Method and apparatus for providing multiple power and performance status for a spinning media

A method of controlling power consumption in a computer having a storage device including a motor and a storage medium, the method comprising:

• supplying a first power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a first rotational velocity;
• generating and storing usage pattern maps specifying relations between a plurality of data locations on the storage medium and (1) at least one of frequency of read operations performed at the data locations and frequency of write operations performed at the data locations and (2) density of data at the data locations,
• generating a usage pattern signal based on the usage pattern maps;
• and
• responsive to the usage pattern signal, supplying a second power level to the motor of the storage device to spin the storage medium at a second rotational velocity.

A computer comprising:

• a storage device having a storage medium, a motor to spin the storage medium, and a data reading device;
• a user pattern monitor adapted to generate and store usage pattern maps specifying relations between a plurality of data locations on the storage medium and (1) at least one of frequency of read operations performed at the data locations and frequency of write operations performed at the data locations and (2) density of data at the data locations, and to generate a usage pattern signal based on the usage pattern map;
• and
• a control circuit in communication with the storage device to control power delivery to the motor to control power consumption based on the usage pattern signal.

For use with a storage device having a motor for rotating a storage medium and a data reading device, a computer program embodied on a tangible medium comprising:

• first software to generate and store usage pattern mans specifying relations between a plurality of data locations on the storage medium and (1) at least one of frequency of read operations performed at the data locations and frequency of write operations performed at the data locations and (2) density of data at the data locations, and to generate a usage pattern signal based on the usage pattern map;
• second software responsive to the usage pattern signal to set a level of power delivered to the motor to change a speed of rotation of the storage medium;
• and
• third software responsive to the usage pattern signal to adjust a rate of operation of the data reading device.

For use with a storage device having a motor for rotating a storage medium and a reading device, an apparatus comprising:

• a user pattern monitor adapted to generate and store usage pattern maps specifying relations between a plurality of data locations on the storage medium and (1) at least one of frequency of read operations performed at the data locations and frequency of write operations performed at the data locations and (2) density of data at the data locations, and to generate a usage pattern signal based on the usage pattern map;
• a power manager responsive to usage pattern signal to set a level of power delivered to the motor to change a speed of rotation of the storage medium;
• and
• a first rate controller responsive to the power manager to adjust a rate of operation of the data reading device.