on at least one of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) to indicate protocol activity, a first one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to said first protocol being employed for communication, a second one of said plurality of LEDs being turned on responsive to said second protocol being employed for said communication.

44. The method of claim 44 wherein one pin of said plug is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said plug is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

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72. In a host configured to communicate with a device using a receptacle that is configured to be at least mechanically compatible with at least one of an industry-standard Secure Digital (SD) plug and an industry-standard MultiMedia Card (MMC) plug, a method for initializing said host for communication with said host, comprising:

a) starting a timer;

b) sending a device inquiry command from said host to said device using the highest priority protocol in a set of protocols supported by said host;

c) if said device does not respond to said device inquiry and said set of protocols has not been exhausted, considering the next highest priority protocol in said set of protocols said highest priority protocol, and returning to said step c) to send said device inquiry command;

d) if said device responds to said inquiry, interrupting a CPU associated with said host to send device status information received from said device to said CPU and loading a device driver configured to enable said host to communicate with said device using a first protocol, said first protocol representing a protocol with which said device responds to said device inquiry command.

73. The method of claim 72 further comprising resetting said timer and restoring an original priority order of said set of protocols if said set of protocols is found to have been exhausted.

74. The method of claim 72 wherein said first protocol is PCIE.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein a first pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PETn signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PETp signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PERp signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the PERn signal.

76. The method of claim 72 wherein said first protocol is Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).

77. The method of claim 76 wherein a first pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the A−

signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the A+ signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the B+ signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the B−

signal.

78. The method of claim 72 wherein said first protocol is SmartCard.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein a first pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the I/O signal, a second pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the CLK signal, a third pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the RST signal, a fourth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the VPP signal.

80. The method of claim 72 wherein said first protocol is USB.

87. The method of claim 74 wherein a fifth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the REFCLK+ signal, a sixth pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the REFCLK−

signal].

81. The method of claim 81 wherein one pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D−

signal of a pair of differential data signals and another pin of said receptacle is employed to carry the D+ signal of said pair of differential data signals.

82. (canceled)