Connector-Aware Data Transfer Control During Storage Device Vibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing storage apparatuses face data transfer abnormalities during shocks such as earthquakes due to vibrations, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed, particularly in recent years, leading to unstable data transfer and connector failure, necessitating prolonged data recovery times and potential loss of data integrity.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device equipped with an acceleration sensor and vibration sensing processing section that controls data transfer between drives and controllers via connectors, which includes a plurality of drives and control boards connected via connectors, temporarily halts data transfer when excessive acceleration is detected, and resumes when acceleration returns within a safe range, using upper and lower acceleration thresholds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data transfer continues during vibration, then productivity is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to connector instability and data loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer reliabilityVSAvoiddata transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The acceleration sensor detects vibrations before they cause connector disconnection or data transfer errors. By preemptively stopping data transfer when vibration thresholds are exceeded, the system prevents reliability failures before they occur, rather than attempting to correct errors after they happen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares by continuously monitoring acceleration levels and having the data transfer stop protocol ready. When vibration reaches critical levels, the stop action is immediately executed without delay, ensuring reliability is maintained while minimizing interruption time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If seismic isolation apparatus is used to prevent shaking, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveearthquake resistanceVSAvoidapparatus configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical seismic isolation apparatus with an electronic control system consisting of an acceleration sensor and controller. This electronic approach achieves the same reliability goal of earthquake resistance without the mechanical complexity and cost of physical isolation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the approach from mechanically preventing vibration to electronically detecting and responding to vibration parameters. By monitoring acceleration thresholds and dynamically controlling data transfer based on these parameters, the system achieves reliability without complex mechanical structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If data transfer is stopped during vibration, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to transfer interruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata transfer integrityVSAvoiddata transfer interruption time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by stopping only the data transfer portion during vibration while maintaining other system functions. This selective approach ensures data integrity without completely halting system operation, minimizing the effective loss of time while preserving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents data transfer failures during shocks by automatically halting and resuming data transfer based on sensed acceleration, ensuring data integrity and reducing recovery time.

Implementation Method 1

an acceleration sensor that senses occurrence of a vibration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration sensing: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentUS12596502B2Electronic device and electronic device control method

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 HITACHI VANTARA LTD

AI summary

Provided is an electronic device such as a storage apparatus coping with, with a simple configuration, a situation where data transfer cannot be performed because of an occurrence of an abnormality in the connection using a connector or the like, at the time of occurrence of a shock due to an earthquake or the like.The present invention is applied to an electronic device in which a drive that stores data and a control board having disposed thereon a controller that controls data transfer between the drive and another apparatus are connected via a connector. The electronic device includes: an acceleration sensor; and a vibration sensing processing section that controls a state of communication between the drive and the controller to temporarily stop data transfer performed by the drive, for a period during which a possibility of occurrence of an ongoing abnormality exists in the connection using the connector or the like, when the acceleration sensor has sensed an acceleration of exceeding an upper-limit threshold, and causes the temporarily stopped data transfer to resume when the acceleration sensor has sensed an acceleration of equal to or lower than a lower-limit threshold.