Virtual SATA port multiplier, virtual SATA device, SATA system and data transfer method in a SATA system
AssigneeSkymedi Corporation
InventorsYung-Li Ji, Chin-Nan Yen, Fu-Ja Shone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A virtual SATA port multiplier and a virtual SATA device are provided for a SATA system. The virtual SATA port multiplier uses a SATA physical layer for data transfer between it and a SATA host, and a non-physical layer for direct data transfer between it and the virtual SATA device. Since the data transfer between the virtual SATA port multiplier and the virtual SATA device is not carried out by way of SATA physical layers, no physical layer circuits are required accordingly, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost, power consumption and hardware size of the SATA system.
Claims25
A virtual SATA port multiplier comprising:
- a physical layer for data transfer between the virtual SATA port multiplier and a SATA host outside the virtual SATA port multiplier by a physical layer signal;
- and
- a plurality of upper layers over the physical layer, wherein one of the upper layers performs direct data transfer with a corresponding upper SATA non-physical layer of a virtual SATA device outside the virtual SATA port multiplier by a non-physical layer signal.
A virtual SATA device comprising:
- a SATA non-physical layer for direct data transfer between the SATA non-physical layer and a corresponding SATA non-physical layer of a virtual SATA port multiplier outside the virtual SATA device by a non-physical layer signal.
A SATA system comprising:
- a virtual SATA device having a first non-physical layer;
- and
- a virtual SATA port multiplier having a physical layer for data transfer between the virtual SATA port multiplier and a SATA host outside the SATA system, and a second non-physical layer over the physical layer for direct data transfer between the virtual SATA port multiplier and the first non-physical layer by a non-physical layer signal.
A data transfer method in a SATA system, comprising the steps of:
- (a) data transfer between a SATA physical layer in the SATA system and a SATA host outside the SATA system by a physical layer signal;
- (b) data transfer between the SATA physical layer and a first non-physical layer over the SATA physical layer;
- and
- (c) direct data transfer between the first non-physical layer and a second non-physical layer not over the SATA physical layer in the SATA system by a non-physical layer signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.