Multifunction semiconductor storage device and a method for booting-up computer host

• US 7,644,218 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netac Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Netac Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Xiang, Feng, Cheng, Xiaohua, Deng, Guoshun
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers; Paul R
• Application Number:
  US11/923,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 710/302, 710/301, 710/8, 710/10
• US Class Current: 710/302
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• 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 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

A semiconductor storage device connected to the host system through the general purpose interface, including a semiconductor storage media module (1) and a controller module (2), in which the controller module (2) consists of a general purpose interface control module (21), a microprocessor and control module (22). Various device class protocols can be realized at the interface application level of the semiconductor storage device, which makes it possible to simulate and realize the storage functions of various storage disks. One or a plurality of storage spaces are opened up in the semiconductor storage media and one or a plurality of storage disks are supported by the same device; furthermore, the device supports hot plug and play and it is removable.

Claims

1. An external storage device for realizing the storage functions of one or more types of storage disks, comprising a semiconductor storage media module, a controller module comprising a USB/IEEE1394 interface control module, and a microprocessor and control module,

wherein the storage media module comprises one or more semiconductor storage media chips and stores the driver program of the device itself,

the device executes a process comprising

establishing connection for hot plug-and-play with a host system through a USB/IEEE1394 interface upon plugging in said external storage device;

detecting and obtaining the information of the storage module within said external storage device by the microprocessor and control module;

initializing the USB/IEEE1394 interface control module;

receiving, interpreting and executing the USB/IEEE1394 control command from said host system;

determining whether the status of said external storage device is set as a floppy disk drive or a large capacity storage disk, wherein said external storage device

utilizes one set of device class protocol and transport protocol, extracts and executes the device class commands, and simulates storing function of a floppy disk working on the floppy disk drive if the detected status is floppy disk drive; and

utilizes a different set of device class protocol and transport protocol extracts and executes the device class commands, and simulates storing function of a large capacity storage disk working on the large capacity disk drive if the detected status is large capacity storage disk.

2. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein said device class protocol is UFI (USB Floppy Interface) protocol, SFF80201 protocol, SFF80701 protocol, SCSI Transparent Command Set protocol, Reduced Block Commands (RBC) T10 Project 1240-D protocol, ZIP disk protocol, CD-ROM protocol or MO (Magneto-Optical) protocol.

3. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein said transport protocol is CBI (Control/Bulk/Intercept) transport protocol or BulkOnly protocol.

4. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor and control module having function of:

receiving control commands based on the USB/IEEE1394 interface protocol and interpreting and executing said control commands and returning the results of executions to said host system through said USB/IEEE1394 interface; and

receiving the simulated or customized storage disk device class protocol, interpreting and executing related commands and returning the results of executions to said host system through USB/IEEE1394 interface.

5. The external storage device according claim 4, wherein said commands include reading data, writing data, and reading device information.

6. The storage device according claim 5, further comprising a LED indicator for indicating the status of the semiconductor storage device, wherein the LED indicator is electrically connected to the microprocessor and control module, wherein said reading data includes reading data from said external storage device and the LED indicator blinking while reading data.

7. The external storage device according claim 5, further comprising a write protect switch, wherein said writing data includes writing data into said external storage device after determining the status of the write protect switch.

8. The external storage device according claim 7, wherein said determining the status of a write protect switch further includes detecting if the status of the write protect switch is on and then refusing the writing request and informing said host system of the refusal.

9. The external storage device according claim 8, wherein said writing data includes converting the logical addresses in said storage device defined on said host system into actual storage chip number and physical addresses of the storage chip.

10. The storage device according claim 1, wherein the storage media module stores the driver program of the storage disk whose function is to be realized.

11. The storage device according claim 10, further comprising a storage disk selection switch for selecting at least one storage disk so that the selected disk can be recognized, controlled and accessed by the host system.

12. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor storage media is flash memory, EEPROM, FRAM, SRAM, DRAM, SDRAM, or MRAM.

13. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein when the status of the device is determined to be floppy disk drive, the device supports UFI device class protocol and communicates with the host system using CBI transport protocol.

14. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein when the status of the device is determined to be large capacity drive, the device supports the SFF80701 device class protocol and communicates with the host system using BulkOnly transport protocol.

15. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the interface is USB, when the status of the device is determined to be floppy disk drive, the device supports UFI device class protocol and communicates with the host system using CBI transport protocol.

16. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the interface is USB, when the status of the device is determined to be large capacity drive, the device supports the SFF80701 device class protocol and communicates with the host system using BulkOnly transport protocol.

17. The external storage device according to claim 4, wherein the controller module further comprises a buffer module which is a static random access memory (SRAM) and is electronically connected to the microprocessor and control module, said buffer module saves the original data of the storage units and writes the data into the buffer and finally writes the data of the buffer back into the semiconductor storage media.

18. The external storage device according to claim 4, wherein the semiconductor storage module is a flash memory module.

19. The external storage device according to claim 11, wherein the microprocessor and control module having function of reading the status of the storage disk selection switch.

20. The external storage device according to claim 4, wherein the microprocessor and control module has function of

initializing the USB/IEEE1394 interface control module;

initializing the semiconductor storage module;

detecting the capacity of the semiconductor storage module; and

writing data into the semiconductor storage device or reading data from the semiconductor device.

21. The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the storage media module comprises a special information area for storing special information including information related to the storage disk, password and digital signature of the user.