Disk drive system on chip with integrated buffer memory and support for host memory access

• US 7,958,292 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Chun-Kuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Unelus; Ernest
• Application Number:
  US10/926,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• Field of Search: 710/74, 710/36, 710/29, 711/114, 711/112
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0656 Data buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/12 Means for monitoring the fill level; Means for resolving contention, i.e. conflicts between simultaneous enqueue and dequeue operations
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10675 aspects of buffer control

Abstract

A circuit for a storage device that communicates with a host device comprises a first high speed interface. A storage controller communicates with the high speed interface. A buffer communicates with the storage controller. The storage device generates storage buffer data during operation. The storage controller is adapted to selectively store the storage buffer data in at least one of the buffer and/or in the host device via the high speed interface. A bridge chip for enterprise applications couples the circuit to an enterprise device.

Claims

1. A circuit for a magnetic storage device, comprising:

a first high speed interface configured to operate as an enterprise interface;

a storage controller in communication with the first high speed interface;

a buffer of the magnetic storage device in communication with the storage controller; and

a bridge circuit that is connected between the first high speed interface and a desktop interface, wherein the bridge circuit is configured to store storage-related buffer data, wherein the storage related buffer data is to be stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device,

wherein the magnetic storage device is configured to generate the storage-related buffer data during operation based on host data received from a host device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data,

wherein the storage controller is configured to

store the storage-related buffer data in the buffer prior to being stored on the disk,

transmit and receive the storage-related buffer data over the first high speed interface to and from another storage device of the host device, wherein the another storage device (i) is external to the magnetic storage device and (ii) includes the desktop interface,

determine whether the buffer has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data, and

store the storage-related buffer data in the bridge circuit and the another storage device (i) when the buffer does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and (ii) prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein the bridge circuit transfers the storage-related buffer data from the host device back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first high speed interface includes an interface.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor in communication with the storage controller;

a spindle/VCM driver in communication with the storage controller; and

a read/write channel circuit in communication with the storage controller.

4. The circuit of claim 3, further comprising a storage assembly that comprises:

a storage medium configured to store data;

a spindle motor (i) configured to rotate the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the spindle/VCM driver; and

a read/write arm (i) configured to read and write data to and from the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the read/write channel circuit.

5. A system comprising:

the circuit of claim 1; and

the host device configured to transmit and receive the storage-related buffer data to and from the storage device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the host device includes:

a second high speed interface in communication with the first high speed interface; and

volatile memory, wherein at least part of the volatile memory stores the storage-related buffer data from the storage device.

7. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 1.

8. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 1.

9. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 3.

10. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 3.

11. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes hard-disk drive control data.

12. The circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the storage controller transmits the storage-related buffer data to a portion of a memory; and

the portion of the memory is external to and allocated to the magnetic storage device.

13. The circuit of claim 12, wherein the memory includes volatile memory.

14. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a memory external to the magnetic storage device,

wherein a fixed portion of the memory is allocated to the magnetic storage device.

15. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a memory external to the magnetic storage device,

wherein a fixed portion of the memory is used solely by the magnetic storage device.

16. A system comprising:

a host device that includes

a processor,

volatile memory in communication with the processor, and

a first high speed interface in communication with at least one of the processor or the volatile memory;

a storage device that includes

a second high speed interface in communication with the first high speed interface,

a storage controller in communication with the second high speed interface, and

a buffer in communication with the storage controller,

wherein the storage device is configured to generate storage-related buffer data during operation based on host data received from the host device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data and is to be stored on a disk of the storage device, and

wherein the storage controller is configured to

store the storage-related buffer data in the buffer and the volatile memory of the host device via the first high speed interface and the second high speed interface, and

store the storage-related buffer data in the buffer and the volatile memory prior to being stored on the disk; and

a bridge circuit configured to facilitate communication between the first high speed interface and the second high speed interface,

wherein the first high speed interface includes at least one of an enterprise interface or a desktop interface,

wherein the second high speed interface includes the other one of the enterprise interface and the desktop interface,

wherein the bridge circuit is configured to store the storage-related buffer data,

wherein the storage controller (i) determines whether the buffer has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and (ii) stores the storage-related buffer data in the bridge circuit and the volatile memory when the buffer does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein the host device transfers the storage-related buffer data back to the storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the storage device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage device further comprises:

a processor in communication with the storage controller;

a spindle/VCM driver in communication with the storage controller; and

a read/write channel circuit in communication with the storage controller.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage device further comprises a storage assembly that includes:

a storage medium configured to store data;

a spindle motor (i) configured to rotate the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the spindle/VCM driver; and

a read/write arm (i) configured to read and write data to and from the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the read/write channel circuit.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage device is implemented as a system on chip.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage device is implemented as a system on chip.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module.

