Methods, flash memory controller, and electronic device for SD memory card device

An electronic device used to be coupled to an SD memory card device and capable of controlling a data transmission mode of the SD memory card device, the electronic device to be at a host and having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least operating under an SD mode and having a second external signal port, and the electronic device comprises:

• the first external signal port having multiple pins and to be coupled to multiple pins of the second external signal port of the SD memory card device;
• a driving circuit, coupled to the first external signal port;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the driving circuit, and used for:
• controlling the driving circuit to send a first power signal corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• sending a second power signal from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via one of a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of a PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• communicating with the SD memory card device based on a communication connection protocol in the Linkup state of the PCIe mode;
• operating the SD memory card device under the PCIe mode if the communication connection protocol succeeds;
• and
• sending a command CMD0 corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CMD employed by the SD mode or sending a specific clock SDCLK corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CLK employed by the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via the first external signal port and the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device to enter the SD mode from the Linkup state if the communication connection protocol fails;
• wherein a plurality of pins, used for a data line, of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device are shared by another input/output communication interface standard of a PCIe channel with an NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode, and the plurality of pins of the UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

A method for controlling a data transmission mode of an SD memory card device, an electronic to be used as a host and having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least operates an SD mode and has a second external signal port, the SD memory card device to be coupled to the electronic device via the first external signal port and the second external signal port, and the method comprises:

• sending a first power signal corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device used as the host to the SD memory card device via the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• sending a command CMD0 corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via pin CMD employed by the SD mode or sending a specific clock SDCLK corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via pin CLK employed by the SD mode, to control and make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the initial state and operate under the SD mode;
• sending a command CMD8 from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via the pin CMD to query whether the SD memory card device supports a PCIe mode;
• controlling the SD memory card device to operate under the SD mode if the SD memory card device responses that the PCIe mode is not supported;
• and
• sending a second power signal from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via one of a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port if the SD memory card device responses that the PCIe mode is supported, to control and make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of the PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• wherein a plurality of pins of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device, used for a data line, are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of PCIe channel with NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode;
• the plurality of pins used as the data line in the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

An electronic device to be coupled to an SD memory card device and capable of controlling a data transmission mode of the SD memory card device, the electronic device to be at a host and having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least can operate under an SD mode and have a second external signal port, and the electronic device comprises:

• the first external signal port, having a plurality of pins to be coupled to multiple pins of the second external signal port of the SD memory card device;
• a driving circuit, coupled to the first external signal port;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the driving circuit, configured for:
• controlling the driving circuit to send a first power signal corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device through the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• controlling the driving circuit to send a command CMD0 corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device through the pin CMD employed by the SD mode or to send a specific clock SDCLK corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device through a pin CLK employed by the SD mode, to control and make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the initial state and operate under the SD mode;
• controlling the driving circuit to send a command CMD8 from the electronic device to the SD memory card device through the pin CMD to query whether the SD memory card device supports a PCIe mode;
• controlling the SD memory card device to operate under the SD mode if the SD memory card device responses that the PCIe mode is not supported;
• and
• sending a second power signal from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via one of a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port if the SD memory card device responses that the PCIe mode is supported, to control and make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of the PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• wherein a plurality of pins of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device, used for a data line, are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of PCIe channel with NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode;
• the plurality of pins used as the data line in the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

A method used in an SD memory card device, an electronic device used as a host having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device can at least operate under an SD mode and have a second external signal port, the SD memory card device to be coupled to the electronic device through the first external signal port and the second external signal port, and the method comprises:

• receiving a first power signal corresponding to the SD mode from the electronic device through the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• receiving a second power signal from the electronic device through one among a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• communicating with the electronic device based on a communication connection protocol in the Linkup state of the PCIe mode;
• operating the SD memory card device under the PCIe mode if the communication connection protocol succeeds;
• and
• sending a command CMD0 corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CMD employed by the SD mode or sending a specific clock SDCLK corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CLK employed by the SD mode from the electronic device to the SD memory card device via the first external signal port and the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the Linkup state if the communication connection protocol fails;
• wherein a plurality of pins of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device, used for a data line, are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of PCIe channel with NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode;
• the plurality of pins used as the data line in the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

