Disk drive having a cache portion for storing write data segments of a predetermined length
US6408357B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 18, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2212/312
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A disk drive having a cache memory and a method of operating same, in which the disk drive is connectable to a host computer for reading and writing data on a disk. The method defines a length parameter specifying the length of a data segment to be written to the disk. A first portion of the cache memory stores data segments whose length is equal to the length parameter and a second portion of the cache memory stories data segments whose length is not equal to the length parameter. When a host write command including a write data segment having a write command length is received, the write data segment is storied in the first portion if the write command length is equal to the length parameter and stored in the second portion if the write command length is not equal to the length parameter. Write data segments stored in the first portion may be overwritten and the writing thereof to disk may be delayed according to a predetermined delayed writing policy. In this manner, disk write and access latencies are decreased, particularly for repetitive and identically-sized writes, such as may occur when the drive is called upon to carry out frequent updating of file allocation tables and l…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.