Patents by Inventor Koji Sonoda

Koji Sonoda 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).

  • Publication number: 20160004615
    Abstract: A storage controller stores, for each of a plurality of storage devices, a usable capacity, which is a capacity usable by the storage controller in a logical storage area, configures a first RAID group using a first storage device group among the plurality of storage devices, and allocates, on the basis of a request from a host computer, one of a plurality of pages of the logical storage area in the first RAID group to a virtual volume. The storage controller reduces, when receiving first failure information indicating a failure in a first storage device in the first storage device group from the first storage device, a usable capacity of the first storage device on the basis of the first failure information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Go UEHARA, Shigeo HOMMA, Koji SONODA
  • Patent number: 9170750
    Abstract: A storage apparatus comprises a storage controller and multiple storage devices. The storage controller sends, to either a storage device which is a copy source of copy-target data, or a storage device which is a copy destination of the copy-target data, a copy indication showing areas of the copy source and the copy destination, and the storage device, which receives the copy indication, copies data of the copy-source area to the copy-destination area based on the copy indication without going through the storage controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abei, Koji Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20150106555
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor storage system has multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, a control circuit having a media interface group (one or more interface devices) coupled to the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, and multiple switches. The media interface group and the multiple switches are coupled via data buses, and each switch and each of two or more nonvolatile chips are coupled via a data bus. The switch is configured so as to switch a coupling between a data bus coupled to the media interface group and a data bus coupled to any of multiple nonvolatile chips that are coupled to this switch. The control circuit partitions write-target data into multiple data elements, switches a coupling by controlling the multiple switches, and distributively sends the multiple data elements to multiple nonvolatile chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: ATSUSHI ISHIKAWA, Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara, Junji Ogawa, Hideyuki Koseki
  • Patent number: 8949511
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor storage system has multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, a control circuit having a media interface group (one or more interface devices) coupled to the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, and multiple switches. The media interface group and the multiple switches are coupled via data buses, and each switch and each of two or more nonvolatile chips are coupled via a data bus. The switch is configured so as to switch a coupling between a data bus coupled to the media interface group and a data bus coupled to any of multiple nonvolatile chips that are coupled to this switch. The control circuit partitions write-target data into multiple data elements, switches a coupling by controlling the multiple switches, and distributively sends the multiple data elements to multiple nonvolatile chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishikawa, Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara, Junji Ogawa, Hideyuki Koseki
  • Patent number: 8909753
    Abstract: Root node arrangements configured to carry out file level virtualization for logically providing a plurality of share units that can be shared among file systems of the root node or other one or more root nodes, to a client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaki Nakamura, Koji Sonoda, Jun Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20140317367
    Abstract: A storage apparatus comprises a storage controller and multiple storage devices. The storage controller sends, to either a storage device which is a copy source of copy-target data, or a storage device which is a copy destination of the copy-target data, a copy indication showing areas of the copy source and the copy destination, and the storage device, which receives the copy indication, copies data of the copy-source area to the copy-destination area based on the copy indication without going through the storage controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Abei, Koji Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8832371
    Abstract: A storage system having multiple flash memory packages including flash memory chips and package controllers for controlling access to the flash memory chips is configured such that the package controller receives from a higher-level apparatus, which sends a write request, frequency prediction information that enables prediction of an update frequency with respect to data, which is to be a write target, and when writing data for which a write request has been issued from the higher-level apparatus, control is executed such that data, which is predicted to have a relatively high update frequency based on the frequency prediction information, is preferentially stored in a physical block with the large remaining number of erases in a flash memory chip of flash memory package of the package controller, or such that data, which is predicted to have a relatively low update frequency based on the frequency prediction information, is preferentially stored in a physical block with the small remaining number of erases i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Uehara, Koji Sonoda, Junji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8738866
    Abstract: A storage system comprises multiple memory packages and a storage controller. The multiple memory packages respectively comprise multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices for storing data, and a memory controller for controlling the reading/writing of data from/to these multiple semiconductor memory devices, and the storage controller receives an I/O command issued from a host computer, creates, on the basis of the received I/O command, a first level command for controlling the multiple memory packages, and sends this first level command to the multiple memory packages. The memory controllers of the multiple memory packages create a second level command for the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices inside its own memory package, and estimate the power to be consumed in its own memory package. In a case where the estimated power consumption exceeds a preconfigured permissible power, suspends the execution of the received second level command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara
  • Publication number: 20140089729
    Abstract: A storage system includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory devices that each includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory chips, and a storage controller configured to perform input and output of data to and from a RAID group comprised by storage areas of the plurality of nonvolatile memory devices. A nonvolatile memory device identifies a failure occurrence area that is a storage area in which a failure occurred in the plurality of nonvolatile memory chips, excludes the failure occurrence area from a storage area allocated to the RAID group, and transmits failure occurrence information that is information relating to the failure that has occurred in the nonvolatile memory device to the storage controller. When the failure occurrence information is received, the storage controller reconstructs data that had been stored in a storage area including at least the failure occurrence area of the nonvolatile memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara
  • Publication number: 20130297856
    Abstract: A storage system comprises multiple memory packages and a storage controller. The multiple memory packages respectively comprise multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices for storing data, and a memory controller for controlling the reading/writing of data from/to these multiple semiconductor memory devices, and the storage controller receives an I/O command issued from a host computer, creates, on the basis of the received I/O command, a first level command for controlling the multiple memory packages, and sends this first level command to the multiple memory packages. The memory controllers of the multiple memory packages create a second level command for the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices inside its own memory package, and estimate the power to be consumed in its own memory package. In a case where the estimated power consumption exceeds a preconfigured permissible power, suspends the execution of the received second level command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara
