User selectable caching

• US 9,268,692 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Wehman, John, McLeran, Daniel, Heiney, Eric, Winter, James, Marley, Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Rossiter, Sean D
• Application Number:
  US13/832,585
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0806 Multiuser, multiprocessor or multiprocessing cache systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0871 Allocation or management of cache space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/126 with special data handling, e.g. priority of data or instructions, handling errors or pinning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/463 File
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/6028 Prefetching based on hints or prefetch instructions

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for intelligent data caching behavior. In an embodiment, a method may comprise receiving an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and storing the specific data to a cache memory. In another embodiment, a system may comprise a host device including a driver configured to monitor the system for an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and store the specific data to a cache memory. In yet another embodiment, an apparatus may a data storage device including a nonvolatile data storage medium, a cache memory, and a processor. The Processor may be configured to receive an indication a user has selected specific data for caching, and copy the specific data form the nonvolatile data storage medium to the cache memory.

Claims

1. A memory device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining suggested data for caching, including data identified as more valuable for caching than other data, based on file information related to the suggested data;

recommending the suggested data to a user for caching;

receiving an indication whether a user has selected specific data from the suggested data for caching; and

storing the specific data to a cache memory when the user has selected the specific data.

2. The memory device of claim 1, the method further comprising initiating an application configured to allow the user to select the specific data.

3. The memory device of claim 2, further comprising the application includes a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to drag and drop an indicator of the specific data into the graphical user interface to select the specific data.

4. The memory device of claim 2, further comprising the application configured to allow the user to select the specific data with a pointer by accessing a menu that has an option that, when selected, indicates the specific data is to be stored in the cache memory.

5. The memory device of claim 2, further comprising the application is a computer program that has at least one view listing files that are available for caching, where the computer program is configured to allow a user to select the specific data by selecting one or more of the files.

6. The memory device of claim 2, the method further comprising storing the specific data to the cache independent of host read and write commands.

7. The memory device of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication of a specified period of time selected by the user to maintain the specific data in the cache memory.

8. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the file information includes file size, file type, frequency of file access, recentness of access, or file system directory path.

9. The memory device of claim 1, further comprising the potential suggested data is determined based on most frequently used data.

10. The memory device of claim 1, the method further comprising providing a list of the potential suggested data to the user, the list including at least one file pointer to allow the potential data to be selected as specific data.

11. A system comprising:

a host device including a driver configured to;

determine recommended data for caching based on file system information obtained from the host device;

suggest recommended data to user;

receive an indication a user has selected specific data from the recommended data for caching; and

store the specific data to a cache memory.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an application configured to provide the indication to the driver, the application including a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to drag and drop an indicator of the specific data into the graphical user interface to select the specific data.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising an application configured to provide the indication to the driver, the application including a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to select the specific data with a pointer by accessing a menu that has an option that, when selected, indicates the specific data is to be stored in the cache memory.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising the driver configured to:

receive an indication of a specified period of time selected by a user to maintain the specific data in the cache memory.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a data storage device including;

a nonvolatile data storage medium;

the cache memory;

a processor configured to;

receive the indication of the specific data from the host device; and

copy the specific data from the nonvolatile data storage medium to the cache memory.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a host device including a driver configured to;

determine suggested data for caching, including data identified as more valuable for caching than other data, based on file information related to the suggested data;

recommend the suggested data to a user for caching;

receive a user selection of specific data from the suggested data for caching;

provide an indication of the user selection to a data storage device;

the data storage device, including;

a nonvolatile data storage medium;

a cache memory;

a processor configured to;

receive the indication; and

copy the specific data from the nonvolatile data storage medium to the cache memory.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising storing the specific data to the cache independent of host read and write commands.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the host device including an application configured to provide the user selection to the driver, the application including a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to drag and drop an icon of the specific data into the graphical user interface to select the specific data.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

the driver configured to determine a list of suggested data for caching; and

the host device including an application configured to provide the user selection to the driver, the application including a graphical user interface configured to allow the user to select the specific data from the list of suggested data.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

the driver further configured to;

receive an indication of a specified period of time selected by the user to maintain the specific data in the cache memory; and

provide the indication of the specified period of time to the data storage device.