Patents by Inventor Takao Satoh

Takao Satoh 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).

  • Patent number: 7293068
    Abstract: During recovery of a master system, a mismatch between data in the master system and that in a backup system is obviated quickly to shorten time consumed before resumption of operation of the master system. The backup system controls, as second difference information, update data generated over a substitute operation period between occurrence of a disabled state of the master system and recovery thereof and when the master system is enabled to operate, a range of addition of first difference information inside the master system and the second difference information or only a range of the second difference information is copied to the master system to eliminate the data mismatch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiju Katsuragi, Toshio Nakano, Yoshinori Okami, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7287132
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage system and a method of controlling the storage system, in which a second site rapidly resumes system process when a first site is damaged. The storage system comprises a first site including a first storage device, a second site including a second storage device, and a third site including a third storage device, and the method of controlling the storage system comprises a step of making a logical volume of the second storage device consistent with a logical volume of the first storage device by remotely copying only the differential data between the logical volume of the first storage device and the logical volume of the second storage device from a logical volume of the third storage device to the logical volume of the second storage device when the first site is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Koji Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20070239958
    Abstract: A storage system stores multiple copies of data on physical storage implemented, for example, with multiple disk units. Input/output read requests are received from host systems and distributed in a manner that allows parallel read operations to be conducted over the multiple disk units of the physical storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Yamamoto, Takao Satoh, Shigeo Honma, Yoshihiro Asaka, Yoshiaki Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kitajima
  • Patent number: 7254674
    Abstract: A method of respectively reading and writing data to and from a plurality of physical disk units in response to I/O requests from a host computing system includes establishing a logical disk group having a number of logical disk elements, mapping each of the logical disk elements to corresponding physical disk units, receiving from the host computing system an I/O request for data to select a one of the number of logical disk elements, accessing the physical disk unit corresponding to the selected one logical disk to access for the data, and transferring the accessed data to the host computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Yamamoto, Takao Satoh, Shigeo Honma, Yoshihiro Asaka, Yoshiaki Kuwahara, Hiroyuki Kitajima
  • Publication number: 20070162696
    Abstract: When a bus is used as a data communication channel, data within a disk unit cannot be reproduced or copied into a spare disk while a control unit is making read/write processing based on a request from a host computer, or vice versa. Thus, a loop is constructed by a fiber channel capable of time division multiplex function, and the processing between the disk unit and the spare is performed not through the control unit so that the data within the disk can be copied into the spare while the processing between the host computer and the disk unit is being performed, or both processing operations can be executed in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Seiichi Higaki, Yoshinori Okami, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7225190
    Abstract: When plural copy groups including pairs exist, remote copying for pairs belonging to copy groups is suspended selectively on a copy group-to-copy group basis, instead of suspending remote copying in all the copy groups at once. A computer system has a host computer, plural first storage systems comprising plural first logical disks, and plural second storage systems comprising plural second logical disks. A first logical disk and a second logical disk paired with the first logical disk, and each pair belongs to either a first copy group or a second copy group. To selectively suspend remote copying on a copy group-to-copy group basis, one of the copy groups is specified first and then pairs belonging to this copy group are designated. The first storage systems comprising first logical disks of the designated pairs suspend remote copy processing for the designated pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashige Iwamura, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Nobuhiro Maki
  • Patent number: 7206900
    Abstract: When a bus is used as a data communication channel, data within a disk unit cannot be reproduced or copied into a spare disk while a control unit is making read/write processing based on a request from a host computer, or vice versa. Thus, a loop is constructed by a fiber channel capable of time division multiplex function, and the processing between the disk unit and the spare is performed not through the control unit so that the data within the disk can be copied into the spare while the processing between the host computer and the disk unit is being performed, or both processing operations can be executed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Higaki, Yoshinori Okami, Takao Satoh
  • Publication number: 20070061513
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a disk array apparatus that can dramatically enhance its operability. The disk array apparatus has a source volume that is the source for data migration, and migrates the data to a destination volume that is the destination for the data migration. The disk array apparatus includes: an access frequency calculator for calculating the frequency of access to the source volume for each time period of a certain length of time going back from a data migration termination date and time when the data migration termination date and time is designated externally; an estimated data migration amount calculator for calculating the estimated data migration amount for each time period based on the access frequency calculated by the access frequency calculator; and a data migration start date and time calculator for calculating the data migration start date and time based on the estimated data migration amount calculated by the estimated data migration amount calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Masahiro Tsumagari, Haruaki Watanabe, Takao Satoh
  • Publication number: 20070054704
    Abstract: An information addition system acquires data and a control signal from a hands-free apparatus and a navigation apparatus. The hands-free apparatus is connected to a mobile communication terminal and includes an address-book data storage unit that associates communication-partner information of the mobile communication terminal with name information and stores the associated information in a personal information database as first personal information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventor: Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7185152
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage system and a method of controlling the storage system, in which a second site rapidly resumes system process when a first site is damaged. The storage system comprises a first site including a first storage device, a second site including a second storage device, and a third site including a third storage device, and the method of controlling the storage system comprises a step of making a logical volume of the second storage device consistent with a logical volume of the first storage device by remotely copying only the differential data between the logical volume of the first storage device and the logical volume of the second storage device from a logical volume of the third storage device to the logical volume of the second storage device when the first site is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Koji Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7174439
