Patent Application
20060075414
Not Applicable:
Converging factors such as the continued miniaturization of storage devices into smaller standardized sizes (form factors), growing concerns over the security of confidential data, the advent of inexpensive wireless technology, the evolution of storage device interfaces have enabled the possibility to package storage devices in a variety of new shapes and sizes.
Disk drives come in various standard sizes called form factors. In 2004, the standard form factors include 3.5, 2.5, 1.8 and 1 inch disk drives. Older/obsolete form factors include 14, 10.5, 8 and 5.25 inch disk drives. Future disk drives will likely include 0.8 inch or 0.85 inch form factors. The dimensions of each respective form factor are specified by industry standards. External dimensions, mounting screw size, and the placement of mounting holes are specified.
Furthermore, as disk drive density (capacity within the same form factor) doubles every 12-18 months, a smaller form factor disk drive will have capacity similar to a larger form factor disk drive within a year. Thus, for customers who wish to upgrade older systems with smaller form factor disks coupled with added functionality would not experience any reduction in overall storage capacity.
Disk drive electronics are shrinking with each subsequent generation of device. In fact today the size of a printed circuit board is ½ the size they were just a few years ago. A circuit board on a 3.5 inch form factor disk drive today covers less than ½ of the size of drive's footprint. This means that there is extra space available to package additional functionality into standard disk drives within 3.5 inch form factor. This extra space is simply not used prior to the advent of this invention.
Disk drives are sometimes made with different numbers of disk (1, 2, 3, or more disks). Sometimes a particular family of disk drives may have the same length and width, yet a different height. In such a case more space will be available for expanding functionality of the storage device as compared to a disk drive with the same length and width, yet a different height.
Disk drives are mounted in various configurations within systems, some are easy to remove, some maybe hot-plugged, where others are very difficult to remove.
Adding functionality to disk drives provides other benefits as well, entire embedded computers, or devices may be packaged onto the drive or into the resultant form factor providing a plurality of additional functions.
Modular storage subsystems, such as Blade Servers, have storage devices mounted on circuit boards or within modular assemblies that can be removed from the system as a unit. Here also additional functionality may be added into each modular unit that extends its functionality beyond the original design. Furthermore one or more modules could be cascaded such that several modular units may be removed at once and contain functionality beyond the original design.
Data security is one potential added function, preventing data from falling into “the wrong hands” is extremely important today. Data is more available and more portable than it has ever been. Vast amounts of critical data are stored every day on small data storage devices. NOTE: most often the storage device is a disk drive they are the most prevalent form of data storage. The loss or theft of a single computer or single disk drive represents an enormous threat to data security.
Considering all of this, benefits may be obtained through packaging a smaller form factor storage device (disk drive, or other form of computer storage device) with other components that add functionality into a package that is the size of a larger form factor disk drive. Furthermore, benefits may also be obtained by packaging these added components onto the drive while maintaining the same form factor by using this extra space.
Different storage standard sizes (form factors), the increase in storage densities, electronic miniaturization, smaller electronic assemblies performing the same/similar function, and modularized storage subsystems provide an opportunity to provide additional functionality through creative/advanced packaging.
A storage device's function may be enhanced while maintaining the same volume (same length, width, height) or standard size (form factor) as was allocated for in the design of the storage device.
Furthermore a storage device such as a disk drive packaged with other components that add functionality or extra storage such that the new package size is the size of a larger standard size (form factor) disk drive. The same is true for modular storage subsystems (like a Blade Server), and other storage devices.
Therefore: A storage device (such as a disk drive) packaged with other components that add functionality, extra storage, or convert the drives system interface, such that the new package size is the size of a storage device of another standard physical size (form factor) is one new packaging method. Another new packaging method is to provide additional functionality in space that is no longer used in a given form factor because of electronic miniaturization, thus additional function may be added while maintaining the same physical size (form factor).
Modular storage subsystems like Blade Servers have storage devices mounted on circuit boards or within modular assemblies that can be removed from the system as a unit. Here also additional functionality may be added into each modular unit that extends its functionality beyond the original design. Furthermore one or more modules could be cascaded such that several modular units may be connected and contain functionality beyond the original design.
This is a packaging methodology is in regard to added functionality packaged within a storage devices existing space constraints no matter what the added functionality is (data security, embedded GPS, embedded location finding, embedded communication/cell phone/text messaging, interface translation, storage concatenation/expansion, redundancy, electronic/mechanical, or a plurality of other functions). Integrating data security functions into the form factor of any given storage device is a key attribute of this invention.
For example disk drive electronics are shrinking with each subsequent generation of device. In fact today the size of a printed circuit board is ½ the size they were just a few years ago. A circuit board on a 3.5 inch form factor disk drive today covers less than ½ of the size of drive's footprint. This means that there is extra space available to package additional functionality into standard disk drives within 3.5 inch form factor. This extra space is simply not used prior to the advent of this invention. This extra space is empty & available real estate that may be use for adding a variety of additional functionality.
Other examples include: a 1.8 inch disk drive may be packaged with other components into the form factor of a 2.5 inch disk drive: a FLASH PC card may be built with GPS tracking, cell phone communication, & tamper detection functionality.
This application claims benefit from Provisional Patent Application # 60/616,283 Filing Date Oct. 6, 2004 Confirmation # 4629, a Provisional Patent for which this application is a non-provisional Utility Patent follow up by the same inventors: Robert James Rapp, & Andrew David Hospodor.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60616283 | Oct 2004 | US |
