IP Library Granted Patent US 9,720,866
Granted Patent B2
US 9,720,866 · App. 14/657,281 · Granted Aug 1, 2017

Interface circuit executing protocol control in compliance with first and second interface standards

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,720,866
App. No.
14/657,281
Granted
Aug 1, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a first module is responsible for protocol control in compliance with a first interface standard. A second module is provided separately from the first module and is responsible for protocol control in compliance with a second interface standard. A third module is responsible for a physical layer shared between the first interface standard and the second interface standard.

Claims (31)

1. An interface circuit comprising:

a first module that executes protocol control in compliance with a first interface standard;

a second module that is provided separately from the first module and executes protocol control in compliance with a second interface standard; and

a third module that is provided for a physical layer shared between the first interface standard and the second interface standard, wherein the first module includes a first MAC (Media Access Layer) in conformity with an RMMI (Reference M-PHY Module Interface).

2. The interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first interface standard is a UFS (Universal Flash Storage) standard, and the second interface standard is an M-PCIe (Mobile-Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) standard.

3. The interface circuit according to claim 1 , comprising a switch control unit that switches a destination for connection of the third module to the first module or the second module.

4. The interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first module conforms to UniPro (Unified Protocol).

5. The interface circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second module is provided for a transaction layer and a data link layer, and wherein the third module is provided for an M-PHY (Mobile-Physical Layer).

6. The interface circuit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first pin that is intrinsic to the first interface standard; and

a second pin that is intrinsic to the second interface standard.

7. The interface circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the first interface standard is an M-PCIe (Mobile-Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) standard, and the second interface standard is a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) standard.

8. The interface circuit according to claim 7 , wherein the second module includes a second MAC in conformity with a PIPE (Physical Interface for PCI Express).

9. The interface circuit according to claim 6 , comprising a switch control unit that switches a destination for connection of the third module to the first module or the second module.

10. The interface circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the second module is provided for a transaction layer and a data link layer, and wherein the third module is provided for an M-PHY (Mobile-Physical Layer).

11. An interface circuit comprising:

a first module that executes protocol control in compliance with a first interface standard;

a second module that is provided separately from the first module and executes protocol control shared between a second interface standard and a third interface standard;

a third module that is provided for a physical layer shared between the first interface standard and the second interface standard; and

a fourth module that is provided separately from the third module and is provided for a physical layer in compliance with the third interface standard.

12. The interface circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the first interface standard is a UFS (Universal Flash Storage) standard, the second interface standard is an M-PCIe (Mobile-Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) standard, and the third interface standard is a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) standard.

13. The interface circuit according to claim 11 , comprising:

a first switch control unit that switches a destination for connection of the third module to the first module or the second module; and

a second switch control unit that switches a destination for connection of the second module to the third module or the fourth module.

14. The interface circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the first module conforms to UniPro.

15. The interface circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the second module is provided for a transaction layer and a data link layer.

16. The interface circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the third module is provided for an M-PHY, and wherein the fourth module is provided for a PCIe PHY.

17. The interface circuit according to claim 11 further comprising:

a first pin that is intrinsic to the first interface standard; and

a second pin that is intrinsic to the second interface standard; and

a third pin that is intrinsic to the third interface standard.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043088/0620 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2015
From: HAMADA, KEN; FUJISAWA, TOSHIO; KONDO, NOBUHIRO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 035815/0171 →