Abstract: An intelligent write command routine improves the operational efficiency of a data storage device (DSD) by avoiding media access of the disk when a logical block address (LBA) and the physical sector are unaligned, thus reducing write time. When a write command is received by the DSD from the host, the intelligent write command routine maintains the read data of the read buffer, instead of clearing the read buffer and performing a read of the target sector on the disk per standard protocol. The intelligent write command copies the necessary adjacent sector data from the read buffer as a data patch to the write buffer to splice around the write data received with the write command. Following each write command, the data written to the disk in the write buffer is copied to the read buffer. The read buffer is maintained with the most current data on the disk and does not need to be flushed unless the LBA of the write command is beyond the data ranges stored in the read buffer.

Abstract: A mapping table is modified to match one or more specified storage conditions of data stored in or expected to be stored in one or more logical block address ranges to physical addresses within a storage drive having performance characteristics that satisfy the specified storage conditions. For example, the performance characteristics may be a reliability of the physical location within the storage drive or a data throughput range of read/write operations. Existing data is moved and/or new data is written to physical addresses on the storage media possessing the performance characteristic(s), according to the mapping table. Further, a standard seeding or a seeding override for the re-mapped logical block addresses can prevent read operations from inadvertently reading incorrect physical addresses corresponding to the re-mapped logical block addresses.

Abstract: A data storage system and associated method of use may generally be directed to a memory cache that stores a plurality of pending read and write requests. A processor can be configured to prioritize the read requests in the memory cache in response to a sensed acoustic or mechanical vibration in a data storage medium.

Abstract: A data storage system and associated method of use may generally be directed to a memory cache that stores a plurality of pending read and write requests. A processor can be configured to prioritize the read requests in the memory cache in response to a sensed acoustic or mechanical vibration in a data storage medium.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention includes partition selection circuitry configured to selectably provide individual access to multiple ones of a plurality of partitions of a data storage component by a host device without multiple partition support. The apparatus can also include the data storage component and/or the host device. The partition selection circuitry uses a logical block addressing (LBA) address generated by the host device, and an operating mode indicator indicative of a particular partition, to allow the partitions of the data storage component to be accessed by the host device without multiple partition support. Methods implemented by the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A mapping table is modified to match one or more specified storage conditions of data stored in or expected to be stored in one or more logical block address ranges to physical addresses within a storage drive having performance characteristics that satisfy the specified storage conditions. For example, the performance characteristics may be a reliability of the physical location within the storage drive or a data throughput range of read/write operations. Existing data is moved and/or new data is written to physical addresses on the storage media possessing the performance characteristic(s), according to the mapping table. Further, a standard seeding or a seeding override for the re-mapped logical block addresses can prevent read operations from inadvertently reading incorrect physical addresses corresponding to the re-mapped logical block addresses.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention includes partition selection circuitry configured to selectably provide individual access to multiple ones of a plurality of partitions of a data storage component by a host device without multiple partition support. The apparatus can also include the data storage component and/or the host device. The partition selection circuitry uses a logical block addressing (LBA) address generated by the host device, and an operating mode indicator indicative of a particular partition, to allow the partitions of the data storage component to be accessed by the host device without multiple partition support. Methods implemented by the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed toward systems and methods of defect description of a data storage medium. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a first defect of a data storage medium. The method also includes determining a format of an entry of a defect description table based on the first defect and a location of a second defect of the data storage medium. The format is selected from one of a plurality of formats. The method also includes storing a description of the first defect in the entry of the defect description table in the format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device.

Abstract: An intelligent write command routine improves the operational efficiency of a data storage device (DSD) by avoiding media access of the disk when a logical block address (LBA) and the physical sector are unaligned, thus reducing write time. When a write command is received by the DSD from the host, the intelligent write command routine maintains the read data of the read buffer, instead of clearing the read buffer and performing a read of the target sector on the disk per standard protocol. The intelligent write command copies the necessary adjacent sector data from the read buffer as a data patch to the write buffer to splice around the write data received with the write command. Following each write command, the data written to the disk in the write buffer is copied to the read buffer. The read buffer is maintained with the most current data on the disk and does not need to be flushed unless the LBA of the write command is beyond the data ranges stored in the read buffer.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed toward systems and methods of defect description of a data storage medium. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a first defect of a data storage medium. The method also includes determining a format of an entry of a defect description table based on the first defect and a location of a second defect of the data storage medium. The format is selected from one of a plurality of formats. The method also includes storing a description of the first defect in the entry of the defect description table in the format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device.

