US4521884A — Method and apparatus for error data feedback in a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 178 words

Apparatus for transferring fault data from a recording device to a data processor connected to the device, said recording device having means responsive to the presence of first and second device-operation control signals on control lines from the processor to said device for controlling the operation of said device, and having a read output line for passing recorded data from said device to the processor, said transfer apparatus comprising: storage means in said recording device for storing the fault data; means in said recording device for generating a fault signal on the read output line; means in said processor responsive to the fault signal on the read output line for inhibiting said first control signal from the processor to said device; and control means in said recording device responsive to the absence of the first control signal for interpreting the second control signal as a data gating signal for outputting the fault data from said storage means to the read output line in response to said gating signal so that the fault data is passed to said processor.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 178 words

Apparatus for transferring fault data from a recording device to a data processor connected to the device, said recording device having means responsive to the presence of first and second device-operation control signals on control lines from the processor to said device for controlling the operation of said device, and having a read output line for passing recorded data from said device to the processor, said transfer apparatus comprising: storage means in said recording device for storing the fault data; means in said recording device for generating a fault signal on the read output line; means in said processor responsive to the fault signal on the read output line for inhibiting said first control signal from the processor to said device; and control means in said recording device responsive to the absence of the first control signal for interpreting the second control signal as a data gating signal for outputting the fault data from said storage means to the read output line in response to said gating signal so that the fault data is passed to said processor.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 1 and in addition: means in said recording device for inhibiting passage of recorded data out on the read output line.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 67 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control signal inhibiting means comprises: means for detecting whether read data or the fault signal is on the read output line and indicating a fault mode condition in the recording device when the fault signal is detected; means responsive to the fault mode condition for inhibiting the passage of the first control signal from said processor to said recording device.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said storage means is a shift register; said second control signal is a step signal; said control means in response to the each step signal shifts a fault data bit out from said shift register to the read output line.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said recording device is a disk drive; said first control signal is a motor on (MTR ON) signal and controls the on/off operation of the motor that rotates the recording disk; said second control signal is a step signal and controls a stepping motor to index the recording head from track to track on the recording disk.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 5 and in addition: means in said disk drive for inhibiting passage of recorded data signal out on the read output line; said generating means generating a fault signal whose pulse width is greater than the longest possible pulse width occuring in the recorded data signal and outputting the fault signal on the read output line.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 77 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said control signal inhibiting means comprises: pulse width detecting means for detecting the pulse width of the signal on the read output line and indicating a fault mode condition when the signal has a pulse width greater than the longest possible pulse width for the recorded data signal; means responsive to the fault mode condition for inhibiting the passage of the MTR ON signal from said processor to said recording device.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein: said storage means is a register in the disk drive; said control means is enabled in the absence of the MTR ON signal to output a fault data bit from said register to the read output line each time said step signal is received.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said register, said generating means and said control means are in a program controlled computer in the disk drive.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 9 and in addition: said computer disables the stepper motor and the drive motor when the fault signal is generated.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 167 words

Method for passing error information from a peripheral device through an adapter to a using system, wherein the peripheral device interface contains operation control lines, and read and write data lines, said control lines carrying at least two control signals for controlling the operation of the peripheral device, said method comprising the steps of: generating a fault signal from the peripheral device on the read data line to the adapter; detecting in the adapter whether the signal on the read data line is recorded data or a fault signal; switching at least one of the adapter, the using system and the peripheral device to fault mode operation upon detection of the fault signal; inhibiting a first control signal from the system to the peripheral device during fault mode operation; and gating out the error information, from the peripheral device to the system through the adapter, on the read data line when a second control signal is received from the system while the first control signal is inhibited.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 167 words

Method for passing error information from a peripheral device through an adapter to a using system, wherein the peripheral device interface contains operation control lines, and read and write data lines, said control lines carrying at least two control signals for controlling the operation of the peripheral device, said method comprising the steps of: generating a fault signal from the peripheral device on the read data line to the adapter; detecting in the adapter whether the signal on the read data line is recorded data or a fault signal; switching at least one of the adapter, the using system and the peripheral device to fault mode operation upon detection of the fault signal; inhibiting a first control signal from the system to the peripheral device during fault mode operation; and gating out the error information, from the peripheral device to the system through the adapter, on the read data line when a second control signal is received from the system while the first control signal is inhibited.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 11 wherein said detecting step comprises the steps of: detecting the pulse width of the signal on the read data line; generating a fault mode signal if said pulse width is greater than a predetermined period.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 12 and in addition: storing the peripheral device error information at said device until it can be passed to the using system.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 89 words

The method of claim 13 wherein said error information is stored by said storing step as an error data bit word in an error information register, said second control signal is a step signal and said gating step comprises: checking whether said peripheral device has received the step signal; detecting whether said peripheral device has received the first control signal; outputting an error bit from the error information register each time the step signal is received if the first control signal has not been received at said peripheral device.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 81 words

The method of claim 11 wherein said peripheral device is a disk drive, said first control signal is a motor on (MTR ON) signal to control the drive motor for the disk spindle and said second control signal is a step signal to control the indexing of the recording head to tracks on the recording disk during normal read/write operations and said error information is stored as an error data bit word in an error information register at said disk drive.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 15 wherein said gating step comprises: detecting the absence of the MTR ON signal and the presence of the step signal; shifting one error bit of the error data word from the error information register onto the read data line each time the step signal is detected during the absence of the MTR ON signal.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said switching and said inhibiting steps are performed in the adapter.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-06-03	1988-12-03	1989-06-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-06-03	1992-12-03	1993-06-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-06-03	1996-12-03	1997-06-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for error data feedback in a diskette drive

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