Disk controller having sequential digital logic in a state machine for

Abstract

A method for transferring data between a host computer and peripheral storage including the steps of: (a) receiving data from the host; (b) determining if an escape command is present in the data; (c) writing the data to the a peripheral storage medium if a escape command is not present in the data; and (d) performing as least one command relative to the peripheral storage if a escape command is present in the data. Also disclosed is a method for controlling a disk drive unit including the steps of: (a) determining on a host computer a current action to be performed with a disk drive unit; (b) formatting a track of a disk engaged with a disk drive unit based upon output data provided by the host computer if the current action is a formatting action; (c) writing a sector on the disk based upon the output data provided by the host computer if the current action is a writing action; and (d) reading a sector of the disk and transferring input information to the host computer if the action is a reading action. Escape codes are used to distinguish 'normal' data from 'special' data. A disk drive controller of the present invention includes digital logic responsive to a data bus of the host computer and operative to develop a datatype bus based on the data bus, where the datatype bus is operative to specify one of a plurality of data types, and a converter responsive to the data bus and the datatype bus and operative to provide serial data to a disk drive unit mechanism.