Multi-protocol storage device bridge

• US 8,301,822 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pinto, Yosi, Fridman, Amir, Duzly, Yacov, Hakoun, Eyal
• Primary Examiner(s): Spittle, Matthew D
• Application Number:
  US12/565,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 713/340, 710/65, 710/301, 710/305, 710/36, 710/311, 710/313, 710/315, 714/43, 714/44
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3852 Converter between protocols
• 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 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0688 Non-volatile semiconductor memory arrays

Abstract

A bridge includes a host interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a host, and a storage device interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a storage device. The bridge also includes one SDPC, a controller and a switching system that is configurable by the controller to connect the protocol converter to the host interface and the storage device interface if the storage device protocol used by the host device differs from the storage device protocol used by the storage device, and to connect the host device interface to the storage device interface, not via the bi-directional protocol converter, if the two storage device protocols are the same. The bridge may include two SDPCs, each for converting a different protocol to the host protocol and vice versa, with the switching system being configurable to switch between the two SDPCs. The bridge may omit the SDPC altogether, with the switching system being configurable to switch between connecting (1) the host device interface to the storage device interface, and (2) bypassing the storage device interface.

Claims

1. A method of communication between a host device and a storage device, the method comprising:

in a bridge comprising a controller, a switching system, a bi-directional converter, a host interface configured to interface with a host device that uses a first storage device protocol, and a storage device interface configured to interface with a storage device that uses the first storage device protocol or that uses a second storage device protocol different from the first storage device protocol, the controller performing;

determining, in response to the storage device being operatively connected to the bridge via the storage device interface, whether the storage device uses the first storage device protocol or whether the storage device uses the second storage device protocol;

in response to the storage device using the second storage device protocol, configuring the switching system such that the bi-directional converter is functionally connected between the host interface and the storage device interface and converting communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol, and

in response to the storage device using the first storage device protocol, configuring the switching system to bypass the bi-directional converter when connecting the host interface to the storage device interface,

wherein one of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol is a secure digital (SD) over universal flash storage (UFS) protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to recall that the host device uses the first storage device protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller further performs determining a type of storage device protocol used by the host device through interaction between the controller and the host device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage device protocol facilitates faster data communication than the second storage device protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage device protocol is one of a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol and an ultra high speed (UHS-II) protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second storage device protocol is one of a secure digital (SD) protocol, a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol, and an ultra high speed (UHS-II) protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is one of secure digital (SD) card, universal flash storage (UFS) card, ultra high speed (UHS-II) card, SD-UFS card, and SD-UHS-II card.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the bridge connects to a host device and to a storage device via a data network, wherein the data network has one of a chain topology and a ring topology.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the bridge is connected directly to one of the host device and to a communication hub.

10. A storage system bridge, the storage system bridge comprising:

a host interface configured to interface with a host device that uses a first storage device protocol;

a storage device interface configured to interface with a storage device that uses the first storage device protocol or that uses a second storage device protocol different from the first storage device protocol;

a bi-directional converter configured to convert communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol to and the second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol;

a controller; and

a switching system,

wherein, in response to the storage device being operatively coupled to the storage device interface, the controller is configured;

to determine whether the storage device uses the first storage device protocol or whether the storage device uses the second storage device protocol;

in response to the storage device using the second storage device protocol, to configure the switching system such that the bi-directional converter is functionally connected between the host interface and the storage device interface and converting the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol, and

in response to the storage device using the first storage device protocol;

to configure the switching system to bypass the bi-directional converter when connecting the host interface to the storage device interface,

wherein the storage system bridge connects to the host device and to the storage device via a bus, wherein the bus has one of a chain topology and a ring topology, wherein the switching system includes a bypass switch, and wherein the controller is further configured to detect a disconnection of the storage device from the storage device interface and in response to detecting the disconnection, to activate the bypass switch so as to bypass the storage device interface.

11. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to recall that the host device uses the first storage device protocol.

12. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a type of storage device protocol through interaction with the host device.

13. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the first storage device protocol facilitates faster data communication than the second storage device protocol.

14. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the first storage device protocol is one of a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol and an ultra high speed (UHS-II) protocol.

15. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the second storage device protocol is one of a secure digital (SD) protocol, a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol, and an ultra high speed (UHS-II) protocol.

16. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein one of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol is a small computer system interface (SCSI) over universal flash storage (UFS) protocol.

17. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein one of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol is a secure digital over universal flash storage (SD-over-UFS) protocol.

18. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the storage device is one of a secure digital (SD) memory card, a universal flash storage (UFS) memory card, an ultra high speed (UHS-II) memory card, an SD-UFS card, and an SD-UHS-II card.

19. The storage system bridge of claim 10, further comprising a connection analyzer configured to determine whether a storage device is interfaced with the storage system bridge and configured to determine a storage device protocol type that at least one of the host device and the storage device uses.

20. The storage system bridge of claim 10, wherein the storage system bridge is connected directly to one of the host device and to a communication hub.

21. A storage system bridge, comprising:

a host interface configured to interface with a host device that uses a first storage device protocol;

a storage device interface configured to interface with a storage device that uses one of a second storage device protocol and a third storage device protocol, wherein each of the second storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol differ from the first storage device protocol;

a first bi-directional converter configured to convert communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol;

a second bi-directional converter configured to convert the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol;

a controller; and

a switching system that includes a bypass switch,

wherein, in response to the storage device being operatively connected to the storage device interface, the controller is configured;

to determine whether the storage device uses the second storage device protocol or whether the storage device uses the third storage device protocol;

in response to the storage device using the second storage device protocol, to configure the switching system such that the first bi-directional converter is functionally connected between the host interface and the storage device interface and converting the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol to and the second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol, and

in response to the storage device using the third storage device protocol, to configure the switching system such that the second bi-directional converter is functionally connected between the host interface and the storage device interface and converting the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol, and

to detect a disconnection of the storage device from the storage device interface and to respond to the disconnection by activating the bypass switch so as to bypass the storage device interface.

22. The storage system bridge of claim 21, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to recall that the host device uses the first storage device protocol without interaction with the host device.

23. The storage system bridge of claim 21, wherein the controller is further configured to detect a type of storage device protocol through interaction with the host device.

24. The storage system bridge of claim 21, further comprising a connection analyzer configured to detect whether the storage device is interfaced with the storage system bridge, and configured to detect a storage device protocol type that at least one of the host device and the storage device uses.

25. A storage system bridge, comprising:

a host interface configured to interface with a host device via a bus having a ring topology, wherein the host interface uses a first storage device protocol;

a storage device interface configured to interface with a storage device via the bus having the ring topology, wherein the storage device interface uses the first storage device protocol or a second storage device protocol different from the first storage device protocol, wherein one of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol is a secure digital (SD) over universal flash storage (UFS) protocol;

a controller; and

a configurable bypass switch,

wherein the controller is configured;

to determine whether a the storage device is operatively connected to the storage device interface;

in response to the storage device being operatively connected to the storage device interface, to connect the host device interface to the storage device interface, and

in response to the storage device not being connected to the storage device interface, to activate the configurable bypass switch so as to bypass the storage device interface.

26. The storage system bridge of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to detect whether the storage device is using the second storage device protocol or a third storage device protocol.

27. The storage system bridge of claim 26, further comprising a second bi-directional converter configured to convert the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol, wherein the controller is configured to functionally connect the second bi-directional converter between the host interface and the storage device interface in response to detecting that the storage device uses the third storage device protocol.

28. The storage system bridge of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to detect whether the storage device is using the first storage device protocol or the second storage device protocol.

29. The storage system bridge of claim 25, wherein the first storage device protocol facilitates faster data communication than the second storage device protocol.

30. The storage system bridge of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to determine use of the first storage device protocol by the host device through interaction between the controller and the host device.

31. A storage system bridge, comprising:

a host interface;

a storage device interface;

a bi-directional converter configured to convert communicated data from either of a first storage device protocol and a second storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol, wherein one of the first storage device protocol and the second storage device protocol is

a small computer system interface (SCSI over universal flash storage (UFS) protocol; and

a controller;

wherein, in response to a storage device being operatively coupled to the storage device interface while a host device that uses the first storage device protocol is operatively coupled to the host device interface, the controller is configured to functionally connect the bi-directional converter between the host interface and the storage device interface in response to detecting that the storage device uses the second storage device protocol.

32. The storage system bridge of claim 31, wherein the controller is further configured to detect whether the storage device is using the first storage device protocol or the second storage device protocol.

33. The storage system bridge of claim 31, wherein the controller is further configured to detect whether the storage device is using the second storage device protocol or a third storage device protocol.

34. The storage system bridge of claim 33, further comprising a second bi-directional converter configured to convert the communicated data from either of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol to the other of the first storage device protocol and the third storage device protocol, wherein the controller is configured to functionally connect the second bi-directional converter between the host interface and the storage device interface in response to detecting that the storage device uses the third storage device protocol.