  • Patent number: 8516191
    Abstract: A storage system has NAS apparatuses each including virtual file servers to be provided to host apparatuses, a storage apparatus including logical units, and a management apparatus for managing the NAS apparatuses and the storage apparatus. The management apparatus requests the NAS apparatuses and the storage apparatus to transfer management information, acquires the management information. The management apparatus then creates system performance information concerning the virtual file servers based on the acquired management information to display the created system performance information on a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihito Matsuki, Seiichi Higaki, Koji Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20130144921
    Abstract: Root node arrangements configured to carry out file level virtualization for logically providing a plurality of share units that can be shared among file systems of the root node or other one or more root nodes, to a client.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Takaki NAKAMURA, Koji SONODA, Jun NEMOTO
  • Patent number: 8427784
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a head slider including a bearing surface opposed to a surface of a recording medium, an inflow end face, and an outflow end face, and configured to fly by an airflow between the recording medium surface and the bearing surface, and a recording element and a reproduction element disposed in an outflow end portion of the head slider with respect to the airflow. The bearing surface of the head slider includes a trailing step on the outflow end portion, a trailing pad on the trailing step and includes an outflow end kept at an inflow-side gap away from the outflow end face, and a first groove formed along a step portion at a boundary between the trailing step and the trailing pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koji Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20130086305
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor storage system has multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, a control circuit having a media interface group (one or more interface devices) coupled to the multiple nonvolatile semiconductor storage media, and multiple switches. The media interface group and the multiple switches are coupled via data buses, and each switch and each of two or more nonvolatile chips are coupled via a data bus. The switch is configured so as to switch a coupling between a data bus coupled to the media interface group and a data bus coupled to any of multiple nonvolatile chips that are coupled to this switch. The control circuit partitions write-target data into multiple data elements, switches a coupling by controlling the multiple switches, and distributively sends the multiple data elements to multiple nonvolatile chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishikawa, Koji Sonoda, Go Uehara, Junji Ogawa, Hideyuki Koseki
  • Patent number: 8392685
    Abstract: A file system including: a first type storage medium; a second type storage medium; and a processor providing a file system using a first area in the first type storage medium and a second area in the second type storage medium, wherein the processor manages whether metadata is permitted to be stored in each of the first area and second area, stores a first file and first metadata of the first file in the first area, which is managed to permit storing metadata, migrates the first file stored in the file system to the second area, which is managed not to permit storing metadata, and changes the first metadata stored in the first area to point to a location of the first file in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Nonaka, Akira Yamamoto, Naoto Matsunami, Koji Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8380815
    Abstract: A root node creates and issues an object ID comprising share information designating a share unit, which is a logical public unit. The share unit is a logical public unit comprising no less than two objects. Transfer control information in which share information is associated with device information showing a device for managing this share unit, is prepared for each share unit. The root node receives request data, which has an object ID comprising share information, specifies device information corresponding to the share information in this object ID from the transfer control information, and transfers the request data to the device indicated in this device information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaki Nakamura, Koji Sonoda, Jun Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20120275063
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a head slider including a bearing surface opposed to a surface of a recording medium, an inflow end face, and an outflow end face, and configured to fly by an airflow between the recording medium surface and the bearing surface, and a recording element and a reproduction element disposed in an outflow end portion of the head slider with respect to the airflow. The bearing surface of the head slider includes a trailing step on the outflow end portion, a trailing pad on the trailing step and includes an outflow end kept at an inflow-side gap away from the outflow end face, and a first groove formed along a step portion at a boundary between the trailing step and the trailing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koji SONODA
  • Publication number: 20120254513
    Abstract: A storage system having multiple flash memory packages including flash memory chips and package controllers for controlling access to the flash memory chips is configured such that the package controller receives from a higher-level apparatus, which sends a write request, frequency prediction information that enables prediction of an update frequency with respect to data, which is to be a write target, and when writing data for which a write request has been issued from the higher-level apparatus, control is executed such that data, which is predicted to have a relatively high update frequency based on the frequency prediction information, is preferentially stored in a physical block with the large remaining number of erases in a flash memory chip of flash memory package of the package controller, or such that data, which is predicted to have a relatively low update frequency based on the frequency prediction information, is preferentially stored in a physical block with the small remaining number of erases i
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Go Uehara, Koji Sonoda, Junji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8230194
    Abstract: A storage device is provided with a file I/O interface control device and a plurality of disk pools. The file I/O interface control device sets one of a plurality of storage hierarchies defining storage classes, respectively, for each of LUs within the disk pools, thereby forming a file system in each of the LUs. The file I/O interface control device migrates at least one of the files from one of the LUs to another one of the LUs of an optimal storage class, based on static properties and dynamic properties of each file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoto Matsunami, Koji Sonoda, Akira Yamamoto, Masafumi Nozawa, Masaaki Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20120102011
    Abstract: A storage system has NAS apparatuses each including virtual file servers to be provided to host apparatuses, a storage apparatus including logical units, and a management apparatus for managing the NAS apparatuses and the storage apparatus. The management apparatus requests the NAS apparatuses and the storage apparatus to transfer management information, acquires the management information. The management apparatus then creates system performance information concerning the virtual file servers based on the acquired management information to display the created system performance information on a user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihito Matsuki, Seiichi Higaki, Koji Sonoda