Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Address formation – Address mapping
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-25
2002-11-12
Kim, Matthew (Department: 2186)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Address formation
Address mapping
C711S221000, C711S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480949
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of disk drives, and in particular, to a system for ordering or laying-out data blocks on a disk drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most personal computers include at least one disk drive system for storage of data. Typically, disk drive systems include one or more (e.g., three) disks or platters, generically referred to as the recording media. The platters are each connected in a spaced-apart fashion to a spindle that is employed to rotate or spin the platters. Typically, one read/write head is provided for each side or surface of each platter. The heads are mounted on actuators that can be moved radially relative to the platters.
Another major component of disk drive systems is the firmware that controls the disk drive. Disk drive firmware is the software that is embedded in the disk drive system and executes on a local disk controller processor(s), to direct overall drive operation. Typically, disk drive firmware is used to control at least: (1) the spinning of the disk drive spindle; (2) the movement of the actuator arms; and (3) the data path between the read/write heads and the host computer. The design of the firmware in a disk drive system is one of the major expenses in the design of the entire system.
One of the responsibilities of the firmware is to order the data on the media, which means to arrange the data on the media in an optimum way based on potentially many different factors. Some of the factors that may influence the optimum ordering of the data include, but are not limited to: (1) the amount of time it takes to perform a head switch operation (the operation of transitioning between reading or writing with one head to reading or writing with a different head); (2) the amount of time it takes to perform a cylinder switch operation (the operation of moving the actuator to position the read/write head at a different radial position relative to the media); (3) the sequential transfer rate desired from disk transfers; and (4) maximizing the readability of certain types of data
For the purpose of data storage, the disk media is addressed using vectors that include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) cylinder, which corresponds to the radius on the media at which the data is located; (2) head, which corresponds to a particular side or surfaces of a particular platter on which the data is located; and (3) sector, which corresponds to the rotational position of the media at which the data is located.
This addressing is commonly referred to as the “physical” address of the data. The term “track” is used as a reference to the combination of a cylinder and head address. In other words, a particular cylinder can be found on each surface, but a track can only be found on one surface. For example, a disk drive with 1000 cylinders and 4 heads has 4000 tracks. The term “block” is used to describe the addressable resolution of the disk drive as presented to the host. A sector is the physical rotational position on a track where blocks of data can be stored (e.g., 500 sectors per track for a particular radial zone of the media). Most modern disk drives use 512 byte blocks and 512 byte sectors, so the terms are used interchangeably. However, some disk drives use a different block size and/or have a block size that does not match the sector size. A “block address” is thus a number representing the address of a block to the host computer. Sequential transfers to or from the host computer always go in the order of the block address.
When choosing to order sequential blocks on the media, the firmware designer can implement any one of the following methods:
(1) Surface mode, where sequential blocks on the disk drive include all sectors on the outermost track of a given surface, followed by all sectors on the next track at lesser radius of the same surface, and so on to the innermost track of the surface, followed by the outermost track of the next surface, and so on. This method minimizes head switch operations on sequential transfers because the majority of track switches do not involve a head switch, but it does require an actuator movement together with each head switch.
(2) Cylinder mode, where sequential blocks on the disk drive include all sectors of the outermost track of a given surface, followed by all sectors on the outermost track of the next surface, continuing through all outermost tracks of all surfaces, then proceeding to the next track at lesser radius of the original surface, and repeating the process through all of the tracks on the innermost cylinder. This method causes a higher percentage of track switches on sequential transfers to involve a head switch operation.
(3) Serpentined surface mode, which starts like surface mode, but then after transferring all sectors on the innermost track of the first surface, the ordering proceeds to the innermost track of the next surface and then proceeds in an outward direction. This method minimizes head switch operations, as with surface mode. In addition, it avoids the large actuator movement when proceeding from one surface to another.
(4) Serpentined cylinder mode, which starts like cylinder mode, but then after transferring all sectors on the outermost track of the last surface, the ordering proceeds to the next innermost cylinder but remains on the same surface. This method makes sure that a head switch and an actuator movement never occur on the same sequential track switch.
It is often advantageous to use combinations of the above modes, or to use modes different than those described. For example, the designer may choose to put some maintenance type information such as a defective sector list on the outer tracks of a drive in cylinder mode to make sure that copies are stored on multiple heads. Processing could then proceed with the user data in surface mode to match the block ordering with the performance characteristics of the servo system.
Furthermore, it is not unusual to have the starting or ending points at places other than the outermost or innermost circumference of the media. For example, the designer may choose to place the lowest numbered blocks near the center of the media, to maximize performance based on the operating characteristics of a given operating system. Or he may choose to have the first n blocks scattered around the media because they contain the defect list copies and it is important to minimize the possibility of the loss of the defect list due to debris on the media.
Therefore, although surface mode, cylinder mode, and serpentined versions of the same are general approaches that are commonly used, there are many cases in which it may be advantageous to place the data and order the sequential transfers in other ways, variations of these standard ways, and/or combinations of the above.
In most, if not all, prior art disk drive systems, the mode is hard-coded in firmware to create the layout or path followed through the media in the placement of sequential data. With the design of such systems, the firmware must be re-written from scratch if it is desired to create a different layout. This can add significantly to the design cost of such systems.
Since firmware development is a major cost component of the overall development of a disk drive, it is advantageous to re-use, or ‘leverage’ the firmware development effort on a particular disk drive product or model into other disk drive products or models. Often, the different operating characteristics, environmental conditions, and/or intended applications of different disk drive models causes the optimum block placement and ordering on the media to vary between the models. In existing systems, this can result in a great deal of additional firmware development effort to provide a calculation that is optimized for each disk drive model.
There exists a need for a method in which the relationship of block address to physical address of data on the media can be easily configured, thus allowing maximum reuse of firmware between disk drive models and reducing development time and co
Lammers Brett Gerald
Wilson Aaron Wade
Jorgenson Lisa K.
Kim Matthew
Kubida William J.
Peugh Brian R.
STMicroelectronics N.V.
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