Storage device using nonvolatile cache memory and control method thereof

Abstract

In a storage device, a high-speed read/write operation and low power consumption are realized and the service life of a storage medium which is a semiconductor memory can be made longer. The storage device includes a host interface, a command analyzing section which analyzes the contents of a command input from the host interface, a state determining section which determines the rotation state of a hard disk when a command analyzed by the command analyzing section is a command for instructing data writing, and a write processing section which transfers write data to the hard disk when the determination result of the state determining section indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and transfers the write data to the flash memory when the determination result indicates that the hard disk is not being rotated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram showing the whole configuration of one embodiment according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for illustrating the feature of a flash memory shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for illustrating the functions of a flash memory interface and controller 311 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for illustrating one example of the operation of a device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for illustrating another example of the operation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for illustrating still another example of the operation of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A storage device using a nonvolatile cache memory, comprising: a host interface,a command analyzing section which analyzes contents of a command input from the host interface,a memory interface acting as an interface with respect to a cache memory,a state determining section which determines a rotation state of a hard disk when a command analyzed by the command analyzing section is a command for instructing data writing, anda write processing section which transfers write data to the hard disk when a determination result of the state determining section indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and transfers the write data to the cache memory when the determination result indicates that the hard disk is not being rotated.

2. The storage device using the nonvolatile cache memory according to claim 1, wherein the write processing section transfers write data to the hard disk when the determination result of the state determining section indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and a rotation speed of a spindle motor is set in one of an increasing state and stabilized state.

3. The storage device using the nonvolatile cache memory according to claim 1, wherein the write processing section determines that a spindle motor is being rotated at a preset rotation speed and transfers write data to the hard disk when the determination result of the state determining section indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and the rotation speed of the spindle motor is stabilized.

4. The storage device using the nonvolatile cache memory according to claim 1, wherein the write processing section determines whether the hard disk is being rotated by interpreting a command issued to the hard disk.

5. The storage device using the nonvolatile cache memory according to claim 1, wherein the write processing section determines whether the hard disk is being rotated by using a rotation detecting signal of a spindle motor of the hard disk.

6. A control method for a storage device which includes a host interface, a disk interface, a flash memory interface, a controller which controls an operation and a cache memory, comprising: analyzing contents of a command input from the host interface,determining a rotation state of a hard disk when an analyzed command is a command for instructing data writing, andtransferring write data to the hard disk when a determination result of the rotation state indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and transferring the write data to the cache memory when the determination result indicates that the hard disk is not being rotated.

7. The control method for the storage device according to claim 6, further comprising transferring write data to the hard disk when the determination result of the rotation state indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and a rotation speed of a spindle motor is set in one of an increasing state and stabilized state.

8. The control method for the storage device according to claim 6, further comprising determining that a spindle motor is being rotated at a preset rotation speed and transferring write data to the hard disk when the determination result of the rotation state indicates that the hard disk is being rotated and the rotation speed of the spindle motor is stabilized.

9. The control method for the storage device according to claim 6, wherein the determining whether the hard disk is being rotated is made by interpreting a command issued to the hard disk.

10. The control method for the storage device according to claim 6, wherein the determining whether the hard disk is being rotated is made by using a rotation detecting signal of a spindle motor of the hard disk.