Bobby Ray Southerland

Title: Bobby Ray Southerland: Innovator in Data Storage Solutions

Introduction

Bobby Ray Southerland, an accomplished inventor based in Longmont, Colorado, has made significant contributions to the field of data storage technology. With a total of five patents awarded to his name, Southerland's inventions focus on enhancing the efficiency and reliability of storage systems.

Latest Patents

Among his latest innovations is a patent for "Data Hardening in a Storage System." This invention encompasses a sophisticated storage system equipped with a de-glitch module designed to detect power failure events. The write page module then executes a cache write command to transfer a cache page from volatile memory to a storage channel controller, ensuring data integrity even during unexpected power outages. Additionally, the signal empty module generates a sleep signal that safely shuts down the host bus adapter, allowing for data recovery upon power restoration.

Another noteworthy patent is focused on "Sector-Oriented Hardware Defect Compression Based on Format Information." This method identifies and masks physical sectors where error rates exceed a predetermined threshold during defect scans. By initially writing a predefined pattern and then assessing the errors incrementally, the system can quickly determine problematic sectors without extensive data processing. This innovative approach significantly streamlines the defect scanning process, ultimately saving time while enhancing performance.

Career Highlights

Southerland's impressive career includes tenures at prominent technology companies such as Maxtor Corporation and Broadcom Corporation. His work has consistently focused on advancing storage technologies and improving data management solutions.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Southerland has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Lace J Herman and Jin-Hong Hsueh. These collaborations have likely contributed to his success in developing effective solutions within the data storage sector.

Conclusion

Bobby Ray Southerland's inventive spirit and dedication to improving data storage systems exemplify the vital role of innovation in technology. As he continues to develop groundbreaking solutions, his contributions will undoubtedly influence the future of data management and storage integrity.