Patent US2414096A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4498146A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Management of defects in storage media
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1982-07-30
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Granted: 1985-02-05
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Expires: 2002-07-30
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a method and apparatus for avoiding accessing of defective locations in disks and other storage media. A disk file controller uses manufacturer-provided information about the location of defects to construct a sequentially ordered list of addresses of defective storage locations in the disk, and the list is stored in a table in the disk. During use of the disk, the disk file controller reads the table of defects into its memory and uses it to translate virtual addresses into real addresses. The translation process skips over real addresses of defective locations. The virtual address is translated into a real address by being incremented by the number of defects whose addresses are lower than the real address. Subsequent contiguous virtual addresses are translated into real addresses by being incremented by the number of contiguous defective locations that follow the location associated with the preceding virtual address. Addresses of new defects found during use of the disk are stored by the disk file controller in temporary storage on the disk and are incorporated into the defect table when the disk is taken out of service.
Inventors
- 👤 Maria N. Martinez
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 04:24
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/18; G11B20/1883; G11C; G11C29/00; G11C29/70; G11C29/76; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 65
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
90 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations, if at least one defective location impacts the access; accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job, if at least one defective location impacts the access; and accessing the storage media location designated by the obtained address while executing the job, if no defective locations impact the access.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations, if at least one defective location impacts the access; accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job, if at least one defective location impacts the access; and accessing the storage media location designated by the obtained address while executing the job, if no defective locations impact the access.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations, if at least one defective location impacts the access; accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job, if at least one defective location impacts the access; and accessing the storage media location designated by the obtained address while executing the job, if no defective locations impact the access.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
128 words
Method of accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine if access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; modifying the obtained address while executing the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations, if at least one defective location impacts the access; accessing the storage media location designated by the modified address while executing the job, if at least one defective location impacts the access; and accessing the storage media location designated by the obtained address while executing the job, if no defective locations impact the access.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 2 or 4 wherein the step of constructing the table includes the steps of: retrieving from the storage media information on the sites of defects; converting the site information into a list of addresses of defective locations; and storing the list in memory means to form the table.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 2 or 4 wherein the step of constructing the table includes the steps of: retrieving from the storage media information on the sites of defects; converting the site information into a list of addresses of defective locations; storing the list in a predetermined portion of the storage media; and transferring the list from the storage media into rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of storing the list is preceded by the step of: appending to the list an address indicating the end of the list.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 2 or 4 wherein the step of constructing the table comprises the steps of: retrieving a list of addresses of defective locations from a predetermined portion of the storage media; and transferring the list into rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the step of retrieving the list includes the step of: retrieving an address included in the list indicative of the end of the list.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the step of reading contents of the table includes the steps of: selecting an address from the table; and comparing the selected address with the obtained address to determine whether the selected address impacts the access to the media.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the addresses in the table are ordered and wherein the step of reading contents of the table includes the steps of: selecting a location in the table; accessing the table to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the obtained address to determine whether the read-out address impacts access to the media at the obtained address; and repeating the preceding two steps for addresses read out from the table in the order in which they are stored in the table while the read-out addresses impact access at the obtained address.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the steps of modifying the obtained address comprises the steps of: determining the number of impacting defective locations; and shifting the obtained address by the number of impacting defective locations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the step of modifying the obtained address comprises the steps of: determining the number of impacting defective locations; and incrementing the obtained address by the number of impacting defective locations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the addresses in the table are ordered and wherein the step of reading contents of the table comprises the steps of: comparing addresses in the table with the obtained address; and determining the number of addresses in the table which do not exceed the obtained address.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
170 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the addresses in the table are ordered, and wherein the steps of reading contents of the table and of modifying the obtained address comprise the steps of: making an incremented address equal to the obtained address; selecting the first location in the table; accessing the table to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the incremented address to determine whether the read-out address exceeds the incremented address; selecting the next location in the table and returning to the step of accessing the table, when the read-out address does not exceed the incremented address, to determine the number of addresses in the table that do not exceed the incremented address; incrementing the incremented address by the number of addresses in the table that do not exceed the obtained address and returning to the step of accessing the table, when the number is nonzero; and generating a modified address equal to the incremented address.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
