System and method for sending data across a bus cable having in-band and side-band signal conductors
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for sending data. One exemplary embodiment may be a method comprising sending a data rate synchronization pulse from drive controller in a computer system to a storage device controller, calculating a bit transfer period by the storage device controller based on the time duration of the data rate synchronization pulse, serially driving a plurality of bits from the drive controller at a rate based on the bit transfer period, and sampling at the rate based on the bit transfer period to receive the plurality of bits by the storage device controller.
1. A system comprising:
a computer system comprising:
a central processing unit (CPU);
a main memory array coupled to the CPU; and
a storage device controller coupled to the CPU, the storage device controller having an adapter to couple to a communication bus cable;
a storage device enclosure comprising:
a storage device coupled to the storage device controller by way of the communication bus cable, the communication bus cable having in-band signal conductors and a side-band signal conductor; and
a serial communication device coupled to the storage device controller by way of the side-band signal conductor of the communication bus cable;
wherein the serial communication device is operable to provide over the side-band signal conductor a communication bus identification number signal to be used by the storage device controller.
2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the communication bus is a Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) bus, and wherein the storage device controller is a SCSI drive controller coupled to the CPU by an expansion bus of the computer system.
3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the serial communication device is a microcontroller.
4. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the serial communication device and the storage device controller is operable to set a bit transfer rate for communications between the serial communication device and the storage device controller by sending a pulse on the side-band signal conductor, and wherein a duration of the pulse is indicative of the bit transfer.
5. A system comprising:
a computer system comprising:
a central processing unit (CPU);
a main memory array coupled to the CPU; and
a storage device controller coupled to the CPU, the storage device controller;
a storage device enclosure comprising:
a means for storing data coupled to the storage device controller by a means for coupling; and
a means for serial side-band communication across the means for coupling, the means for serial side-band communication coupled to the storage device controller by way of the means for coupling;
wherein the means for serial side-band communication is operable to provide a communication bus identification number over the means for coupling to be used by the storage device controller.