Systems, methods and apparatus for a storage controller with multi-mode PCIe functionalities
View Patent ↗A standalone Storage Controller with PCIe Multi-Mode capability that can be configured as PCIe Root-Complex (RC), an End-Point (EP) or a bridge (BR). In EP mode, the Storage Controller acts like a regular PCIe slaved controller which is connected to a PCIe Root-Complex provided by a Host via a PCIe port. While in RC mode, the Storage Controller acts as a PCIe configuration and management entity, a Host acting as a PCIe Root-Complex, which an add-in card or chip can attach to via a PCIe port that is provided by the Storage Controller, supporting any type of Network Device Interface, without an external Root-Complex. While in bridge mode, the Storage Controller can act as a transparent or non-transparent bridge with either a Root-Complex or End-Point port for the internal connection to the bridge.
1. A Storage Controller system comprising:
a Network Interface, coupled to a first Host;
a Flash Memory;
a Storage Controller, the Storage Controller comprising:
a first PCIe connector coupled to the Network Interface;
a second PCIe connector coupled to a second Host;
a storage interface logic coupled to the Flash Memory;
a PCIe functional element that supports both End-Point and Root-Complex modes wherein,
the Flash Memory is coupled to the Storage Controller;
the Network Interface is coupled to the Storage Controller;
the first PCIe connector of the Storage Controller, acting as a PCIe master in Root-Complex mode, sends frames from the Flash Memory through the Network Interface to the first host as an initiator, and the first PCIe connector of the Storage Controller, acting as a PCIe slave in End-Point mode, is controlled by the second host as PCIe master, to transfer frames to and from Flash Memory.
2. The system described in claim 1 whereby the network interface is at least one of the following: PCIe bridge, PCIe to Ethernet converter, Ethernet NIC, an InfiniBand NIC, or a Fibre Channel Adapter.
3. The system described in claim 1 whereby the Storage Controller comprises at least one of the following: PCIe connector, PCIe PHY, PCIe L/T Multi-Mode RC/EP/BR, Logic Module that have an eCPU, Application Logic, Memory Buffer, Storage Logic, SAS/SATA Interface, or Storage Interface Logic.
4. The system described in claim 1 whereby the Storage Controller comprises Storage Interface logic connecting the Storage Controller to at least one of the following: Flash Memory, PCIe Storage Device, SAS/SATA or Storage Device.
5. The system described in claim 1 whereby the Storage Controller comprises a logic module, and the logic module comprises at least one of the following: embedded CPU, hardware registers, hardware multiplexors, or hardware RAM blocks.
6. The system in claim 1 whereby the PCIe functional element End-Point and Root-Complex modes is set by at least one of the following methods: a writing a value in a settable register, a value read in from an SOC JEDEC port, or a value read in from two or more pins.
7. The system described in claim 1 whereby the Storage Controller functions as a Root Complex on a first port while simultaneously the Storage Controller functions as an End-Point on a second port.
8. The system described in claim 7 whereby the Storage Controller is comprised of two or more PCIe ports.
9. The system described in claim 7 whereby the Storage Controller comprises an embedded CPU, and the CPU reads one or more of the PCIe frame fields for a received PCIe frame.