Method and apparatus for providing an interface between a host device and a plurality of storage devices

摘要

An emulation circuit configured to emulate each of a master mode and a slave mode to provide an interface between a host device and a plurality of storage devices. The emulation circuit includes a first bus and a second bus. The emulation circuit includes a plurality of bridge circuits each configured to communicate with the host device over the first bus, communicate with a respective storage device of a plurality of storage devices over the second bus, and receive a mode select signal configured to set the bridge circuit to one of a host mode and a device mode. The bridge circuit is further configured to, if the mode select signal sets the bridge circuit to the host mode, select, based on an emulation select signal, between the master mode and the slave mode.

主权项

1. An emulation circuit configured to emulate, at different times, each of a master mode and a slave mode to provide an interface between a host device and a plurality of storage devices, the emulation circuit comprising:
a first bus configured to carry information that is formatted in accordance with a first standard; a second bus configured to carry information that is formatted in accordance with a second standard, wherein the second standard is different from the first standard; and a plurality of bridge circuits, each of the plurality of bridge circuits configured to
communicate, over the first bus, the information that is formatted in accordance with the first standard to the host device,communicate, over the second bus, the information that is formatted in accordance with the second standard to a respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices,receive a mode select signal configured to set the bridge circuit to either a host mode or a device mode, wherein when in the host mode, the bridge circuit is configured to operate as a host with respect to the respective storage device of the plurality of storage devices, and wherein when in the device mode, the bridge circuit is configured to operate as a device with respect to the host device, and if the mode select signal sets the bridge circuit to the host mode, select, based on an emulation select signal that is independent of the mode select signal, between the master mode and the slave mode such that, while set to the host mode, the bridge circuit is further configurable between the master mode and the slave mode, wherein
in the master mode, the bridge circuit is configured to emulate a storage device configured to operate in the master mode, andin the slave mode, the bridge circuit is configured to emulate a storage device configured to operate in the slave mode.