Back to results
US 10,097,636 B1Granted
Data storage device docking station
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorJohn E. Maroney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for communicating data between a plurality of data storage devices. Multiple standalone data storage devices may be coupled to a data storage device docking station. A master data storage device may control the communication the communication of data between the standalone data storage devices. Slave data storage devices may communicated data based on one or more commands transmitted by the master data storage device.
Claims22
A data storage device docking station, comprising:
- a plurality of serial bus connectors configured to couple with a plurality of standalone network-access storage (NAS) devices;
- a controller, configured to couple to the plurality of standalone NAS devices, the controller further configured to:
- identify a master data storage device from the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- communicate data between the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on commands from the master data storage device;
- a serial bus switch coupled to the plurality of serial bus connectors, the serial bus switch configured to communicate data between the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on one or more commands transmitted by the master data storage device;
- a plurality of docking bays, wherein each docking bay of the plurality of docking bays is configured to receive a NAS device from the plurality of standalone NAS devices and wherein each docking bay of the plurality of docking bays comprises a serial bus connector from the plurality of serial bus connectors;
- and
- a direct memory access (DMA) controller configured to:
- receive data from a first NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- write the data to a memory of a second NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on the one or more commands received from the master data storage device.
9 more elements
A standalone network attached storage (NAS) device, comprising:
- a network access interface;
- a serial bus connector configured to couple with a data storage device docking station, the data storage device docking station comprising:
- a plurality of docking bays for receiving a plurality of standalone NAS devices,
- wherein each docking bay comprises a receiving serial bus connector,
- wherein the data storage device docking station is configured to receive the standalone NAS device and one or more additional standalone NAS devices;
- a non-volatile memory;
- and
- a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory, the controller configured to:
- determine whether the standalone NAS device is to operate in a master mode or a slave mode;
- consequent to determining to operate in the master mode:
- control communication of data between the standalone NAS device and the one or more additional standalone NAS devices;
- and
- cause data to be written to a memory of a second NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- consequent to determining to operate in the slave mode:
- communicate data with the one or more additional NAS devices;
- and
- write data to the non-volatile memory based on one or more commands transmitted by a master standalone NAS device.
15 more elements
A method, comprising:
- coupling a standalone network-access storage (NAS) device to a data storage device docking station, the data storage device docking station comprising:
- a plurality of docking bays for receiving a plurality of standalone NAS devices,
- wherein each docking bay comprises a serial bus connector,
- wherein the data storage device docking station is configured to receive the standalone NAS device and one or more additional standalone NAS devices;
- determining whether the NAS device is to operate in a master mode or a slave mode;
- consequent to determining to operate in the master mode:
- controlling communication of data between the NAS device and the one or more additional standalone NAS devices;
- and
- causing data to be written to a memory of a second NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- consequent to determining to operate in the slave mode:
- communicating data with the one or more additional standalone NAS devices;
- and
- writing data to a memory of the standalone NAS based on one or more commands transmitted by a master NAS device.
11 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of serial bus connectors configured to couple with a plurality of standalone network-access storage (NAS) devices, the plurality of standalone NAS devices comprising:
- a plurality of network interfaces configured to substantially simultaneously communicate data with one or more networks;
- and
- a plurality of controllers configured to substantially simultaneously process the data;
- a plurality of docking bays for receiving the plurality of standalone NAS devices, each docking bay comprising a receiving serial bus connector from the plurality of serial bus connectors;
- a first controller, configured to couple to the plurality of standalone NAS devices, the first controller configured to:
- identify a master NAS device from the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- communicate data between the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on commands from the master NAS device;
- a serial bus switch coupled to the plurality of serial bus connectors, the serial bus switch configured to communicate data between the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on one or more commands transmitted by the master NAS device;
- and
- a direct memory access (DMA) controller configured to:
- receive data from a first NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices;
- and
- write the data to a memory of a second NAS device of the plurality of standalone NAS devices based on the one or more commands received from the master NAS device.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.