164 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of the job a second address, contiguous with the address of the accessed location, for accessing of a second location in the storage media; making the incremented address equal to the second obtained address, while executing the job; selecting the last previously selected location in the table, while executing the job; accessing the table while executing the job to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the incremented address, while executing the job, to determine whether the read-out address equals the incremented address; incrementing the incremented address, selecting the next location in the table, and returning to the step of accessing the table, while executing the job, when the read-out address equals the incremented address; generating a second modified address equal to the incremented address, while executing the job; and accessing the storage media location designated by the second modified address while executing the job.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 further comprising the steps of: determining that a new location is defective; generating the address of the new defective location; and updating the table with the address of the new defective location.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the step of updating the table comprises the steps of: storing the address of the new defective location in temporary storage means; checking the new defective location to determine whether it continues to be defective; and transferring the address of the new defective location from the temporary storage means into the table if the new defective location continues to be defective.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
105 words
Method of avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing an ordered table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; translating the obtained virtual address into a real address, while executing the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the real address, while executing the job.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
105 words
Method of avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, comprising the steps of: constructing an ordered table of addresses of defective locations; obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; translating the obtained virtual address into a real address, while executing the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the real address, while executing the job.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of constructing the table includes the steps of: retrieving from the storage media information on the sites of defects; converting the site information into addresses of defective locations; arranging the addresses into a sequentially ordered list; and storing the list in memory means to form the table.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of constructing the table includes the steps of: retrieving from the storage media information on the sites of defects; converting the site information into a list of addresses of defective locations; arranging the addresses into a sequentially ordered list; storing the list in a predetermined portion of the storage media; and transferring the list from the storage media into rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the step of storing the list is preceded by the step of: appending to the list an address indicating the end of the list.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of constructing the table comprises the steps of: retrieving a sequentially ordered list of addresses of defective locations from a predetermined portion of the storage media; and transferring the list into rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the step of retrieving the list includes the step of: retrieving an address included in the list indicative of the end of the list.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
110 words
Method of avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, and having an ordered table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; translating the obtained virtual address into a real address, while executing the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the real address, while executing the job.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
110 words
Method of avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, and having an ordered table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; reading contents of the table while executing the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; translating the obtained virtual address into a real address, while executing the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and accessing the storage media location designated by the real address, while executing the job.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 19 or 25 wherein the step of reading contents of the ordered table includes the steps of: selecting an address from the table; and comparing the selected address with the virtual address to determine whether the selected address impacts the access to the media.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 19 or 25 wherein the step of reading contents of the table includes the steps of: selecting a location in the table; accessing the table to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the virtual address to determine whether the read-out address impacts access to the media at the virtual address; and repeating the preceding two steps for addresses read out from the table in the order in which they are stored in the table while the read-out addresses impact the access.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 19 or 25 wherein the step of reading contents of the table comprises the steps of: comparing addresses in the table with the virtual address; and determining the number of addresses in the table which do not exceed the virtual address.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the step of translating the virtual address comprises the step of: shifting the virtual address by the number.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the step of translating the virtual address comprises the step of: incrementing the virtual address by the number.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
157 words
The method of claim 19 or 25 wherein the steps of reading contents of the table and of translating the virtual address comprise the steps of: making a shifted address equal to the virtual address; selecting the first location in the table; accessing the table to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the shifted address to determine whether the read-out address exceeds the shifted address; selecting the next location in the table and returning to the step of accessing the table, when the read-out address does not exceed the shifted address, to determine the number of addresses in the table that do not exceed the shifted address; shifting the shifted address by the number of addresses in the table that do not exceed the shifted address and returning to the step of accessing the table, when the number is nonzero; and generating a real address equal to the shifted address.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 31 wherein the step of shifting the shifted address comprises the step of incrementing the shifted address by the number.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
161 words
The method of claim 31 further comprising the steps of: obtaining for execution of the job a second virtual address, contiguous with the real address, for accessing a second location in the storage media; making an incremented address equal to the second virtual address, while executing the job; selecting the last previously selected location in the table, while executing the job; accessing the table while executing the job to read out the address from the selected location; comparing the read-out address with the incremented address, while executing the job, to determine whether the read-out address equals the incremented address; incrementing the incremented address, selecting the next location in the table, and returning to the step of accessing the table, while executing the job, when the read-out address equals the incremented address; generating a second real address equal to the incremented address, while executing the job; and accessing the storage media location designated by the second real address, while executing the job.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 19 or 25 further comprising the steps of: determining that a new location is defective; generating the address of the new defective location; and updating the table with the address of the new defective location.