JPH0950669A - Disk array device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small-sized, inexpensive disk array device with reduced power consumption by controlling plural spindle driving sections and voice coil motor VCM driving sections using one hard disk controller HDC. SOLUTION: When a device command which corresponds to HDD 1-1 to 1-n to be accessed is sent from a host system 7, a HDC 5 switches a switching element 6 to allow the connection to this HDD 1-1 to HDD 1-n and controls the spindle driving section 3-1 to 3-n of the connected HDD 1-1 to 1-n. In addition, the power for a driving section 3-1 to 3-n to drive a spindle motor 2-1 to 2-n is approximately 700mA and, on the other hand, the allowable current of the element 6 is approximately 200-400mA. I is accordingly impossible to use one spindle driving section for driving plural motors 2-1 to 2-n by switching the element 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk array device having a plurality of disk devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in OA systems and computers, disk array devices, which have a large capacity and are readable and writable by a user due to the increase of images and software, have been highlighted.

This disk array device has a plurality of HDDs as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-166287.
It is equipped with a (hard disk device). This basic configuration is shown in FIG. (1-1) (1-2) ... (1
-N) is an HDD, and each HDD (1-1) (1-2)
... (1-n) is at least a motor (11-1) (11) such as a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk or a voice coil motor for moving the head in the track direction.
-2) ... (11-n) and this motor (11-1)
(11-2) ... (11-n) motor drive units (12-1) (12-2) ... (12-n),
This motor drive section (12-1) (12-2) ... (1
HDC (hard disk controller) (13-1) (13-2) ... (13-n) for controlling 2-n). Then, these HDC (13-1) (13
-2) ... (13-n) are connected to the host system by the disk array controller (14) based on the device designation command sent from the host system (7).

[0004]

The disk device of the disk array device configured as described above has an advantage that it can perform read / write operations even if it is independently connected to the host system, but each has many microcomputers and the like. However, the power consumption and size are large, and the cost is high.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The disk array device of the present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a first feature is to provide an HDC for controlling a drive section of a motor, the HDC and the respective drive sections. And a switching element that is selectively connected.

Another feature is that the motor is a spindle motor for rotating a magnetic disk, or
The motor is a voice coil motor that moves the magnetic head in the track direction.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of the embodiment. (1-1) (1-2) ... (1-n) are HDDs
(Hard disk device), and at least spindle motors (2-1) (2-2) ... (2-n) that rotate magnetic disks (not shown), and a spindle drive section ( 3-1) (3-2) ...
Having (3-n). (4) is a disk array controller, HDC (hard disk controller)
(5) and a switching element (6). The HDC
(5) controls the switching element (6) based on a command from a host system (7) described later, and a spindle drive section (3) corresponding to a device included in the command.
-1) (3-2) ... (3-n) are connected. And the connected spindle drive section (3-1) (3-2)
... (3-n) is controlled. The switching element (6) is composed of a TTL (transistor / transistor logic) which can be easily controlled by the HDC (5). A data path controller (8) relays data input / output between the host system (7) and each HDD (1-1) (1-2) ... (1-n).

With the above configuration, the host system (7)
From the HDD (1-1) (1-
2) ... When the command of the device corresponding to (1-n) is sent, the HDC (5) causes the HDD (1-1)
(1-2) The switching element (6) is switched so as to be connected to (1-n). Then, the spindle drive units (3-1) (3-2) ... (3-n) of the connected HDDs (1-1) (1-2) ... (1-n) are controlled.

The spindle drive section (3-1) (3-
2) ... (3-n) is the spindle motor (2-1)
(2-2) ... (2-n) power is about 700
On the other hand, the allowable current of the switching element (6) is about 200 mA to about 400 mA.
A plurality of spindles (2-1) (2-2) ... by switching one spindle drive unit by a switching element (6).
It cannot be used for (2-n).

Although the motor of the above embodiment is a spindle motor, a VCM (voice coil motor) driving section for moving an actuator equipped with a head is also a single H motor.
It can be controlled by DC (see FIG. 2).

In this way, the spindle drive unit and the VCM drive unit can be controlled by a single HDC. Therefore, the same number of HDs as the spindle drive and VCM drive
It is not necessary to provide C, and a disk array device with low power consumption can be supplied.

By the way, FIG. 4 is a component layout view of a printed circuit board used in a conventional hard disk drive. Here, (A-1) is a spindle drive IC, (A-2)
Is a spindle drive connector, (B-1) is a VCM drive IC, (B-2) is a VCM drive connector, and other parts are HDC parts. The present invention can share the HDC that occupies most of such printed circuit boards, and the effects of downsizing and cost reduction are enormous.

[0013]

Since a plurality of spindle drive units and VCM drive units can be controlled by one HDC, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of HDCs. As a result, it is possible to supply a compact and inexpensive disk array device that saves power.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a disk array device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional disk array device.

FIG. 4 is a component layout diagram of a printed circuit board of a conventional hard disk device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-n HDD (hard disk drive) 2-n spindle motor 3-n spindle drive section 5 HDC (hard disk controller) 6 switching element 9-n actuator 10-n VCM drive section 11-n motor 12-n motor drive section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A disk array device comprising a plurality of disk devices each having a motor and a drive unit for driving the motor, the disk controller controlling the drive unit, and the disk controller based on the control of the disk controller. A disk array device comprising a disk controller and a switching element for selectively connecting the respective drive units. 2. A disk array device comprising a plurality of disk devices each having a spindle motor for rotating a magnetic disk and a drive section for driving the motor, and a disk controller for controlling the drive section and the disk. A disk array device comprising the disk controller and a switching element for selectively connecting the respective drive units under the control of the controller. 3. A plurality of disk devices each having a head for converting data written on a magnetic disk into an electric signal, a voice coil motor for moving the head in the track direction, and a drive section for driving the motor. In the disk array device described above, a disk controller for controlling the drive unit and a switching element for selectively connecting the disk controller and each drive unit under the control of the disk controller are provided. Disk array device