Hard disk drive data object

• US 20080077734A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Daniel S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device

Abstract

A system for transferring data from a disk drive to an external source. The disk drive includes a circuit with embedded firmware that associates internal and output definitions with the data. The definitions and data are provided to the external source which parses the definitions and the data. The parsing engine can output the data in pre-defined format. The embedded firmware associates the same definitions for all data. Thus an external programmer does not have to know, or monitor, the file format and output format of the disk drive to write an external software application.

Claims

1. A hard disk drive that is coupled to an external source, comprising:

a disk that stores data;

a circuit that is coupled to said disk and contains embedded firmware that associates definitions with said data; and

,

a buffer that provides said data and said definitions to the external source.

2. The hard disk drive of claim 1, wherein said definitions are stored on said disk with said data.

3. The hard disk drive of claim 1, wherein said definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

4. The hard disk drive of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to said circuit.

5. The hard disk drive of claim 1, wherein said data and said definitions are provided to the external source in separate fields.

6. A hard disk drive that is coupled to an external source, comprising:

a disk that stores data;

circuit means for associating definitions with said data; and

,

a buffer that provides said data and said definitions to the external source.

7. The hard disk drive of claim 6, wherein said definitions are stored on said disk with said data.

8. The hard disk drive of claim 6, wherein said definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

9. The hard disk drive of claim 6, further comprising a controller coupled to said circuit means.

10. The hard disk drive of claim 6, wherein said data and said definitions are provided to the external source in separate fields.

11. A data system, comprising:

a hard disk drive that includes;

a disk that stores data;

a circuit that is coupled to said disk and contains embedded firmware that associates definitions with said data;

a buffer that temporarily stores said definitions and said data; and

,

an external device that receives and parses said definitions and said data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said definitions are stored on said disk with said data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said disk drive includes a controller coupled to said circuit.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said data and said definitions are provided to said external source in separate fields.

16. A data system, comprising:

a hard disk drive that includes;

a disk that stores data;

a head coupled to said disk;

circuit means for associating definitions with said data;

a buffer that temporarily stores said definitions and said data; and

,

an external device that receives and parses said definitions and said data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said definitions are stored on said disk with said data.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a controller coupled to said circuit means.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said data and said definitions are provided to said external source in separate fields.

21. A method for providing data to an external source, comprising:

associating a plurality of definitions with data, with embedded firmware within a hard disk drive;

transferring the definitions and data from the hard disk drive to an external source; and

,

parsing the definitions and the data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the definitions and data are stored on a disk of the hard disk drive.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the data and the definitions are provided to the external source in separate fields.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the definitions include at least one internal definition that defines a file format and at least one external definition that defines a data presentation format.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the data and the definitions are transferred from the hard disk drive in separate fields.

25. A method for providing data to an external source, comprising:

associating a plurality of definitions with data, with embedded firmware within a hard disk drive; and

,

transferring the definitions and data from the hard disk drive.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the definitions and data are stored on a disk of the hard disk drive.