IP Library Granted Patent US 10,990,553
Granted Patent B2
US 10,990,553 · App. 16/377,827 · Granted Apr 27, 2021

Enhanced SSD storage device form factors

Inventors: Brenden Michael Rust (Loveland, CO); Christopher R. Long (Colorado Springs, CO); Andrew Rudolph Heyd (Longmont, CO); Sumit Puri (Calabasas, CA); Bryan Schramm (Lafayette, CO); Seth Walsh (Superior, CO); Jason Breakstone (Broomfield, CO)
Assignee: Liqid Inc.
G06F13/4022G06F1/187G06F11/2015G06F13/16G06F13/4068G06F13/4282G06F1/30G06F2213/0026
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,990,553
App. No.
16/377,827
Granted
Apr 27, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Enhanced data storage devices in various form factors are discussed herein. In one example, a storage drive includes a 2.5-inch form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive, and at least one host connector. The storage drive also includes a plurality of M.2 storage device connectors, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces. The storage drive also includes power circuitry configured to provide holdup power to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector.

Claims (46)

1. A storage drive, comprising:

a 2.5-inch storage drive form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive;

at least one host connector;

a plurality of M.2 storage device connectors;

a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces; and

power circuitry configured to provide holdup power to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector.

2. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises a U.2 type storage drive connector.

3. The storage drive of claim 1 , comprising:

a plurality of M.2 storage devices coupled to the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to the storage operations received over the associated device PCIe interfaces.

4. The storage drive of claim 3 , comprising:

responsive to the loss of the input power, the power circuitry configured to remove a corresponding portion of the holdup power from individual ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors responsive to data commit statuses of corresponding M.2 storage devices.

5. The storage drive of claim 1 , comprising:

a circuit assembly comprising the PCIe switch circuit, the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors, the power circuitry, and the at least one host connector.

6. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors comprise four M.2 storage drive connectors, wherein three of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a first side of a circuit assembly, and wherein one of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a second side of the circuit assembly.

7. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors comprise four M.2 storage drive connectors, wherein two of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a first side of a circuit assembly, and wherein two of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a second side of the circuit assembly.

8. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises two host PCIe interfaces, with at least a first of the two host PCIe interfaces configured to communicatively couple the storage drive to a host system, and wherein at least a second of the two host PCIe interfaces is configured to communicatively couple the storage drive to a further host system.

9. An assembly, comprising:

a 2.5-inch storage drive form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive;

a first circuit assembly comprising:

at least one host connector;

a plurality of modular storage drive connectors;

a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces; and

control circuitry configured to control holdup power provided to ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector; and

a second circuit assembly comprising:

holdup capacitors configured to provide the holdup power.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises a U.2 type storage drive connector.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , comprising:

a plurality of M.2 storage drives coupled to the plurality of modular storage drive connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to the storage operations received over the associated device PCIe interfaces.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , comprising:

responsive to the loss of the input power, the control circuitry configured to remove a corresponding portion of the holdup power from individual ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors responsive to data commit statuses of corresponding storage drives.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors are configured to couple to M.2 storage drives having 80 millimeter lengths or less.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors comprise four modular storage drive connectors, wherein a three of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a first side of the first circuit assembly, and wherein one of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a second side of the first circuit assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors comprise four modular storage drive connectors, wherein two of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a first side of the first circuit assembly, and wherein two of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a second side of the first circuit assembly.

16. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises two host PCIe interfaces, with at least a first of the two host PCIe interfaces configured to communicatively couple the assembly to a host system, wherein at least a second of the two host PCIe interfaces is configured to communicatively couple the assembly to a further host system.

17. The assembly of claim 9 , comprising:

at least one connector configured to couple the first circuit assembly to the second circuit assembly and transfer the holdup power for the first circuit assembly.

18. A 2.5-inch form factor storage drive, comprising:

a U.2 connector configured to carry input power and carry Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) communications exchanged with at least one host system;

a first circuit assembly comprising:

four M.2 drive connectors;

a PCIe switch circuit communicatively coupled to U.2 connector and to the four M.2 drive connectors, wherein the PCIe switch circuit is configured to receive over the U.2 connector storage operations transferred by the at least one host system and transfer the operations for delivery to selected ones of the four M.2 drive connectors; and

a second circuit assembly comprising:

holdup capacitors configured to provide holdup power to one or more among the four M.2 drive connectors after the input power has been removed from the U.2 connector.

19. The storage drive of claim 18 , further comprising:

one or more M.2 storage devices having a length of 80 millimeter or less coupled to corresponding ones of the four M.2 drive connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to received ones of the storage operations.

20. The storage drive of claim 18 , wherein the U.2 connector is further configured to carry communications exchanged with at least a second host system concurrent with the at least one host system.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2021
From: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
To: LIQID INC.
Reel/Frame 055953/0860 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2021
From: LIQID INC.
To: HORIZON TECHNOLOGY FINANCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054900/0539 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2020
From: LIQID INC.
To: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
Reel/Frame 054221/0235 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2019
From: LIQID INC.
To: CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE
Reel/Frame 050630/0636 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2019
From: BREAKSTONE, JASON; RUST, BRENDEN MICHAEL; LONG, CHRISTOPHER R.; HEYD, ANDREW RUDOLPH; PURI, SUMIT; SCHRAMM, BRYAN; WALSH, SETH
To: LIQID INC.
Reel/Frame 048820/0699 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15418094 · Jan 27, 2017
Provisional Application 62288937 · Jan 29, 2016
Related Publication 20190236044A1 · Aug 1, 2019
Cited By (13)
US 12,267,178 US 12,301,372 US 12,335,054 US 12,418,429 US 12,422,981 US 12,430,271 US 12,476,832 US 12,541,477 US 12,541,480 US 12,556,417 US 12,561,266 US 12,561,270 US 12,596,486