The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1996
John J Pearce, Del Valle, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Round Rock, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and system of operating a power-managed computer system monitors the life cycle of a hard disk drive attached to the computer system and extends the life span of the hard disk drive by reducing the rate at which hard disk drive spin-up cycles are initiated when the hard drive reaches a predetermined stage it life cycle. Software routines which activate or spin-up the hard drive are extended in capability to read the hard drive serial number and record the serial number in a non-volatile memory in conjunction with an incrementing counter. The incrementing counter counts the number of times the hard drive has been activated from the time of installation of the hard drive. The count of spin-up occurrences is indicative of the operating age of the disk drive. A plurality of age levels are defined, for example medium, old and ancient levels so that, when the hard drive spin-up count reaches one of the defined levels, the power management system changes the operation of the hard drive power management.