EP0416968A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Array disk system and method of writing and reading data in array disk system
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1990-08-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-08-02
Abstract
Abstract An array disk system includes a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk for storing data and a head for writing the data on the disk, a control unit (2, 200) supplied with data for controlling write operations in which the data are simultaneously written to the disk units which are coupled to the control unit in parallel, and a non-volatile memory (4-1 - 4-N+1) for storing data to be written into a defective block of the disk unit. The control unit writes the data into blocks of the disk units when the disk units are free of defective blocks, and writes the data to be written into the defective block of an arbitrary one of the disk units into the non-volatile memory when the arbitrary disk unit includes the defective block. The control unit also has a function of writing the data related to the defective block and stored in the non-volatile memory into the alternate block of the arbitrary disk unit during a free time of the arbitrary disk unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuhiko Ishibashi
- 👤 Tomohisa Ohyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2094; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/18; G11B20/1833; G11B20/1883; G11C; G11C29/00; G11C29/70; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1008; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0673; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11C29/76
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
An array disk system comprising a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk for storing data and means for writing the data on the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon; and control means (2, 200) supplied with data for controlling write operations in which the data are simultaneously written to said disk units, said disk units being coupled to said control means in parallel, characterized in that there is provided: memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) coupled to said control means (2, 200) for storing data to be written into the defective block of the disk unit, said control means writing the data into blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks, and writing the data to be written into the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units into said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block, said control means including means for writing the data related to said defective block and stored in said memory means into the alternate block of said arbitrary disk unit during a free time of said arbitrary disk unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
An array disk system comprising a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk for storing data and means for writing the data on the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon; and control means (2, 200) supplied with data for controlling write operations in which the data are simultaneously written to said disk units, said disk units being coupled to said control means in parallel, characterized in that there is provided: memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) coupled to said control means (2, 200) for storing data to be written into the defective block of the disk unit, said control means writing the data into blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks, and writing the data to be written into the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units into said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block, said control means including means for writing the data related to said defective block and stored in said memory means into the alternate block of said arbitrary disk unit during a free time of said arbitrary disk unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) receives the data in a serial form and includes means (27) for converting the data into a parallel form, said data in the parallel form being written into said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) includes a plurality of non-volatile memories (4-1 - 4-N+1) which are provided in correspondence with said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The array disk system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) further includes detecting means for detecting whether or not an empty area exists in said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) for storing the data related to said defective block prior to storage thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) further includes writing means coupled to said detecting means for writing data related to an arbitrary defective block and prestored in said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) into the alternate block of a corresponding one of said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) when said detecting means detects no empty area in said memory means prior to storing the data related to said defective block into said memory means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) further includes erasing means coupled to said writing means for erasing the data related to said arbitrary defective block from said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) after writing the same into said corresponding disk unit by said writing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
185 words
An array disk system comprising a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk which prestores data and parity data and means for reading the data from the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon; and control means (2, 200) coupled to said disk units for controlling read operations in which the data are simultaneously read from said disk units, said disk units being coupled to said control means in parallel, characterized in that there is provided: memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) coupled to said control means for prestoring data originally intended to be written in a defective block of the disk unit, said control means reading the data from blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks, and reading the data of the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units from said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is prestored in said memory means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
185 words
An array disk system comprising a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk which prestores data and parity data and means for reading the data from the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon; and control means (2, 200) coupled to said disk units for controlling read operations in which the data are simultaneously read from said disk units, said disk units being coupled to said control means in parallel, characterized in that there is provided: memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) coupled to said control means for prestoring data originally intended to be written in a defective block of the disk unit, said control means reading the data from blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks, and reading the data of the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units from said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is prestored in said memory means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) reads the data in a parallel form from said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) and includes means (27) for converting the data into a serial form prior to outputting the data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) includes a plurality of non-volatile memories which are provided in correspondence with said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
The array disk system as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) includes restoring means for restoring the data of said defective block of said arbitrary disk unit based on the data and parity data read from the disk units other than said arbitrary disk unit when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is not prestored in said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
The array disk system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said control means (2, 200) further includes detecting means for detecting whether or not a failure exists in said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1), and said restoring means is coupled to said detecting means and restores the data of said defective block of said arbitrary disk unit only when no failure exists in said disk units.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of writing data in parallel in an array disk system which includes a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk for storing data and means for writing the data on the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: writing the data into blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks; writing the data to be written into the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units into memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block; and writing the data related to said defective block and stored in said memory means into the alternate block of said arbitrary disk unit during a free time of said arbitrary disk unit.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of writing data in parallel in an array disk system which includes a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk for storing data and means for writing the data on the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: writing the data into blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks; writing the data to be written into the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units into memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block; and writing the data related to said defective block and stored in said memory means into the alternate block of said arbitrary disk unit during a free time of said arbitrary disk unit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that there is further provided the step of converting data received in a serial form into into a parallel form, so that said data in the parallel form are written into said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) includes a plurality of non-volatile memories (4-1 - 4-N+1) which are provided in correspondence with said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
49 words
The method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that there is further provided the step of detecting whether or not an empty area exists in said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) for storing the data related to said defective block prior to storage thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that there is further provided the step of writing data related to an arbitrary defective block and prestored in said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) into the alternate block of a corresponding one of said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) when said detecting means detects no empty area in said memory means prior to storing the data related to said defective block into said memory means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that there is further provided the step of erasing the data related to said arbitrary defective block from said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) after writing the same into said corresponding disk unit by said writing means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of reading data in parallel in an array disk system which includes a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk which prestores data and and parity data and means for reading the data from the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: prestoring data originally intended to be written in a defective block of the disk unit in memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1); reading the data from blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks; and reading the data of the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units from said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is prestored in said memory means.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of reading data in parallel in an array disk system which includes a plurality of disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) respectively having at least one disk which prestores data and and parity data and means for reading the data from the disk, said disk having a recording surface which includes an alternate block when a defective block exists thereon, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: prestoring data originally intended to be written in a defective block of the disk unit in memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1); reading the data from blocks of said disk units when said disk units are free of defective blocks; and reading the data of the defective block of an arbitrary one of said disk units from said memory means when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is prestored in said memory means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that there is further provided the step of converting the data read in a parallel form from said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1) into data in a serial form, so that said data in the serial form are output from said array disk system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as claimed in claim 18 or 19, characterized in that said memory means (4-1 - 4-N+1) includes a plurality of non-volatile memories (4-1 - 4-N+1) which are provided in correspondence with said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISKI - DISKN+1).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
78 words
The array disk system as claimed in any of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that there is further provided the step of restoring the data of said defective block of said arbitrary disk unit based on the data and parity data read from the disk units other than said arbitrary disk unit when said arbitrary disk unit includes said defective block and the data of the defective block is not prestored in said memory means (4-1, 4-N+1).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that there is further provided the step of detecting whether or not a failure exists in said disk units (1-1 - 1-N+1, DISK1 - DISKN+1), and said step of restoring restores the data of said defective block of said arbitrary disk unit only when no failure exists in said disk units.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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