Method and apparatus for synchronizing disk drive requests within a disk array
US5375217A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1992 |
| Grant date | Dec 20, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0673
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A simple method and circuit for qualifying and combining individual request signals received from a plurality of disk drives within a disk array to generate a single, synchronized request signal for the disk array. The circuit includes an activity register for storing a bit pattern which identifies those disk drives which are in use within the array. Each bit position within the activity corresponds to a different disk drive within the disk array. A logic one stored in a bit position identifies the disk drive corresponding to the bit position as being active while a logic zero stored in a bit position identifies the disk drive corresponding to the bit position as being inactive. The circuit further includes an OR gate associated with each disk drive within the disk array, each OR gate having a first input connected to receive the bit information corresponding to its associated disk drive from the activity register, and a second inverting input for receiving the individual request signal from its associated disk drive. The outputs of the OR gates are provided to an AND logic operator which combines the received signals to generate the request signal for the array. Additionally, the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.