Patent ID: 8918560

Claim:
A controller for a solid-state storage device, which is connected to a host system and the solid-state storage device, the controller comprising: a mode table in which the operation mode of the solid-state storage device is settable to one of “Writing/Reading” and “Waiting” modes; a monitor which monitors the operation mode of the solid-state storage device and sets the operation mode of the solid-state storage device in the mode table; a buffer memory including first and second storage areas; a timer which counts a preset given time in response to an instruction to start counting and sends a deadline notification when the given time is elapsed; a command responder which, when receiving a write command from the host system, receives write data transmitted from the host system within a predetermined period after the write command, holds write data in the first storage area of the buffer memory, and thereafter outputs a write instruction to write data to the solid-state storage device if the operation mode of the solid-state storage device is confirmed as “Waiting” in reference to the mode table, and which, when receiving a read command from the host system, instructs the timer to start counting and thereafter outputs a read instruction to read data from the storage system if the operating status of the solid-state storage device is judges as “Waiting” in reference to the mode table; and a data processor which, in response to the write instruction by the command responder, reads data from the first storage area of the buffer memory and writes the read data to the storage system and which, in response to the read instruction by the command responder, reads the specified data from the solid-state storage device and holds the read data in the second storage area of the buffer memory; and a read control which sends the host system the data held in the second storage area of the buffer memory when the deadline notification is received from the timer.