Removable hard disk with display information

• US 7,861,168 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Ajay, Pratt, Thomas L., Curtis, William A., Bumpus, Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista; X. L
• Application Number:
  US11/625,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/764, 715/765, 715/771, 715/772, 715/810, 715/835, 715/846, 715/864, 715/966, 345/156, 345/173, 711/112, 711/113, 711/114, 714/42, 714/44
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1008 Graphical user interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for visually communicating disk storage meta information comprising a removable data storage device (RDSD). An RDSD enclosure comprising a disk storage drive, input/output interface, one or more connectors, a storage information module (SIM), a power storage device, and a display is implemented to be connected, disconnected and reconnected to a plurality of predetermined information handling systems. The RDSD is connected to a predetermined information handling system and the SIM gathers information from a plurality of disk information files comprising the RDSD. Once gathered, this information is visually communicated via the SIM to a display comprising the RDSD. When connected to, and powered by, an information handling system, the displayed information is dynamically updated as the operational status of the RDSD changes, but becomes static when RDSD is disconnected. Mechanical switches or a touch sensitive screen are implemented to navigate static and dynamic disk information displayed on the RDSD display. Disk information that was current when the RDSD was last connected to an information handling system is persistently displayed on a display powered by battery.

Claims

1. A display system for a removable data storage device (RDSD), comprising:

a storage medium having a plurality of device status files stored thereon;

a storage information module (SIM) operable to access said device status files and to generate predetermined device status signals therefrom;

a display controller operable to receive said device status signals and to generate display control signals therefrom; and

a display operable to use said display control signals to display information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium;

wherein said RDSD is operable to be used in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system coupled to an information handling system and said storage medium, said SIM, said display controller, and said display are contained in a removable housing comprising an input/output interface operable to control the transfer of data between said RAID system, said storage medium and said information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed information comprises static information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said displayed information comprises dynamic information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said display is powered by said information handling system and is operable to communicate said predetermined information when connected to said information handling system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said display is powered by a battery and is operable to persistently communicate said predetermined information when disconnected from said information handling system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said persistently communicated information comprises the current status of said predetermined information when said storage device was last powered by said information handling system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said display controller and said display are operable to modify the displayed information in response to user input data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said display comprises mechanical contact switches operable to receive said user input data.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said display comprises a touch-sensitive screen operable to receive said user input.

10. A method of displaying information regarding the status of a removable data storage device (RDSD), comprising:

storing a plurality of device status files on a storage medium;

using a storage information module (SIM) to access said device status files and to generate predetermined device status signals therefrom;

using said device status signals to generate display control signals; and

using said display control signals to display information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium;

wherein said RDSD is operable to be used in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system coupled to an information handling system and said storage medium, said SIM, said display controller, and said display are contained in a removable housing comprising an input/output interface operable to control the transfer of data between said RAID system, said storage medium and said information handling system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said displayed information comprises static information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said displayed information comprises dynamic information corresponding to predetermined status parameters of said storage medium.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said display is powered by said information handling system and is operable to communicate said predetermined information when connected to said information handling system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said display is powered by a battery and is operable to persistently communicate said predetermined information when disconnected from said information handling system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said persistently communicated information comprises the current status of said predetermined information when said storage device was last powered by said information handling system.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said display controller and said display are operable to modify the displayed information in response to user input data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said display comprises mechanical contact switches operable to receive said user input data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said display comprises a touch-sensitive screen operable to receive said user input.