DATA STORAGE DEVICE INCLUDING SELF-TEST FEATURES

• US 20120170435A1
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Trantham, Jon D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/53.42
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

The application discloses a data storage device including one or more data storage media adapted to store data. The data storage device is connected to and powered by a power source of the host system. In the event of a loss of power from the host system, an auxiliary power source is used to power components of the data storage device. For example, an illustrative auxiliary power source uses back electromotive force EMF from a spindle motor of the data storage device. As disclosed, the device includes test circuitry to test a capacity of the auxiliary power source to store data in the event of the loss of power from the host system.

Claims

1. A data storage assembly connectable to a host system comprising:

one or more data storage media utilizing power from a host system in normal operation;

an auxiliary power source configured to supply power to store data to the one or more data storage media in event of a loss of power from the host system; and

test circuitry configured to test a capacity of the auxiliary power source to store data in the event of the loss of power from the host system.

2. The data storage assembly of claim 1 and comprising:

a failure prediction component configured to predict failure of the data storage assembly based upon the tested capacity of the auxiliary power source to store the data in the event of the loss of power from the host system.

3. The data storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the test circuitry comprises instructions stored on the one or more data storage media implemented through a processor of the data storage assembly to test the capacity of the auxiliary power source.

4. The data storage assembly of claim 3 wherein the instructions are configured to store bits of data until the auxiliary power source is exhausted and the assembly comprises:

a failure prediction component configured to use the bits of data stored to determine the capacity of the auxiliary power source.

5. The data storage assembly of claim 4 wherein the one or more data storage media includes one or more rotating discs spun by a spindle motor and a solid state data storage media and the instructions are stored on the solid state data storage media.

6. The data storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more data storage media includes a rotating disc powered by a spindle motor and the auxiliary power source is back electro-motive force EMF of the spindle motor.

7. The data storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the test circuitry utilizes a power monitor to test the capacity of the auxiliary power source to store the data in the event of the power loss.

8. The data storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more data storage media includes an electronic solid state non-volatile memory and the auxiliary power source is one or more rechargable electrical energy storage components.

9. The data storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more data storage media includes one or more NAND flash memory and the auxiliary power source is one or more capacitors.

10. A data storage assembly comprising:

a rotating storage media;

a spindle motor coupled to the rotating storage media;

an auxiliary power source that provides auxiliary power generated from back electromotive force EMF of the spindle motor; and

test circuitry configured to test a capacity of the auxiliary power source to store data in an event of a power loss from a host system.

11. The data storage assembly of claim 10 wherein the test circuitry includes instructions to store bits of data utilizing the auxiliary power source and comprising a failure prediction component configured to predict failure using a quantity of the bits of data stored utilizing the auxiliary power source.

12. The data storage assembly of claim 10 wherein the test circuitry stores bits of data utilizing the auxiliary power source until the auxiliary power source is exhausted and comprising a failure prediction component configured to utilize a quantity of the data bits stored to predict failure of the data storage device.

13. The data storage assembly of claim 10 wherein the test circuitry utilizes instructions stored on the one or more data storage media to test the capacity of the auxiliary power source.

14. A method comprising:

disconnecting a data storage device from a power source of a host system;

supplying power to one or more components of the data storage device utilizing a auxiliary power source of the data storage device; and

testing a capacity of the auxiliary power source to power the one or more components of the data storage device.

15. The method of claim 14 and comprising:

outputting a failure prediction for the data storage device utilizing the tested capacity of the auxiliary power source.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of testing the capacity of the auxiliary power source is performed during manufacture of the data storage device prior to shipping the data storage device.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the auxiliary power source is generated using back electromotive force EMF from a spindle motor configured to rotate one or more discs of the data storage device and comprising:

operating the spindle motor to charge the auxiliary power source prior to testing the capacity of the auxiliary power source.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of testing the capacity of the auxiliary power source comprises:

storing bits of data to one or more data storage media of the data storage device utilizing the auxiliary power source; and

using a quantity of the data bits stored to the one or more data storage media utilizing the auxiliary power source to predict failure.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the method implements instructions stored in the one or more data storage media of the data storage device to store the bits of data until the auxiliary power source is exhausted.

20. The method of claim 18 and comprising:

storing the bits of data utilizing the auxiliary power source until the auxiliary power source is exhausted;

restoring the power source of the host system to the data storage device after the auxiliary power is exhausted; and

outputting a failure prediction based upon the quantity of the data bits stored utilizing the auxiliary power source.