Disk Drive Servo Core Concurrent Firmware Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disk drives experience delays in servicing host commands due to the time required for the disk to spin up from rest to the desired speed, causing a delay in data access and usage.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a disk drive architecture that includes a servo core to initiate disk spinning concurrently with the loading of initialization firmware into volatile memory, allowing the disk drive to service host commands before reaching the target spin speed, utilizing a separate non-volatile memory core and disk controller to manage data access and spinning operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the disk drive waits for the disk to reach target spin speed before servicing host commands, then data access reliability is ensured, but the time to access data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the servo core initiate disk spinning concurrently with the loading of initialization firmware into volatile memory. This allows the disk to be in the process of spinning up while other initialization tasks are completed, so that when host commands arrive, the disk may already be at or near target spin speed, reducing the wait time while maintaining reliability through proactive preparation rather than reactive waiting
2Loss of time
If the disk drive services host commands before reaching target spin speed, then the time to access data is reduced, but data access reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disk drive into distinct functional cores: a servo core that manages disk spinning and a non-volatile memory core that handles initialization firmware loading. This segmentation allows these functions to proceed independently and concurrently, enabling the disk to spin up while initialization completes, thereby reducing the time to access data without compromising reliability through coordinated operation of specialized subsystems
3Productivity
If the servo core initiates disk spinning concurrently with firmware loading, then system responsiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by designing the servo core to handle both disk spinning control and serve as a coordination point for concurrent initialization tasks. The non-volatile memory core simultaneously manages firmware loading and prepares data for host commands. This universal approach allows a single coordinated system to achieve multiple objectives (spinning, initialization, command servicing) without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each function, thereby improving responsiveness while limiting the increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A disk drive including a disk configured to spin at a target spin speed, a servo core configured to access the disk, a first non-volatile memory configured to store a first initialization firmware, a second non-volatile memory configured to store a second initialization firmware, a first volatile memory, a second volatile memory, a non-volatile memory core configured to access the first non-volatile memory, and a main core. The main core is configured to load the second initialization firmware from the second non-volatile memory to the second volatile memory concurrently with the loading of the first initialization firmware from the first non-volatile memory to the first volatile memory by the non-volatile memory core, control the servo core to initiate spinning of the disk, and communicate with the non-volatile memory core to service host commands from the first non-volatile memory when the disk is not spinning at the target spin speed.