Abstract: An interlaced even and odd mapping maps between a logical address space and a physical address space. In one embodiment, an interlaced even and odd mapping scheme provides for converting between a target logical block address (LBA) and a target physical disc sector or cylinder head sector (CHS). In other embodiments, the mapping may be used in any application wherein address translation is desired between address spaces. For example, the mapping may be used to convert between a target logical address space and a target physical address space in a digital computer environment that includes a data storage device, such as a disc drive, for persistent storage. The interlaced even and odd mapping scheme allows for larger physical sector sizes on the data storage device than the logical sector sizes on a host computer.

Abstract: In one illustrative example, a bridge connecting a universal serial bus (USB) interface and an advanced technology attachment (ATA) interface may decode a customized small computer system interface (SCSI) command to enable the system to send ATA commands over the USB interface. A customized SCSI command may implement a “pass-through” feature that allows the system to support logical block addresses (LBA) of 48 or more bits, and Self-Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART) commands associated with a hard disc drive (HDD). In conjunction with the bridge, the system may send an ATA-command payload, within a wrapper. The bridge may remove the wrapper without substantially altering the payload, and send the ATA-command payload over the ATA bus.

Abstract: A method of representing a serpentine track accessing format includes obtaining a plurality of head and physical track number pairs in the serpentine track accessing format. Then, each of the head and physical track number pairs are mapped to a unique virtual track number. In some embodiments, the unique the virtual track numbers are in a non-continuous monotonic order. In some embodiments, the unique virtual track numbers are assigned based upon a modulo M which is a function of a maximum number of tracks per physical zone. Translation engines which perform the mapping, as well as data storage systems which include the translation engines, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method to improve drive read performance in a disc drive includes powering-up a disk drive, reading reassigned sectors data from a reassign spare pool, and storing the reassigned sectors data in a reassigned cache segment. This method also includes initiating a read request, detecting a reassigned sector within the read request, and determining whether the requested sector can be located in the reassignment cache. If the reassigned sectors are found in the cache, then the method includes transferring the reassigned sector data from the reassignment cache to the read buffer or directly to the requesting host computer. If the reassigned sectors are not found in the cache, then the method includes seeking to the reassignment spare pool to fetch as much reassigned sectors data as the reassignment cache can hold. In another embodiment, the reassigned sectors data stored in a reassignment cache segment is located in a buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention includes partition selection circuitry configured to selectably provide individual access to multiple ones of a plurality of partitions of a data storage component by a host device without multiple partition support. The apparatus can also include the data storage component and/or the host device. The partition selection circuitry uses a logical block addressing (LBA) address generated by the host device, and an operating mode indicator indicative of a particular partition, to allow the partitions of the data storage component to be accessed by the host device without multiple partition support. Methods implemented by the apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A disc-drive system and method for generating logical zones that each have an approximate number of spare sectors, and that are used to translate logical block addresses. A disc drive includes a disc-drive housing and a disc assembly mounted to rotate within the housing. A transducer is positionable to transduce data to and from first, second and third zones. An address translator translates a logical block address to a position address. A controller is operable to control positioning of the transducer based on the position address, wherein a first predetermined number of spare sectors are allocated to the first zone, and a second predetermined number of spare sectors are allocated to the second zone and third zone combined. Some embodiments further include a logical zone table, wherein each logical zone includes one or more zones based on a number of defects found in each zone, in order that each logical zone includes a similar number of defects.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, systems and methods are provided through which the capacity of a defect buffer in a microcontroller of a mass storage device is determined without regard for the quantity of defects on a recording medium. The capacity of the defect buffer is determined in varying examples, based on the amount of available buffer space and/or the application of the storage device. In one embodiment, the capacity of the defect buffer is less than the quantity of defects on the recording medium, wherein entries in a defect table on the recording medium are swapped in and out of the defect buffer as needed, such as using a most-recently-used scheme. In another embodiment of the present invention, systems and methods are provided through which the defect table is partitioned into a plurality of segments that are physically distributed throughout the recording medium.

Abstract: There is provided a method and system of maintaining partition information relating a computer disc drive. The method includes detecting partition information which is located in the first sector of a partition of a disc drive and determining if it is valid, and comparing the valid partition information with a corresponding duplicate of the partition information which is located in a reserved area. For valid partition information which is the same as the corresponding duplicate of the partition information, a standard booting procedure for the computer is allowed to continue. For valid partition information which is not the same as the corresponding duplicate partition information, valid partition information is stored in the reserved area. For partition information which is not valid, the invalid partition information is replaced with corresponding duplicate partition information which is valid.