Detection and identifcation of supported connection protocols in a multi-purpose storage bay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10311003-B2
Application number	US-201414226441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

An embodiment provides a method, including: providing a multi-protocol connector in an electronic device for connecting at least one storage device thereto; determining, using an operative coupling between the multi-protocol connector and the electronic device, if the electronic device supports one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector; and providing an informational prompt for each determined protocol of the multi-protocol connector that the electronic device supports. Other aspects are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing a multi-protocol connector in an electronic device for connecting at least one storage device thereto;
determining, using an operative coupling between the multi-protocol connector and the electronic device, if the electronic device supports one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector prior to connecting a device to the multi-protocol connector and without communicating with the device; and
providing an informational prompt for each determined protocol of the multi-protocol connector that the electronic device supports.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises determining if the multi-protocol connector is operatively coupled to a storage controller of a particular type.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining comprises determining, using one or more pins of a storage controller of the electronic device and switching logic, a type of the storage controller with respect to a protocol of the multi-protocol connector.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said providing of an informational prompt comprises illuminating a light-emitting element for each determined protocol of the multi-protocol connector that the electronic device supports.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
detecting a connection of a storage device to the multi-protocol connector; and
thereafter deactivating one or more light-emitting elements.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one storage device is selected from the group of storage devices consisting of a hard disk drive and a solid state drive.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one storage device employs one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector is selected from the group of protocols consisting of: a SATA protocol, a SAS protocol and a PCIe protocol.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the informational prompt is provided at a predetermined position with respect to a physical connection element of the multi-protocol connector.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repressing an informational prompt after determining that the connector of the electronic device does not support one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector.

11. An electronic device, comprising:
a light emitting element;
a multi-protocol connector for connecting at least one storage device thereto;
a processor operatively coupled to the multi-protocol connector and the light emitting element; and
a memory that stores instructions executable by the processor to:
determine, using an operative coupling between the multi-protocol connector and the electronic device, if the electronic device supports one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector prior to connecting a device to the multi-protocol connector and without communicating with the device; and
provide an informational prompt using the light emitting element for each determined protocol of the multi-protocol connector that the electronic device supports.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein to determine comprises determining if the multi-protocol connector is operatively coupled to a storage controller of a particular type.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein to determine comprises determining, using one or more pins of a storage controller of the electronic device and switching logic, a type of the storage controller with respect to a protocol of the multi-protocol connector.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein to provide of an informational prompt comprises illuminating a light-emitting element for each determined protocol of the multi-protocol connector that the electronic device supports.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising:
at least one storage device connected to the multi-protocol connector;
wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to: deactivate one or more light-emitting elements after connection of the at least one storage device with the multi-protocol connector.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one storage device is selected from the group of storage devices consisting of a hard disk drive and a solid state drive.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one storage device employs one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more protocols of the multi-protocol connector is selected from the group of protocols consisting of: a SATA protocol, a SAS protocol and a PCIe protocol.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the informational prompt is provided at a predetermined position with respect to a physical connection element of the multi-protocol connector.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Pamley Marc Richard
• Painter Alan Ladd
• Ali Ali Omar
• Farrow Timothy Samuel

Classifications

• G06F13/4022 Primary

  using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network (G06F13/4009 takes precedence) · CPC title