Patents by Inventor Robert Michael Lester

Robert Michael Lester 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: 20240037072
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to storing data in a storage system. An example includes receiving, by a storage controller of a storage system, a data unit to be stored in persistent storage of the storage system. The storage controller determines maximum and minimum entropy values for the received data unit. The storage controller determines, based on at least the minimum entropy value and the maximum entropy value, whether the received data unit is viable for data reduction. In response to a determination that the received data unit is viable for data reduction, The storage controller performs at least one reduction operation on the received data unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Robert Michael Lester, Susan Agten, Matthew S. Gates, Alex Veprinsky
  • Patent number: 10372185
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage system is presented. The data storage system includes data storage devices configured for storage and retrieval of data, power supply modules configured to provide power to at least the plurality of data storage devices, and a management controller configured to monitor power properties associated with the power supply modules to detect a degraded power condition. Responsive to the degraded power condition, the management controller is configured to establish adjustments to performance of the data storage devices to mitigate the degraded power condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Michael Lester, Todd Christopher McNally
  • Patent number: 10082968
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to the content of a command queue of transfer requests for writeback commands and host read commands, selectively limiting the content with respect to writeback commands to only those transfer requests for writeback data that are selected on a physical zone basis of a plurality of predefined physical zones of a storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20170031409
    Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a data storage system is presented. The data storage system includes data storage devices configured for storage and retrieval of data, power supply modules configured to provide power to at least the plurality of data storage devices, and a management controller configured to monitor power properties associated with the power supply modules to detect a degraded power condition. Responsive to the degraded power condition, the management controller is configured to establish adjustments to performance of the data storage devices to mitigate the degraded power condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Michael Lester, Todd Christopher McNally
  • Publication number: 20160320990
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to the content of a command queue of transfer requests for writeback commands and host read commands, selectively limiting the content with respect to writeback commands to only those transfer requests for writeback data that are selected on a physical zone basis of a plurality of predefined physical zones of a storage media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 9329800
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to the content of a command queue of transfer requests for writeback commands and host read commands, selectively limiting the content with respect to writeback commands to only those transfer requests for writeback data that are selected on a physical zone basis of a plurality of predefined physical zones of a storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 8745326
    Abstract: As apparatus and associated method for a dual active-active array storage system with a first controller with top level control of a first memory space and a second controller with top level control of a second memory space different than the first memory space. A seek manager residing in only one of the controllers defines individual command profiles derived from a combined list of data transfer requests from both controllers. A policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to both controllers to dynamically characterize the load, and governs the seek manager to continuously correlate each command profile in relation to the load characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 7870335
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method implement a HASTE with a policy engine that continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load, and continuously correlates a command profile to a data storage device of the data storage system in relation to the characterization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 7840751
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for command queue management of back watered requests. A selected request is released from a command queue, and further release of requests from the queue is interrupted when a total number of subsequently completed requests reaches a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 7831624
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for efficiently arranging and searching data in a memory space, such as a cache memory of a data storage array controller. A data structure comprises a skip list of nodes having an array of forward pointers. Each node has a node level derived from an index at which the node is stored in a table in the memory space. The total available number of nodes is preferably selected to be less than half of the largest power of 2 that can be expressed by a number of bits of the index, and the nodes are preferably stored at only even or only odd indices of the table. In such case, a free list of nodes is preferably generated from an array of pairs of counts and indices to identify the available nodes. Additional table structures can further be provided to enhance data arrangement and searching functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 7797487
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to a command queue depth of data transfer requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Patent number: 7765437
    Abstract: A plurality of data storage devices are arranged to form a multi-device array space, and a controller controls access to the array space. The controller is configured to index sets of operational performance data from the plurality of data storage devices into a unified data log. The controller further detects a failure trend of one or more data storage devices by analyzing at least one of a vertical block of data and a horizontal block of data in the unified data log. The vertical data block of data is associated with one of the data storage devices at a plurality of indices. The horizontal block of data is associated with a plurality of the data storage devices at an index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sherwood Gittins, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20090006741
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to the content of a command queue of transfer requests for writeback commands and host read commands, selectively limiting the content with respect to writeback commands to only those transfer requests for writeback data that are selected on a physical zone basis of a plurality of predefined physical zones of a storage media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20090006689
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for command queue management of back watered requests. A selected request is released from a command queue, and further release of requests from the queue is interrupted when a total number of subsequently completed requests reaches a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: CLARK EDWARD LUBBERS, ROBERT MICHAEL LESTER
  • Publication number: 20090006739
    Abstract: As apparatus and associated method for a dual active-active array storage system with a first controller with top level control of a first memory space and a second controller with top level control of a second memory space different than the first memory space. A seek manager residing in only one of the controllers defines individual command profiles derived from a combined list of data transfer requests from both controllers. A policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to both controllers to dynamically characterize the load, and governs the seek manager to continuously correlate each command profile in relation to the load characterization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20090006738
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method implement a HASTE with a policy engine that continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load, and continuously correlates a command profile to a data storage device of the data storage system in relation to the characterization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20090006606
    Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to a command queue depth of data transfer requests.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Robert Michael Lester
  • Publication number: 20080244316
    Abstract: A plurality of data storage devices are arranged to form a multi-device array space, and a controller controls access to the array space. The controller is configured to index sets of operational performance data from the plurality of data storage devices into a unified data log. The controller further detects a failure trend of one or more data storage devices by analyzing at least one of a vertical block of data and a horizontal block of data in the unified data log. The vertical data block of data is associated with one of the data storage devices at a plurality of indices. The horizontal block of data is associated with a plurality of the data storage devices at an index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sherwood Gittins, Robert Michael Lester