Enhanced SSD storage device form factors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10990553-B2
Application number	US-201916377827-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2019
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

Enhanced data storage devices in various form factors are discussed herein. In one example, a storage drive includes a 2.5-inch form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive, and at least one host connector. The storage drive also includes a plurality of M.2 storage device connectors, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces. The storage drive also includes power circuitry configured to provide holdup power to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage drive, comprising:
a 2.5-inch storage drive form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive;
at least one host connector;
a plurality of M.2 storage device connectors;
a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces; and
power circuitry configured to provide holdup power to ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector.

2. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises a U.2 type storage drive connector.

3. The storage drive of claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of M.2 storage devices coupled to the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to the storage operations received over the associated device PCIe interfaces.

4. The storage drive of claim 3 , comprising:
responsive to the loss of the input power, the power circuitry configured to remove a corresponding portion of the holdup power from individual ones of the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors responsive to data commit statuses of corresponding M.2 storage devices.

5. The storage drive of claim 1 , comprising:
a circuit assembly comprising the PCIe switch circuit, the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors, the power circuitry, and the at least one host connector.

6. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors comprise four M.2 storage drive connectors, wherein three of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a first side of a circuit assembly, and wherein one of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a second side of the circuit assembly.

7. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of M.2 storage device connectors comprise four M.2 storage drive connectors, wherein two of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a first side of a circuit assembly, and wherein two of the four M.2 storage device connectors are placed on a second side of the circuit assembly.

8. The storage drive of claim 1 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises two host PCIe interfaces, with at least a first of the two host PCIe interfaces configured to communicatively couple the storage drive to a host system, and wherein at least a second of the two host PCIe interfaces is configured to communicatively couple the storage drive to a further host system.

9. An assembly, comprising:
a 2.5-inch storage drive form factor chassis that structurally supports elements of the storage drive;
a first circuit assembly comprising:
at least one host connector;
a plurality of modular storage drive connectors;
a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) switch circuit configured to receive storage operations over the at least one host connector and transfer the storage operations for delivery to ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors over associated device PCIe interfaces; and
control circuitry configured to control holdup power provided to ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors after loss of input power over the at least one host connector; and

a second circuit assembly comprising:
holdup capacitors configured to provide the holdup power.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises a U.2 type storage drive connector.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , comprising:
a plurality of M.2 storage drives coupled to the plurality of modular storage drive connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to the storage operations received over the associated device PCIe interfaces.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , comprising:
responsive to the loss of the input power, the control circuitry configured to remove a corresponding portion of the holdup power from individual ones of the plurality of modular storage drive connectors responsive to data commit statuses of corresponding storage drives.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors are configured to couple to M.2 storage drives having 80 millimeter lengths or less.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors comprise four modular storage drive connectors, wherein a three of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a first side of the first circuit assembly, and wherein one of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a second side of the first circuit assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular storage drive connectors comprise four modular storage drive connectors, wherein two of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a first side of the first circuit assembly, and wherein two of the four modular storage drive connectors are placed on a second side of the first circuit assembly.

16. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the at least one host connector comprises two host PCIe interfaces, with at least a first of the two host PCIe interfaces configured to communicatively couple the assembly to a host system, wherein at least a second of the two host PCIe interfaces is configured to communicatively couple the assembly to a further host system.

17. The assembly of claim 9 , comprising:
at least one connector configured to couple the first circuit assembly to the second circuit assembly and transfer the holdup power for the first circuit assembly.

18. A 2.5-inch form factor storage drive, comprising:
a U.2 connector configured to carry input power and carry Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) communications exchanged with at least one host system;
a first circuit assembly comprising:
four M.2 drive connectors;
a PCIe switch circuit communicatively coupled to U.2 connector and to the four M.2 drive connectors, wherein the PCIe switch circuit is configured to receive over the U.2 connector storage operations transferred by the at least one host system and transfer the operations for delivery to selected ones of the four M.2 drive connectors; and

a second circuit assembly comprising:
holdup capacitors configured to provide holdup power to one or more among the four M.2 drive connectors after the input power has been removed from the U.2 connector.

19. The storage drive of claim 18 , further comprising:
one or more M.2 storage devices having a length of 80 millimeter or less coupled to corresponding ones of the four M.2 drive connectors and configured to store and retrieve data responsive to received ones of the storage operations.

20. The storage drive of claim 18 , wherein the U.2 connector is further configured to carry communications exchanged with at least a second host system concurrent with the at least one host system.

Assignees

• Liqid Inc

Inventors

• Rust Brenden Michael
• Long Christopher R
• Heyd Andrew Rudolph
• Puri Sumit
• Schramm Bryan
• Walsh Seth
• Breakstone Jason

Classifications

• G06F13/4022 Primary

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

• G06F11/3062

  where the monitored property is the power consumption (power management in a computing system G06F1/3203) · CPC title

• G06F1/187

  Mounting of fixed or removable disk drives · CPC title

• G06F11/2015

  Redundant power supplies (power supply failure G06F1/30) · CPC title

• G06F13/4068

  Electrical coupling · CPC title