Dual purpose serial/parallel data transfer device for peripheral storage device
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorStephen J. Bassett
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Abstract
A peripheral storage device system and a data transfer device for use in a peripheral storage device system are disclosed, which provide for selective information transfer between a peripheral storage device, such as a disk drive, a CDROM drive, or a tape drive, and a host computer in a serial or parallel data format. A cable connector and cable assembly are disclosed for connecting the peripheral storage device system with the host computer, whereby serial data transfer may be accomplished via an ATA connector on one or both of the peripheral storage device and the host computer. In addition, a methodology is disclosed for transferring data between a peripheral storage device and a host computer in one of a serial and a parallel data format.
Claims28
In a peripheral storage device, a data transfer device for transferring information between the peripheral storage device and a host computer, comprising:
- an output circuit operative to receive output information including first and second output data from the peripheral storage device and to selectively provide one of a single-ended output representative of the output information and a differential output representative of the output information to the host computer according to a first control signal;
- and
- an input circuit operative to selectively receive one of a single-ended input and a differential input from the host computer according to the first control signal and to provide input information representative of the one of a single-ended input and a differential input to the peripheral storage device,
- wherein the output circuit comprises first and second output buffers operative to receive the first and second output data, respectively, from the peripheral storage device and to provide first and second output signals representative of the first and second output data, respectively, according to the first control signal and wherein the input circuit comprises first and second input buffers operative to receive first and second input signals, respectively, and to selectively provide single-ended and differential input data representative of the first and second input signals, respectively, to the peripheral storage device according to the first control signal.
A peripheral storage device system for providing information storage for a host computer, comprising:
- a peripheral storage device operative to store information from the host computer;
- a host interface operative to provide electrical communication between the peripheral storage device and the host computer;
- and
- a data transfer device associated with the host interface and operative to selectively transfer information between the peripheral storage device and the host computer in one of a serial format and a parallel format,
- wherein the data transfer device comprises:
- an output circuit operative to receive output information including first and second output data from the peripheral storage device and to selectively provide one of a single-ended output representative of the output information and a differential output representative of the output information to the host computer according to a first control signal;
- and
- an input circuit operative to selectively receive one of a single-ended input and a differential input from the host computer according to the first control signal and to provide input information representative of the one of a single-ended input and a differential input to the peripheral storage device,
- wherein the output circuit comprises first and second output buffers operative to receive the first and second output data, respectively, from the peripheral storage device and to provide first and second output signals representative of the first and second output data, respectively, according to the first control signal and wherein the input circuit comprises first and second input buffers operative to receive first and second input signals, respectively, and to selectively provide single-ended and differential input data representative of the first and second input signals, respectively, to the peripheral storage device according to the first control signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.