Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining an appropriate recalibration duty cycle. The method instructs a network connected computer peripheral to access one or more servers to retrieve a timestamp. Retrieved timestamps are used to calculate the elapsed time since the last trigger-event (e.g., last calibration, printing activity, time of power-off, or the like). If the calculated elapsed time is less than a predetermined or dynamically determined threshold, the method instructs the peripheral to omit otherwise implemented calibration activities, e.g., a power surge reboot.

Abstract: A method for determining a warranty start date for a product has steps of determining a warranty start event and generating a warranty start date after occurrence of the warranty start event. The timestamp may be generated through a query to a time server on a network connected to the product. Preferred examples of warranty start events comprise first use by the user, and production of a specified cumulative quantity of product output. The warranty start event as well as the generated warranty start date are preferably stored on a memory internal to the product.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the time required to generate a plurality of calibration image products on a transfer medium in an inline imaging device. In the method, the image producing device has a transfer medium and a developer section configured to deposit toner onto the transfer medium to thereby generate the calibration image products. One method includes depositing toner onto the transfer medium using the developer section to produce a first calibration image product. Thereafter, toner is deposited onto the transfer medium to produce at least a portion of a second calibration image product. The portion of the second calibration image is produced prior to removing the entire first calibration image product from the transfer medium. An apparatus includes a scanning section, a developer section, a transfer medium and a calibration image product generator.

Abstract: A disk array data storage system has a plurality of storage disks and a disk array controller for coordinating transfer of user data to and from the storage disks. A memory manager is provided to manage memory allocation and data storage on the disk array. The memory manager maintains a sufficient quantity of hot spare storage space that can be made available for reconstructing the user data and restoring redundancy in the event one of the storage disks fails. Until a disk fails, however, the memory manager uses the hot spare space to store user and redundant data while guaranteeing that the storage space can be used for rebuilding following a storage disk failure. In this manner, all storage disks in the array are used to store user data, and additionally to maintain storage space that can be easily made available for purposes of hot spare in the event of disk failure.

Abstract: A hierarchic disk array data storage system has multiple storage disks that define a physical storage space and a RAID management system that maps the physical storage space into two virtual storage spaces. The RAID-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as mirror and parity RAID areas where the mirror RAID areas store data according to RAID Level 1 and the parity RAID areas store data according to RAID Level 5. The application-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as multiple virtual blocks which can be associated with mirror and parity RAID areas. The RAID management system migrates the virtual blocks between the mirror and parity RAID areas to optimize performance and reliability. To select virtual blocks for migration from mirror to parity RAID areas, a frequency distribution table is created to characterize the virtual blocks according to a predetermined distribution criteria.

Abstract: A hierarchic disk array data storage system has multiple storage disks that define a physical storage space and a RAID management system that maps the physical storage space into two virtual storage spaces. The RAID-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as mirror and parity RAID areas where the mirror RAID areas contain mirror allocation blocks to store data according to RAID Level 1 and the parity RAID areas contain parity allocation blocks to store data according to RAID Level 5. The application-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as multiple virtual blocks. The RAID management system migrates data between the mirror and parity RAID areas to optimize performance and reliability. To ensure that sufficient space is retained for this migration, the RAID management system limits the number of virtual blocks that are allocated in the mirror RAID areas.

Abstract: A hierarchic disk array data storage system has a disk array with multiple storage disks and a disk array controller which coordinates data transfer to and from the disks. The storage disks define a physical storage space. A RAID management system maps a RAID-level virtual storage space onto the physical storage space. The RAID-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as multiple RAID areas. The RAID areas include mirror RAID areas which contain mirror allocation blocks to store data according to mirror redundancy and parity RAID areas which contain parity allocation blocks to store data according to parity redundancy. The RAID management system dynamically migrates data between the mirror and parity RAID areas in a manner which optimizes performance and data reliability. As new storage requests are made, the RAID management system evaluates the existing storage conditions and computes a total virtual capacity that is available to the user given a disk array configuration.

Abstract: A method is described for enlarging the storage capacity of a hierarchical disk array data storage system which stores data according to different levels of redundancy, or RAID levels. The method includes first mapping the physical storage space into a first virtual storage space having a plurality of RAID areas that extend across multiple storage disks in the disk array and comprise multiple stripes of segments from each storage disk. The first virtual storage space is mapped into a second virtual storage space having multiple virtual blocks. To enlarge storage capacity, one or more storage disks are added to the hierarchic disk array. To assimilate the new storage capacity, data in a selected existing RAID area is moved to another area on the disk array of equal or greater storage capacity. The mapping of the second virtual storage space to the first is updated to reflect the data movement.

Abstract: A data storage management system performs garbage collection to reduce fragmentation in storage by moving data from source fragmented areas to holes (unused storage space) in target fragmented areas, rather than copying data to the end of an extending target area. New areas are not consumed. Preferably, source areas are emptier (i.e., more fragmented) relative to the whole set of areas in the storage system, and target areas are fuller (i.e., less fragmented) relative to the whole set of areas in the storage system. The goal of freeing (defragmenting) an area is realized with fewer I/O moves, if most areas are lightly fragmented, because fragmentation is reduced in more than one area substantially concurrently. Namely, fragmentation is eliminated in a source area by continuing to empty the area (i.e., by moving the data from the source area) and, substantially concurrently, fragmentation is reduced in a target area by continuing to fill the area (i.e.

Abstract: A data memory system has a hierarchic disk array of multiple disks, a disk array controller for coordinating data transfer to and from the disks, and a RAID management system for mapping two different RAID areas onto the disks. The RAID management system stores data in one of the RAID areas according to mirror redundancy, and stores data in the other RAID area according to parity redundancy. The RAID management system then shifts or migrates data between the mirror and parity RAID areas on the disks in accordance with a predefined performance protocol, such as data access recency or access frequency. The data memory system also includes a memory map store embodied as a non-volatile RAM. The memory map store provides persistent storage of the virtual mapping information used by the RAID management system to map the first and second RAID areas onto the disks within the disk array.

Abstract: A hierarchic disk array data storage system has multiple storage disks that define a physical storage space and a RAID management system that maps the physical storage space into two virtual storage spaces. A RAID-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as mirror and parity RAID areas where the mirror RAID areas store data according to RAID Level 1 and the parity RAID areas store data according to RAID Level 5. An application-level virtual storage space presents the physical storage space as multiple virtual blocks. The RAID management system migrates data between the mirror and parity RAID areas to optimize performance and reliability. To facilitate migration, the RAID management system guarantees a minimum of unused storage space that can be used to empty a RAID area for the purpose of converting the RAID level or other storage attribute of the RAID area. The minimum unused storage space is preferably equivalent in size to at least one largest parity RAID area.