EP0522750A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A multiple track data storage disk, a method of formatting and a data recording disk file
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-06-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A data recording disk file is provided with a fixed block architecture sector format that eliminates the ID region. The servo region contains sector identification information in the form of a start-of-track indicating mark recorded in a selected sector of each track and a start-of-sector indicating mark recorded in each sector. A full track number identifier is encoded in the position field within the servo region of each sector. A look-up table is built at format time to map bad sectors out of the disk file. The table contains entries for each cluster of contiguous bad sectors, and is searched at runtime to provide conversion of logical sector location identifiers to physical sector location identifiers.
Inventors
- 👤 John Stewart Best
- 👤 Steven Robert Hetzler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:36
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/18; G11B20/1883; G11B20/12; G11B20/1217; G11B20/1252; G11B27/00; G11B27/10; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/30; G11B27/3027; G11B2020/1218; G11B2020/1232; G11B2020/1234; G11B2020/1255; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A multiple track data storage disk wherein at least one track is divided into a plurality of sectors each sector comprising: a data region; and a servo and recovery region, including means for handling errors in said servo and recovery region and means for uniquely identifying the sector in which said servo and recovery region is located, said means for uniquely identifying the sector including a start-of-sector indicating mark and a position field having a full track number recorded therein, and said at least one track further including a start-of-track indicating mark.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
A multiple track data storage disk as recited in claim 1, wherein: said servo and recovery region further includes a recovery field and a PES field; and said data region further includes a recovery field, a synchronization field, and a error handling code field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
127 words
A data recording disk file comprising: at least one storage surface having a plurality of tracks, at least one of said tracks being divided into a plurality of sectors, each of said sectors including a data region, and a servo and recovery region, including means for handling errors in said servo and recovery region and means for uniquely identifying the sector in which said servo and recovery region is located, said means for uniquely identifying the sector including a start-of-sector indicating mark and a position field having a full track number recorded therein, said at least one track further including a start-of-track indicating mark and said data recording disk file further comprising means for locating unique sectors by detecting said start-of-track mark and counting said start-of-sector marks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 3, wherein said start-of-track indicating mark is encoded in one of said position fields.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 3 or 4, wherein said means for counting and locating includes timer means for providing a timeout signal indicating failure to detect an expected start-of-sector indicating mark.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 3, further comprising means for locating unique sectors by counting said position fields.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 3, 4, 5 or 6 further comprising: means for identifying bad sectors on said at least one track; memory means for storing information in at least one table; means for encoding information in the form of location identifiers for said bad sectors in said at least one table; and means, responsive to said information stored in said at least one table, for mapping a requested logical sector location identifier into a corresponding physical sector location identifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for encoding includes means for storing in said at least one table, for each group of contiguous bad sectors, the physical sector location identifier representing the first physical sector of the group of contiguous bad sectors, and an offset representing that number which, when added to a requested logical sector location identifier, generates a correct corresponding physical sector location identifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 8, wherein said at least one table includes: a first column having a bit-width capable of holding the largest physical sector location identifier associated with said data recording disk file; and a second column having a bit-width capable of holding the largest offset associated with said data recording disk file.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said at least one table is located on said at least one storage surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said at least one table is located in nonvolatile semiconductor memory.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A data recording disk file as recited in claim 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, further comprising: means for allocating selected sectors as spare sectors; means for identifying said spare sectors as bad sectors; means for distinguishing said spare sectors from said bad sectors; and means for replacing said bad sectors with said spare sectors.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of formatting a multiple track data storage disk wherein at least one track is divided into a plurality of sectors, comprising the steps of: dividing each sector on said at least one track into a data region and a servo and recovery region; recording in said servo and recovery region information providing means for handling errors in said servo and recovery region; recording in said servo and recovery region information providing means for uniquely identifying the sector in which said servo and recovery region is located, said means for uniquely identifying the sector comprising a start-of-sector indicating mark and a full track number; recording on said at least one track a start-of-track indicating mark.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method of formatting a multiple track data storage disk as recited in claim 13 further comprising the stops of: identifying bad sectors on said at least one track; encoding location identifiers for said bad sectors by storing in said at least one table, for each group of contiguous bad sectors, the physical sector location identifier representing the first physical sector of the group of contiguous bad sectors, and an offset representing that number which, when added to a requested logical sector location identifier, generates a correct corresponding physical sector location identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method of formatting a multiple track data storage disk as recited in claim 13 or 14, further comprising the steps of: recording in said servo and recovery region information providing means for recovery between WRITE operations and READ operations; recording in said servo and recovery region position-error-signal information; recording in said data region information providing means for recovery between READ operations and WRITE operations; and recording in said data region synchronization information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of formatting a multiple track data storage disk as recited in claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein said start-of-track indicating mark is encoded in one of said full track numbers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of formatting a multiple track data storage disk as recited in claim 13, 14, 15 or 16, further comprising the steps of: allocating selected sectors as spare sectors; identifying said spare sectors as bad sectors; and distinguishing said spare sectors from said bad sectors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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