Cross-over and bypass configurations for high-speed data transmission

• US 8,966,134 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Dean
• Application Number:
  US13/403,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20120215950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 710/33
• US Class Current: 710/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• 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 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4221 being an input/output bus, e.g. ISA bus, EISA bus, PCI bus, SCSI bus

Abstract

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may improve networking techniques for transferring data among various electronic devices. One example may provide sharing data among various devices by daisy-chaining devices together. That is, several devices may be connected to each other through a series of cables to form a chain of devices. In this physical configuration, data may be shared among multiple devices using a series of single-hop virtual tunnels. Alternatively, a number of tunnels may be formed by a host device, each having a target device in the daisy chain. Each tunnel may originate at the host device and terminate at their target device. Each tunnel may bypass devices between the host device and the tunnel'"'"'s target device. These two techniques may also be combined. Another example may provide a method of simplifying the routing of high-speed data signals through a network topology.

Claims

1. A method of transferring data among a plurality of electronic devices comprising:

forming a first tunnel in a host device, the first tunnel for conveying data for a first electronic device and a second electronic device;

using a first physical cable as a physical path for the first tunnel to transmit the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device;

receiving the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device at the first electronic device using a first switching circuit in the first electronic device;

passing the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device from the first switching circuit to a second switching circuit in the first electronic device;

providing the data for the first electronic device to circuitry in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit;

forming a second tunnel in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit, the second tunnel for conveying data for the second electronic device;

passing the data for the second electronic device from the second switching circuit to the first switching circuit;

using a second physical cable as a path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device from the first switching circuit in the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and

receiving the data for the second electronic device at the second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device is PCIe data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first tunnel and the second tunnel are formed by a first PCIe adapter and a second PCIe adapter, each PCIe adapter associated with a switching circuit.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the host device is a laptop device and the first electronic device is a hard drive.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first tunnel and the second tunnel are Thunderbolt compliant.

6. The method of claim 1 where the first switching circuit is a Thunderbolt switch and the second switching circuit is a PCIe switch.

7. A method of transferring data among a plurality of electronic devices comprising:

forming a first tunnel in a host device, the first tunnel for conveying data for a first electronic device;

forming a second tunnel in the host device, the second tunnel for conveying data for a second electronic device;

using a first physical cable as a physical path for the first tunnel to transmit the data for the first electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device;

using the first physical cable as a physical path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device;

receiving the data for the first electronic device at the first electronic device;

bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel;

using a second physical cable as a physical path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device from the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and

receiving the data for the second electronic device at the second electronic device,

wherein receiving the data for the first electronic device at the first electronic device and bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel comprises;

receiving the data for the first electronic device and the data for the second electronic device at a first switching circuit in the first electronic device;

providing the data for the first electronic device to a second switching circuit in the first electronic device using the first switching circuit;

providing the data for the first electronic device to circuitry in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit; and

providing the data for the second electronic circuit to the second cable using the first switching circuit.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel comprises passing through a first switch and not passing through a second switch.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the data for the first electronic device and the second electronic device is PCIe data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first tunnel is formed by a first PCIe adapter and the second tunnel is formed by a second PCIe adapter.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first tunnel and the second tunnel are Thunderbolt compliant.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the first switching circuit does not provide the data for the second electronic device to the second switching circuit.

13. The method of claim 12 where the first switching circuit is a Thunderbolt switch and the second switching circuit is a PCIe switch.

14. A method of transferring data among a plurality of electronic devices comprising:

forming a first tunnel in a host device, the first tunnel for conveying data for a first electronic device;

forming a second tunnel in the host device, the second tunnel for conveying data for a second electronic device and a third electronic device;

using a first physical cable as a physical path for the first tunnel to transmit the data for the first electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device;

using the first physical cable as a physical path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device and the third electronic device from the host device to the first electronic device;

receiving the data for the first electronic device at the first electronic device;

bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel;

using a second physical cable as a physical path for the second tunnel to transmit the data for the second electronic device and the third electronic device from the first electronic device to the second electronic device;

receiving the data for the second electronic device and the third electronic device at the second electronic device;

forming a third tunnel in the second electronic device, the third tunnel for conveying data for the third electronic device;

using a third physical cable as a path for the third tunnel to transmit the data for the third electronic device from the second electronic device to the third electronic device; and

receiving the data for the third electronic device at the third electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel comprises passing through a first switch and not passing through a second switch.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the data for the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device is PCIe data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first tunnel is formed by a first PCIe adapter and the second tunnel is formed by a second PCIe adapter.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the third tunnel is formed by a third PCIe adapter.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first tunnel, the second tunnel, and the third tunnel are Thunderbolt compliant.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the data for the first electronic device at the first electronic device and bypassing at least a portion of the first electronic device with the second tunnel comprises:

receiving the data for the first electronic device, the data for the second electronic device, and the data for the third electronic device at a first switching circuit in the first electronic device;

providing the data for the first electronic device to a second switching circuit in the first electronic device using the first switching circuit;

providing the data for the first electronic device to circuitry in the first electronic device using the second switching circuit; and

providing the data for the second electronic circuit and the third electronic circuit to the second cable using the first switching circuit.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the first switching circuit does not provide the data for the second electronic device and the third electronic device to the second switching circuit.

22. The method of claim 21 where the first switching circuit is a Thunderbolt switch and the second switching circuit is a PCIe switch.