Peripheral data storage device in which time interval used for data transfer from relatively fast buffer memory to relatively slower main memory is selected in view of average of time intervals during which data blocks were recently received from host

摘要

A rotating disk data storage device havIng a buffer in the form of a semiconductor memory for temporarily storing data supplied from a host computer prior to transfer to a disk drive. For most efficient data transfer from buffer to disk, the storage device has a microprocessor controller which is preprogrammed to compute the average, or weighted average, of the time intervals at which at least three, preferably eight, latest consecutive data blocks are delivered from the host, the average being updated with the reception of each new data block from the host. The data is transferred from buffer to disk at time intervals each determined by multiplying the latest average time interval by a preselected coefficient. Data transfer from buffer to disk also occurs when the time interval between any two consecutive data blocks exceeds a predetermined limit, or when the amount of data stored in the temporary memory exceeds a predetermined limit.