Patents by Inventor Kenichi Takamoto
Kenichi Takamoto has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6954769Abstract: A storage sub-system employs a staging control information table by which staging of data to be read and redundant data thereof can be executed together to reduce response time in the event of a data read failure. The staging control information table also permits pre-read staging to be executed in the forward, backward or both the forward and backward directions, to reduce response time.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2003Date of Patent: October 11, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Ishikawa, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6950304Abstract: A disk array device comprises: a hard disk drive module including a disk for recording information thereon and having one side that has a length substantially equal to the diameter of the disk; a battery module; an operation module; a fan module having at least one cooling fan; a controller module having a controller; a power supply module provided for supplying power to the modules; a circuit board to which the above-mentioned modules are connected via electrical connectors; and a substantially box-shaped chassis in which the modules and the circuit board are housed. A front surface and a rear surface of the chassis are opened in a rectangular shape. A length of one side of the opened front surface of the chassis is substantially the same length as the one side of the hard disk drive module.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2003Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuyoshi Suzuki, Masahiko Sato, Kenichi Tateyama, Naoto Matsunami, Koichi Kimura, Hidehiko Iwasaki, Kenichi Takamoto, Kenji Muraoka, Takamasa Ishikawa, Nobuhiro Yokoyama, Kiyotaka Takahashi, Yoshinori Nagaiwa
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Patent number: 6950920Abstract: A disk array system of the type that each controller has an independent and dedicated cache. The disk array system can change control of a desired volume between desired controllers without suspending the system. When volumes are taken over between controllers, a switch-source controller de-stages data of a subject volume on the data cache to a storage subject disk to maintain the disk content reflection (coherency). Even if each controller has an independent and dedicated cache, a desired volume can be taken over between desired controllers without suspending the system. Each controller has a configuration manager which stores the controller number of a switch-destination controller to allow automatic volume take-over and automatic control by the original controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Mizuno, Naoto Matsunami, Yasuyuki Mimatsu, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6947240Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2003Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kazuo Hakamata, Kenichi Takamoto, Masaaki Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20050198457Abstract: A disk array system of the type that each controller has an independent and dedicated cache. The disk array system can change control of a desired volume between desired controllers without suspending the system. When volumes are taken over between controllers, a switch-source controller de-stages data of a subject volume on the data cache to a storage subject disk to maintain the disk content reflection (coherency). Even if each controller has an independent and dedicated cache, a desired volume can be taken over between desired controllers without suspending the system. Each controller has a configuration manager which stores the controller number of a switch-destination controller to allow automatic volume take-over and automatic control by the original controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2005Publication date: September 8, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Mizuno, Naoto Matsunami, Yasuyuki Mimatsu, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6931567Abstract: The storage controlling apparatus has a function for setting each of a plurality of ports in a controller for the current controller or for the standby controller, so that one port is switched to the other in a controller in case an error occurs in a controller or in a port. When in a normal operation, both of the controllers can be operated so as to improve the performance of the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2001Date of Patent: August 16, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Tanaka, Kenichi Takamoto
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Publication number: 20050177765Abstract: A storage sub-system employs a staging control information table by which staging of data to be read and redundant data thereof can be executed together to reduce response time in the event of a data read failure. The staging control information table also permits pre-read staging to be executed in the forward, backward or both the forward and backward directions, to reduce response time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2005Publication date: August 11, 2005Inventors: Atsushi Ishikawa, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Kenichi Takamoto
