American Megatrends, Inc.

American Megatrends International, LLC

Shibu Abraham

Umasankar Mondal

Kayalvizhi Dhandapani

Jay Pancholi

Clas Gerhard Sivertsen

Timothy Bouda

In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus, a computer-readable medium, and a method are provided. The apparatus may be a service processor. The service processor receives, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor. The UBM protocol is a first protocol supported by the service processor. The first command or data instructs a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task. The service processor generates a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor. The second command or data instructs the backplane controller to perform the first task. The service processor sends the second command or data to the backplane controller.

UBM implementation inside BMC

Systems and methods for detecting types of storage drives connected to a controller, which performs backplane or enclosure management. The controller has multiple pins, which includes N analog pins, such as the PRSNT# pins. Each of the N analog pins is electrically connected to a corresponding detecting circuits. Further, 2*N storage drives may be connected to and controlled by the controller in a way such that each analog pin may be connected to two storage drives via a corresponding detecting circuit for detecting a drive type of each storage drive. Each storage drive may be a SATA/SAS storage drive, or a NVMe storage drive. In operation, the controller receives a voltage from each of the N analog pins, and determines the drive type of each of the two of the 2*N storage drives based on the voltage received from each of the N analog pins.

System and method for detecting types of storage drives connected to backplane controller or enclosure management controller

A backplane system, which includes a backplane board and a backplane controller module having a backplane controller. The backplane controller module is configured to be detachably connected to the backplane board via a small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM) connector interface to enable communications between the backplane controller and the backplane board via the SODIMM connector interface, such that the backplane controller is configured to control a plurality of components on the backplane board. Specifically, the SODIMM connector interface may include a SODIMM connector socket disposed on the backplane board, and a SODIMM connector pin set provided on the backplane controller module to be detachably inserted into the SODIMM connector socket. The SODIMM connector pin set may be a 144-pin SODIMM connector having 144 contact pins.

Backplane controller module using small outline dual in-line memory module (SODIMM) connector

Present disclosure relates to a system for validating target backplane controller chips. The system includes a backplane controller chip validation board. In certain embodiments, the backplane controller chip validation board includes: (a) a program/verify/validate controller chip, (b) one or more backplane controller chip sockets for installing one or more target backplane controller chips, and (c) a backplane simulator. The program/verify/validate controller chip includes backplane controller chip firmware verification software, a USB interface, and a software storage. The backplane simulator is used to simulate functions of drives, LEDs, and other devices of a backplane for verifying all functions of target backplane controller chips. The backplane controller chip validation board is in communication with a host computer, and the host computer has a user interface, a backplane controller chip validation software, a USB interface, and a software storage to store backplane controller chip firmware.

Techniques for validating functionality of backplane controller chips

Systems and methods providing a downloadable custom light emitting diode (LED) blinking pattern for a controller, which performs backplane or enclosure management. The controller has a memory, which stores data of a standard LED blinking pattern. When no custom LED blinking pattern data is available in the memory, the controller controls the LEDs to perform a standard blinking pattern based on the standard LED blinking pattern data to indicate the of the storage drives. A user may generate a custom pattern file, which contains custom LED blinking pattern data, and then use a downloading tool to download the custom pattern file to the controller, such that the memory of the controller may store the custom LED blinking pattern data. Instead of using the standard LED blinking pattern, the controller may then control the LEDs to perform a custom blinking pattern based on the custom LED blinking pattern data.

System and method for providing downloadable custom LED blinking pattern for backplane controller or enclosure management controller

Aspects of direct to systems and methods for controlling LEDs by a backplane or enclosure management controller. A controller has multiple output ports, including M ports connecting to M row control lines and N ports connecting to N column control lines. At least (M*N) LEDs respectively connected to the M row control lines and N column control lines to form a virtual LED matrix. In operation, the controller monitors N storage drives of the system, and determines at least M states for each storage drive. Based on the M states for each storage drive, the controller determines a state of each LED being ON or OFF, and outputs control signals to the at least M row control lines and the at least N column control lines through the output ports based on the state of each LED, such that the LEDs display the states of the storage drives.

System and method for controlling light emitting diodes using backplane controller or enclosure management controller

Present disclosure relates to a system for programming and verifying backplane controller chip firmware on target backplane controller chips. The system includes a backplane controller chip validation board. In certain embodiments, the backplane controller chip validation board includes: (a) a program/verify/validate controller chip, (b) one or more backplane controller chip sockets for installing one or more target backplane controller chips, and (c) a backplane simulator. The program/verify/validate controller chip includes backplane controller chip firmware verification software, a USB interface, and a software storage. The backplane simulator is used to simulate functions of drives, LEDs, and other devices of a backplane for verifying all functions of backplane controller chip firmware. The backplane controller chip validation board is in communication with a host computer, and host computer has a user interface, a backplane controller chip programming and verifying software, a USB interface, and a software storage to store backplane controller chip firmware.

Techniques for programming and verifying backplane controller chip firmware

Present disclosure relates to backplane controller configured as human interface device (HID) device to communicate with host computer through USB interface. Backplane controller includes: processor, memory, HID universal serial bus (USB) interface, and non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory stores certain USB descriptors, drive management module, USB HID device driver, and firmware of the backplane controller. Firmware performs one or more of following operations: (a) connecting to host computer through USB interface, (b) sending USB descriptors to host computer to act as specific HID device, (c) instructing USB HID device driver of backplane controller to generate first USB HID report, (d) sending USB HID report to host computer through USB interface, (e) receiving second USB HID report from host computer through USB interface, (f) instructing USB HID device driver to retrieve and process report data from second USB HID report. USB interface includes HID USB interface, USB interface bus, host USB interface.

Backplane controller capable of transferring and receiving data through USB interface

An activity indicator for a mass storage device is provided. Enclosure management data is received for a mass storage device from a HBA. The enclosure management data is decoded to determine whether the enclosure management data indicates that the mass storage device is active. A drive activity signal is received from the mass storage device and analyzed to determine whether the signal indicates that the mass storage device is active. If either the enclosure management data or the drive activity signal indicates that the mass storage device is active, the drive activity indicator is provided.

Growing community of inventors

Duluth, GA, United States of America

Shibu Abraham