Disk drive with reduced power modes
First Claim
1. In a rotating disk data storage device, adapted for use with a host computer, said data storage device having:
- one or more rotatable data storage disks each having a plurality of concentric data tracks on one or more disk surfaces thereof;
a spindle for rotatably supporting said data storage disks;
a spindle motor for rotationally driving said spindle;
an actuator for supporting one or more read/write transducer heads adjacent said one or more disk surfaces;
an actuator motor for moving said actuator and read/write transducer heads to radial data tracks on said disk surfaces;
a microcontroller for controlling and monitoring the data storage device functions, said microcontroller including a read only memory having a number of control programs written therein and a random access memory for temporary data storage;
read channel circuitry for receiving and amplifying data and servo signals read from the disk surfaces by said read/write transducer heads;
servo system controller circuitry for employing servo information read from said disk surfaces to control said actuator motor to position said read/write heads over desired data tracks in response to host commands;
spindle motor driver and control circuitry for driving said spindle motor so as to rotate said data disks at a desired rotational velocity; and
host interface/disk controller circuitry for receiving host commands and data to be written on said disk surfaces from said host computer and for converting said data to a format suited for writing onto said disk surfaces and for providing data read from said disk surfaces to said host computer in response to host read commands;
the method for controlling said disk drive so as to reduce the power consumption thereof, comprising the steps of;
initiating a timer function after completion of execution of a host computer read/write command, said timer function having a timeout after a predetermined period of time;
after completion of said predetermined period without receipt of a host read/write command, wholly or partially disabling said read channel circuitry, servo controller circuitry, and actuator motor and placing said host interface/disk controller circuitry in a low power mode capable of receiving all host commands from said host computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for controlling a rotating disk magnetic data storage device employing several reduced power modes which are automatically entered and exited under the control of the rotating disk device microcontroller. Two modes are provided which are fully responsive to host computer commands, and are thereby transparent to the host computer user, all providing significant power savings. An additional full power down mode is provided which can be initiated by a command from the host computer user, wherein the operational state parameters of the rotating disk device are stored in the host computer until the host computer powers on the device. At this time the stored state parameter are restored into the rotating disk device allowing it to resume its operational state immediately prior to the power suspension. Additionally, a reduced power startup procedure is provided where a low current start is first attempted, which will be successful in a high percentage of attempts, followed by a higher current attempt if the first attempt is unsuccessful. A portion of the drive circuitry is disabled during the startup procedure to further save energy.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a rotating disk data storage device, adapted for use with a host computer, said data storage device having:
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one or more rotatable data storage disks each having a plurality of concentric data tracks on one or more disk surfaces thereof; a spindle for rotatably supporting said data storage disks; a spindle motor for rotationally driving said spindle; an actuator for supporting one or more read/write transducer heads adjacent said one or more disk surfaces; an actuator motor for moving said actuator and read/write transducer heads to radial data tracks on said disk surfaces; a microcontroller for controlling and monitoring the data storage device functions, said microcontroller including a read only memory having a number of control programs written therein and a random access memory for temporary data storage; read channel circuitry for receiving and amplifying data and servo signals read from the disk surfaces by said read/write transducer heads; servo system controller circuitry for employing servo information read from said disk surfaces to control said actuator motor to position said read/write heads over desired data tracks in response to host commands; spindle motor driver and control circuitry for driving said spindle motor so as to rotate said data disks at a desired rotational velocity; and host interface/disk controller circuitry for receiving host commands and data to be written on said disk surfaces from said host computer and for converting said data to a format suited for writing onto said disk surfaces and for providing data read from said disk surfaces to said host computer in response to host read commands; the method for controlling said disk drive so as to reduce the power consumption thereof, comprising the steps of; initiating a timer function after completion of execution of a host computer read/write command, said timer function having a timeout after a predetermined period of time; after completion of said predetermined period without receipt of a host read/write command, wholly or partially disabling said read channel circuitry, servo controller circuitry, and actuator motor and placing said host interface/disk controller circuitry in a low power mode capable of receiving all host commands from said host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A rotating disk data storage device, adapted for use with a host computer, comprising:
