Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Specific memory composition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-26
2004-08-31
Robertson, David L. (Department: 2188)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Storage accessing and control
Specific memory composition
C711S103000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785767
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention relate to mass storage devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for storing data for a computer system.
BACKGROUND
There are many different types of storage mediums and devices that computer systems may use to store data. A computer system typically has more than one storage medium. Generally, computer systems store data both in volatile memories and in non-volatile mass storage devices. Non-volatile mass storage devices do not lose the data stored on them when the power to the computer system is removed or turned off. Thus, a non-volatile mass storage device may store data that the computer system is to retain on a permanent basis. Data stored by computer systems often includes instructions, such as for operating system and application programs, and data that is accessed by these instructions.
Examples of memory types that are typically part of a computer system include Random-Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), flash memory, and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM). Such memories are often used to store a relatively small amount of data. By contrast, mass storage devices typically store a relatively larger amount of data. Examples of mass storage mediums are floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, and tapes. Some other examples of mass storage mediums are ZIP disks (e.g., manufactured by Iomega Corporation of Roy, Utah), Jaz disks (e.g., manufactured by Iomega Corporation), Rewritable Digital Versatile Discs (DVD-RAM), Read/Write Compact Disks (CD-RW), optical storage, magneto-optical storage, magnetic storage, and holographic. Mass storage is considered to be non-volatile.
Devices are subsystems in a computer system. Examples of devices include printers, mice and modems as well as mass storage devices such as hard disk drives and tape drives. Most devices require a device driver program that converts general commands from an application program or operating system into specific commands that the device understands.
In the typical arrangement, operating systems access different storage mediums as different address spaces. Typically, mass storage devices contain a single type of storage medium that is viewed by the operating system as a single device. An example of a mass storage device is a hard disk drive that contains a disk storage medium which typically includes platters on a disk spindle. In this example, when the operating system attempts to access (i.e., read from or write to) a memory location that is stored in the hard disk drive device, the operating system directs a command to the device requesting that the memory location be accessed. That is, an operating system may read from (or write to) a location in a hard disk drive by sending a command to the hard disk device driver requesting that a location be read from (or written to). Because the disk drive is viewed as a single device, this command will not specify a storage medium within the hard disk drive which is to be accessed.
Hard disk drives are common because a unit of hard disk storage is relatively cheap (e.g., as compared to a RAM). However, because the access time for a hard disk medium is relatively slow, hard disk drive devices are often a performance bottleneck.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4723181 (1988-02-01), Hickok
patent: 4908793 (1990-03-01), Yamagata
patent: 4972364 (1990-11-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 5046043 (1991-09-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5070314 (1991-12-01), Decker
patent: 5133060 (1992-07-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5197895 (1993-03-01), Stupecky
patent: 5269019 (1993-12-01), Peterson et al.
patent: 5274799 (1993-12-01), Brant et al.
patent: 5347428 (1994-09-01), Carson et al.
patent: 5353430 (1994-10-01), Lautzenheiser
patent: 5442752 (1995-08-01), Styczinski
patent: 5466629 (1995-11-01), Mihara et al.
patent: 5499337 (1996-03-01), Gordon
patent: 5519831 (1996-05-01), Holzhammer
patent: 5526482 (1996-06-01), Stallmo et al.
patent: 5542066 (1996-07-01), Mattson et al.
patent: 5586291 (1996-12-01), Lasker et al.
patent: 5615353 (1997-03-01), Lautzenheiser
patent: 5636355 (1997-06-01), Ramakrishnan et al.
patent: 5701516 (1997-12-01), Cheng et al.
patent: 5764945 (1998-06-01), Ballard
patent: 5787296 (1998-07-01), Grimsrud et al.
patent: 5787466 (1998-07-01), Berliner
patent: 5806085 (1998-09-01), Berliner
patent: 5860083 (1999-01-01), Sukegawa
patent: 5890205 (1999-03-01), Grimsrud et al.
patent: 5918244 (1999-06-01), Percival
patent: 5963721 (1999-10-01), Shiell et al.
patent: 6012140 (2000-01-01), Thomason
patent: 6023713 (2000-02-01), Grimsrud et al.
patent: 6052789 (2000-04-01), Lin
patent: 6072490 (2000-06-01), Bates et al.
