Host Computer Diagnostic Extraction via Standard Interface Protocols
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extracting vendor unique diagnostic information from peripheral devices, such as hard drives, is challenging in end-user systems as it requires physical removal or specialized tools, making it impractical in high-performance server environments.
Innovation Solution
A host computer system is configured to retrieve vendor unique diagnostic sequence command information from a hard drive device using a standard interface protocol, allowing the extraction of operational, performance, and health data through a graphical user interface, enabling remote diagnosis without physical removal or specialized tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If physical removal of the hard drive is performed to extract diagnostic information, then complete vendor unique diagnostic data can be retrieved, but system downtime and operational disruption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a host computer as an intermediary device that communicates with the hard drive through standard interface protocols. This mediator enables the extraction of vendor unique diagnostic information without requiring physical removal of the hard drive, thus maintaining system operational continuity while retrieving complete diagnostic data through the intermediary communication channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of physically removing the hard drive with an electronic communication mechanism. By using standard interface protocols (SCSI, ATA, USB, etc.) to transmit diagnostic commands and data between the host computer and hard drive, the system eliminates the need for physical disassembly while achieving complete diagnostic information retrieval.
2Loss of information
If specialized diagnostic tools are attached to the end user system to extract diagnostic information, then complete vendor unique diagnostic data can be retrieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the host computer universal by enabling it to perform diagnostic functions through standard interface protocols. Instead of requiring specialized diagnostic tools for each vendor or device type, the host computer can communicate with any hard drive using universally supported protocols (SCSI, ATA, USB, SAS), thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining complete diagnostic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hard drive device itself provides diagnostic information through its built-in firmware and standard interface protocols. The system leverages the hard drive's own capabilities to expose diagnostic data without requiring external specialized tools, making the diagnostic process self-contained and reducing overall system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If vendor specific diagnostic commands are used to extract diagnostic information, then accurate vendor unique diagnostic data can be retrieved, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The host computer acts as an intermediary that translates user-friendly diagnostic requests into the complex vendor specific commands required by the hard drive firmware. This mediator layer abstracts the complexity of vendor specific command sequences, allowing users to access accurate diagnostic data through simple, standardized interfaces without needing to understand or manually execute complex diagnostic command sequences.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of this invention provides a system and method for a diagnostic computer application executing on a host computer to extract vendor unique diagnostic information from an attached peripheral device. The peripheral device is pre-configured to respond with device unique information in response to certain standard interface protocol inquiries. Standard interface inquiry commands are used to extract detailed instructions from the device. These instructions may contain device unique small computer system interface (SCSI) command sequences, for example. The command sequences allow a user of the host computer to extract detailed data from the peripheral device about the peripheral device's operational, performance and health statistics.