A disk drive connectable to a host system includes a disk, a buffer memory, and an audiovisual interface responsive to first data from the host system to provide audiovisual data. The disk drive further includes a host command interface adapted to receive host commands from the host system. The disk drive further includes a disk controller coupled to the audiovisual interface, the host command interface, the disk, and the buffer memory. The disk controller is responsive to the host commands to selectively allocate at least a portion of the buffer memory among the audiovisual data, and to selectively transfer the audiovisual data from the audiovisual interface to the buffer memory. The disk controller is further responsive to the host commands to selectively transfer the audiovisual data from the buffer memory to the disk to be stored.

Disk drive having separate interfaces for host commands and audiovisual data

The present invention may be regarded as a video recording system and method of transferring a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment stored on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer commands generated by a host processor and which is operating in a mode optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments stored or to be stored on the disk drive. The method includes sending a sequence of data transfer commands generated by the host processor to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate. The method further includes selectively interposing a first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a first storage location. The method further includes transmitting a data transfer error signal generated by the disk drive to the host processor, the data transfer error signal having a state that indicates whether any data transfer errors have occurred with respect to the first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment. The method further includes selectively interposing a second data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the second data transfer command initiating a second transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a second storage location, thereby utilizing storage redundancy to achieve an accuracy required for the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment while maintaining the required data transfer rate of the sequence of time-critical, error-tolerant data segments.

Video recording system utilizing storage redundancy to transfer non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segments while transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate

A memory system including a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a control circuit, and a data processing device is configured. The high speed can be achieved by transferring data in the non-volatile memory to the cache memory to retain the same therein. When the data in the non-volatile memory is transferred to the cache memory, error correction is performed so as to improve the reliability. Since the cache memory and the non-volatile memory can be accessed from the data processing device independently, improvement in usability can be achieved. The memory system including the plurality of chips is configured as a memory system module where respective chips are arranged in a stacked manner and wired by a ball grid array (BGA) and wire bonding between chips.

Memory Module, Cache System and Address Conversion Method

Systems and methods for leveraging micro-location devices for improved travel awareness are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for performing a location-based action in a network of micro-location devices may include a plurality of micro-location devices, each micro-location devices associated with a unique identifier and a location, each of the plurality of micro-location devices transmitting a signal comprising its associated unique identifier; a backend in communication with a database, the database storing the unique identifier and location associated with each of the micro-location devices; and a mobile device that receives a signal comprising a unique identifier from one of the plurality of micro-location devices and communicates the unique identifier to the backend. The backend may determine a mobile device location based on the unique identifier received from the mobile device and may perform an action based on the mobile device location.

Systems and methods for leveraging micro-location devices for improved travel awareness

Methods and systems for conserving power using predictive models and signaling are described Parameters of a power management policy are set based on predictions based on user activity and/or signals received from a remote computer which define a user preference In an embodiment, the power management policy involves putting the computer into a sleep state and periodically waking it up On waking, the computer determines whether to remain awake or to return to the sleep state dependent upon the output of a predictive model or signals that encode whether a remote user has requested that computer remain awake Before returning to the sleep state, a wake-up timer is set and this timer triggers the computer to subsequently wake-up The length of time that the timer is set to may depend on factors such as the request from the remote user, context sensors and usage data

Conserving power using predictive modelling and signaling

A digital-versatile disk (DVD) controller interfaces to an AT bus using ATAPI commands delivered in command packets. A microcontroller executes firmware routines to control the servo that positions the read head, and reads data sectors from the DVD disk. The microcontroller also performs error correction on the DVD data in a disk buffer. A host state machine is used to interface to the AT bus. State transitions in the host state machine are enabled or blocked by the microcontroller by setting auto-transition bits in a state-control register. The microcontroller can set auto bits to allow the host state machine to automatically receive multi-byte command packets, or to transfer data or send status to the host without microcontroller intervention. The microcontroller also has the option of performing any of these steps manually, such as for more complex ATAPI commands. Overlapping ATAPI commands are allowed when the AT bus is released. The host state machine can be programmed to wait for a service command from the host after the bus is released, and then automatically transfer data or status. Transfer errors send interrupts to the microcontroller so it can execute recovery routines.

ATAPI state machine controlled by a microcontroller for interfacing a DVD controller with an ATA host bus

A memory storage system includes a line cache including a plurality of pages. A first central processing unit (CPU) accesses data stored in the pages of the line cache. A first memory device stores data that is loaded into the line cache when a miss occurs. After an initial miss, the line cache prevents additional misses as long as the first CPU is addressing sequential memory locations of the first memory device. When the miss occurs, n pages of the line cache are loaded with data from sequential locations in the first memory device, wherein n is greater than one. When the CPU requests data from an m th page of the n pages in the line cache, wherein m is greater than one and less than or equal to n, the line cache loads p additional pages with data from sequential locations in the first memory device.

Kevin Hung Tonthat

Papers

ATAPI state machine controlled by a microcontroller for interfacing a DVD controller with an ATA host bus

Line cache controller with lookahead