Patent ID: 7685338
Filing Date: 2010-03-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage subsystem adapted for embedded use within a host system, the storage subsystem comprising: an array of non-volatile solid-state memory, the non-volatile solid-state memory containing a set of instructions corresponding to a boot sequence for the host system; a controller capable of writing data to, and reading data from, the non-volatile solid-state memory in response to commands received by the storage subsystem from the host system; a connector for electrically and pluggably connecting the storage subsystem directly to a circuit board of the host system, said connector having a plurality of positions with a respective position for each of the signal lines of an IDE interface, with a subset of the plurality of the positions being used as active positions with electrical contacts corresponding to SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) signal lines and no positions being used as active positions for IDE signal lines, and having a non-SATA physical configuration; and a locking structure configured to secure the storage subsystem for embedded use within the host system by locking the storage subsystem to the circuit board of the host system, wherein the connector is connected to the circuit board such that the connector and the storage subsystem are not physically accessible from outside a housing of the host system without removing the housing, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the host system via said connector using a SATA signal interface.