John C Mcbride

US Patent:

54716403, Nov 28, 1995

Filed:

Jul 6, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/909902

Inventors:

John G. McBride - Boise ID

Assignee:

Hewlett-Packard - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

H01J 300

US Classification:

395842

Abstract:

A programmable disk array controller distributes contiguous data from a host processor across a plurality of disk drives. The controller includes a device port with a plurality of connected disk drives. A dual ported buffer memory receives data from the host processor for storage to the disk drives. The programmable controller accesses data from the buffer memory and causes it to be fed to the device port for storage in the disk drives. The programmable controller includes a variable increment counter associated with each disk drive for controlling the data address accessed from the buffer memory. Each variable increment counter is programmable to sequentially increment a count by a value n so that its associated disk drive receives every nth data segment from the buffer memory.