    Abstract: A method for managing data stored in a hierarchical storage unit of a storage apparatus is disclosed. The storage unit includes a first storage medium having a first access speed and a second storage medium having a second access speed. The first access speed is different from the second access speed. The method comprises determining a first access frequency for information of first type, the first access frequency being associated with a first period of past time. A second access frequency of the information of first type is determined. The second access frequency is associated with a second period of past time and is different than the first access frequency. At least a portion of the information of first type is transferred from the first storage medium to the second storage medium prior to a second period based on the second access frequency determined in the determining-a-second-access-frequency step, the second period corresponding to the second period of past time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norikazu Nagase, Selichi Higaki, Takao Satoh
  • Publication number: 20070022266
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage system and a method of controlling the storage system, in which a second site rapidly resumes system process when a first site is damaged. The storage system comprises a first site including a first storage device, a second site including a second storage device, and a third site including a third storage device, and the method of controlling the storage system comprises a step of making a logical volume of the second storage device consistent with a logical volume of the first storage device by remotely copying only the differential data between the logical volume of the first storage device and the logical volume of the second storage device from a logical volume of the third storage device to the logical volume of the second storage device when the first site is damaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Koji Ozawa
  • Patent number: 7127445
    Abstract: A data mapping management server collects data mapping information about functions for providing virtual storage regions, and provides an administrator with a management view on which the virtual storage regions created/managed in each virtual storage region providing function can be comprehensively grasped based on the collected information. The order to migrate data with the destination after mapping alteration can be accepted on interactive views. The data mapping management server produces a procedure plan for carrying out the accepted data mapping alteration order, and presents it to the administrator. The administrator decides if this plan can be carried out. If the administrator permits this plan to be carried out, the server orders each virtual storage region providing function to migrate data and create new virtual storage regions according to the produced plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Mogi, Yoshiaki Eguchi, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7120741
    Abstract: When a bus is used as a data communication channel, data within a disk unit cannot be reproduced or copied into a spare disk while a control unit is making read/write processing based on a request from a host computer, or vice versa. Thus, a loop is constructed by a fiber channel capable of time division multiplex function, and the processing between the disk unit and the spare is performed not through the control unit so that the data within the disk can be copied into the spare while the processing between the host computer and the disk unit is being performed, or both processing operations can be executed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Higaki, Yoshinori Okami, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7114044
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage system and a method of controlling the storage system, in which a second site rapidly resumes system process when a first site is damaged. The storage system comprises a first site including a first storage device, a second site including a second storage device, and a third site including a third storage device, and the method of controlling the storage system comprises a step of making a logical volume of the second storage device consistent with a logical volume of the first storage device by remotely copying only the differential data between the logical volume of the first storage device and the logical volume of the second storage device from a logical volume of the third storage device to the logical volume of the second storage device when the first site is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Koji Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20060184733
    Abstract: A storage controller calculates an access frequency of each logical disk; that is selects a first logical disk device of which the access frequency exceeds a first predetermined value, the first logical disk device being allocated to a first physical disk device; selects a second logical disk device which has the access frequency equal to or less than a second predetermined value, the second logical disk device being allocated to a second physical disk device; and reallocates the first and second logical device; and reallocates the first and second logical devices to the second and the first physical disk device, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Yasutomo Yamamoto, Akira Yamamoto, Takao Satoh
  • Publication number: 20060161721
    Abstract: When plural copy groups including pairs exist, remote copying for pairs belonging to copy groups is suspended selectively on a copy group-to-copy group basis, instead of suspending remote copying in all the copy groups at once. A computer system has a host computer, plural first storage systems comprising plural first logical disks, and plural second storage systems comprising plural second logical disks. A first logical disk and a second logical disk paired with the first logical disk, and each pair belongs to either a first copy group or a second copy group. To selectively suspend remote copying on a copy group-to-copy group basis, one of the copy groups is specified first and then pairs belonging to this copy group aredesignated. The first storage systems comprising first logical disks of the designated pairs suspend remote copy processing for the designated pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventors: Takashige Iwamura, Masamitsu Takahashi, Takao Satoh, Nobuhiro Maki
  • Patent number: 7069383
    Abstract: A storage controller calculates an access frequency of each logical disk; that is selects a first logical disk device of which the access frequency exceeds a first predetermined value, the first logical disk device being allocated to a first physical disk device; selects a second logical disk device which has the access frequency equal to or less than a second predetermined value, the second logical disk device being allocated to a second physical disk device; and reallocates the first and second logical device; and reallocates the first and second logical devices to the second and the first physical disk device, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Yamamoto, Akira Yamamoto, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7035975
    Abstract: When a bus is used as a data communication channel, data within a disk unit cannot be reproduced or copied into a spare disk while a control unit is making read/write processing based on a request from a host computer, or vice versa. Thus, a loop is constructed by a fiber channel capable of time division multiplex function, and the processing between the disk unit and the spare is performed not through the control unit so that the data within the disk can be copied into the spare while the processing between the host computer and the disk unit is being performed, or both processing operations can be executed in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Higaki, Yoshinori Okami, Takao Satoh
  • Patent number: 7032218
    Abstract: Data recorded in a disk of a hard disk unit is copied to another hard disk unit. A proxy mode, for making the other hard disk unit which has been copied with the data to perform an I/O process to the hard disk unit in place thereof, is performed. Meanwhile, the firmware of the original hard disk unit is updated, and contents of the disk is set up to a latest updated state. Then, the operation in the proxy mode is stopped, and the operation is switched to an operation in a normal mode where the I/O process is directly performed to the original hard disk unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Shirasawa, Mikio Fukuoka, Takao Satoh