Data Storage Device With Full Access By All Users

• US 20070233910A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Bychkov, Eyal, Ziv, Aran, Paley, Sasha, Bovshover, Arik
• Granted Patent: US 7,793,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0662 Virtualisation aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

A peripheral device of a host computer includes a microcontroller and two virtual devices. The first virtual device passes, to the microcontroller, commands of a first command set from any user of the host computer and preferably also commands of a second command set from only privileged users of the host computer. The second virtual device passes, to the microcontroller, commands of the second set from any user of the host computer. In one physical implementation of the invention, the two virtual devices are implemented as separate physical devices, and the second device is connected to an interface to the host computer only if the user is not privileged. In another physical implementation of the invention, the two virtual devices are implemented in a common physical device, and a sector of a memory of the peripheral device is reserved for handling commands of the second set from non-privileged users.

Claims

1. A data storage device comprising:

(a) a nonvolatile memory;

(b) a microcontroller for accessing said nonvolatile memory according to commands received from a host of the data storage device;

(c) a USB interface for operationally connecting the data storage device to said host;

(d) a first USB sub-interface for passing said commands from said USB interface to said microcontroller according to a first USB protocol; and

(e) a second USB sub-interface for passing said commands from said USB interface to said microcontroller according to a second USB protocol different from said first USB protocol.

2. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein said first USB sub-interface is a USB storage device sub-interface.

3. The data storage device of claim 2, wherein said second USB sub-interface is a CD sub-interface.

4. The data storage device of claim 2, wherein said second USB sub-interface is a HID sub-interface.

5. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein said first USB sub-interface is a HID sub-interface.

6. The data storage device of claim 5, wherein said second USB sub-interface is a CD sub-interface.

7. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein said first USB sub-interface is a CD sub-interface.