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the step of updating the table comprises the steps of: storing the address of the new defective location in temporary storage means; checking the new defective location to determine whether it continues to be defective; and transferring the address of the new defective location from the temporary storage means into the table if the new defective location continues to be defective.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising: means for obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; means for modifying the obtained address during execution of the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the modified address.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus for accessing storage media having addressable locations and having a table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, comprising: means for obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; means for modifying the obtained address during execution of the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the modified address.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus for accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising: means for constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; means for obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; means for modifying the obtained address during execution of the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the modified address.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus for accessing storage media having addressable locations, comprising: means for constructing a table of addresses of defective locations; means for obtaining for execution of a job an address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine if the access to the media will be impacted by defective locations; means for modifying the obtained address during execution of the job to compensate for the impact of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the modified address.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the means for constructing the table comprise: memory means; means for determining the addresses of the defective locations; and means for storing the addresses in the memory means.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the means for constructing the table comprise: rapidly accessible memory means; means for obtaining a list of addresses of defective locations from a predetermined portion of the storage media; and means for transferring the list into the rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the list concludes with an address indicating the end of the list.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 36 or 37 wherein the means for reading contents of the table include: means for selecting an address from the table; and means for comparing the selected address with the obtained address to determine whether the selected address impacts the access to the media.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 36 or 37 wherein the means for modifying the obtained address comprise: means for determining the number of impacting defective locations; and means for shifting the obtained address by the number of impacting defective locations.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 36 or 37 wherein the means for modifying the obtained address comprise: means for determining the number of impacting defective locations; and means for incrementing the obtained address by the number of impacting defective locations.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 36 or 37 wherein the addresses in the table are ordered and wherein the means for reading contents of the table comprise: means for comparing addresses in the table with the obtained address; and means for determining the number of addresses in the table which do not exceed the obtained address.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 36 or 37 further comprising: means for determining that a new location is defective; means for generating the address of the new defective location; and means for updating the table with the address of the new defective location.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
115 words
Apparatus for avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, comprising: means for constructing an ordered table of addresses of defective locations; means for obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; means for translating the obtained virtual address into a real address during execution of the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the real address.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
115 words
Apparatus for avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, comprising: means for constructing an ordered table of addresses of defective locations; means for obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; means for translating the obtained virtual address into a real address during execution of the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the real address.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus for avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, and having an ordered table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, the apparatus comprising: means for obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; means for translating the obtained virtual address into a real address during execution of the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the real address.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus for avoiding accessing of defective locations in storage media having addressable locations, and having an ordered table of addresses of defective locations associated therewith, the apparatus comprising: means for obtaining for execution of a job a virtual address for accessing a location in the storage media; means for reading contents of the table during execution of the job to determine the number of defective locations that will impact the access to the media; means for translating the obtained virtual address into a real address during execution of the job, using in the translation the determined number of defective locations; and means for accessing during execution of the job the storage media location designated by the real address.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the table constructing means comprise: memory means; means for determining the addresses of the defective locations; and means for storing the addresses is sequential order in the memory means.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the means for constructing the table comprise: rapidly accessible memory means; means for obtaining a sequentially ordered list of addresses of defective locations from a predetermined portion of the storage media; and means for transferring the list into the rapidly accessible memory means to form the table.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 49 wherein the list concludes with an address indicating the end of the list.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 46 or 47 wherein the means for reading contents of the ordered table include: means for selecting an address from the table; and means for comparing the selected address with the virtual address to determine whether the selected address impacts the access to the media.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 46 or 47 wherein the means for reading contents of the table comprise: means for comparing addresses in the table with the virtual address; and means for determining the number of addresses in the table which do not exceed the virtual address.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the means for translating the virtual address comprise: means for shifting the virtual address by the number.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the means for translating the virtual address comprise: means for incrementing the virtual address by the number.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 46 or 47 further comprising: means for determining that a new location is defective; means for generating the address of the new defective location; and means for updating the table with the address of the new defective location.
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-02-05 | 1992-08-06 | 1993-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-02-05 | 1996-08-06 | 1997-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |