US6549211B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for increasing the efficiency and reliability of the storage of sequential data
Assignee: Intel Corp
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Filing: 1999-12-29
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Granted: 2003-04-15
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Expires: 2019-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus and system for storing data wherein pieces of data are selectively combined at times when a storage device is not able to accept requests to store data for a duration sufficient that multiple additional pieces of data have been received since the last request to store data was made and at least two of those pieces of data are able to be combined into a piece of data that is better configured for storage.
Inventors
- 👤 Indraneel Ghosh
- 👤 Aditva Sreerivas
- 👤 Srinivasu Pappula
- 👤 Sam Jensen
- 👤 Eric Samson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/16; G06F13/1605; G06F13/161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for storing data comprising: receiving at least two pieces of data; and selectively combining said at least two pieces of data if said at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for storing data comprising: receiving at least two pieces of data; and selectively combining said at least two pieces of data if said at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
122 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising continuing selectively combining received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data until either: 1) the storage device has answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and pieces of data received since said pending request was made have been combined into said at least one combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within the storage device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the received pieces of data comprise at least two streams of data wherein each stream carries information to be stored at differing locations within said storage device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said selectively combining is performed if two successive received pieces of data are from the same stream of data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of claim 4 wherein: at least one stream of data of the at least two streams of data comprises video data and at least one other stream of the at least two streams of data comprises text data related to the at least one stream of video data; and said selectively combining is performed if two successive received pieces of data are from the at least one stream of text data, and are related to the same fields or frames of video data from within the at least one stream of video data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the data received is selected from the group consisting of audio data, video data and text data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said storage device is selected from the group consisting of a RAM storage device and a disk storage device.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for minimizing data loss, comprising: input means configured to receive at least two pieces of data; and combining means configured to combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for minimizing data loss, comprising: input means configured to receive at least two pieces of data; and combining means configured to combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said combining means is further configured to continue selectively combining received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data until either: 1) said storage device has answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and pieces of data received since said pending request was made have been combined into a combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said storage device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the received pieces of data comprise at least two streams of data wherein each stream carries information to be stored at differing locations within said storage device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said combining means is configured to perform selectively combining if two successive received pieces of data are from the same stream of data.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for minimizing data loss, comprising: a buffer configured to receive at least two pieces of data; and a combiner configured to combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for minimizing data loss, comprising: a buffer configured to receive at least two pieces of data; and a combiner configured to combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within a storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
124 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said combiner is further configured to continue selectively combining received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data until either: 1) said storage device has answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and pieces of data received since said pending request was made have been combined into a combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said storage device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the received pieces of data comprise at least two streams of data wherein each stream carries information to be stored at differing locations within said storage device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said combiner is configured to perform selectively combining if two successive received pieces of data are from the same stream of data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer system, comprising: at least one CPU; at least one storage device configured to accessible by the at least one CPU; and a combiner coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to receive at least two pieces of data and to selectively combine the at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer system, comprising: at least one CPU; at least one storage device configured to accessible by the at least one CPU; and a combiner coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to receive at least two pieces of data and to selectively combine the at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
134 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein said combiner is further configured to continue selectively combining received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data until either: 1) said at least one storage device has answered said pending request with an indication that said at least one storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and pieces of data received since said pending request was made have been combined into a combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein the received pieces of data comprise at least two streams of data wherein each stream carries information to be stored at differing locations within said at least one storage device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer system of claim 18 wherein said combiner is configured to perform selectively combining if two successive received pieces of data are from the same stream of data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
96 words
The computer system of claim 19 wherein: at least one stream of data of the at least two streams of data comprises video data and at least one other stream of the at least two streams of data comprises text data related to the at least one stream of video data; and said selectively combining is performed if two successive received pieces of data are from the at least one stream of text data, and are related to the same fields or frames of video data from within the at least one stream of video data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer system of claim 16 wherein the data received is selected from the group consisting of audio data, video data or text data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
154 words
A graphics system, comprising: at least one graphics controller configured to provide an image on a display; at least one storage device configured to be accessible by the at least one graphics controller; capture hardware for capturing at least one stream of data; a combiner coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to receive at least two pieces of data and to selectively combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
154 words
A graphics system, comprising: at least one graphics controller configured to provide an image on a display; at least one storage device configured to be accessible by the at least one graphics controller; capture hardware for capturing at least one stream of data; a combiner coupled to the at least one storage device and configured to receive at least two pieces of data and to selectively combine said at least two pieces of data if the at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
134 words
The graphics system of claim 22 wherein said combiner is further configured to continue selectively combining received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data until either: 1) said at least one storage device has answered said pending request with an indication that said at least one storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and pieces of data received since said pending request was made have been combined into a combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
The graphics system of claim 22 wherein the received pieces of data comprise at least two streams of data wherein each stream carries information to be stored at differing locations within said at least one storage device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
The graphics system of claim 22 wherein said storage device is selected from the group consisting of a RAM storage device and a disk storage device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, receives at least two pieces of data, and selectively combines said at least two pieces of data if said at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, receives at least two pieces of data, and selectively combines said at least two pieces of data if said at least two pieces of data can be combined into at least one combined piece of data configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device, and if there is a pending request to store one of the two pieces of data earlier received and the storage device has not answered said pending request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
130 words
The computer readable medium of claim 26 wherein said selectively combining of received pieces of data into said at least one combined piece of data continues until either: 1) said at least one storage device has answered said request with an indication that the storage device is ready to accept the earlier received data for storage, and all pieces of data received since said request was made have been combined into said at least one combined piece of data; or 2) when a received piece of data is encountered that cannot be combined into said at least one combined piece of data such that said at least one combined piece of data will be configured to fit within the organization of storage locations within said at least one storage device.
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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) | 2006-04-14 | 2006-10-14 | 2007-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-04-14 | 2010-10-14 | 2011-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-04-14 | 2014-10-14 | 2015-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |