Abstract: A unique system and method for ordering commands may reduce disc access latency while giving preference to pending commands. The method and system involves giving preference to pending commands in a set of priority queues. The method and system involve identifying a pending command and processing other non-pending commands in route to the pending command if performance will not be penalized in doing so. The method and system include a list of command node references referring to a list of sorted command nodes that are to be scheduled for processing.

Abstract: A data storage device mirrors data on a data storage medium. The multiple instances of data are synchronized in order to optimize performance of the reading and writing, and the integrity of the data. Preferably, a data storage device is allowed to defer writing multiple copies of data until a more advantageous time.

Abstract: A data storage device mirrors data on a data storage medium. The multiple instances of data are synchronized in order to optimize performance of the reading and writing, and the integrity of the data. Preferably, a data storage device is allowed to defer writing multiple copies of data until a more advantageous time.

Abstract: A data storage device with a cache memory in communication with a control processor programmed with a routine to effect data throughput with a host device. The data storage device includes a head-disc assembly responsive to the control processor retrieving a host data along with a speculative data in a form of a read data. The control processor adjusting a range for acquisition of the speculative data based on data stored in cache memory fragments of the cache memory. The cache memory storing the read data in an unused cache memory fragment, while the control processor updates a history queue and a band count table based on the acquired read data and releases an oldest cache memory fragment with a lowest count value in the band count table from the cache memory in response to a need for cache memory space.

Abstract: A unique system and method for ordering commands to reduce disc access latency while giving preference to pending commands. The method and system involves giving preference to pending commands in a set of priority queues. The method and system involve identifying a pending command and processing other non-pending commands in route to the pending command if performance will not be penalized in doing so. The method and system include a list of command node references referring to a list of sorted command nodes that are to be scheduled for processing.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving data transfer rate performance of a disc drive configured to store data from a host device in physical data blocks identified by the host device in terms of logical block addresses (LBAs). A sequence of input/output (I/O) commands is provided to the disc drive each directing the transfer of data between at least one LBA within the disc drive and the host device. The correlation between the time sequence of the I/O commands to the locations of the physical data blocks corresponding to the LBAs accessed by the I/O commands is obtained, and preferably displayed graphically in a three-dimensional histogram showing physical data block accesses by time and by frequency. At least one data transfer parameter of the disc drive is thereafter adjusted in relation to the physical operations of the drive in response to the I/O command sequence.

Abstract: A data storage device with a cache memory in communication with a control processor programmed with a data retention prioritization routine to effect data throughput with a host device. The data storage device includes an apparatus responsive to the control processor retrieving host data along with speculative data. The cache memory storing the host data in addition to the speculative data, wherein the speculative data includes both read on arrival data and read look ahead data. The control processor executing the data prioritization routine to prioritize removal of the host data from the cache memory prior to removal of the read on arrival data while maintaining persistence of the read look ahead data in the cache memory subsequent to removal of the read on arrival data.

Abstract: A data storage device with a cache memory in communication with a control processor programmed with a routine to effect data throughput with a host device. The data storage device includes a head-disc assembly responsive to the control processor retrieving a host data along with a speculative data in a form of a read data. The control processor adjusting a range for acquisition of the speculative data based on data stored in cache memory fragments of the cache memory. The cache memory storing the read data in an unused cache memory fragment, while the control processor updates a history queue and a band count table based on the acquired read data and releases an oldest cache memory fragment with a lowest count value in the band count table from the cache memory in response to a need for cache memory space.

Abstract: A unique system and method for ordering commands to reduce disc access latency while giving preference to pending commands. The method and system involves giving preference to pending commands in a set of priority queues. The method and system involve identifying a pending command and processing other non-pending commands in route to the pending command if performance will not be penalized in doing so. The method and system include a list of command node references referring to a list of sorted command nodes that are to be scheduled for processing.

Abstract: A data storage device mirrors data on a data storage medium. The multiple instances of data are synchronized in order to optimize performance of the reading and writing, and the integrity of the data. Preferably, a data storage device is allowed to defer writing multiple copies of data until a more advantageous time.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for improving data transfer rate performance of a disc drive configured to store data from a host device in physical data blocks identified by the host device in terms of logical block addresses (LBAs). A sequence of input/output (I/O) commands is provided to the disc drive each directing the transfer of data between at least one LBA within the disc drive and the host device. The correlation between the time sequence of the I/O commands to the locations of the physical data blocks corresponding to the LBAs accessed by the I/O commands is obtained, and preferably displayed graphically in a three-dimensional histogram showing physical data block accesses by time and by frequency. At least one data transfer parameter of the disc drive is thereafter adjusted in relation to the physical operations of the drive in response to the I/O command sequence.

