Patent attributes
Embodiments of the invention include a controller apparatus, system and method for transferring data between data storage devices within a computer system. The inventive controller apparatus includes device interface logic for connecting the controller to a plurality of data storage devices, e.g., a hard disk device and a CD-RW device, and host interface logic for connecting the controller to a host or host computer via a bus such as a PCI bus. The host includes a number of other components, e.g., a host memory, connected thereto. The controller includes switching circuitry that allows data to be transferred directly from the source data storage device to at least one destination data storage device, i.e., without the transferred data passing from the controller through the bus to the host and/or the host memory. The switching circuitry includes the appropriate buffering circuitry and multiplexing circuitry to transfer data directly from the source device to the destination device in a manner that relieves the host, the host memory, and the bus between the host and the controller of much of the data transfer responsibilities during most data transfer operations. Also, inventive controller reduces the time required for data transfer and allows the data transfer components to dissipate less power. According to alternative embodiments of the invention, the enhanced controller also includes data verification logic for verifying the integrity of the data transfer.
