USB to SATA bridge system

• US 20060174049A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Hsu, Wei-Shu, Lin, Teng-Wen
• Application Number:
  US11/220,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174049A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/308
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/068 Hybrid storage device

Abstract

A bridge system for heter-serial interfaces, which is connected to a host. The bridge system includes a host interface controller, a memory, a controller and a device interface controller. The controller controls the host interface controller and the device interface controller such that the data or commands sent by the host are changed from a host interface format to a device interface format and sent to the disk drive through the device interface controller, or data or states of the disk drive are changed from the device interface format to the host interface format and sent to the host.

Claims

1. A bridge system for heter-serial interfaces, connected to a host, the bridge system comprising:

a host interface controller, which is connected to the host for receiving commands and data sent by the host or sending the data to the host;

a memory, which is connected to the host interface controller for storing the data;

a controller, which is connected to the memory and the host interface controller for accessing the commands sent by the host and stored in the memory; and

a device interface controller, which has one end connected to the controller and the memory for sending the data to the memory or receiving the data from the memory, and another end connected to a disk drive;

wherein the controller controls the host interface controller and the device interface controller such that the data or commands sent by the host are changed from a host interface format to a device interface format and sent to the disk drive through the device interface controller, or data or states of the disk drive are changed from the device interface format to the host interface format and sent to the host.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a direct memory access (DMA) engine connected to the memory for controlling an access of the memory.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the DMA engine is connected to and controlled by the controller.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the host interface controller is a universal serial bus (USB) interface controller for connecting to a USB port of the host.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device interface controller is a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) interface controller for connecting to a SATA disk drive.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first bus, which is connected to the controller for receiving and transmitting the data; and

a general-purpose input and output (GPIO) module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access a peripheral device through the GPIO module.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising an inter-IC (I2C) master/slave module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access an I2C bus through the I2C module.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (UART) module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access a UART bus through the UART module.

9. A USB to a SATA bridge system, connected to a host, the bridge system comprising:

a USB interface controller, which is connected to the host for receiving commands and data sent by the host or sending the data to the host;

a memory, which is connected to the USB interface controller for storing the data;

a controller, which is connected to the memory and the USB interface controller for accessing the commands sent by the host and stored in the memory; and

a SATA interface controller, which has one end connected to the controller and the memory for sending the data to the memory or receiving the data from the memory, and the other end connected to a disk drive;

wherein the controller controls the USB interface controller and the SATA interface controller, such that the data or commands sent by the host are changed from a USB format to a SATA format and sent to the disk drive through the SATA interface controller, or data or states of the disk drive are changed from the SATA format to the USB format and sent to the host.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a direct memory access (DMA) engine connected to the memory for controlling an access of the memory.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the DMA engine is connected to and controlled by the controller.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a first bus, which is connected to the controller for receiving and transmitting the data; and

a general-purpose input and output (GPIO) module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access a peripheral device through the GPIO module.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an inter-IC (I2C) master/slave module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access an I2C bus through the I2C module.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (UART) module, which is connected to the first bus such that the controller is able to access a UART bus through the UART module.