A flash memory controller of an SD memory card device, the SD memory card device to be coupled to an electronic device, the electronic device to be at a host and having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least can operate under an SD mode and have a second external signal port, the second external signal port having multiple pins to be coupled multiple pins of the first external signal port of the electronic device, the SD memory card device further comprising a flash memory, the flash memory controller to be coupled between the flash memory and the second external signal port and comprises:

• a register, configured for temporarily storing information of the flash memory;
• and a processing circuit, coupled to the register, configured for:
• receiving a first power signal, corresponding to the SD mode, sent from the electronic device through the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• receiving a second power signal sent from the electronic device through one among a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of a PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• communicating with the electronic device based on a communication connection protocol in the Linkup state of the PCIe mode;
• controlling the processing circuit operate under the PCIe mode if the communication connection protocol succeeds;
• and
• receiving a command CMD0 corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CMD employed by the SD mode or receiving a specific clock SDCLK corresponding to the SD mode at a pin CLK employed by the SD mode through the first external signal port and the second external signal port, to control and make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the Linkup state if the communication connection protocol fails;
• wherein a plurality of pins, used for a data line, of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of a PCIe channel with an NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode;
• the plurality of pins used as the data line in the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

A method used in an SD memory card device, an electronic device used as a host having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least can operate under an SD mode and have a second external signal port, the SD memory card device to be coupled to the electronic device through the first external signal port and the second external signal port, and the method comprises:

• receiving a first power signal, corresponding to the SD mode, sent from the electronic device through the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port, to make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• receiving a command CMD0, corresponding to the SD mode, sent from a pin CMD employed by the SD mode from the electronic device or a specific clock SDCLK, corresponding to the SD mode, sent from a pin CLK employed by the SD mode from the electronic device, to make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the initial state and operate under the SD mode;
• receiving a command CMD8 sent from the electronic device through the pin CMD wherein the command CMD8 is used to query whether the SD memory card device supports a PCIe mode;
• responding the electronic device that the SD memory card device does not support the PCIe mode and maintain at the SD mode if the PCIe mode is not supported;
• and
• responding the electronic device that the SD memory card device supports the PCIe mode if the PCIe mode is supported, and then receiving a second power signal sent from the electronic device through one among a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port, to make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of the PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• wherein a plurality of pins, used for a data line, of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of a PCIe channel with an NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode;
• the plurality of pins used as the data line in the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.

A flash memory controller of an SD memory card device, the SD memory card device to be coupled to an electronic device, the electronic device to be at a host and having a first external signal port, the SD memory card device at least can operate under an SD mode and have a second external signal port, the second external signal port having multiple pins to be coupled to multiple pins of the first external signal port of the electronic device, the SD memory card device further having a flash memory, the flash memory controller being coupled between the flash memory and the second external signal port and comprises:

• a register, used for temporarily storing information of the flash memory;
• and a processing circuit, coupled to the register, used for:
• receiving a first power signal, corresponding to the SD mode, sent from the first external signal port and a pin VDD1 of the second external signal port from the electronic device, to control and make the SD memory card device enter an initial state;
• receiving a command CMD0, corresponding to the SD mode, through the pin CMD employed by the SD mode sent from the electronic device or a specific clock SDCLK, corresponding to the SD mode, through a pin CLK employed by the SD mode sent from the electronic device, to control and make the SD memory card device enter the SD mode from the initial state and operated under the SD mode;
• receiving a command CMD8 through the pin CMD sent from the electronic device, the command CMD8 being used for querying whether the SD memory card device supports a PCIe mode;
• using the processing circuit to respond the electronic device that the secure digital memory card device does not support the PCIe mode and maintaining the SD memory card device at the SD mode if the SD memory card device does not support the PCIe mode;
• and
• using the processing circuit to respond the electronic device that the SD memory card device supports the PCIe mode and then receiving a second power signal through one among a pin VDD2 and a pin VDD3 of the second external signal port sent from the electronic device if the SD memory card device supports the PCIe mode, to control and make the SD memory card device enter a Linkup state of the PCIe mode, a voltage level of the second power signal being lower than a voltage level of the first power signal;
• wherein a plurality of pins, used for a data line, of an UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode of the SD memory card device are shared to be used by another input/output communication interface standard of a PCIe channel with an NVMe protocol employed by the PCIe mode, and the plurality of pins of the UHS-I input/output communication interface standard employed by the SD mode comprise pins of pin numbers 1, 7, 8, and 9.