Patent Application
20110225332
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission device and control method thereof, and more particularly to a data replication or backup device and connecting method for controlling data transmission.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
The information age has brought about the production and circulation of enormous amounts of data, which has resulted in the ever growing demand for data backup and replication, such as mass CD (Compact Disk) burning and replication or storage backup of computer and network data, restoring of hard disk systems, data replication between multiple disk drives and so on. All of which can be processed using a duplicator or backup control system. Duplicators in the current market are assembled from a controller and a plurality of hard disk drives or CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) drives, and the controller enables data replication or burning between the hard disk drives or CD-ROM drives.
The development of high speed serial transmission interface technology, SAS (Serial Attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)) control interfaces, and SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) control interfaces have brought about the use of new generation duplicators or data backup systems, which provide faster transmission speed compared to IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) parallel interfaces.
The duplicator with independently operable SATA or SAS interfaces connect a plurality of SATA or SAS hard disk drives or CD-ROM drives to a SATA or SAS controller by means of SATA or SAS transmission lines to enable data replication or burning between the hard disk drives or CD-ROM drives. However, the duplicator with high speed serial interfaces only enables independent operation. If only one of the SATA or SAS hard disk drive is needed to connect directly to the computer for use thereof and enable data transmission between the computer and the SATA or SAS hard disk drive, then current systems are unable to achieve such functionality, and are thus unable to meet the multifunctional needs of users.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a data transmission device that enables independent operation of the data transmission device with high speed serial transmission interfaces (SATA or SAS interface) by means of a switching device configured to be able to switch data transmission lines, and that also enables connection to a computer, thereby providing more powerful functionality and enabling faster and easier switching of data transmission lines.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a control method for data transmission that uses an automatic detection mode and a manual mode to control connection to a computer or enable an independently operable system, thereby providing more flexible and complete control of data transmission.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the present invention comprises a control unit having a high speed serial transmission interface (SATA or SAS Interface); at least one first storage device connected to the control unit and at least one second storage device, the storage devices are all configured with high speed serial transmission interfaces (SATA or SAS interfaces); and at least one switching device, which is used to switch data transmission lines. Each of the switching devices is connected to the control unit using a first transmission line and a control line. A second transmission line is connected to the second storage device, and a third transmission line is used to connect the switching device to a computer.
When it is required to connect to the computer to transmit data, the control unit enables the second storage devices to be connected to the computer through the switching devices to implement data transmission, or the switching devices switch connection of the second storage devices to the control unit to form an independently operable data transmission control system, thereby enabling data transmission between the first storage devices and the second storage devices. The number of the switching devices matches the number of the second storage devices, and each of the second storage devices must be connected to a switching device to enable connection to a computer through the switching device.
The control method for data transmission of the present invention is divided into an automatic detection mode and a manual mode. When configured in automatic detection mode, the control unit detects whether or not the third transmission line is connected to the computer, and when the third transmission line is connected to the computer, then the switching devices automatically connect the second storage devices to the computer to enable data transmission between the second storage devices and the computer. When the control unit detects that the third transmission line is not connected to the computer, then the switching devices automatically switch connection of the second storage devices to the control unit to form an independently operable data transmission control system, thereby enabling data transmission between the first storage devices and the second storage devices.
When configured in manual mode, the control unit produces a control signal which is transmitted through the control line to switch the switching devices. When it is required to connect to the computer, then the control signal switches the switching devices to enable the second storage devices to connect to the computer, thereby enabling the computer to access the second storage devices. When an independently operable data transmission control system is required, then the control signal switches the switching devices to enable the second storage devices to connect to the control unit through the switching device, thereby enabling data transmission between the first storage devices and the second storage devices, and thus providing data backup or CD burning functionality.
To enable a further understanding of said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, a brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
Referring to
The first transmission line 51 and the second transmission line 53 are high speed serial transmission interfaces, and can be SATA transmission lines, or SAS transmission lines. The third transmission line 54 can use a transmission interface such as a USB transmission interface or an eSATA, or a SAS, but are not limited to such interfaces.
The aforementioned first storage devices 20 and the second storage device 30 are hard disks or CD-ROM drives having a high speed serial transmission interface; the high speed serial transmission interface being a SATA interface or SAS interface.
A control method for data transmission of the present invention is divided into an automatic detection mode and a manual mode. When configured in automatic detection mode, referring to
When configured in manual mode, referring to
Referring to
Using structural disposition of the switching devices 40, the present invention is able to provide a data transmission system with high speed serial transmission interfaces (SATA or SAS interfaces) that is independently operable or computer-linked, and enables more powerful and practical functionality. Moreover, switching control is fast and easy, and the structural architecture is simple, and thus complies with the essential elements as required for a new patent application.
It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
