Abstract: A method for measuring acceleration uses an accelerometer apparatus having an optically transparent, stress-birefringent material, a source of polarized light positioned to direct a polarized beam of light into the optically transparent, stress-birefringent material, and a detector system positioned to detect an output beam from the optically transparent, stress-birefringent material. The accelerometer apparatus is accelerated, and the acceleration of the accelerometer apparatus is simultaneously determined from a measurement of stress-induced optical birefringence in the optically transparent, stress-birefringent material.

Abstract: Optical interconnect layers and methods of fabrication thereof are described. In addition, the optical interconnect layers integrated into devices such as backplane (BP), printed wiring board (PWB), and multi-chip module (MCM) level devices are described. A representative optical interconnect layer includes a first cladding layer, a second cladding layer, one or more waveguides having a waveguide core and an air-gap cladding layer engaging a portion of waveguide core, wherein the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer engage the waveguide.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a microprocessor controller, a method for the distribution of data within the disk array based upon logical commands issued by the computer system. The disk controller reads a logical command and translates the commands into multiple drive specific commands, including drive physical parameter information such as head, sector and cylinder selection. The calculation of these physical parameters is based upon a number of factors including the operating system installed in the computer system, the type of interleave scheme, if any, specified by the computer system configuration, and disk specific parameters. The physical drive requests are then placed in a queue and executed by the microprocessor controller.

Abstract: Wafer-level electronic packages having waveguides and methods of fabricating chip-level electronic packages having waveguides are disclosed. A representative chip-level electronic package includes at least one waveguide having a waveguide core. In addition, another representative chip-level electronic package includes a waveguide having an air-gap cladding layer around a portion of the waveguide core. A representative method for fabricating a chip-level electronic package includes: providing a substrate having a passivation layer disposed on the substrate; disposing a waveguide core on a portion of the passivation layer; disposing a first sacrificial layer onto at least one portion of the passivation layer and the waveguide core; disposing an overcoat layer onto the passivation layer and the first sacrificial layer; and removing the first sacrificial layer to define an air-gap cladding layer within the overcoat polymer layer and around a portion of the waveguide core.

Abstract: The present invention entails a volume grating for use as an optical coupler and method for creating the same which comprises a predetermined surface grating pattern having a decreasing surface grating period along a waveguide light propagation direction in the volume grating with a plurality of slanted grating fringes having a variable slant angle along the waveguide light propagation direction to focus coupled light in a first dimension with a predetermined light intensity profile along a grating-cover interface plane of the volume grating. In addition, the predetermined surface grating pattern further includes an increasing radius of curvature along the waveguide light propagation direction to focus the light in a second dimension. The present invention further comprises a system and method for designing the volume grating, as well as a system and method for designing an apparatus for fabricating the volume grating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which indicates the physical location of one or more peripheral devices. A system operator uses an input device to select an icon that is displayed on a display device. The icon represents a single peripheral device or a group of peripheral devices among a plurality of peripheral devices. For example, an icon may represent a disk drive, a group of disk drives disposed within a storage unit, an array of disk drives, an array of disk drives disposed within one or more storage units, etc. After the system operator selects the icon, an indicator light associated with each of the one or more peripheral devices represented by the icon illuminates to identify the physical location of the selected peripheral device or devices. Other peripheral devices are contemplated, such as a bank of modems, floppy drives, CD-ROM drives, etc.

Abstract: A system for performing on-line reconfiguration of a disk array in which a source logical volume is reconfigured to a destination logical volume. Disk array configuration is invoked if a new physical drive is inserted, or a drive is removed. Reconfiguration can also be performed if the user desires to change the configuration of a particular logical volume, such as its stripe size. The disk array reconfiguration is run as a background task by firmware on a disk controller board. The reconfigure task first moves data from the source logical volume to a posting memory such as RAM memory. The reconfigure task operates one stripe at a time, with the stripe size being that of the destination logical volume. Once a stripe of data is moved into the posting memory, it is written back to corresponding locations in the destination logical volume. The reconfigure task continues until all data in the source logical volume have been moved into the destination logical volume.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a microprocessor controller, a method for the distribution of data within the disk array based upon logical commands issued by the computer system. The disk controller reads a logical command and translates the commands into multiple drive specific commands, including drive physical parameter information such as head, sector and cylinder selection. The calculation of these physical parameters is based upon a number of factors including the operating system installed in the computer system, the type of interleave scheme, if any, specified by the computer system configuration, and disk specific parameters. The physical drive requests are then placed in a queue and executed by the microprocessor controller.

Abstract: A new and improved apparatus and method for rebuilding a replacement disk of a fault tolerant, mass storage drive array subsystem of a computer system. The method calls for a microprocessor to check a stripe for consistency. If the stripe is inconsistent, the microprocessor rebuilds a predetermined number of stripes. If the checked stripe is consistent, then the microprocessor checks a next stripe and repeats the above-described process. Because the drive array subsystem receives both system requests and rebuild requests, the present invention allows a user to select the drive array subsystem's priority in processing system requests versus rebuild requests, thereby allowing greater system access to the drive array subsystem during peak times of system requests.

Abstract: A system for performing on-line reconfiguration of a disk array in which a source logical volume is reconfigured to a destination logical volume. Disk array configuration is invoked if a new physical drive is inserted, or a drive is removed. Reconfiguration can also be performed if the user desires to change the configuration of a particular logical volume, such as its stripe size. The disk array reconfiguration is run as a background task by firmware on a disk controller board. The reconfigure task first moves data from the source logical volume to a posting memory such as RAM memory. The reconfigure task operates one stripe at a time, with the stripe size being that of the destination logical volume. Once a stripe of data is moved into the posting memory, it is written back to corresponding locations in the destination logical volume. The reconfigure task continues until all data in the source logical volume have been moved into the destination logical volume.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a microprocessor controller, a method for the distribution of data within the disk array based upon logical commands issued by the computer system. The disk controller reads a logical command and translates the commands into multiple drive specific commands, including drive physical parameter information such as head, sector and cylinder selection. The calculation of these physical parameters is based upon a number of factors including the operating system installed in the computer system, the type of interleave scheme, if any, specified by the computer system configuration, and disk specific parameters. The physical drive requests are then placed in a queue and executed by the microprocessor controller.

Abstract: A system for monitoring performance of an intelligent array expansion system includes a controller for communicating with a host computer and associated intelligent array expansion systems, each of which has a plurality of fixed disk drives. The controller incorporates firmware to monitor a plurality of predetermined performance data, such data being thereafter stored in information storage devices. At the same time counts are maintained for selected parameters which are of interest to a systems manager. Such counts and the performance data are stored for each one of a plurality of preselected intervals, and an indication or warning is given to the systems manager when performance data, or when a selected parameter exceeds a preselected threshold.

Abstract: A host computer including a posted write cache for a disk drive system where the posted write cache includes battery backup to protect against potential loss of data in case of a power failure, and also including means for performing a method for determining if live data is present in the posted write cache upon power-up. The posted write cache is further mirrored and parity-checked to assure data validity. Performance increase is achieved since during normal operation data is written to the much faster cache and a completion indication is returned, and the data is flushed to the slower disk drive system at a more opportune time. Batteries provide power to the posted write cache in the event of a power failure. Upon subsequent power-up, a cache signature previously written in the posted write cache indicates that live data still resides in the posted write cache. If the cache signature is not present and the batteries are not fully discharged, a normal power up condition exists.

Abstract: For use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a microprocessor controller, a method for the distribution of data within the disk array based upon logical commands issued by the computer system. The disk controller reads a logical command and translates the commands into multiple drive specific commands, including drive physical parameter information such as head, sector and cylinder selection. The calculation of these physical parameters is based upon a number of factors including the operating system installed in the computer system, the type of interleave scheme, if any, specified by the computer system configuration, and disk specific parameters. The physical drive requests are then placed in a queue and executed by the microprocessor controller.

Abstract: A bus master interface command protocol for use with a computer system having an intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem, including a bus master and microprocessor controller. The command protocol permits the computer system to issue disk array commands to the controller at a logical level without having to issue disk specific commands. The disk array subsystem microprocessor controller reads the logical commands, translates the commands into smaller disk specific commands, and queues the disk specific commands for processing. Upon completion of the logical command, the bus master controller asserts control over the computer system bus and manages the transfer of data to or from the computer system memory. The management of the disk array subsystem and the transfer of data is effectively off-loaded from the system processor permitting more efficient use of the processor.

Abstract: A method for performing background disk sector analysis for drives, including drives dedicated to redundancy and/or fault recovery techniques, in an intelligent, microprocessor based disk array. The method directs the microprocessor to wait a specified time and test for disk activity. In the absence of disk activity, the disk controller is directed to generate a read request for a disk memory location within the array. A return code following the array is checked to determine if the read failed, indicating a disk drive media failure. The disk controller is then notified if a failure occurs. The processor again checks for disk array activity and in the absence of activity issues a read request for successive locations within the array, thereby reading all disk memory locations within the array.

Abstract: A method for automatically remapping a disk after receiving a bad sector indication without requiring system operator intervention, initiation of a diagnostic program or system down time. When the disk controller receives the error and mirroring or parity operation is activated, a remap routine is initiated. The routine finds the bad sector in the request, builds a good track of data and stores this good track of data in a reserved area on all the disk units on the controller. The data in the reserved area is then read, and if successful, the track having the bad sector is remapped to remove the bad sector from use. The saved data is then rewritten to the track, thus restoring the disk unit to full operation. A flag is set during the process so that should power fail the process can be restarted.

Abstract: Temperature sensors are located inside drive chambers where disk drives are located to signal an overheating condition. An overheating condition triggers external alarms and produces an interrupt signal to the disk drive controller, which, in turn, alerts the operating system. If the operating system does not comprehend the problem and take the appropriate action, the controller shuts down the disk drives after a certain period of time.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a replacement disk in a fault tolerant, intelligent mass storage disk array subsystem having a microprocessor based controller in a personal computer system and rebuilding the replacement disk independent of the computer system processor. The method calls for the microprocessor controller to run a disk array check at system powerup or at specified intervals to detect the existence of a replacement drive. The microprocessor then builds a series of disk drive commands which attempt to read every sector on the replacement disk. The read commands will return a null data read, indicating that the sector must be restored. The microprocessor controller converts the replacement read commands for all sectors on the replacement disk to write-restore commands. The microprocessor executes the write commands and restores the data to the replacement drive.