System and Method for Caching Multimedia Data
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a multimedia storage device, the method comprising;
- providing a mass storage device with a multiplicity of blocks of multimedia data stored thereon;
storing said plurality of blocks of multimedia data read from said mass storage device into a cache memory responsive to a read request for one of the plurality of blocks of multimedia data;
receiving a scan command; and
if said multimedia data corresponding to said scan command is stored in said multimedia cache, transferring said corresponding multimedia data from said cache memory to a track buffer for subsequent rendering.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for caching media data to thereby enhance media data read and/or write functionality and performance. A multimedia apparatus, comprises a cache buffer configured to be coupled to a storage device, wherein the cache buffer stores multimedia data, including video and audio data, read from the storage device. A cache manager coupled to the cache buffer, wherein the cache buffer is configured to cause the storage device to enter into a reduced power consumption mode when the amount of data stored in the cache buffer reaches a first level.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a multimedia storage device, the method comprising;
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providing a mass storage device with a multiplicity of blocks of multimedia data stored thereon; storing said plurality of blocks of multimedia data read from said mass storage device into a cache memory responsive to a read request for one of the plurality of blocks of multimedia data; receiving a scan command; and if said multimedia data corresponding to said scan command is stored in said multimedia cache, transferring said corresponding multimedia data from said cache memory to a track buffer for subsequent rendering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of processing multimedia data, comprising:
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determining multimedia data to be read from a mass storage device; transferring a quantity of multimedia data from said mass storage device to a cache memory responsive to a read request for a first portion of said quantity of multimedia data, a remaining portion of said quantity of multimedia data anticipated being subject to future read requests; responsive to said first quantity of said multimedia data being stored in said cache memory, ceasing further transfer of said multimedia data from said mass storage device into said cache memory and causing said mass storage device to enter into a power saving mode; sequentially writing portions of said quantity of multimedia data from said cache memory to a track buffer for subsequent rendering to a display; and at least partly in response to a portion of said quantity of said multimedia data yet to be written to said track buffer stored in said cache memory falling below a threshold value, causing said mass storage device to exit said power saving mode. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A multimedia apparatus, comprising:
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a write track buffer configured to store a first amount of multimedia data; a write cache buffer that caches said multimedia data from said write track buffer, wherein said write cache buffer is larger than the size of said write track buffer by a predetermined factor, and wherein said write cache buffer stores said multimedia data for subsequent writing to a mass storage device; and a cache manager that causes said mass storage device to enter into a reduced power consumption mode when the amount of said multimedia data stored in said write cache buffer reaches a first level. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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providing a mass storage device for storing a multiplicity of blocks of multimedia data stored thereupon; providing a cache buffer coupled to said mass storage device for storing a plurality of blocks of multimedia data to be written to said mass storage device, said cache buffer having a capacity for storing a first amount of said multimedia data; providing a track buffer coupled to said cache buffer and having a storage capacity for storing a second amount of multimedia data to be written to said cache buffer, said second amount of multimedia data being provided from a process in execution upon a microprocessor; and providing a cache manager coupled to said cache buffer and said track buffer for controlling the transfer of said multimedia data to said mass storage device from said cache buffer and to cache buffer from said track buffer, said cache manager responding to a write request for a particular block of multimedia data to be written to the mass storage device from said track buffer by storing said block of multimedia data in said cache buffer and for causing said mass storage device to exit a state of reduced power consumption and receive multimedia data from said cache buffer when the cache buffer reaches a first threshold level and for causing said mass storage device to enter a state of reduced power consumption and cease receiving multimedia data from said cache buffer when said cache buffer reaches a second threshold level - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of processing media data to be written to a non-volatile mass storage device comprising:
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determining the quantity of media data stored in a cache buffer; and when the quantity of media data stored in said cache buffer is at a first level, causing said non-volatile mass storage device to enter a state of reduced power consumption - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method comprising:
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providing a write track buffer of a plurality of write track buffers, each write track buffer configured to store a predetermined amount of multimedia data; providing a write cache buffer for caching multimedia data received from each write track buffer of the plurality of write buffers, wherein said write cache buffer is configured to be larger than the largest write track buffer by a predetermined factor, and wherein said write cache buffer stores multimedia data received from each write track buffer of the plurality of write buffers for writing to a mass storage device; and a cache manager that causes said mass storage device to enter into a reduced power consumption mode when the amount of said multimedia data stored in said write cache buffer reaches a first level and exit the reduced power consumption mode when the amount of multimedia data stored in said write cache buffer reaches a second level. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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providing a read track buffer of a plurality of read track buffers, each write track buffer configured to store a predetermined amount of multimedia data; providing a read cache buffer for caching multimedia data retrieved from a mass storage device, wherein said read cache buffer is configured to be larger than the largest read track buffer by a predetermined factor, and wherein the read cache buffer stores multimedia data to be provided to each said read write buffer of the plurality of write buffers; and a cache manager that causes said mass storage device to enter into a reduced power consumption mode when the amount of said multimedia data stored in said read cache buffer reaches a first level and exit the reduced power consumption mode when the amount of multimedia data stored in said read cache buffer reaches a second level. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method comprising:
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providing a mass storage device having a multiplicity of blocks of multimedia data stored thereon, said multimedia data including video and audio data; providing a cache buffer coupled to the mass storage device for storing a plurality of blocks of said multimedia data read from said mass storage device, said cache buffer having a capacity for storing a first amount of multimedia data; providing a track buffer coupled to said cache buffer and having a storage capacity for storing a second amount of multimedia data read from said cache buffer; and providing a cache manager coupled to said cache buffer and said track buffer for controlling transfer of said multimedia data from said mass storage device to said cache buffer and from said cache buffer to said track buffer, said cache manager responding to a read request for a particular block of multimedia data fetches said requested block of multimedia data and fetches additional blocks of multimedia anticipated being subject to future read requests to fill said cache buffer to a first level for transfer to said track buffer and said mass storage device enters a reduced power consumption responsive to said cache buffer being filled with a plurality of un-transferred blocks of multimedia data to a first threshold level, said mass storage device existing said reduced power consumption mode responsive to at least said plurality of un-transferred blocks of multimedia data being below a second threshold level, said cache manage replacing blocks of transferred multimedia data in accordance with a priority hierarchy based on at least one characteristics of said blocks of multimedia data. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification