Patent ID: 7293124

Claim:
A storage device with a parallel interface connector connectable to a host system suitable for a parallel interface, the parallel interface connector including first pins connected to a parallel interface bus, and second pins which are not used by the parallel interface, the parallel interface bus being connected to a parallel interface circuit for inputting and outputting a parallel interface signal, the storage device comprising: a mode designation device which designates one of a serial interface mode and a parallel interface mode, the serial interface mode enabling the storage device to operate in accordance with a serial interface, the parallel interface mode enabling the storage device to operate in accordance with the parallel interface; a serial interface bus used to transfer a serial interface signal, the serial interface bus being connected to several pins included in the second pins of the parallel interface connector; and a parallel/serial bridge circuit connected to the parallel interface bus and the serial interface bus, and configured to convert, into a serial interface signal, a parallel interface signal transferred via the parallel interface bus, and to output the serial interface signal to the serial interface bus, the parallel/serial bridge circuit being also configured to convert, into a parallel interface signal, a serial interface signal transferred via the serial interface bus, and to output the parallel interface signal to the parallel interface bus, the parallel/serial bridge circuit being operable in the serial interface mode.