System for optimizing data transfer
AssigneeQuantum Corporation
InventorRobert A. Nute
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Optimizing data transfer to a storage device by providing a speed control circuit which adjusts, in a continuously varying manner, a transfer rate of a storage device according to utilization of a data buffer.
Claims31
An apparatus for optimizing data transfer between a central processing unit and a serial storage device, said data being buffered in a data buffer between said central processing unit and said serial storage device, such that data is transferred between said data buffer and said serial storage device, said apparatus comprising:
- monitoring circuitry for detecting utilization of said buffer, wherein utilization is based at least in part on the quantity of data in said buffer, and for providing a utilization signal based on said utilization to a processor, said utilization signal providing an indication which indicates whether said quantity of data in said buffer is within a desired range;
- said processor for receiving said utilization signal and for providing a speed control signal to a speed control circuit, wherein said speed control signal causes said speed control circuit to adjust the transfer rate of said serial data storage device in a continuously varying manner in response to a signal received from said processor indicating that said utilization is not within said desired range.
An apparatus for optimizing data transfer between a central processing unit and a serial data storage device, wherein data is buffered in a data buffer between said central processing unit and said serial data storage device, said serial data storage device comprising:
- a speed control circuit for providing clock signals in a continuously varying manner in response to utilization of said data buffer, wherein said utilization is based at least in part on how much data is in said buffer;
- a read circuit for reading data from said serial data storage device;
- and
- a write circuit for writing data to said serial data storage device;
- said read and write circuits changing speed at which data is read or written in response to said clock signals.
A method of optimizing data transfer between a serial data storage unit and a central processing unit, wherein data is buffered in a data buffer between said serial data storage unit and said central processing unit, such that data is transferred between said data buffer and said serial data storage unit at a transfer rate, said method comprising the steps:
- monitoring utilization of said data buffer, wherein utilization is based at least in part on how much data is in said buffer;
- adjusting said transfer rate of said serial data storage device in a continuously varying manner in response to the utilization of said data buffer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.