Disk drive or any serial attached device logging a cable loss event
View Patent ↗An information storage device is disclosed (such as a disk drive) comprising an interface for connecting to a host through a cable, and control circuitry for communicating with the host over the cable by executing a communication process. The communication processes comprises the steps of transmitting a communication request to the host over the cable and waiting to receive a response from the host over the cable. A cable loss event is logged if the host fails to respond after executing the communication process at least twice. Performing the communication process multiple times before logging a cable loss event helps ensure a communication failure is actually due to a faulty cable connection.
1. A disk drive comprising:
(a) a disk;
(b) a head actuated over the disk;
(c) an interface operable to connect to a host through a cable; and
(d) control circuitry operable to:
attempt to communicate with the host over the cable by executing a communication process comprising the steps of transmitting a communication request to the host over the cable and waiting to receive a response from the host over the cable; and
log a cable loss event if the host fails to respond after executing the communication process at least twice.
2. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cable is a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) cable.
3. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to periodically execute the communication process.
4. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to:
(a) enter a communication power save mode;
(b) awaken from the communication power save mode to execute the communication process; and
(c) re-enter the communication power save mode.
5. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a cumulative operating time of the disk drive.
6. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a power cycle count of the disk drive.
7. The disk drive as recited in claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to store a plurality of cable loss events in an event log saved in a non-volatile memory.
8. The disk drive as recited in claim 7 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises the disk.
9. A method of operating a disk drive coupled to a host through a cable, the disk drive comprising a disk and a head actuated over the disk, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) attempting to communicate with the host over the cable by executing a communication process comprising the steps of transmitting a communication request to the host over the cable and waiting to receive a response from the host over the cable; and
(b) logging a cable loss event if the host fails to respond after executing the communication process at least twice.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the cable is a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) cable.
11. The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising the step of periodically executing the communication process.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
entering a communication power save mode;
awakening from the communication power save mode to execute the communication process; and
re-entering the communication power save mode.
13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a cumulative operating time of the disk drive.
14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a power cycle count of the disk drive.
15. The method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising the steps of storing a plurality of cable loss events in an event log, and saving the event log in a non-volatile memory.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises the disk.
17. A serial attached device comprising:
(a) an interface operable to connect to a host through a serial cable; and
(b) control circuitry operable to:
attempt to communicate with the host over the serial cable by executing a communication process comprising the steps of transmitting a communication request to the host over the cable and waiting to receive a response from the host over the cable; and
log a cable loss event if the host fails to respond after executing the communication process at least twice.
18. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry resides in an information storage device.
19. The serial attached device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the information storage device comprises a disk drive.
20. The serial attached device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the information storage device comprises a FLASH memory.
21. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the serial cable is a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) cable.
22. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the serial cable is a serial attached SCSI (SAS) cable.
23. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to periodically execute the communication process.
24. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to:
(a) enter a communication power save mode;
(b) awaken from the communication power save mode to execute the communication process; and
(c) re-enter the communication power save mode.
25. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a cumulative operating time of the serial attached device.
26. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the cable loss event comprises a power cycle count of the serial attached device.
27. The serial attached device as recited in claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further operable to store a plurality of cable loss events in an event log saved in a non-volatile memory.