Expandale modular storage unit

• US 6,970,349 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Szolyga, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/394,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20040184230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 361683-686
• US Class Current: 361/679.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution

Abstract

The present invention includes an expandable modular storage unit for a computer system. According to the present invention, the expandable modular storage unit includes a backplane capable of being coupled to a host computer system. A plurality of storage modules can be coupled to the backplane for communicating with the host computer system whereby the storage modules can communicate with each other and the host computer system. Through the use of the present invention, large amounts of data storage capability can be added to an existing system without the added expense of controller electronics and related software. An aspect of the present invention includes an expandable modular storage unit. The expandable modular storage unit includes a backplane and at least one storage module storage module coupled to the backplane wherein the at least one storage module includes communication means for communicating with at least one other storage module coupled to the backplane.

Claims

1. An expandable modular storage unit comprising:

a backplane including daisy chain connections for a daisy-chain of storage modules; and

a plurality of storage modules coupled to the backplane wherein each storage module comprises a storage module interface board, and wherein the storage module interface board comprises at least two data connectors, wherein each storage module interface board coupled to the backplane is daisy-chained via the at least two data connectors on each storage module interface board and via the daisy-chain connections on the backplane such that a host computer system connected at one end of the daisy-chain is operable to communicate with a storage module of the plurality of storage modules connected to the backplane on another end of the daisy-chain via the at least two data connectors of the storage module interface board in between the ends of the daisy-chain, and wherein the at least two data connectors for each storage module interface board comprises a first connector operable to receive a signal from at least one of the daisy-chain connections on the backplane and a second connector operable to transmit the received signal on at least one of the daisy-chain connections on the backplane,

wherein each of the plurality of storage modules include hard disk drives operable to transfer data stored in the hard disk drives to the host computer system via at least one of the daisy chain connections on the backplane and via the at least two data connectors on the respective storage module interface board; and

wherein each storage module interface board further comprises a converter operable to convert data received from the at least one other storage module from one standard to another standard, wherein the one standard is IDE-standard and the another standard is IEEE 1394 standard.

2. The expandable modular storage unit of claim 1 wherein each storage module interface board and the at least two data connectors for each storage module interface board comport with an IEEE 1394 standard.

3. An expandable computer system comprising:

a host computer system; and

an expandable storage unit coupled to the host computer system wherein the expandable modular storage unit comprises;

a backplane means for coupling the expandable storage unit to the host computer system via daisy-chain connections for a daisy-chain of storage module means; and

a plurality of storage module means for storing data and transferring the data to the host computer system via at least one of the daisy chain connections on the backplane, wherein each of the plurality of storage module means comprises a storage module interface board coupled to the backplane, wherein the storage module interface board comprises at least two data connectors, further wherein the storage module interface board coupled to the backplane is daisy-chained via the at least two data connectors on the storage module interface board and via the daisy-chain connections on the backplane such that the host computer system connected at one end of the daisy-chain is operable to communicate with a storage module means of the plurality of storage module means connected to the backplane on another end of the daisy-chain via the at least two data connectors of the storage module interface board in between the ends of the daisy-chain, and wherein the at least two data connectors for each storage module interface board comprises a first connector operable to receive a signal from at least one of the daisy-chain connections on the backplane and a second connector operable to transmit the received signal on the daisy-chain connections on the backplane,

wherein the plurality of storage module means include hard disk drives operable to transfer data stored in the hard disk drives to the host computer system via at least one of the daisy chain connections on the backplane and via the at least two data connectors on respective storage module interface boards; and

wherein each storage module interface board further comprises a converter operable to convert data received from one standard to another standard.

4. The expandable computer system of claim 3 wherein the storage module interface board and the at least two data connectors for each storage module means comport with an IEEE 1394 standard.

5. The expandable computer system of claim 3 wherein the one standard is IDE-standard and the another standard is IEEE 1394 standard.