STORAGE SYSTEM, COMPUTER SYSTEM AND INTERFACE MODULE
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Abstract
An interface module comprises a serial signal transceiver to be connected to an external transmission path and an interface processing unit connected to the transceiver. The interface processing unit comprises a serializer/deserializer circuit, an encoder/decoder, a protocol processing unit having at least two kinds of selectable protocol processing functions, and a communicate mode switch circuit for changing reference clock to be supplied to the serializer/deserializer circuit in conjunction with switching of the protocol processing function from one to another.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1-13. -13. (canceled)
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14. An interface module comprising:
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a first signal transceiver to be coupled to a first transmission path; a second signal transceiver to be coupled to a second transmission path; a selector for selecting one of the first signal transceiver and the second signal transceiver; a serializer/deserializer unit for performing conversion operations between parallel signals and serial signals;
the serial signals being received/transmitted from/to the first signal transceiver and the second signal transceiver;an encoder/decoder to be coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit; and a protocol processing unit coupled to the encoder/decoder and selectively performing at least two types of protocol processing; wherein when a first type protocol is specified by a received instruction, the selector selects the first signal transceiver as a transceiver coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit, first type reference clock is supplied to the serializer/deserializer unit, and the protocol processing unit performs a first type of protocol processing for signals output/input from/to the encoder/decoder, and wherein when a second type protocol is specified by the received instruction, the selector selects the second signal transceiver as a transceiver coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit, second type reference clock is supplied to the serializer/deserializer unit, and the protocol processing unit performs a second type of protocol processing for signals output/input from/to the encoder/decoder. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A storage system, comprising:
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a plurality of storage units; a storage controller of the storage units; and an interface module coupled to the storage controller, including; a first signal transceiver to be coupled to a first transmission path; a second signal transceiver to be coupled to a second transmission path; a selector for selecting one of the first signal transceiver and the second signal transceiver; a serializer/deserializer unit for performing conversion operations between parallel signals and serial signals;
the serial signals being received/transmitted from/to the first signal transceiver and the second signal transceiver;an encoder/decoder to be coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit; and a protocol processing unit coupled to the encoder/decoder and selectively performing at least two types of protocol processing; wherein when a first type protocol is specified by a received instruction, the selector selects the first signal transceiver as a transceiver coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit, first type reference clock is supplied to the serializer/deserializer unit, and the protocol processing unit performs a first type of protocol processing for signals output/input from/to the encoder/decoder, and wherein when a second type protocol is specified by the received instruction, the selector selects the second signal transceiver as a transceiver coupled to the serializer/deserializer unit, second type reference clock is supplied to the serializer/deserializer unit, and the protocol processing unit performs a second type of protocol processing for signals output/input from/to the encoder/decoder. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification