Operation method for a computer system

• US 8,838,866 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaman, Faisal M
• Application Number:
  US13/349,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 710/306, 710/315
• 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 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, vendor data and a checkword in a respective address field and/or a respective data length field and/or a respective data field of a plurality of standard commands by the host according to a vendor predetermined pattern;

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

translating the standard commands and transmitting the translated commands 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 commands match the vendor predetermined pattern according to the vendor predetermined pattern to determine whether to perform a vendor operation, the device judging at least one of whether a receiving sequence of the translated standard commands containing a predetermined checkword matches a predetermined receiving sequence pattern, and whether the number of the received translated standard commands containing the predetermined checkword matches a predetermined value; and

performing the vendor operation and returning to the host by the device according to the vendor command and/or the vendor data of the translated standard commands 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

the device judges whether each of the translated standard commands contains the predetermined checkword;

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 the standard read commands and the subsequent standard read command;

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands match 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 the standard write command;

the device judges 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 the standard read commands and the subsequent standard read command;

the device judges whether the translated standard read commands match 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 the standard write command;

the device judges 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, vendor data and a checkword in a respective address field and/or a respective data length field and/or a respective data field of a plurality of standard commands by the host according to a vendor predetermined pattern which includes at least one of that a sending sequence of the standard commands containing a predetermined checkword matches a predetermined sending sequence pattern, and that the number of the standard commands containing the predetermined checkword matches a predetermined value;

transmitting the standard commands 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, wherein the device judges whether the standard commands match the vendor predetermined pattern according to the vendor predetermined pattern to determine whether to perform a vendor operation.

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

the vendor predetermined pattern further includes whether each of the translated standard commands contains the predetermined checkword;

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 plurality of standard commands transmitted from the host through the bridge interface by the device;

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

judging by the device whether the respective address field and/or the respective data length field and/or the respective data field of the received standard commands matches a vendor predetermined pattern to determine whether to perform a vendor operation, the device judging at least one of whether a receiving sequence of the standard commands containing a predetermined checkword matches a predetermined receiving sequence pattern, and whether the number of the received standard commands containing the predetermined checkword matches a predetermined value; and

performing the 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 commands if matched.

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; and

judging by the device that whether each of the standard commands contains the predetermined checkword.