Disk array system with controllers that automate host side of ATA interface
US6549981B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 9, 2002 |
| Grant date | Apr 15, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 9, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0653
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A disk array system comprises a plurality of automated controllers, each of which implements a host side of a standard ATA interface protocol within automated circuitry to control a respective disk drive. Each automated controller preferably includes a command buffer for storing disk drive commands to be executed by a respective ATA drive, and a data buffer that stores I/O data being transferred to or from the ATA disk drive. In a preferred embodiment, the automated controllers are connected by a control bus to a microcontroller that dispatches disk drive commands to the automated controllers in response to I/O requests from a host computer, and are also connected by a second bus to an automated processor. The automated processor transfers I/O data between the automated controllers/ATA disk drives and a host computer, and tracks the completion statuses of pending I/O requests.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.