Peripheral controller comprising first messaging unit for communication with first OS driver and second messaging unit for communication with second OS driver for mass-storage peripheral

A peripheral controller for coupling a mass storage peripheral to a computer system, the computer system running an operating system, the peripheral controller including a local bus, the peripheral controller comprising:

• a first messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the first messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a first operating system driver;
• a second messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the second messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a second operating system driver;
• and
• a peripheral interface coupled to the local bus and to the first and second messaging units, the peripheral interface controlling the peripheral responsive to messages sent to the first or second messaging units, the second messaging unit responding to commands from the second operating system driver which is I2O compatible, wherein the second messaging unit operates only as a slave on the local bus.

A peripheral controller for coupling a mass storage peripheral to a computer system, the computer system running an operating system, the peripheral controller including a local bus, the peripheral controller comprising:

• a first messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the first messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a first operating system driver;
• a second messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the second messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a second operating system driver;
• and
• a peripheral interface coupled to the local bus and to the first and second messaging units, the peripheral interface controlling the peripheral responsive to messages sent to the first or second messaging units, the second messaging unit responding to commands from the second operating system driver which is I2O compatible, wherein the second messaging unit operates only as a slave on the local bus, wherein the first messaging unit also acts as a control agent for the second messaging unit.

A computer system comprising:

• a system bus;
• a processor coupled to the system bus;
• a peripheral controller for coupling a peripheral to the computer system, the computer system running an operating system, the peripheral controller including a local bus, the peripheral controller comprising:
• a first messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the first messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a first operating system driver;
• a second messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the second messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a second operating system driver;
• and
• a peripheral interface coupled to the local bus and to the first and second messaging units, the peripheral interface controlling the peripheral responsive to messages sent to the first or second messaging units.

A computer system comprising:

• a system bus;
• a processor coupled to the system bus;
• a peripheral controller for coupling a peripheral to the computer system, the computer system running an operating system, the peripheral controller including a local bus, the peripheral controller comprising:
• a first messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the first messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a first operating system driver;
• a second messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the second messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a second operating system driver;
• and
• a peripheral interface coupled to the local bus and to the first and second messaging units, the peripheral interface controlling the peripheral responsive to messages sent to the first or second messaging units, the second messaging unit responding to commands from the second operating system driver which is I2O compatible, wherein the second messaging unit operates only as a slave on the local bus.

A computer system comprising:

• a system bus;
• a processor coupled to the system bus;
• a peripheral controller for coupling a peripheral to the computer system, the computer system running an operating system, the peripheral controller including a local bus, the peripheral controller comprising:
• a first messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the first messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a first operating system driver;
• a second messaging unit coupled to the local bus, the second messaging unit adapted to communicate messages to and from a second operating system driver;
• and
• a peripheral interface coupled to the local bus and to the first and second messaging units, the peripheral interface controlling the peripheral responsive to messages sent to the first or second messaging units, the second messaging unit responding to commands from the second operating system driver which is I2O compatible, wherein the second messaging unit operates only as a slave on the local bus, wherein the first messaging unit also acts as a control agent for the second messaging unit.