Disk drive control for improving the operation of a computer subjected to motion

• US 6,854,028 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Gordon James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US09/821,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20020144034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 710/6, 711/111, 711/112, 361/685, 360/75, 360/97.02, 369/53.1, 257/414, 425/135, 340/540, 248/638
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing

Abstract

An apparatus, method and program product are operable for controlling the operation of a disk drive in a computer subjected to motion, and comprise monitoring the motion of the computer and detecting multiple successive forces on the computer caused by the motion. Based upon characteristics of the detected forces, a motion condition, such as a walk or non-walk condition is determined. Disk drive operations are then scheduled based on the motion condition so that the scheduled disk drive operations significantly avoid occurrence during one of the future motion forces and accelerations.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the operation of a disk drive in a computer subjected to motion, the method comprising:

monitoring the motion of the computer and detecting multiple successive forces on the computer caused by the motion;

based upon timing characteristics of the detected multiple successive forces, determining a periodic motion condition; and

scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the periodic motion condition so that the scheduled disk drive operations significantly avoid occurrence during occurrence of future successive forces.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the time interval between at least two of the multiple forces to determine the periodicity of the motion; and

scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the time interval.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said scheduling step includes scheduling operations of the disk to occur generally in the time interval between the multiple forces.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the magnitude of the successive forces on the computer; and

scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the magnitude of the motion forces.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said scheduled operations of the disk drive include one of read and write operations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer is worn by a user and the motion of the computer is due to the motion of the user, the method further comprising:

detecting multiple successive forces on the computer associated with multiple steps taken by a user in motion.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon the forces from the steps taken by a user; and

scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the at least one walk and non-walk conditions of the motion.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon the time interval between the multiple steps taken by the user.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon the magnitude of the successive forces on the computer from the user'"'"'s steps.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said scheduled operations of the disk drive include read and write operations, the method further comprising:

scheduling write operations during a walk condition.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said scheduled operations of the disk drive include read and write operations, the method further comprising:

scheduling read and write operations during a non-walk condition.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising using an accelerometer with the computer to detect the forces caused by the motion.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the disk drive generates a position signal for a disk drive head, the method further comprising monitoring the position signal to determine the forces caused by the motion and determining the motion condition based on the position signal.

14. A computer comprising:

a disk drive capable of performing read and write operations;

a motion detection device operable for detecting multiple successive forces, to which the disk drive is subjected, caused by motion of the computer;

a processor operably coupled to said motion detection device, the processor operable for determining a periodic motion condition based upon timing characteristics of the detected multiple successful forces, and further operable for scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the periodic motion condition so that the scheduled disk drive operations significantly avoid occurrence during occurrence of future successive forces.

15. The computer of claim 14 wherein the processor is operable for determining a time interval between at least two of the multiple forces to establish a periodicity of the motion and for scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the time interval.

16. The computer of claim 15 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling operations of the disk drive to occur generally in the time interval between to multiple forces.

17. The computer of claim 14 wherein the processor is operable for determining the magnitude of the successive forces on the computer and scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the magnitude of the motion forces.

18. The computer of claim 14 wherein the computer is worn by a user and the motion of the computer is due to motion of the user, the processor being operable for determining at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon the forces from multiple steps taken by a user, and for scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the at least one walk and non-walk conditions of the motion.

19. The computer of claim 18 wherein the processor is operable for determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon a determined time interval between the multiple steps taken by the user.

20. The computer of claim 18 wherein the processor is operable for determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon a determined magnitude of successive forces on the computer from the user'"'"'s steps.

21. The computer of claim 18 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling read and write operations during a non-walk condition.

22. The computer of claim 18 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling write operations during a walk condition.

23. The computer of claim 14 wherein said motion detection device includes an accelerometer to detect the forces caused by the motion.

24. The computer of claim 14 wherein the motion detection device generates a position signal for a disk drive head of the disk drive, the processor operable for determining a motion condition based on the position signal.

25. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a disk drive in a computer the apparatus comprising:

a motion detection device operable for detecting multiple successive forces, to which the disk drive is subjected, caused by motion of the computer;

a processor operably coupled to said motion detection device, the processor operable for determining a periodic motion condition based upon timing characteristics of the detected multiple successive forces, and further operable for scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the periodic motion condition so that the scheduled disk drive operations significantly avoid occurrence during occurrence of future successive forces.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the processor is operable for determining a time interval between at least two of the multiple forces to establish a periodicity of the motion and for scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the time interval.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling operations of the disk drive to occur generally in the time interval between the multiple forces.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the processor is operable for determining the magnitude of the successive forces on the computer and scheduling operations of the disk drive based on the magnitude of the motion forces.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the computer is worn by a user and the motion of the computer is due to motion of the user, the processor being operable for determining at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon the forces from multiple steps taken by a user, and for scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the at least one walk and non-walk conditions of the motion.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling read and write operations during a non-walk condition.

31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the processor is operable for scheduling write operations during a walk condition.

32. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said motion detection device includes an accelerometer to detect the forces caused by the motion.

33. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the motion detection device generates a position signal for a disk drive head of the disk drive, the processor operable for determining a motion condition based on the position signal.

34. A program product for controlling the operation of a disk drive in a computer subjected to motion, the program product comprising:

a program configured to receive inputs related to the detection of multiple successive forces on the computer caused by the motion, and to determine a periodic motion condition based upon the multiple successive force inputs, the program further configured to schedule operations of the disk drive based on the periodic motion condition so that the scheduled disk drive operations significantly avoid occurrence during occurrence of future successive forces;

a signal bearing media bearing the program.

35. The program product of claim 34 wherein the program is further configured to detect the time interval between at least two of the multiple forces to determine the periodicity of the motion and to schedule operations of the disk drive based upon the time interval.

36. The program product of claim 35 wherein the program is further configured for scheduling operations of the disk drive to occur generally in the time interval between the multiple forces.

37. The program product of claim 34 wherein the program is further configured to detect the magnitude of the successive forces on the computer and to schedule operations of the disk drive based on the magnitude of the motion forces.

38. The program product of claim 34 wherein the program is further configured to schedule one of read and write operations.

39. The program product of claim 34 wherein the computer is worn by a user and the motion of the computer is due to motion of the user, the program further being configured for determining at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon forces from steps taken by the user and configured for scheduling operations of the disk drive based upon the at least one walk and non-walk conditions of the motion.

40. The program product of claim 39 wherein the program is further configured for determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon a time interval between multiple steps taken by the user wearing the computer.

41. The program product of claim 39 wherein the program is further configured for determining the at least one of a walk condition and a non-walk condition for the motion based upon a magnitude of the successive forces on the computer from the user'"'"'s steps.

42. The program product of claim 39 wherein said scheduled operations of the disk drive include read and write operations, the program being further configured for scheduling write operations during a walk condition.

43. The program product of claim 39 wherein said scheduled operations of the disk drive include read and write operations, the program being further configured for scheduling read and write operations during a non-walk condition.

44. The program product of claim 34 wherein the program is further configured to receive an output from an accelerometer operably coupled to detect motion forces on the computer and to determine a motion condition based on the accelerometer output.

45. The program product of claim 34 wherein the program is further configured to receive a position signal for a disk drive head of the disk drive and to determine the motion condition based on the position signal.

46. The program product of claim 34 wherein the signal bearing media comprises at least one of a recordable media and a transmission media.