US6098128A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Universal storage management system
Assignee: Storage Computer Corp
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Filing: 1996-09-17
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Granted: 2000-08-01
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Expires: 2016-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A universal storage management system which facilitates storage of data from a client computer and computer network is disclosed. The universal storage management system functions as an interface between the client computer and at least one storage device, and facilitates reading and writing of data by handling I/O operations. I/O operation overhead in the client computer is reduced by translating I/O commands from the client computer into high level commands which are employed by the storage management system to carry out I/O operations. The storage management system also enables interconnection of a normally incompatible storage device and client computer by translating I/O requests into an intermediate common format which is employed to generate commands which are compatible with the storage device receiving the request. Files, error messages and other information from the storage device are similarly translated and provided to the client computer.
Inventors
- 👤 Ricardo E. Velez-McCaskey
- 👤 Gustavo Barillas-Trennert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:58
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2056; G06F11/2087; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1076; G06F11/2015; G06F12/00; G06F12/02; G06F12/08; G06F12/0802; G06F12/0866; G06F13/00; G06F13/10; G06F13/12; G06F13/124; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/061; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0638; G06F3/0643; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0689; G06F2211/00; G06F2211/10; G06F2211/1002; G06F2211/1009; G06F3/0673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A device for providing an interface between at least one client computer and at least one storage device, the client computer having a first microprocessor for running a software application and a first operating system which produce I/O commands, the storage device containing at least one file, comprising: a file management system operative to convert the I/O commands from the software application and said first operating system in the client computer to high level commands to a selected format, said file management system further operative to receive said high level commands and convert said high level commands to compatible I/O commands; a second microprocessor operative to execute said high level commands received from said file management system and access the storage device to copy data in said intermediate common format from the client computer to at least one storage device wherein said second microprocessor employs a second operating system distinct from said first operating system; and a file device driver interfacing said first operating system and the file management system by functioning to receive data and commands from the client computer and redirect the received data and commands to said file management system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
193 words
A device for providing an interface between at least one client computer and at least one storage device, the client computer having a first microprocessor for running a software application and a first operating system which produce I/O commands, the storage device containing at least one file, comprising: a file management system operative to convert the I/O commands from the software application and said first operating system in the client computer to high level commands to a selected format, said file management system further operative to receive said high level commands and convert said high level commands to compatible I/O commands; a second microprocessor operative to execute said high level commands received from said file management system and access the storage device to copy data in said intermediate common format from the client computer to at least one storage device wherein said second microprocessor employs a second operating system distinct from said first operating system; and a file device driver interfacing said first operating system and the file management system by functioning to receive data and commands from the client computer and redirect the received data and commands to said file management system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The interface device of claim 1 wherein said file device driver resides in the client computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The interface device of claim 2 a wherein said file management system further includes a transport driver having first and second sections for facilitating transfer of data and commands between said file device driver and said file management system, said first section receiving data and commands from said file device driver and said second section relaying such data and commands to said file management system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The interface device of claim 3 wherein said file management system includes a file system supervisor operative to select file-level applications for receipt of the data from the client computer and provide storage commands.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The interface device of claim 4 wherein said file system supervisor is further operative to select a storage device or storage of data received from the client computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface device of claim 4 wherein said file system supervisor is further operative to break data received from the client computer down into blocks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The interface device of claim 6 wherein said file management system further includes at least one device handler operative to interface said file system supervisor with the at least one storage device by driving the at least one storage device in response to said storage commands from said file system supervisor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface device of claim 7 wherein said file management system further includes a device handler for each at least one storage device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interface device of claim 3 further including a kernel operative to directly execute I/O commands from the software application in the client computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interface driver of claim 9 wherein said kernel utilizes the first operating system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The interface device of claim 10 wherein said SMA kernel includes a scheduler for supervising flow of data by selectively relaying blocks of data to RAID applications.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
104 words
A device for providing an interface between at least one client computer and at least one storage device, the client computer having a first microprocessor for running a software application and a first operating system which produce high level I/O commands, the storage device containing at least one file, comprising: a plurality of storage devices each having a different type storage media; a second microprocessor interposed between the client computer and said plurality of storage devices to control access thereto, said second microprocessor processing said high level I/O commands to control the power supplied to individual storage devices of said plurality of storage devices.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
104 words
A device for providing an interface between at least one client computer and at least one storage device, the client computer having a first microprocessor for running a software application and a first operating system which produce high level I/O commands, the storage device containing at least one file, comprising: a plurality of storage devices each having a different type storage media; a second microprocessor interposed between the client computer and said plurality of storage devices to control access thereto, said second microprocessor processing said high level I/O commands to control the power supplied to individual storage devices of said plurality of storage devices.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The interface device of claim 12 wherein said interconnection device executes a reconfiguration routine which identifies storage device ID conflicts among said plurality of storage devices.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface device of claim 13 wherein said reconfiguration routine provides powers-up individual storage devices of said plurality of storage devices while executing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The interface device of claim 14 wherein when a storage device ID conflict is detected said reconfiguration routing changes the ID of at least one of the storage devices in conflict.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The interface device of claim 12 wherein said interconnection device executes a media tracking routine which identifies storage device types.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface device of claim 16 wherein said media tracking routine automatically selects a storage device for WRITE operations.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The interface device of claim 17 wherein said media tracking routine selects said storage device based upon the block size of the data to be stored.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The interface device of claim 17 wherein said media tracking routine selects said storage device based upon media write speed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The interface device of claim 12 including a plurality of power supplies for supplying power to said storage devices, said storage devices being grouped into racks such that at least one global power supply is available to serve as backup to a plurality of such racks of power supplies.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
The interface device of claim 12 including a plurality of power supplies for supplying power to said storage devices, said storage devices being grouped into racks such that each rack is associated with a global power supply available to serve as backup to the rack with which the global power supply is associated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface device of claim 12 including a plurality of power supplies, said microprocessor controlled interconnection device monitoring said power supplied to detect failed devices.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface connector of claim 22 wherein said storage devices are disposed in a protective chassis, and failed devices are automatically ejected from said chassis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interface connector of claim 12 further including a redundant array of independent disks.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The interface connector of claim 24 further including an XOR router having dedicated XOR hardware.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The interface connector of claim 25 wherein at least one surface of each disk in said redundant array of independent disks is dedicated to parity operations.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface connector of claim 25 wherein at least one disk in said redundant array of independent disks is dedicated to parity operations.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interface connector of claim 25 wherein said disks of said redundant array of independent disks are arranged on a plurality of separate channels.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The interface connector of claim 28 wherein each said channel includes a dedicated memory pool.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface connector of claim 29 wherein said channels are interconnected by first and second thirty-two bit wide busses.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface connector of claim 24 further including a graphic user interface for displaying storage system status and receiving commands from a user.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The interface connector of claim 24 including hardware for data splitting and parity generation "on the fly" with no performance degradation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-01 | 2004-01-31 | 2004-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-01 | 2008-01-31 | 2008-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-01 | 2012-01-31 | 2012-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |