Multi-protocol storage controller
AssigneeLSI Corporation
InventorsWilliam W. Voorhees, William K. Petty, Eugene Saghi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods presented herein provide for coupling a storage controller to a plurality of different storage device types. One embodiment of the storage controller includes an interface operable to communicatively couple to a storage device. The storage controller also includes a processor operable to select between hardware protocol detection of the storage device and firmware protocol detection of the storage device, and to detect a protocol of the storage device when the storage device communicatively couples to the interface according to the selected protocol detection. The storage controller then selects a protocol to process input/output requests from a host based on the detected protocol of the storage device.
Claims19
A storage controller, comprising:
- an interface operable to communicatively couple to a storage device;
- a processor operable to select between hardware protocol detection of the storage device and firmware protocol detection of the storage device, to detect a protocol of the storage device when the storage device communicatively couples to the interface according to the selected protocol detection, and to select a protocol to process input/output requests from a host based on the detected protocol of the storage device;
- and
- a hardware detector that is operable to perform the hardware protocol detection by measuring a time domain reflectometry signal.
A method operable in a storage controller, the method comprising:
- communicatively coupling the storage controller to a storage device;
- selecting between hardware protocol detection of the storage device and firmware protocol detection of the storage device;
- detecting a protocol of the storage device when the storage device communicatively couples to the interface according to the selected protocol detection;
- selecting a protocol to process input/output requests from a host based on the detected protocol of the storage device;
- and
- measuring a time domain reflectometry signal to perform the hardware protocol detection.
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a storage controller, direct the storage controller to:
- communicatively couple the storage controller to a storage device;
- select between hardware protocol detection of the storage device and firmware protocol detection of the storage device;
- detect a protocol of the storage device when the storage device communicatively couples to the interface according to the selected protocol detection;
- select a protocol to process input/output requests from a host based on the detected protocol of the storage device;
- and
- measure a time domain reflectometry signal to perform the hardware protocol detection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.