patent: 6101574 (2000-08-01), Kumasawa et al.
patent: 6122711 (2000-09-01), Mackenthun et al.
patent: 6165006 (2000-12-01), Yeh et al.
patent: 6175160 (2001-01-01), Paniccia et al.
patent: 6178479 (2001-01-01), Vishin
patent: 6208273 (2001-03-01), Dye et al.
patent: 6263405 (2001-07-01), Irie et al.
patent: 6295577 (2001-09-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 6370614 (2002-04-01), Teoman et al.
patent: 6438647 (2002-08-01), Nielson et al.
patent: 0702305 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 06 236241 (1994-08-01), None
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 459-460, Optical/Magnetic Stoage Disk System, Jul. 1982.*
“Sun StorEdge A5200 Fibre Channel Array And Sun Enterprise 10000 Server Set New Milestones For I/O Speed And Performance.” Sun Configuration Delivers 102,000 I/Os Per Second on Nine Terabytes of Data, Palo Alto, Jun. 29, 1999, pp. 1-3.
Mueller, Scott, Upgrading and Repairing PCS, Academic Edition, QUE (publisher), Dec. 2001, pp. 363-366.
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/602,011, filed Jun. 23, 2000.
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/602,010, filed Jun. 23, 2000.
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/669,770, filed Sep. 26, 2000.
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/602,008, filed Jun. 23, 2000.
Related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/602,009, filed Jun. 23, 2000.
Tanzawa et al, “A Compact On-Chip ECC for Low Cost Flash Memories”IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits,IEEE Inc., New York, vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 662-668, May 1, 1997.
Intel, 82371FB (PIIX) and 82371SB (PIIX3) PCI ISA IDE Xcelerator data sheet, pp. 1-122, Apr. 1997.
Diefendorff, Keith, “Intel Tries Integrating Graphics”, In-Stat MDR, vo. 12, Issue 11 (from www.mdronline.com), Aug. 24, 1998.
Derowitsch, Rachel, “The Quiet Role of Chipsets”,Smart Computing,vol. 9, Issue 8, pp. 70-72, Aug. 1998.
Data Sheet—SGS-Thomson Microelectronics GSF32-16×16/90 32 MByte SIMM Flash Memory Module, pp. 1-4, Oct. 29, 1997.
Rosenberg, Jerry M.,Dictionary of Computers, Information Processing & Telecommunications,2ndEdition, p. 221, 1987.
White, Ron,How Computers Work,Chapter 11, “How a Disk Cache Works”, pp. 71-73, Ziff-Davis Press, Emeryville, California, 1993.
Merz & Anderson, “Ferroelectric Storage Devices”, Bell Laboratories Record, Sep. 1955, pp. 335-337 and 339-342.
Hodges & Jackson,Analysis and Design of Digital Integrated Circuits,McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1983, pp. 388-389.
Microsoft Press®Computer Dictionary,2ndEdition, “nondestructive readout”, 1994, p. 270.
Derwent-Acc -No. 2000-348269, document ID: RD 431135, Abstract, Mar. 10, 2000.
Ramtron Int'l. Corp.—“FRAM Technology”, Jan. 1994, 2 pages.
NTIS, Dept. of the Navy, “Multi-Wire Cable to Coaxial Cable Transition Apparatus”, ADD000450, Jan. 14, 1974, 8 pages.
Ramtron Application Note “Replacing a Dallas Semiconductor DS1225 with FRAM® Memory”, Feb. 1994, 2 pages.
News Release, “DPT's SmartCache IV RAID/Caching Kits Outperform Adaptec's SCSI Adapters in Independent Tests and Reviews”, DPT, Aug. 1, 1996.
DPT's products and tech support “FAQ” web page from www.dpt.com as archived by web.archive.org on Jul. 15, 1997.
Pulvari, “Ferroelectrics and Their Memory Applications”, IRE Transactions-Component Parts, Mar. 1956, pp. 3-11.
Auciello et al, “The Physics of Ferroelectric Memories”, Physics Today, Jul. 1998, pp. 22-27.
Intel 430HXPCIset Design Gui
Intel Corporation
Kenyon & Kenyon
Robertson David L.
LandOfFree
Hybrid mass storage system and method with two different... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hybrid mass storage system and method with two different..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hybrid mass storage system and method with two different... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3300704