Abstract: An intelligent write command routine improves the operational efficiency of a data storage device (DSD) by avoiding media access of the disk when a logical block address (LBA) and the physical sector are unaligned, thus reducing write time. When a write command is received by the DSD from the host, the intelligent write command routine maintains the read data of the read buffer, instead of clearing the read buffer and performing a read of the target sector on the disk per standard protocol. The intelligent write command copies the necessary adjacent sector data from the read buffer as a data patch to the write buffer to splice around the write data received with the write command. Following each write command, the data written to the disk in the write buffer is copied to the read buffer. The read buffer is maintained with the most current data on the disk and does not need to be flushed unless the LBA of the write command is beyond the data ranges stored in the read buffer.

Abstract: A mapping table is modified to match one or more specified storage conditions of data stored in or expected to be stored in one or more logical block address ranges to physical addresses within a storage drive having performance characteristics that satisfy the specified storage conditions. For example, the performance characteristics may be a reliability of the physical location within the storage drive or a data throughput range of read/write operations. Existing data is moved and/or new data is written to physical addresses on the storage media possessing the performance characteristic(s), according to the mapping table. Further, a standard seeding or a seeding override for the re-mapped logical block addresses can prevent read operations from inadvertently reading incorrect physical addresses corresponding to the re-mapped logical block addresses.

Abstract: A mapping table is modified to match one or more specified storage conditions of data stored in or expected to be stored in one or more logical block address ranges to physical addresses within a storage drive having performance characteristics that satisfy the specified storage conditions. For example, the performance characteristics may be a reliability of the physical location within the storage drive or a data throughput range of read/write operations. Existing data is moved and/or new data is written to physical addresses on the storage media possessing the performance characteristic(s), according to the mapping table. Further, a standard seeding or a seeding override for the re-mapped logical block addresses can prevent read operations from inadvertently reading incorrect physical addresses corresponding to the re-mapped logical block addresses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device.

Abstract: An intelligent write command routine improves the operational efficiency of a data storage device (DSD) by avoiding media access of the disk when a logical block address (LBA) and the physical sector are unaligned, thus reducing write time. When a write command is received by the DSD from the host, the intelligent write command routine maintains the read data of the read buffer, instead of clearing the read buffer and performing a read of the target sector on the disk per standard protocol. The intelligent write command copies the necessary adjacent sector data from the read buffer as a data patch to the write buffer to splice around the write data received with the write command. Following each write command, the data written to the disk in the write buffer is copied to the read buffer. The read buffer is maintained with the most current data on the disk and does not need to be flushed unless the LBA of the write command is beyond the data ranges stored in the read buffer.

Abstract: A method of handling a write error is provided. A write error is detected during a write operation on at least one data storage segment. A reassignment mode is selected from a plurality of different reassignment modes.

Abstract: A method of handling a write error is provided. A write error is detected during a write operation on at least one data storage segment. A reassignment mode is selected from a plurality of different reassignment modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device.

Abstract: An interlaced even and odd mapping maps between a logical address space and a physical address space. In one embodiment, an interlaced even and odd mapping scheme provides for converting between a target logical block address (LBA) and a target physical disc sector or cylinder head sector (CHS). In other embodiments, the mapping may be used in any application wherein address translation is desired between address spaces. For example, the mapping may be used to convert between a target logical address space and a target physical address space in a digital computer environment that includes a data storage device, such as a disc drive, for persistent storage. The interlaced even and odd mapping scheme allows for larger physical sector sizes on the data storage device than the logical sector sizes on a host computer.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a bridge connecting a universal serial bus (USB) interface and an advanced technology attachment (ATA) interface may decode a customized small computer system interface (SCSI) command to enable the system to send ATA commands over the USB interface. A customized SCSI command may implement a “pass-through” feature that allows the system to support logical block addresses (LBA) of 48 or more bits, and Self-Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART) commands associated with a hard disc drive (HDD). In conjunction with the bridge, the system may send an ATA-command payload, within a wrapper. The bridge may remove the wrapper without substantially altering the payload, and send the ATA-command payload over the ATA bus.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided through which a minimized sector variable-bits-per-inch table (MSVBPI) is generated during the design of the mass storage device. The MSVBPI table maps variable-bits-per-inch parameters to a head and zone. The retrieval of parameters is accomplished entirely from the MSVBPI table. Furthermore, the MSVBPI table is stored on the recording medium of the mass storage device. The firmware of the mass storage device is stored in the read-only-memory of the mass storage device. During the design of the mass storage device, after an initial compilation of the firmware, the firmware does not need to be recompiled when the content of the MSVBPI table is changed because the content of the MSVBPI and the firmware do not affect the content of each other.