IP Library Granted Patent US 9,208,817
Granted Patent B1
US 9,208,817 · App. 14/643,469 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

System and method for determination and reallocation of pending sectors caused by media fatigue

Inventors: Shu Li (Santa Clara, CA); Wei Zou (Hangzhou, CN)
Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
G11B20/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,208,817
App. No.
14/643,469
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B1
Abstract

System and method are disclosed for managing storage space of a magnetic storage device. The system may read data from a sector of the storage space and determine whether the data are successfully read from the sector. If it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector, the system may retrieve an address of the sector. The system may further determine whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address. If it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue, the system may reallocate the sector subject to media fatigue to a spare sector.

Claims (79)

1. A method for managing storage space of a magnetic storage device, the method comprising:

reading data from a sector of the storage space;

determining whether the data are successfully read from the sector;

if it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector, retrieving an address of the sector;

determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address; and

if it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue, reallocating the sector subject to media fatigue to a spare sector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the address is a physical block address, and retrieving the address including:

determining a logical block address of the sector from which the data are not successfully read; and

retrieving the physical block address of the sector based on a mapping relationship between the logical block address and the physical block address.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the address is a logical block address.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

determining that the sector is subject to media fatigue if the address is present on the address list.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list;

if it is determined that the address is present on the address list, updating a counter to record a number of occurrences that the address of the sector is determined to be present on the address list; and

determining that the sector is subject to media fatigue when the counter reaches a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

if it is determined that the address is not present on the address list, adding the address of the sector onto the address list.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adding a pending sector mark to the sector when it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing a pending sector mark from the sector when it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue.

9. A computer system comprising:

a magnetic storage device; and

a controller for managing storage space of the magnetic storage device, wherein the controller is configured to:

read data from a sector of the storage space;

determine whether the data are successfully read from the sector;

if it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector, retrieve an address of the sector;

determine whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address; and

if it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue, reallocate the sector subject to media fatigue to a spare sector.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the address is a physical block address, and the controller is configured to:

determine a logical block address of the sector from which the data are not successfully read; and

retrieve the physical block address of the sector based on a mapping relationship between the logical block address and the physical block address.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the address is a logical block address.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

determine that the sector is subject to media fatigue if the address is present on the address list.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list;

if it is determined that the address is present on the address list, update a counter to record a number of occurrences that the address of the sector is determined to be present on the address list; and

determine that the sector is subject to media fatigue when the counter reaches a predetermined threshold.

14. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

compare the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

if it is determined that the address is not present on the address list, add the address of the sector onto the address list.

15. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

add a pending sector mark to the sector when it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector.

16. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to:

remove a pending sector mark from the sector when it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor device, cause the processor device to perform a method for managing storage space of a magnetic storage device, the method comprising:

reading data from a sector of the storage space;

determining whether the data are successfully read from the sector;

if it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector, retrieving an address of the sector;

determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address; and

if it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue, reallocating the sector subject to media fatigue to a spare sector.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the address is a physical block address, and retrieving the address including:

determining a logical block address of the sector from which the data are not successfully read; and

retrieving the physical block address of the sector based on a mapping relationship between the logical block address and the physical block address.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the address is a logical block address.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

determining that the sector is subject to media fatigue if the address is present on the address list.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list;

if it is determined that the address is present on the address list, updating a counter to record a number of occurrences that the address of the sector is determined to be present on the address list; and

determining that the sector is subject to media fatigue when the counter reaches a predetermined threshold.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein determining whether the sector is subject to media fatigue based on the address comprises:

comparing the address of the sector with an address list to determine whether the address is present on the address list; and

if it is determined that the address is not present on the address list, adding the address of the sector onto the address list.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

adding a pending sector mark to the sector when it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:

removing a pending sector mark from the sector when it is determined that the sector is subject to media fatigue.

25. A method for managing storage space of a magnetic storage device, the method comprising:

reading data from a sector of the storage space;

determining whether the data are successfully read from the sector;

if it is determined that the data are not successfully read from the sector, writing data to the sector; and

writing a copy of the data written to the sector to another sector.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2026
From: ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED
To: CLOUD INTELLIGENCE ASSETS HOLDING (SINGAPORE) PRIVATE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 075478/0225 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2015
From: LI, SHU; ZOU, WEI
To: ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 035128/0700 →