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one or more rotatable data storage disks each having a plurality of concentric data tracks on one or more disk surfaces thereof; a spindle for rotatably supporting said data storage disks; a spindle motor for rotationally driving said spindle; an actuator for supporting one or more read/write transducer heads adjacent said one or more disk surfaces; an actuator motor for moving said actuator and read/write transducer heads to radial data tracks on said disk surfaces; a microcontroller for controlling and monitoring the data storage device functions, said microcontroller including a read only memory having a number of control programs written therein and a random access memory for temporary data storage; read channel circuitry for receiving and amplifying data and servo signals read from the disk surfaces by said read/write transducer heads; servo system controller circuitry for employing servo information read from said disk surfaces to control said actuator motor to position said read/write heads over desired data tracks in response to host commands; spindle motor driver and control circuitry for driving said spindle motor so as to rotate said data disks at a desired rotational velocity; host interface/disk controller circuitry for receiving host commands and data to be written on said disk surfaces from said host computer and for converting said data to a format suited for writing onto said disk surfaces and for providing data read from said disk surfaces to said host computer in response to host read commands; timer means for providing a timeout signal after a predetermined period of time after completion of execution of a host computer read/write command; and means for receiving said timeout signal and, in response thereto, wholly or partially disabling said read channel circuitry, servo controller circuitry, and actuator motor, and placing said host interface/disk controller circuitry in a low power mode capable of receiving all host commands from said host computer.
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15. In a rotating disk data storage device, adapted for use with a host computer, said data storage device having:
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one or more rotatable data storage disks each having a plurality of concentric data tracks on one or more disk surfaces thereof; a spindle for rotatably supporting said data storage disks; a spindle motor for rotationally driving said spindle; an actuator for supporting one or more read/write transducer heads adjacent said one or more disk surfaces; an actuator motor for moving said actuator and read/write transducer heads to radial data tracks on said disk surfaces; a microcontroller for controlling and monitoring the data storage device functions, said microcontroller including a read only memory having a number of control programs written therein and a random access memory for temporary data storage; read channel circuitry for receiving and amplifying data and servo signals read from the disk surfaces by said read/write transducer heads; servo system controller circuitry for employing servo information read from said disk surfaces to control said actuator motor to position said read/write heads over desired data tracks in response to host commands; spindle motor driver and control circuitry for driving said spindle motor so as to rotate said data disks at a desired rotational velocity; and host interface/disk controller circuitry for receiving host commands and data to be written on said disk surfaces from said host computer and for converting said data to a format suited for writing onto said disk surfaces and for providing data read from said disk surfaces to host computer in response to host read commands; the method for controlling said disk drive so as to reduce the power consumption thereof, comprising the steps of; detecting completion of a host command; and after detecting completion of a host command, placing said data storage device in a first active reduced power consumption mode wherein the actuator and said read/write transducer head(s) are maintained over a data track. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A rotating disk data storage device, adapted for use with a host computer, comprising:
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one or more rotatable data storage disks each having a plurality of concentric data tracks on one or more disk surfaces thereof; a spindle for rotatable supporting said data storage disks; a spindle motor for rotationally driving said spindle; an actuator for supporting one or more read/write transducer heads adjacent said one or more disk surfaces; an actuator motor for moving said actuator and read/write transducer heads to radial data tracks on said disk surfaces; a microcontroller for controlling and monitoring the data storage device functions, said microcontroller including a read only memory having a number of control programs written therein and a random access memory for temporary data storage; read channel circuitry for receiving and amplifying data and servo signals read from the disk surfaces by said read/write transducer heads; servo system controller circuitry for employing servo information read from said disk surfaces to control said actuator motor to position said read/write heads over desired data tracks in response to host commands; spindle motor driver and control circuitry for driving said spindle motor so as to rotate said data disks at a desired rotational velocity; host interface/disk controller circuitry for receiving host commands and data to be written on said disk surfaces from said host computer and for converting said data to a format suited for writing onto said disk surfaces and for providing data read from said disk surfaces to said host computer in response to host read commands; and means for placing said data storage device in a first active reduced power consumption mode, wherein the actuator is maintained over a data track, after completion of a host command. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification