Abstract: This invention provides disk drive access control apparatus for connection between a host computer and a plurality of disk drives to provide an asynchronously operating storage system. It also provides increases in performance over earlier versions thereof. There are a plurality of disk drive controller channels connected to respective ones of the disk drives and controlling transfers of data to and from the disk drives, each of the disk drive controller channels includes a cache/buffer memory and a micro-processor unit. An interface and driver unit interfaces with the host computer and there is a central cache memory. Cache memory control logic controls transfers of data from the cache/buffer memory of the plurality of disk drive controller channels to the cache memory and from the cache memory to the cache/buffer memory of the plurality of disk drive controller channels and from the cache memory to the host computer through the interface and driver unit.

Abstract: A storage system for dynamic and trasparent error correction has a number of first individual storage devices for information and a second individual storage device for error code bits that are used to correct the information when one of the storage devices detects an error. Each error code bit is generated from the information at respective bit positions across the first storage devices. Storage device controllers are connected between a user CPU interface and respective storage devices for operating them concurrently. The interface includes an interface CPU for controlling the storage device controllers and translating the interface convention of user CPU requests into the interface convention of the storage devices. A buffer memory is connected to data surface associated with the respective storage devices. The interface CPU includes logic for immediately acknowledging a write to the associated storage device upon the data being placed in the buffer memory.

Abstract: A supporting and sound-proofing housing for use with computer output printers and the like particularly adapted for mounting in a modular wall system to provide access thereto from either side. The housing comprises a box having a pair of vertical spaced side walls, a top member interconnecting the tops of the side walls and a bottom member interconnecting the bottoms of the side walls to form an enclosure having opposed openings thereto on opposite sides thereof. Doors are provided for opening and closing respective ones of the openings. The side walls include means for releasably attaching a modular wall partition thereto so that the housing can be built into a partitioning wall. A slidable shelf adapted to support a printer or the like is mounted between the side walls for slidable movement between the openings to provide working access to the printer or the like from either of the openings, i.e. from either office.