# US 2018/0024962 A1 · Electronic device configured to control non-directly connected storage device among serially connected storage devices, storage device included therein, computing system including the same, and operation method of controller of storage device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024962 A1 - Document ID: US20180024962A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/647,558 - Filed: 2017-07-12 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: YOUNGMIN LEE; SUNGHO SEO; HYUNTAE PARK; HWASEOK OH - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024962A1 ## CPC - G06F 13/4286: {using a handshaking protocol, e.g. RS232C link} - G06F 3/061: {Improving I/O performance} - G06F 3/0632: {by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems} - G06F 3/0655: {Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices} - G06F 3/0679: {Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]} - H04L 69/08: Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion - H04L 69/323: in the physical layer [OSI layer 1] - H04L 69/329: in the application layer [OSI layer 7] - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A device includes a first input/output (I/O) port for communication with an external processor, a second I/O port for communication with a second device, and an interface adaptor supporting communication through the first and second I/O ports via a protocol having a plurality of layers, including an application layer, a physical layer, and a physical adaptor layer. The application layer processes information according to an application layer format and the physical adaptor layer processes information according to a physical adaptor layer format. The device receives from the external processor through the first I/O port a request in the application layer format that one or more communication conditions be set for a physical layer of the second device, converts the request from the application layer format to the physical adaptor layer format, and sends the converted request in the physical adaptor layer format to the second device through the second I/O port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, comprising: a first input/output port configured to be connected to an external processor for communication between the external processor and the device; a second input/output port configured to be connected to a second device for communication between the processor and the second device via the device; and at least one interface adaptor for supporting communication by the device through the first and second input/output ports via a protocol having a plurality of layers including at least an application layer, a physical layer, and a physical adaptor layer, wherein the application layer processes information according to an application layer format and the physical adaptor layer processes information according to a physical adaptor layer format, wherein the device is configured to receive from the external processor through the first input/output port a request in the application layer format that one or more communication conditions be set for a physical layer of the second device, to convert the received request from the application layer format to the physical adaptor layer format, and to send the converted request in the physical adaptor layer format to the second device through the second input/output port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising nonvolatile memory configured to store data for access by the external processor through the first input/output port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: conversion logic which is configured to extract control information from the received request, wherein the control information identifies the one or more communication conditions to be set for the physical layer of the second device; and memory associated with the conversion logic for storing the first control information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein the conversion logic further comprises: a target determination circuit which is configured to determine from the received request that a target of the received request is the second device; and a format reconfiguration block which reconfigures the control information for the converted request in the physical adaptor layer format. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the application layer format comprises a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol information unit packet format, and the physical adaptor layer format comprises a physical adaptor layer (PACP) frame format. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to receive from the second device through the second input/output port a response to the converted request, the response being received by the device in the physical adaptor layer format, to convert the received response from the physical adaptor layer format to the application layer format, and to send the converted response in the application layer format to the external controller through the first input/output port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to receive from the external processor through the first input/output port a second request in the application layer format that one or more communication conditions be set for a physical layer of a third device connected serially to the second device, and to send the request in the application layer format to the second device through the second input/output port. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the device is further configured to receive from the external processor through the first input/output port a third request in the physical adaptor layer format that one or more communication conditions be set for the physical layer of the first input/output port of the device, and in response to the received third request to set the one or more communication conditions for the physical layer of the first input/output port of the device. ### Claim 9 A device, comprising: a first input/output port configured to be connected to an external processor for communication between the external processor and the device; a second input/output port configured to be connected to a second device for communication between the processor and the second device via the device; and at least one interface adaptor for supporting communication by the device through the first and second input/output ports via a protocol having a plurality of layers including at least an application layer, and a physical layer and physical adaptor layer for each of the first and second input/output ports, wherein the application layer processes information according to an application layer format and the physical adaptor layer processes information according to a physical adaptor layer format, wherein the device is configured: to receive from the external processor through the first input/output port a request in the physical adaptor layer format that one or more communication conditions be set for the physical layer of the device or a physical layer of the second device; to determine from the received request in the physical adaptor layer format whether the request pertains to the device; and to forward the request in the physical adaptor layer format to the second device through the second input/output port when it is determined the received request does not pertain to the device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the device is further configured to set the one or more communication conditions for the physical layer of the first input/output port of the device when it is determined the received request pertains to the device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the physical adaptor layer format includes a port IF field and the received request includes a port ID in the port ID field, the port ID identifying a target port for the received request, and wherein the device includes target determination logic which is configured to determine from the port ID that the received request pertains to the second device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising nonvolatile memory configured to store data for access by the external processor through the first input/output port. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the application layer format comprises a universal flash storage (UFS) protocol information unit packet format, and the physical adaptor layer format comprises a physical adaptor layer (PACP) frame format. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the received request in the PACP format includes control information, and wherein the control information includes a port ID identifying a target port for the received request, and wherein the device includes target determination logic associated with the application layer which is configured to determine from the port ID whether the received request pertains to the device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the received request in the PACP format includes control information, and a port ID field in a port ID field, the port ID identifying a target port for the received request, and wherein the device includes target determination logic associated with the application layer which is configured to determine from the port ID whether the received request pertains to the device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the received request in the PACP format includes control information, and wherein the control information includes a port ID identifying a target port for the received request, and wherein the device includes skip logic associated with the physical adaptor layer which is configured to determine from the port ID whether the received request pertains to the device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the received request in the PACP format includes control information, and a port ID field in a port ID field, the port ID identifying a target port for the received request, and wherein the device includes skip logic associated with the physical adaptor layer which is configured to determine from the port ID whether the request pertains to the device. ### Claim 18 A storage system, including: a processor having a processor input/output port; and a first storage device having a first input/output port connected to the processor input/output port for communication between the processor and the first storage device, and having a second input/output port, the first storage device further comprising a first nonvolatile memory for storing data associated with the processor, and at least one first interface adaptor for supporting communication by the first storage device through the first and second input/output ports via a protocol having a plurality of layers including at least a physical layer for each of the input/output ports, wherein the first storage device is configured such that when the processor detects that a second storage device is connected to the second input/output port of the first storage device, and the processor sends to the first storage device through the first input/output port a request that a communication condition be set for a physical layer of the second storage device, then in response to receiving the request the first storage device provides the request to the second storage device through the second input/output port in a format which can be processed by a layer of the second storage device which manages communication conditions of the physical layer of the second storage device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The storage system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of layers further includes at least an application layer and a physical adaptor layer, wherein the application layer processes information according to an application layer format and the physical adaptor layer processes information according to a physical adaptor layer format, and wherein the first storage device receives the request in the application layer format and is configured to convert the received request from the application layer format to the physical adaptor layer format, and to send the converted request in the physical adaptor layer format to the second storage device through the second input/output port. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The storage system of claim 19, wherein the first storage device further comprises: conversion logic which is configured to extract control information from the received request, wherein the control information identifies the one or more communication conditions to be set for the physical layer of the second storage device; and memory associated with the conversion logic for storing the first control information. ### Claim at position 21 21-38. (canceled)