Abstract: An arrangement and method are disclosed herein for operating a mass memory storage peripheral computer device connected to a host computer. The host computer has system RAM associated with the host computer and is operated using an operating system and a system BIOS. The mass memory storage peripheral computer device is connected to the host computer using a peripheral bus in which relocatable expansion BIOS location addresses are allowed. The arrangement and method include a loadable device driver for controlling the operation of the mass memory storage peripheral computer device during the operation of the computer system. During the start-up of the computer system, the loadable device driver is loaded into the system RAM for use during the operation of the system.

Abstract: A computer controlled system includes a data storage device connected to a host computer using a bus which allows device-initiated bus-mastering. The system has system RAM which is associated with the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device. The data storage device requires certain device operating data/code in the form of device control means and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device. An arrangement and method for operating the data storage device includes storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the system RAM. The arrangement and method further include allowing the host computer and/or the data storage device access to the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the host computer and/or the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control the operation of the data storage device.

Abstract: A computer controlled system includes a data storage device connected to a host computer using a bus which allows device-initiated bus-mastering. The system has system RAM which is associated with the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device. The data storage device requires certain device operating data/code in the form of device control means and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device. An arrangement and method for operating the data storage device includes storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the system RAM. The arrangement and method further include allowing the host computer and/or the data storage device access to the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the host computer and/or the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control the operation of the data storage device.

Abstract: A computer controlled system includes a data storage device connected to a host computer using a bus which allows device-initiated bus-mastering. The system has system RAM which is associated with the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device. The data storage device requires certain device operating data/code in the form of device control means and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device. An arrangement and method for operating the data storage device includes storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the system RAM. The arrangement and method further include allowing the host computer and/or the data storage device access to the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the host computer and/or the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control the operation of the data storage device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for assuring that the desired data is transferred between a variable rate disk drive and a host system during read and write operations. The invention involves retaining a variable amount of data in a buffer memory after the data has been transferred between the buffer memory and a magnetic disk with the variable amount of data retained based upon a predetermined fixed period of time associated with error conditions and a disk transfer rate. If an error condition is detected during a transfer of data between the buffer memory and the disk, all of the retained data may be retransferred after the error condition has been corrected.

Abstract: A plurality of queues where each queue is defined by a set of criteria, the queue system comprises a plurality of header registers where each header register defines a queue in the queue system and a plurality of task registers where each task register can be associated with each queue in the queue system. Each header register has a unique address and contains a previous field and a next field. Each task register has a unique address and contains a previous field and a next field. Each previous field and said next field stores the address of another register in a given queue such that each queue is formed in a double link structure. Control means is provided for dynamically assigning task registers to queues by controlling the addresses stored in the previous and next fields in each header and task registers such that each of said task registers is always assigned to a queue in the queue system.

Abstract: A serial data transmission system employing at least three transmission lines for transmitting the serial data. Each of the transmission lines can be designated as a data line 1 or as a data line 2. An encoder dynamically designates, for each binary data bit transmission period, one transmission line as data line 1 and one transmission line as data line 2 such that the transitions representing two data bits being transmitted in two successive transmission periods not occur on any one of the transmission lines. In each binary data bit transmission period, the encoder will cause a transition to occur on either data line 1 or data line 2 as a function of the value of the data bit to be transmitted during that transmission period.

Abstract: A task assigning system within a dual actuator disk drive system wherein each task has a cylinder address comprising a plurality of registers, each register having a unique address and a plurality of fields for storing a task including the cylinder address associated with the tasks, a queue comprising a header register, the header register having a plurality of fields, an insertion means for inserting and ordering the registers into the queue when a task is first stored into the register, a first means for assigning tasks stored in the queue to a first actuator of the dual actuators in the sequence of increasing value of the cylinder addresses of tasks stored in the registers in the queue and a second means for assigning tasks stored in the queue to a second actuator of the dual actuators in the sequence of decreasing values of the cylinder addresses of the tasks stored in the registers in the queue.

Abstract: A data storage device mirrors data on a data storage medium. The multiple instances of data are synchronized in order to optimize performance of the reading and writing, and the integrity of the data. Preferably, a data storage device is allowed to defer writing multiple copies of data until a more advantageous time.