OPERATION METHOD FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM

• US 20120185631A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Prolific Technology Inc.
• Inventors: LIN, Liang-Chun, Yang, Hua-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0026 PCI express
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0032 Serial ATA [SATA]

Abstract

A device receives a standard command. The device judges whether an address field and/or a data length field and/or a data field of the standard command includes at least one of a vendor command, a vendor data and a checkword. The device judges whether the address field and/or a data length field and/or the data field of the standard command matches a vendor predetermined pattern. If matched, the device performs a vendor operation based on the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the standard command.

Claims

1. An operation method for computer system, the computer system including a host, a bridge interface and a device, the operation method including:

packaging at least any one of a vendor command, a vendor data and a checkword in an address field and/or a data length field and/or a data field of at least a standard command by the host according to a vendor predetermined pattern;

transmitting the standard command to the bridge interface by the host;

translating and transmitting the standard command to the device by the bridge interface, wherein translation by the bridge interface maintains the address field, the data length field and the data field, and the bridge interface does not support the vendor predetermined pattern;

judging by the device whether the translated standard command matches the vendor predetermined pattern according to the vendor predetermined pattern; and

performing a vendor operation and returning to the host by the device according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated standard command if matched.

2. The operation method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an interface of the device by the host; and

identifying a supported vendor transmission mode of the device by the host.

3. The operation method according to claim 1, wherein:

in a vendor read mode,

a plurality of predetermined checkwords are respectively packaged in a plurality of standard read commands by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the vendor command and/or the vendor data are packaged in at least a subsequent standard read command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the bridge interface translates command;

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands respectively comprise the predetermined checkwords according to the vendor predetermined pattern, and judges whether a sequence of receiving of the translated standard read commands matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated subsequent standard read command if matched.

4. The operation method according to claim 1, wherein:

in a vendor write mode,

the vendor command, the vendor data and the checkword are packaged in at least a standard write command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the bridge interface translates command;

the device judges whether the translated standard write command comprises the checkword according to the vendor predetermined pattern so as to judge whether the standard write command matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data in the translated standard write command if matched.

5. The operation method according to claim 1, wherein:

in a vendor read/write mixed mode,

a plurality of predetermined checkword are respectively packaged in a plurality of standard read commands by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the vendor command and/or the vendor data are packaged in at least a subsequent standard read command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the bridge interface translates command;

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands respectively comprise the predetermined checkwords according to the vendor predetermined pattern, and judges whether a sequence of receiving the translated standard read commands matches the vendor predetermined pattern;

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated subsequent standard read command if matched;

the vendor command, the vendor data and the checkword are packaged in at least a standard write command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the bridge interface translates command;

the device judges whether the translated standard write command comprises the checkword device according to the vendor predetermined pattern so as to judge whether the standard write command matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data in the translated standard write command if matched.

6. An operation method for a computer system, the computer system including a host, a bridge interface and a device, the operation method including:

packaging at least any one of a vendor command, a vendor data and a checkword in an address field and/or a data length field and/or a data field of at least a standard command by the host according to a vendor predetermined pattern;

transmitting the standard command to the bridge interface by the host; and

receiving a return data or a return status from the device by the host after the vendor command is executed by the device.

7. The operation method according to claim 6, further comprising:

identifying an interface of the device by the host; and

identifying a supported vendor transmission mode of the device by the host.

8. The operation method according to claim 6, wherein:

in a vendor read mode,

a plurality of predetermined checkword are respectively packaged in a plurality of standard read command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the vendor command and/or the vendor data are packaged in at least a subsequent standard read command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern.

9. The operation method according to claim 6, wherein:

in a vendor write mode,

the vendor command, the vendor data and the checkword are packaged in at least a standard write command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern.

10. The operation method according to claim 6, wherein:

in a vendor read/write mixed mode,

a plurality of predetermined checkwords are respectively packaged in a plurality of standard read commands by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern;

the vendor command and/or the vendor data are packaged in at least a subsequent standard read command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the vendor command, the vendor data and the checkword are packaged in at least a standard write command by the host according to the vendor predetermined pattern.

11. An operation method for a computer system, the computer system including a host, a bridge interface and a device, the operation method including:

receiving a standard command transmitted from the host through the bridge interface by the device;

judging by the device whether an address field and/or a data length field and/or a data field of the received standard command comprises at least one of a vendor command, a vendor data and a checkword;

judging by the device whether the address field and/or the data length field and/or the data field of the received standard command matches a vendor predetermined pattern; and

performing a vendor operation by the device according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the address field and/or the data length field and/or the data field of the standard command if the device judges that the standard command matches the vendor predetermined pattern.

12. The operation method according to claim 11, further comprising:

in response to an inquiry from the host, the device responds an interface specification and a supported vendor translation mode to the host.

13. The operation method according to claim 11, wherein:

in a vendor read mode,

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands respectively comprises the predetermined checkwords according to the vendor predetermined pattern, and judges whether a sequence of receiving the translated standard read commands matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated subsequent standard read command if matched.

14. The operation method according to claim 11, wherein:

in a vendor write mode,

the device judges whether the translated standard write command comprises the checkword according to the vendor predetermined pattern so as to judge whether the standard write command matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated standard write command if matched.

15. The operation method according to claim 11, wherein:

in a vendor read/write mixed mode,

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands respectively comprise the predetermined checkwords according to the vendor predetermined pattern, and judges whether a sequence of receiving the translated standard read commands matches the vendor predetermined pattern;

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated subsequent standard read command if matched;

the device judges whether the translated standard write command comprises the checkword according to the vendor predetermined pattern so as to judge whether the standard write command matches the vendor predetermined pattern; and

the device performs the vendor operation according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated standard write command if matched.