23. A bridge circuit, comprising:

a first interface configured to provide a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface;

a second interface configured to provide one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or Fiber Channel (FC) interface;

a processor (i) in communication with the first interface and the second interface and (ii) configured to support interface and data processing; and

memory in communication with the processor,

wherein the first interface, the second interface, the processor and the memory are implemented as an integrated circuit,

wherein one of the first interface and the second interface transfer host data from a host device to a magnetic storage device,

wherein one of the first interface and the second interface is configured to receive storage-related buffer data from and generated by the magnetic storage device (i) when a buffer of the magnetic storage device does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and (ii) prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data,

wherein the other one of the first interface and the second interface is configured to transmit the storage-related buffer data from the bridge circuit to the host device (i) when the buffer of the magnetic storage device is full and (ii) prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein at least one of the first interface or the second interface transfer the storage-related buffer data back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

24. A system comprising:

the bridge circuit of claim 23; and

a storage device in communication with the first interface of the bridge circuit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the storage device comprises:

a third interface (i) configured to provide a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface and (ii) in communication with the first interface; and

a storage controller in communication with the third interface.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage controller is configured to store the storage-related buffer data in the bridge circuit via the third interface and the first interface.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage device further comprises:

a second processor (i) in communication with the storage controller and (ii) configured to provide spindle/VCM control; and

a read/write channel circuit in communication with the storage controller.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a storage assembly that comprises:

a storage medium configured to store data;

a spindle motor (i) configured to rotate the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the second processor; and

a read/write arm (i) configured to read data from and write data to the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the read/write channel circuit.

29. A system comprising:

the bridge circuit of claim 23; and

an enterprise device including a fourth interface (i) in communication with the second interface and (ii) configured to provide the at least one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or Fiber Channel (FC) interface.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage device is implemented as a system on chip (SOC).

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module (MCM).

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the storage-related buffer data is configured to store in at least one of the buffer or the memory.

33. The bridge circuit of claim 23, wherein the processor is coupled between the first interface and the second interface.

34. The bridge circuit of claim 23, wherein the storage-related buffer data is provided to the magnetic storage device from the memory when storage capacity of the buffer is not exceeded.

35. The bridge circuit of claim 23, wherein the memory is allocated for storage of the storage-related buffer data by a system on chip of the magnetic storage device.

36. A circuit for a magnetic storage device in communication with an external device, comprising:

a first interface configured to provide a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface;

a processor configured to perform spindle/VCM and data processing;

a storage controller in communication with the first interface and the processor; and

a bridge chip (i) connected between the first interface and an enterprise interface and (ii) configured to store storage-related buffer data based on host data received from the external device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data and is to be stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device,

wherein the magnetic storage device is configured to generate the storage-related buffer data during operation,

wherein the storage controller is configured to

determine whether the buffer has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data,

store the storage-related buffer data in said the bridge chip and the external device via the first interface (i) when a buffer of the magnetic storage device does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and (ii) prior to be stored on the disk, wherein the external device includes the enterprise interface, and

wherein the bridge chip transfers the storage-related buffer data from the external device back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

37. The circuit of claim 36, further comprising memory in communication with the storage controller,

wherein the storage-related buffer data is stored in at least one of the memory or the external device.

38. The circuit of claim 36, further comprising a read/write channel circuit in communication with the storage controller.

39. The circuit of claim 38, further comprising a hard drive assembly that comprises:

a storage medium configured to store data;

a spindle motor (i) configured to rotate the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the processor; and

a read/write arm (i) configured to read and write data to and from the storage medium and (ii) in communication with the read/write channel circuit.

40. A system comprising the circuit of claim 36, wherein the bridge chip includes a second interface, wherein the second interface (i) is configured to provide a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface and (ii) is in communication with the first interface and a third interface, and wherein the third interface is configured to provide one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or a Fiber Channel (FC) interface.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising an enterprise device including a fourth interface in communication with the third interface.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the bridge chip further comprises a processor (i) in communication with the third interface and the fourth interface and (ii) configured to perform interface processing and data processing.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the bridge chip communicates with memory, and wherein the memory is configured to store the storage-related buffer data from the storage device.

44. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 36.

45. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 36.

46. A circuit for a magnetic storage device, the circuit comprising:

first interface means for providing a high speed interface, wherein the high speed interface is configured to operate as an enterprise interface;

storage control means for communicating with the first interface means to control storage of data;

buffer means of the magnetic storage device for storing storage-related buffer data , wherein the buffer means is in communication with the storage control means, and wherein the storage-related buffer data is to be stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device,

wherein the magnetic storage device is configured to generate the storage-related buffer data during operation based on host data received from a host device, and wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data, and

wherein the storage control means, prior to storing the storage-related buffer data on the disk, (i) stores the storage-related buffer data in the buffer means and (ii) transmits and receives the storage-related buffer data over the first interface means to and from another storage device of the host device, wherein the another storage device is external to the magnetic storage device and includes a desktop interface; and

bridging means for connecting between the first interface means and the desktop interface and for storing the storage-related buffer data,

wherein the storage control means

determines whether the buffer means has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data, and

stores the storage-related buffer data in the bridging means and in the another storage device when the buffer means does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein the bridging means transfers the storage-related buffer data back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

47. The circuit of claim 46, wherein the first interface means includes a small computer system interface (SCSI) interface.

48. The circuit of claim 46, further comprising:

processing means for processing data and for communicating with the storage control means;

driver means for generating spindle/VCM signals and for communicating with the storage control means; and

read/write channel means for communicating with the storage control means.

49. The circuit of claim 48, further comprising a storage assembly that comprises:

storing means for storing data;

rotating means for rotating the storing means and for communicating with the driver means; and

read/write means for reading and writing data to the storing means and for communicating with the read/write channel means.

50. A system comprising the circuit of claim 46, further comprising the host device configured to store the storage-related buffer data.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the host device includes:

second interface means for providing a high speed interface and for communicating with the first interface means; and

volatile storing means for storing data, wherein at least part of the volatile storing means stores the storage-related buffer data from the storage device.

52. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 46.

53. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 46.

54. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 48.

55. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 48.

56. A system comprising:

a host device that includes

processing means for processing data,

volatile storing means for storing data and for communicating with the processing means, and

first interface means for providing a high speed interface and for communicating with at least one of the processing means or the volatile storing means;

a storage device that includes

second interface means for providing a high speed interface and for communicating with the first interface means,

storage control means for controlling storage of data and for communicating with the second interface means, and

buffer means for storing storage-related buffer data and for communicating with the storage control means, wherein the storage-related buffer data is to be stored on a disk of the storage device,

wherein the storage device generates the storage-related buffer data during operation based on host data received from the host device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data, and

wherein the storage control means is configured to

store the storage-related buffer data in the buffer means and in the host device via the first interface means and the second interface means, and

store the storage-related buffer data in the buffer means and the host device prior to being stored on the disk; and

bridging means for facilitating communication between the first interface means and the second interface means,

wherein the first interface means includes one of an enterprise interface and a desktop interface and the second interface means includes the other one of the enterprise interface and the desktop interface,

wherein the bridging means stores the storage-related buffer data,

wherein the storage control means

determines whether the buffer means has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data, and

stores the storage-related buffer data in the bridging means and in the host device when the buffer means does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein the bridging means transfers the storage-related buffer data from the host device back to the storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the storage device.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the storage device further comprises:

processing means for processing data and for communicating with the storage control means;

driver means for generating spindle/VCM signals and for communicating with the storage control means; and

read/write channel means for communicating with the storage control means.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the storage device further comprises a storage assembly, the storage assembly includes:

storing means for storing data;

rotating means for rotating the storing means and for communicating with the driver means; and

read/write means for reading and writing data to the storing means and for communicating with the read/write channel means.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module.

60. The system of claim 57, wherein the storage device is implemented as a system on chip.

61. The system of claim 57, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module.

62. A bridge circuit, comprising:

first interface means for providing a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface;

second interface means for providing one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or Fiber Channel (FC) interface;

processing means for processing data, for communicating with the first interface means and the second interface means, and for supporting interface processing and data processing;

storing means for storing data and for communicating with the processing means;

implementing the first interface means, the second interface means, the processing means and the storing means as an integrated circuit;

receiving host data from a host device;

transmitting the host data from the bridge circuit to the storing means;

receiving storage-related buffer data from and generated by a magnetic storage device via one of the first interface and the second interface when a buffer of the magnetic storage device does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data;

transmitting the storage-related buffer data from the bridge circuit to the host device via the other one of the first interface and the second interface when the buffer of the magnetic storage device does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data; and

transferring the storage-related buffer data from the host device back to the storing means based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

63. A system comprising:

the bridge circuit of claim 62; and

a storage device in communication with the bridge circuit.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the storage device comprises:

third interface means for providing a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface and for communicating with the first interface means; and

storage control means for controlling data storage and for communicating with the third interface means.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the storage control means stores the storage-related buffer data in the bridge circuit via the third interface means and the first interface means.

