EP0550853A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Array of disk drives with redundant channels
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1992-12-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-12-16
Abstract
Abstract An array of disk drives stores information which is accessed through multiple channels by a host computer. Different channels are coupled to different sequences of disk drives. Different disk drives can be accessed simultaneously through different channels, enabling high data transfer rates. The same disk drive can be accessed through two different channels, enabling access even if one of the channels is busy or malfunctioning. According to one aspect of the invention the channels are divided into at least two mutually exclusive sets of channels, each set providing access to all the disk drives.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi c/o Mitsubishi Denki K.K. Baba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2002; G06F11/2007; G06F11/201; G11; G11C; G11C29/00; G11C29/70; G11C29/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
An array of disk drives for storing information accessed by a host computer (1), comprising: a plurality of disk drives (9) for storing information; a plurality of channels (7), each coupled to a sequence of said disk drives (9), for accessing information on said disk drives (9), arranged so that at least one of said disk drives (9) is coupled to at least two of said channels (7), and at least one of said channels (7) is coupled to a sequence of at least two disk drives (9), said sequence of at least two disk drives (9) differing from any sequence of disk drives (9) to which a different one of said channels (7) is coupled; and a controller (3) coupled to said plurality of channels (7), for receiving access commands from said host computer (1) and selecting channels (7), from among said plurality of channels, for executing said access commands.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of channels comprises three channels (7) coupled in three different sequences to identical disk drives (9) in said plurality of disk drives.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The array of claim 1, wherein said plurality of channels (7) comprises a plurality of mutually exclusives sets of channels (11, 13), and each disk drive (9) in said plurality of disk drives is coupled to at least one channel (7) in each of these mutually exclusive sets of channels (11, 13).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The array of claim 3, wherein each disk drive (9) in said plurality of disk drives is coupled to just one channel (7) in each set of channels (11, 13) among said plurality of sets of channels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The array of claim 4, wherein no two channels (7) in said plurality of channels are coupled to identical sets of disk drives (9).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
138 words
The array of claim 1, wherein at least one disk drive (9) among said plurality of said disk drives comprises: a disk assembly (15) for storing data; a first pair of connectors (27) coupled to one channel (7) in said plurality of channels; a second pair of connectors (29) coupled to another channel (7) in said plurality of channels; a first interface controller (19) coupled to said first pair of connectors (27), having a disk address register (23) for identifying said disk drive (9); a second interface controller (21) coupled to said second pair of connectors (29), having a disk address register (25) for identifying said disk drive (9); and a switch (17) for selecting either said first interface controller (27) or said second interface controller (29) and coupling the selected interface controller to said disk assembly (15).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
206 words
An array of disk drives for storing information accessed by a host computer (1), comprising: a plurality of disk drives (9) for storing information; a first set of channels (11), each providing access to a set of disk drives (9) in said plurality of disk drives (9), arranged so that each disk drive (9) in said plurality of disk drives (9) is coupled to just one channel (7) in said first set of channels (11); a second set of channels (13), each providing access to a set of disk drives (9) in said plurality of disk drives (9), arranged so that each disk drive (9) in said plurality of disk drives is coupled to just one channel (7) in said second set of channels (13), and so that every channel (7) in said second set of channels (13) is coupled to a set of disk drives (9) different from any set of disk drives (9) to which a channel (7) in said first set of channels (11) is coupled; and a controller (3) for receiving access commands from said host computer (1) and selecting channels (7), from among said first set of channels (11) and said second set of channels (13), for executing said access commands.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The array of claim 7, wherein each channel (7) in said first set of channels (11) is coupled to a first number of disk drives (9), and each channel (7) in said second set of channels (13) is coupled to a second number of disk drives (9).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The array of claim 8, wherein said first number and said second number are equal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The array of claim 8, wherein wherein said first number and said second number are different.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The array of claim 8, wherein wherein said second number is one and said first number is greater than one.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The array of claim 7, wherein said first set of channels (11) and said second set of channels (13) are coupled to a single host computer (1).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The array of claim 7, wherein said first set of channels (11) and said second set of channels (13) are used by different host computers (31, 35).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The array of claim 13, wherein said controller (3) comprises a first controller (33) coupled to one host computer (31) and said first set of channels (11), and a second controller (37) coupled to another host computer (35) and said second set of channels (13).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The array of claim 7, wherein for any pair of channels (7) comprising a first channel (7) in said first set of channels (11) and a second channel (7) in said second set of channels (13), there is just one disk drive (9) coupled to both said first channel (7) and said second channel (7).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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