Data-storage system having a wireless connection architecture for wireless data exchange between modules

• US 7,260,358 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• 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: Benson, Anthony J, White, James L, deBlanc, James J
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/458,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20040253922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.7, 455/41.1, 455/556.1, 455/414.1, 455/41.2, 358/426.08, 358/434, 345/169, 345/168
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1445 with double-sided connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1451 with connections between circuit boards or units

Abstract

A connection architecture for a data-storage system may include: a connection-plane structure; a data-storage module attached to, and drawing power from, the connection-plane structure; an input/output (I/O) module attached to, and drawing power from, the connection-plane structure; and wireless means for exchanging data wirelessly between the data-storage module and the I/O module.

Claims

1. A connection architecture for a data-storage system, the architecture comprising:

a connection-plane structure;

a data-storage module attached to, and drawing power from, the connection-plane structure;

an input/output (I/O) module attached to, and drawing power from, the connection-plane structure; and

wireless means for exchanging data wirelessly between the data-storage module and the I/O module.

2. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the data are in the form of high-speed signals having sufficiently high speed to otherwise merit, it the communication path between the data-storage module and the I/O module was formed substantially of metallic conductors, using impedance-matched transmission lines as the metallic conductors.

3. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the wireless means is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the data-storage module and the I/O module.

4. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the connection-plane structure is a midplane.

5. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the data-storage unit includes at least one of a disk-drive-based memory device;

a tape-based memory device and a solid-state-based memory device.

6. A connection architecture for a data-storage system, the architecture comprising:

a connection-plane structure;

a data-storage module attached to the connection-plane structure;

a first wireless transceiver operable to transmit data between the data-storage module and a second wireless transceiver unit;

an input/output (I/O) module attached to the connection-plane structure; and

the second wireless transceiver, which is operable to transmit data between the I/O module and the first wireless transceiver unit.

7. The architecture of claim 6, wherein the data are in the form of high-speed signals having sufficiently high speed to otherwise merit, if the communication path between the data-storage module and the I/O module was formed substantially of metallic conductors, using impedance-matched transmission lines as the metallic conductors.

8. The architecture of claim 6, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the data-storage module and the second wireless transceiver; and

the second wireless transceivers is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the I/O module and the first wireless transceiver.

9. The architecture of claim 6, wherein the connection-plane structure is one of:

a midplane through which power can be drawn; and

a rack.

10. The architecture of claim 6, wherein the data-storage unit includes at least one of a disk-drive-based memory device;

a tape-based memory device and a solid-state-based memory device.

11. The architecture of claim 6, wherein each transceiver includes a PCB-type antenna.

12. An intra-enclosure-wireless connection arrangement for a data-storage system, the arrangement comprising:

an enclosure;

a data-storage module provided within the enclosure;

an input/output (I/O) module provided within the enclosure; and

wireless means for intra-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the data-storage module and the I/O module.

13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the data are in the form of high-speed signals having sufficiently high speed to otherwise merit, if the communication path between the data-storage module and the I/O module was formed substantially of metallic conductors, using impedance-matched transmission lines as the metallic conductors.

14. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the wireless means is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the data-storage module and the I/O module.

15. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the enclosure is an EMI-shielding type of enclosure.

16. The arrangement of claim 12, further comprising:

a power supply module; and

a cable harness connecting, and supplying power, to the data-storage module and the I/O module, respectively.

17. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the data-storage unit includes at least one of a disk-drive-based memory device;

a tape-based memory device and a solid-state-based memory device.

18. An intra-enclosure-wireless connection arrangement for a data-storage system, the arrangement comprising:

an enclosure;

a data-storage module provided within the enclosure;

a first wireless transceiver operable for intra-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the data-storage module and a second wireless transceiver unit;

an input/output (I/O) module provided within the enclosure; and

the second wireless transceiver, which is operable for intra-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the I/O module and the first wireless transceiver unit.

19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the data are in the form of high-speed signals having sufficiently high speed to otherwise merit, if the communication path between the data-storage module and the I/O module was formed substantially of metallic conductors, using impedance-matched transmission lines as the metallic conductors.

20. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein:

the first wireless transceiver is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the data-storage module and the second wireless transceiver; and

the second wireless transceivers is operable to also wirelessly exchange at least one of status and control signals between the I/O module and the first wireless transceiver.

21. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the enclosure is an EMI-shielding type of enclosure.

22. The arrangement of claim 18, further comprising:

a power supply module; and

one of a cable harness and a connection-plane structure, each

connecting to the power supply module, the data-storage module and the I/O module, and

supplying power from the power supply module to the data-storage module and the I/O module, respectively.

23. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the data-storage unit includes at least one of a disk-drive-based memory device;

a tape-based memory device and a solid-state-based memory device.

24. The architecture of claim 18, wherein each transceiver includes a PCB-type antenna.

25. An intra-enclosure-wireless and inter-enclosure-wireless connection arrangement for a data-storage system, the arrangement comprising:

a first data-storage block including

a first enclosure,

first data-storage means provided within the first enclosure,

first input/output (I/O) means provided within the first enclosure, and

first wireless means for intra-first-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the first data-storage means and the first I/O means;

a second data-storage block including

a second enclosure,

second data-storage means provided within the second enclosure,

second input/output (I/O) means provided within the second enclosure, and

second wireless means for intra-second-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the second data-storage means and the second I/O means;

a cabinet that encloses the first and second data-storage blocks;

third wireless means, provided within the cabinet, for intra-cabinet albeit inter-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the first I/O means and third I/O means;

fourth wireless means, provided within the cabinet, for intra-cabinet albeit inter-enclosure wireless exchange of data between the second I/O means and the third I/O means; and

the third I/O means, which is operable to exchange data between an entity external to the first and second data-storage blocks and at least one of the third wireless means and the fourth wireless means.

26. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the entity is also external to the cabinet.