66. The system of claim 64, further comprising:

second processing means for communicating with the storage control means and for providing spindle/VCM control; and

read/write channel means for communicating with the storage control means.

67. The system of claim 66, further comprising a storage assembly that comprises:

storing means for storing data;

rotating means for rotating the storing means and for communicating with the second processing means; and

read/write means for reading and writing data to the storing means and for communicating with the read/write channel means.

68. A system comprising:

the storage device of claim 62; and

an enterprise device including fourth interface means for communicating with the second interface means, the fourth interface means providing the at least one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or Fiber Channel (FC) interface.

69. The system of claim 63, wherein the storage device is implemented as a system on chip (SOC).

70. The system of claim 63, wherein the storage device is implemented as a multi-chip-module (MCM).

71. The system of claim 64, wherein the storage-related buffer data is stored in at least one of the storing means or the buffer.

72. A circuit for a magnetic storage device, the circuit comprising:

first interface means for providing a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface;

processing means for performing spindle/VCM and data processing; and

storage control means for controlling data storage and for communicating with the first interface means and the processing means;

buffer means for storing storage-related buffer data and for communicating with the storage control means, wherein the storage-related buffer data is to be stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device; and

bridging means for connecting between the first interface means and an enterprise interface and for storing the storage-related buffer data,

wherein the magnetic storage device is configured to generate the storage-related buffer data during operation based on host data received from an external device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data,

wherein the storage control means stores the storage-related buffer data in the external device via the first interface means and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, wherein the external device includes the enterprise interface,

wherein the storage control means

determines whether the buffer means has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data, and

stores the storage-related buffer data in the bridging means and in the external device when the buffer means does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk, and

wherein the bridging means transfers the storage-related buffer data from the external device back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

73. The circuit of claim 72, wherein the storage-related buffer data is stored in at least one of the buffer means or the external device.

74. The circuit of claim 72, further comprising read/write channel means for communicating with the storage control means.

75. The circuit of claim 74, further comprising a storage assembly that comprises:

storing means for storing data;

rotating means for rotating the storing means; and

read/write means for reading data from and writing data to the storing means and for communicating with the read/write channel means.

76. The system comprising the circuit of claim 72, wherein the bridging means includes a second interface means for providing a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) interface and for communicating with the first interface means and third interface means for providing one of a serial attached SCSI (SAS) or a Fiber Channel (FC) interface.

77. The system of claim 76, further comprising an enterprise device including fourth interface means for communicating with the third interface means.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein the bridging means further comprises processing means for communicating with the third interface means and the fourth interface means to perform interface and data processing.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the bridging means communicates with buffer storing means for storing the storage-related buffer data from the storage device.

80. A system on chip (SOC) comprising the circuit of claim 72.

81. A multi-chip-module (MCM) comprising the circuit of claim 72.

82. A method for operating a magnetic storage device that communicates with a host device, the method comprising:

providing a high speed interface configured to operate as an enterprise interface between the magnetic storage device and the host device, wherein the magnetic storage device includes a local buffer and a desktop interface;

generating storage-related buffer data via the magnetic storage device based on host data received from the host device, wherein the storage-related buffer data includes the host data and is data to be stored on a disk of the magnetic storage device;

storing the storage-related buffer data in the local buffer prior to being stored on the disk;

transmitting and receiving the storage-related buffer data over the high speed interface to and from the host device prior to being stored on the disk;

providing a bridge circuit connected between the high speed interface and the desktop interface;

determining whether the local buffer has available capacity for the storage-related buffer data;

storing the storage-related buffer data in the bridge circuit and in the host device when the local buffer does not have available capacity for the storage-related buffer data and prior to the storage-related buffer data being stored on the disk; and

transferring the storage-related buffer data from the host device back to the magnetic storage device based on a request to retrieve buffer data generated by the magnetic storage device.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the high speed interface includes a small computer system interface (SCSI) interface.

84. The method of claim 82, further comprising using volatile storage associated with the host device for storing the storage-related buffer data.