ATA device control via a packet-based interface
US6618788B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 27, 2000 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/385
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for remotely controlling an ATA device via a packet-based interface are disclosed. In one implementation, a remote host constructs command blocks corresponding to the ATA register-delivered commands that it would like executed. These command blocks are packetized and transported to a packet-to-ATA format bridge. At the bridge, each command block is parsed, and appropriate ATA read or write register commands are performed. The bridge performs requested data transfers via the packet-based interface.This embodiment can allow a non-ATAPI ATA device to connect externally to a host computer, e.g., via a USB plug-and-play packet interface. This can provide inexpensive and portable mass storage capability that does not require internal mounting or external routing of the short ATA cables that are intended for internal use only. Although the host can have access to full ATA register-delivered functionality, it is also freed from the overhead of direct communication with an asynchronous ATA device, including interrupts and polling of that device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.