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Publication number: 20050172052Abstract: N_Port_Name information capable of distinctly identifying a host computer has seen set in a microprocessor 42 of a storage controller 40 prior to start-up of host computers 10, 20, 30; upon startup of the host computers 10, 20, 30, when the storage controller 40 receives a frame issued, then the microprocessor 42 operates to perform comparison for determining whether the N_Port_Name information stored in the frame has been already set in the microprocessor 42 and registered to the N_Port_Name list within a control table maintained. When such comparison results in match, then continue execution of processing based on the frame instruction; if comparison results in failure of match, then reject any request.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2005Publication date: August 4, 2005Inventors: Akemi Sanada, Toshio Nakano, Hidehiko Iwasaki, Masahiko Sato, Kenji Muraoka, Kenichi Takamoto, Masaaki Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20050166084Abstract: Disclosed is storage system, that is, an array-type disk apparatus which is provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and instructs initiation of mirroring between the disk drive and a spare disk drive when the number of errors occurred of the disk drive exceeds a specified value, and a mirror section which performs mirroring between the disk drive and spare disk drive. Storage system, that is, the array-type disk apparatus may be provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and gives such an instruction as to set the status of the disk drive in a temporary blocked state, and a data restoring section which executes data restoration by reading data from the temporary blocked disk drive when reading from another disk drive constituting a disk array group is not possible during data restoration.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2005Publication date: July 28, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ikuya Yagisawa, Takeki Okamoto, Naoto Matsunami, Mikio Fukuoka, Toshio Nakano, Kenichi Takamoto, Akira Yamamoto
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Publication number: 20050111249Abstract: Some disk devices used for a disk array may shorten a total active time when they are turned on 24 hours a day in comparison to a case where the disk devices are turned on only when needed. The disk device's total active time shortens when the disk device is turned on 24 hours a day and is operated continuously 24 hours a day. As a result, the disk device's operation period shortens. Such disk device is not suited for 24-hour continuous operations. The disk array capacity increases year after year. There is a trend of increasing the number of disk devices to be mounted. The power consumption for disk arrays tends to increase. A computer accessing a disk array has a disk control instruction program which allows the disk array to turn on or off specific disk devices in it. The disk array has a disk power supply control instruction reception program and a disk power supply control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2004Publication date: May 26, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ikuya Yagisawa, Naoto Matsunami, Akihiro Mannen, Kenichi Takamoto
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Publication number: 20050102555Abstract: A disk array connected to a storage area network via a fibre channel has one or more ports each controlled by a processor. Even the disk array with one port and one processor executes online processing and backup processing at the same time while considering an online processing load. A port controller not only accepts a request from a host computer but issues a request to other storage controllers to allow online processing and backup processing to be executed at the same time. In addition, the disk array, if provided with a plurality of ports, selects ports or schedules processing depending upon the load to prevent backup processing from affecting online processing performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2004Publication date: May 12, 2005Inventors: Yoshiko Matsumoto, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6889286Abstract: For providing a storage control unit to be connected to a fiber channel, in which a new storage control unit is added onto the fiber channel network during on-line operation and succeeds control information of a logical unit from the storage control unit which has been existing before, so as to be in charge of a process request issued to that logical unit from a host computer thereafter, wherein a control memory being able to memorize the control information is provided in each of the storage control units 30 and 40, which information is necessary when succeeding or taking over the logical unit and is represented by such as construction information of a magnetic disk drive within a disk drive unit 20 and construction information of the logical unit, so on. The contents of the control memory within the storage control unit 30 is copied into the control memory of the storage control unit 40 when the new storage control unit 40 is added onto the fiber channel network.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Hino, Toshiya Nakano, Tetsuya Kishimoto, Hidehiko Iwasaki, Kenji Muraoka, Kenichi Takamoto
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Publication number: 20050081087Abstract: Disclosed is storage system, that is, an array-type disk apparatus which is provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and instructs initiation of mirroring between the disk drive and a spare disk drive when the number of errors occurred of the disk drive exceeds a specified value, and a mirror section which performs mirroring between the disk drive and spare disk drive. Storage system, that is, the array-type disk apparatus may be provided with an error monitor section which monitors the status of error occurrence in a disk drive and gives such an instruction as to set the status of the disk drive in a temporary blocked state, and a data restoring section which executes data restoration by reading data from the temporary blocked disk drive when reading from another disk drive constituting a disk array group is not possible during data restoration.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2004Publication date: April 14, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ikuya Yagisawa, Takeki Okamoto, Naoto-Matsunami, Mikio Fukuoka, Toshio Nakano, Kenichi Takamoto, Akira Yamamoto
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Patent number: 6880059Abstract: A disk array system of the type that each controller has an independent and dedicated cache. The disk array system can change control of a desired volume between desired controllers without suspending the system. When volumes are taken over between controllers, a switch-source controller de-stages data of a subject volume on the data cache to a storage subject disk to maintain the disk content reflection (coherency). Even if each controller has an independent and dedicated cache, a desired volume can be taken over between desired controllers without suspending the system. Each controller has a configuration manager which stores the controller number of a switch-destination controller to allow automatic volume take-over and automatic control by the original controller.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Mizuno, Naoto Matsunami, Yasuyuki Mimatsu, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6877073Abstract: N_Port_Name information capable of distinctly identifying a host computer has seen set in a microprocessor 42 of a storage controller 40 prior to start-up of host computers 10, 20, 30; upon startup of the host computers 10, 20, 30, when the storage controller 40 receives a frame issued, then the microprocessor 42 operates to perform comparison for determining whether the N_Port_Name information stored in the frame has been already set in the microprocessor 42 and registered to the N_Port_Name list within a control table maintained. When such comparison results in match, then continue execution of processing based on the frame instruction; if comparison results in failure of match, then reject any request.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2004Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Akemi Sanada, Toshio Nakano, Hidehiko Iwasaki, Masahiko Sato, Kenji Muraoka, Kenichi Takamoto, Masaaki Kobayashi
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Patent number: 6877110Abstract: RAID information and physical position information of hard disk units are managed by a disk controller in a mapped fashion. When the physical position of the hard disk units is changed, the information mapping is retried. Further, the positional information of the hard disk units accommodated in a disk array system under the administration of the disk controller, is calculated so as to form n-dimensional coordinate system information, and the resulting information is stored in each of the hard disk units. When the hard disk units are inserted into the disk array system, the n-dimensional coordinate system information is read from each hard disk unit. If it is detected that there is difference from the current coordinate system information, then information before removal and that after the insertion are compared with each other and a data link is reconstructed.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Katsuyoshi Suzuki, Kenichi Takamoto, Kenji Muraoka, Hidehiko Iwasaki
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Patent number: 6851020Abstract: A disk array connected to a storage area network via a fiber channel has one or more ports each controlled by a processor. Even the disk array with one port and one processor executes online processing and backup processing at the same time while considering an online processing load. A port controller not only accepts a request from a host computer but issues a request to other storage controllers to allow online processing and backup processing to be executed at the same time. In addition, the disk array, if provided with a plurality of ports, selects ports or schedules processing depending upon the load to prevent backup processing from affecting online processing performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2001Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiko Matsumoto, Kenichi Takamoto
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Publication number: 20050022050Abstract: According to the invention, techniques for detecting and recovering from errors occurring in disk drive subsystems having a controller and drive units connected by a fibre channel loop. Specific embodiments can provide storage subsystems, methods and apparatus for use in information processing environments, for example. Embodiments can determine when each drive is disconnected from the loop in the external storage subsystem structured by using the FC Loop, and thereupon, the FC Loop can be controlled by bridging the communication path using the PBC so that the loop is not broken.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Koji Nagata, Kenichi Takamoto
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Patent number: 6826005Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2003Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kazuo Hakamata, Kenichi Takamoto, Masaaki Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20040199736Abstract: The storage regions under command of a storage controller can be simply enabled and disabled to access to by automatically registering connected host computers. Such system can be achieved by taking a step of acquiring N_Port_Name information included in a login frame from the host computers, and a step of displaying a table of access right of host computers to a logical unit under command of storage controller. A security table for the storage controller can be generated by supervisor's setting the access enable/disable flag information.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2004Publication date: October 7, 2004Inventors: Toshimitsu Kamano, Kenichi Takamoto