Serial ATA disk drive having a parallel ATA test interface and method
View Patent ↗A serial ATA disk drive having a parallel ATA test interface is disclosed. A bridge circuit has a serial ATA port that is coupled to a serial ATA interface for receiving and transmitting serial ATA data signals, a parallel ATA port for receiving and transmitting parallel ATA signals, and a disable input for selectably disabling the parallel ATA port. The bridge circuit performs signal conversions between the ports. The test interface is for coupling the disk drive to a disk-drive test system. The test interface includes a connector having contacts for parallel ATA signals, and having a contact for a disable signal coupled to the disable input. The connector may be a pad pattern on a printed circuit of the disk drive. The disk drive may have an industry standard form factor, and the connector may be configured such that it lies within the disk drive's form factor.
1. A disk drive, comprising;
a serial ATA interface for coupling the disk drive to a host computer;
a bridge circuit having a serial ATA port coupled to the serial ATA interface for receiving and transmitting serial ATA data signals, a parallel ATA port for receiving and transmitting parallel ATA signals, and a disable input for selectably disabling the parallel ATA port, the bridge circuit performing signal conversions between the ports; and
a test interface for coupling the disk drive to a disk-drive test system, the test interface including a connector having contacts for parallel ATA signals and having a contact for a disable signal coupled to the disable input of the bridge circuit.
2. A disk drive as defined in claim 1 , wherein the connector is a pad pattern on a printed circuit of the disk drive.
3. A disk drive as defined in claim 1 , wherein the connector is an edge connector for mating with a single female card edge connector.
4. A disk drive as defined in claim 1 , wherein the connector has contacts for providing electrical power to the disk drive.
5. A disk drive as defined in claim 4 , wherein the disk drive has a sequencing input and the connector has a contact for a signal coupled to the sequencing input of the disk drive.
6. A disk drive as defined in claim 4 , wherein the disk drive has an industry standard form factor and the connector is configured in the disk drive such that the connector lies within the industry standard form factor.
7. A method for testing a disk drive including a serial ATA interface for coupling the disk drive to a host computer, a bridge circuit having a serial ATA port coupled to the serial ATA interface for receiving and transmitting serial ATA data signals, a parallel ATA port for receiving and transmitting parallel ATA signals, and a disable input for selectably disabling the parallel ATA port, the bridge circuit performing signal conversions between the ports, and a test interface for coupling the disk drive to a disk-drive test system, the test interface including a connector having contacts for parallel ATA signals coupled to the parallel ATA port of the bridge circuit, and having a contact for a disable signal coupled to the disable input of the bridge circuit, the method comprising:
applying a signal to the disable signal contact of the connector to disable the parallel ATA port of the bridge circuit; and
applying parallel ATA signals to the contacts of the test interface for testing the disk drive.