Method and arrangement for allowing a computer to communicate with a data storage device

• US 6,029,209 A
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intersect Technologies, Inc. (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmer, Tracy D., Cornaby, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/209,877
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/8, 710/10, 710/22, 710/33, 710/102, 711/100, 713/100
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0626 Reducing size or complexity of storage systems
• 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 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device

Abstract

A computer controlled system includes a data storage device connected to a host computer using a bus which allows device-initiated bus-mastering. The system has system RAM which is associated with the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device. The data storage device requires certain device operating data/code in the form of device control means and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device. An arrangement and method for operating the data storage device includes storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the system RAM. The arrangement and method further include allowing the host computer and/or the data storage device access to the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the host computer and/or the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control the operation of the data storage device.

Claims

1. In a computer controlled system including a data storage device connected to a host computer using a bus, the system having system RAM which is associated with the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device, the data storage device having certain device operating data/code including device control and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device, an arrangement for operating the data storage device, the arrangement comprising:

(a) means for storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the system RAM; and

(b) means for allowing the host computer and the data storage device access to the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the host computer and the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control the operation of the data storage device.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a hard disk drive.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a CD drive.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the data storage device is a floppy disk drive.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the bus is a PCI bus.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the bus is an IEEE 1394 bus.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the computer controlled system is a personal computer system.

8. A data storage device for use in a computer controlled system in which the data storage device is connected to a host computer using a bus which allows device-initiated bus-mastering, the system having system RAM which is associated wit the host computer and which is not part of the data storage device, the data storage device requiring certain device operating data/code in the form of device control means and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device, at least a portion of the device operating data/code being located in the system RAM during the operation of the system, the data storage device comprising:

means for allowing the data storage device access to at least a portion of the device operating data/code stored in the system RAM such that the data storage device may use the device operating data/code to control its operation.

9. A data storage device according to claim 8 wherein the data storage device further includes means for storing within system RAM the portion of the data storage device operating data/code which is located in system RAM for use during the operation of the system.

10. A method of allowing host computer having host RAM associated with the host computer to communicate with a data storage device connected to the host computer using a bus, the data storage device having certain device operating data/code including device control and device operating data to be used to control the operation of the device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing at least a portion of the device operating data/code in the host RAM; and

(b) allowing the data storage device and the host computer access to at least a portion of the device operating data/code stored in the host RAM such that the data storage device and the host computer may use the device operating data/code to control operation of the data storage device.