Claims
- 1. An Enhanced Integrated Device Electronics (EIDE) interface system for managing data communication between a CPU and three or more connected digital mass storage devices according to established IDE communications protocols comprising:
- control circuitry connected to the CPU for storing and performing control routines; and
- three or more connectors, each connected to the control circuitry and to individual ones of said connected digital mass storage devices;
- said control circuitry configured for selecting one of said digital mass storage devices as a primary device, and for selecting 2 or more remaining digital mass storage devices individually as secondary devices differentiated by a Unit Select number.
- 2. An Enhanced Integrated Device Electronics interface system as in claim 1 comprising nine connectors connected to the control circuitry and wherein the control circuitry is configured for selecting eight digital mass storage devices by unit select number.
- 3. A computer system comprising:
- a CPU for performing calculations and logic sequences, and for directing operations of said computer system;
- a digital memory connected to said CPU for temporary storage of routines and data during operation; and
- an Enhanced Integrated Device Electronics (EIDE) interface for controlling communication between said CPU and 3 or more memory mass storage devices according to established IDE protocols;
- wherein the EIDE interface comprises control circuitry connected to the CPU for storing and performing control routines, three or more connectors connected to the control circuitry for connecting said control circuitry to individual ones of said 3 or more digital mass storage devices, said control circuitry configured for selecting one of said digital mass storage devices as a primary device, and for selecting each of remaining digital mass storage devices individually as secondary devices differentiated by a Unit Select number.
- 4. A computer system as in claim 3 further comprising a memory mass storage device programmed with a Unit Select number for responding to the EIDE interface.
- 5. A computer system as in claim 4 wherein said memory mass storage device is a random access magnetic disk drive device.
- 6. A computer system as in claim 4 wherein said memory mass storage device is a cartridge tape drive.
- 7. A computer system as in claim 4 wherein said memory mass storage device is a CD-ROM drive.
- 8. In a computer system having a CPU, an internal bus structure, and an Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) communication system for one of the mass storage devices, and an integrated microcontroller connected to the control circuitry for receiving commands and data from the CPU, said integrated microcontroller comprising firmware configured for translating between the IDE protocol and a data protocol of the mass storage device, a method for increasing the number of devices to 3 or more, addressable by the IDE communication system, comprising steps of:
- adding a means for selecting a device to the firmware of the IDE communication system, said means for selecting comprising a command for sending a Unit Select number to 2 or more connected mass storage devices to select one of said mass storage devices as an active secondary device among plural secondary devices; and
- connecting mass storage devices enhanced by having a programmed Unit Select number to the IDE communication system.
- 9. A communications interface for managing data communications between a CPU and 3 or more digital mass storage devices according to an established communications protocol for communicating with 2 devices, comprising;
- control circuitry connected to the CPU for storing and performing control routines; and
- 3 or more connectors, each connected to the control circuitry and to individual ones of said connected digital mass storage devices;
- said control circuitry configured for selecting one of said digital mass storage devices as a primary device, and for selecting each of the remaining 2 or more digital mass storage devices individually as secondary devices differentiated by a Unit Select number.
- 10. In a computer system which operates according to an established communications protocol designed for 2 mass storage devices, a method for selecting 3 or more devices to communicate with a CPU comprising steps of;
- issuing a device selection command according to said established communications protocol;
- issuing a unit select command including a unit select data value; comparing said unit select data value with the unit select number of each device; and
- activating 1 of the 2 or more devices with a unit select number which corresponds with said unit select data value.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said 3 or more devices comprise one primary device and 2 or more remaining non-primary devices, and said device selection command further comprises designating said 2 or more remaining selected devices as secondary non-primary devices.
- 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of:
- issuing a primary device selection command according to said established communications protocol;
- deactivating said 2 or more remaining devices with said unit select numbers which corresponds with said unit select data values in the 2 or more remaining devices; and
- activating said primary device.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/595,678, filed Jul. 11, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,921 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/033,839, filed Mar. 19, 1993 now abandoned.
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Patent Grant
5964848
