Method and apparatus for enhancing synchronous I/O in a computer system with a non-volatile memory and using an acceleration device driver in a computer operating system

In a computer system having a peripheral storage device means, CPU means, main memory means having a first access time, and a computer operating system, an acceleration device comprising:

• stable storage means shaving a second access time, wherein said second access time is on the same order of magnitude as said first access time;
• and
• acceleration device driver means, operatively coupled to said storage means and to said peripheral storage device, for asynchronously transferring a selected portion of information from said stable storage means to said peripheral storage device means wherein said acceleration device driver means is included within said computer operating system.

In a computer system having (i) a peripheral storage device means, (ii) CPU means, (iii) main memory means having a first access time and (iv) a computer operating system including a peripheral storage device driver means for said peripheral storage device means, an acceleration device comprising:

• stable storage means;
• and
• acceleration device driver means, operatively coupled to said main memory means, to said stable storage means, and to said peripheral storage device driver means, (i) for asynchronously transferring data from said stable memory means to said peripheral storage device means by passing said data to said peripheral storage device driver means, and (ii) for synchronously transferring data between said main memory means and said stable memory means, wherein said acceleration device driver means is included in said computer operating system.

In a computer system having peripheral storage device means operatively coupled to said computer system, CPU means, main memory means having a first access time, and a computer operating system including a peripheral storage device driver for said peripheral storage device means, a method for enhancing synchronous I/O operations in said computer system comprising:

• transferring data, specified in selected synchronous I/O operations intended for said peripheral storage device driver, between a stable storage means having a second access time and said main memory using an acceleration device driver contained in said computer operating system, wherein said second access time is approximately on the same order of magnitude as said first access time;
• and
• transferring a selected portion of said data from said stable storage means to said peripheral storage device driver using said acceleration device driver upon a predetermined condition being satisfied.

In a computer having (i) a peripheral storage device operatively coupled to said computer, (ii) a CPU, (iii) a main memory having a first access time and (iv) a computer operating system including a peripheral device driver for said peripheral storage device, a method for enhancing synchronous I/O comprising:

• including a stable storage means in said computer;
• and
• using a second device driver in said computer operating system for synchronously transferring data between said main memory and said stable storage means in response to a synchronous command intended for said peripheral storage device and for asynchronously transferring data from said stable storage means to said peripheral storage device by passing said data to said peripheral storage device driver thereby enhancing the synchronous data transfer.