Methods and apparatus for implementing a device side advanced serial protocol

A peripheral device having a protocol communication chip, the protocol communication chip being configured to manage communication between the peripheral device and a host computer over a serial bus in accordance with an advanced serial protocol, comprising:

• a bus interface;
• a link control and status register for setting link parameters, the link control and status register being configured to be either read or written by the host computer by the transmission from the host computer to the peripheral device of a byte packet having, an indication that data contained within the packet is related to one of a link control, a link status, and a link control and status, the packet being an OUTDATA packet for control and an INSTART packet for status, the OUTDATA packet for control being capable of transferring data from the host computer to the peripheral device, the INSTART packet for status being capable of polling the peripheral device to send data from the peripheral device to the host computer, the peripheral device being configured to receive device command information from the host computer using a packet having, an indication that data contained within the packet is related to one of a peripheral device control, a peripheral device status and a peripheral device control and status, and the host computer being configured to access data resident on the peripheral device using a packet having an indication that the data contained within the packet is related to a transfer of data to the peripheral device;
• and
• the peripheral device being configured to respond to:
• an INSTART packet having a LINK DATA type from the host computer requesting link data;
• an INSTART packet having a DEVICE DATA type from the host computer requesting device data;
• an INSTART packet having a CONTROL type from the host computer requesting status;
• an OUTDATA packet having a LINK DATA type for host computer link data writing to the peripheral device;
• an OUTDATA packet having a DEVICE DATA type for host computer writing data to the peripheral device;
• an OUTDATA packet having a CONTROL type for receiving commands from the host computer;
• a RESET packet having a LINK type for link resetting of the peripheral device;
• a RESET packet having a DEVICE type for resetting the peripheral device;
• a RESET packet having LINK and DEVICE types for resetting the peripheral device and the link;
• a RESET packet having a SEQUENCE BIT type for sequence bit resets;
• and
• a HEARTBEAT packet for checking peripheral device presence.

A peripheral device having a protocol communication chip, the protocol communication chip being configured to manage communication between the peripheral device and a host computer over a serial bus in accordance with an advanced serial protocol, comprising:

• a bus interface for connection to the host computer over the serial bus, the serial bus having a first differential pair for data, a second differential pair for strobe, and a pair for ground;
• a link control and status register integrated into the protocol communication chip, the link control and status register is configured for setting link parameters of the peripheral device, the link control and status register being configured to be either read or written by the host computer, reading and writing of the link control and status register being facilitated by the receipt of one of an OUTDATA packet for control and an INSTART packet for status from the host computer, the OUTDATA packet for control being capable of transferring data from the host computer to the peripheral device, the INSTART packet for status being capable of polling the peripheral device to send data from the peripheral device to the host computer, the peripheral device being one of a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, a CD-ROM drive, and an optical disk drive, the peripheral device being configured to receive commands that are one of ATA commands and ATAPI commands and are encapsulated into packets.