Storage device having a nonvolatile memory for storing user changeable operating parameters
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a storage device having a storage medium and a nonvolatile memory, different from the storage medium, comprising the steps of:
- inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device;
writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and
controlling an operation of the storage device and the storage medium thereof which is different from the nonvolatile memory using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A storage device or drive such as a disk or tape drive including a nonvolatile erasable semiconductor memory which stores parameters which control the operation of the storage device. Through a user interface on a host computer, the user is capable of changing the parameters which are used to control the storage device, allowing the user to configure the operation of the storage device in any manner desired. The parameters which are changeable within the storage device relate to responses to the detection of errors within the storage device, data encryption algorithms, the stopping of a disk from spinning, the caching of the storage device, and data compression algorithms. The storage drive also has the capability to perform a stand-alone formatting operation. After formatting a storage medium with the assistance of the host computer, the formatted medium is read by the drive and stored in the nonvolatile memory of the storage drive. The next time a medium needs to be formatted, the formatting information is read from the memory of the storage drive to perform the formatting, thus freeing the host computer to perform other tasks.
214 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a storage device having a storage medium and a nonvolatile memory, different from the storage medium, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and controlling an operation of the storage device and the storage medium thereof which is different from the nonvolatile memory using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for controlling a storage device having a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and controlling an operation of the storage device using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program, wherein the step of inputting the parameter inputs a parameter for controlling how errors are processed within the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. A method for controlling a storage device having a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and controlling an operation of the storage device using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program, wherein the step of inputting the parameter inputs a parameter for controlling how data is encrypted and decrypted within the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for controlling a storage device having a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and
controlling an operation of the storage device using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program,wherein the step of inputting the parameter inputs a parameter for controlling a spin down process of the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method for controlling a storage device having a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and controlling an operation of the storage device using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program, wherein; the step of inputting the parameter inputs a parameter for controlling a caching of information in the storage drive, and the step of controlling the operation of the storage device controls a caching of information in the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
18. A method for controlling a storage device having a nonvolatile memory, comprising the steps of:
-
inputting, using a computer connected to the storage device, a parameter from a user which changes an operation of a control program stored in the storage device; writing the parameter into the nonvolatile memory of the storage device; and controlling an operation of the storage device using the parameter stored in the nonvolatile memory and the control program, wherein; the step of inputting the parameter inputs a parameter for controlling a compression of information in the storage drive; and the step of controlling the operation of the storage device controls a compression of information in the storage device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A storage device for use with a computer, comprising:
-
a storage medium; a memory for storing a control program which controls an operation of the storage device; a nonvolatile memory, different from said storage medium, for storing a parameter, altered by a user by interaction with the computer, which controls the operation of the control program; and processing circuitry for executing the control program to control the operation of the storage device using the parameter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification