Virtual device based systems with access to parts other than data storage elements through the virtual device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9720855-B2
Application number	US-201514676518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An embodiment includes a system, comprising: a device configured to present a logical device and enable a virtual device in response to a control signal; and a processor coupled to the device and configured to: present the logical device through a first device interface; transmit the control signal to the device to enable the virtual device; and after the virtual device is enabled, present the virtual device through a second device interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a communication interface; and
a controller coupled to the communication interface;
wherein the controller is configured to:
present a logical device through the communication interface;
enable a virtual device in response to an enable signal received through the communication interface; and
when the virtual device is enabled, present the virtual device through the communication interface; and

wherein the enable signal includes invalid firmware.

2. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a device presenting a logical device, a control signal;
determining, by the device, if an enable command is included in the control signal; and
enabling, by the device, a virtual device in response to the enable command;
wherein receiving, by the device, the control signal comprises receiving, by the device, a transmission of invalid firmware for the device.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, by the device, an access to the virtual device; and
accessing, by the device, current firmware for the device in response to the access to the virtual device.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving, by the device, a write to the virtual device, the write including a command;
executing, by the device, the command;
generating, by the device, a response to the execution of the command;
receiving, by the device, a read associated with the virtual device; and
transmitting, by the device, the response to the execution of the command in response to the read.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the enable signal is a command within the invalid firmware.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive firmware through the communication interface;
determine if the firmware is invalid; and
if the firmware is invalid, determine, if the enable signal is included in the firmware.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive firmware through the communication interface;
determine if the firmware is invalid;
if the firmware is invalid, determine if a disable command is included in the firmware; and
disable the virtual device in response to the disable command.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive an access to the virtual device through the communication interface; and
access firmware for the device in response to the access to the virtual device.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a write to the virtual device through the communication interface, the write including a command;
execute the command;
generate a response to the execution of the command;
receive a read associated with the virtual device; and
transmit the response to the execution of the command in response to the read through the communication interface.

10. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, by the device, if a disable command is included in the invalid firmware; and
disabling, by the device, the virtual device in response to the disable command.

Assignees

• Choi Chang-Eun
• Lu Bin
• Yu Yang
• Shah Karnik
• Huen Hingkwan
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Chang-Eun
• Lu Bin
• Yu Yang
• Shah Karnik
• Huen Hingkwan

Classifications

• G06F2009/45583

  Memory management, e.g. access or allocation · CPC title

• G06F2009/45579

  I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage · CPC title

• G06F9/45558

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F9/45533 Primary

  Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors · CPC title

• G06F13/102 Primary

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title