Power management for data storage device

• US 9,141,176 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Huayuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tan X
• Application Number:
  US14/024,498
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3221 of disk drive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3268 Power saving in hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/43 Control or regulation of mechanical tension of record carrier, e.g. tape tension
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/06 by counting or timing of machine operations
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/6005 Specially adapted for spacing from a rotating disc using a fluid cushion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Power management for a data storage device (DSD). A number of host commands is counted within a predetermined time period. Data is stored on at least one disk of the DSD or in a solid state memory of the DSD based on whether the number of commands within the predetermined time period exceeds a threshold number of commands. According to another aspect, a performance mode for operation of a DSD is set based on a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives more than a threshold number of host commands. A power saving mode for operation of the DSD is set based on a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives less than the threshold number of host commands.

Claims

1. A data storage device (DSD) in communication with a host,

the DSD comprising:

at least one disk for storing data;

a solid state memory for storing data; and

a controller configured to;

count a number of commands received by the DSD from the host within a predetermined time period;

determine whether the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds a threshold number of commands;

store data on the at least one disk and in the solid state memory based on whether the number of commands within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands; and

if the number of commands within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands, increase an amount of time until the at least one disk enters a low power state.

2. The DSD of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store data for a host command in the solid state memory instead of on the at least one disk if the number of commands received within the predetermined time period does not exceed the threshold number of commands and a rotational speed of the at least one disk does not exceed a predetermined rotational speed.

3. The DSD of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

set a first timer to initiate the low power state for the at least one disk; and

set a second timer to initiate a low power state for the solid state memory.

4. The DSD of claim 3, wherein if it is determined that the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands, the controller is further configured to:

increase the second timer; and

increase the amount of time until the at least one disk enters the low power state by increasing the first timer.

5. The DSD of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the first timer and the second timer if it is determined that the number of commands received within the predetermined time period does not exceed the threshold number of commands.

6. The DSD of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to extend after expiration at least one of the first timer and the second timer if the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands.

7. A data storage device (DSD) in communication with a host, the DSD comprising:

at least one disk for storing data;

a solid state memory for storing data; and

a controller configured to;

count a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives more than a threshold number of commands from the host;

count a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives less than the threshold number of commands from the host;

set a performance mode for operation of the DSD if the number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives more than the threshold number of commands exceeds a first threshold number of time periods; and

set a power saving mode for operation of the DSD if the number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives less than the threshold number of commands exceeds a second threshold number of time periods.

8. The DSD of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to store data for a host command in the solid state memory instead of on the at least one disk while the DSD is in the power saving mode and a rotational speed of the at least one disk does not exceed a predetermined rotational speed.

9. The DSD of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to:

set a first timer to initiate a low power state for the at least one disk; and

set a second timer to initiate a low power state for the solid state memory.

10. The DSD of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to increase the first timer and the second timer in setting the performance mode.

11. The DSD of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the first timer and the second timer in setting the power saving mode.

12. The DSD of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to extend after expiration at least one of the first timer and the second timer while in the performance mode.

13. A method for power management of a data storage device (DSD), the method comprising:

counting a number of commands received by the DSD from a host within a predetermined time period;

determining whether the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds a threshold number of commands;

storing data on at least one disk of the DSD and in a solid state memory of the DSD based on whether the number of commands within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands; and

if the number of commands within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands, increase an amount of time until the at least one disk enters a low power state.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing data for a host command in the solid state memory instead of on the at least one disk if the number of commands received within the predetermined time period does not exceed the threshold number of commands and a rotational speed of the at least one disk does not exceed a predetermined rotational speed.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

setting a first timer to initiate the low power state for the at least one disk; and

setting a second timer to initiate a low power state for the solid state memory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein if it is determined that the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands, the method further comprises:

increasing the second timer; and

increasing the amount of time until the at least one disk enters the low power state by increasing the first timer.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising decreasing the first timer and the second timer if it is determined that the number of commands received within the predetermined time period does not exceed the threshold number of commands.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising extending after expiration at least one of the first timer and the second timer if the number of commands received within the predetermined time period exceeds the threshold number of commands.

19. A method for power management of a DSD, the method comprising:

counting a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives more than a threshold number of commands from a host;

counting a number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives less than the threshold number of commands from the host;

setting a performance mode for operation of the DSD if the number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives more than the threshold number of commands exceeds a first threshold number of time periods; and

setting a power saving mode for operation of the DSD if the number of consecutive time periods where the DSD receives less than the threshold number of commands exceeds a second threshold number of time periods.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing data for a host command in a solid state memory of the DSD instead of on at least one disk of the DSD while the DSD is in the power saving mode and a rotational speed of the at least one disk does not exceed a predetermined rotational speed.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

setting a first timer to initiate a low power state for at least one disk of the DSD; and

setting a second timer to initiate a low power state for a solid state memory of the DSD.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising increasing the first timer and the second timer in setting the performance mode.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising decreasing the first timer and the second timer in setting the power saving mode.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising extending after expiration at least one of the first timer and after expiration and/or extending the second timer after expiration while in the performance mode.