Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BUBBLE MEMORY DISK EMULATION SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to digital data
storage systems in general and in particular to storage
systems employing magnetic bubble memory devices as Starr-
age media. More particularly still, the invention relates
to bubble memory storage systems that emulate rotating
magnetic disk storage devices, such as those known in the
art as "floppy disk drives", in order to eliminate moving
parts in operation and make the storage system suitable for
hostile and mobile environments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disk Drives
Floppy disk drives have become popular mass
storage devices for micro- and minicomputer systems in the
recent past. They were intended as a low cost solution to
the problem of non-volatile data storage for microcomputers
and now the floppy disk medium itself its a convenient means
for transferring software (and data) from one computer to
another. Virtually all micro- and minicomputer systems
manufacturers, therefore, provide for floppy disk drives
as system peripherals.
The major advantage of floppy disk drives, low
cost, is outweighed for some applications by the dozed-
vantage of insufficient reliability, particularly in harsh
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environments. As is well ninth disk medium is
continuously rotated in operation and a magnetic head is
placed in contact with the disk surface and moved
radially to effect data read/write operations. The moving
parts wear out and go out of alignment, more so in dusty
environments and due to excess vibration and shock.
The floppy disk is a circular Mylar (TAM.)
'dissect coated with iron oxide or the like magnetic
medium, which is housed inside a square plastic cover.
The centre of the Mylar diskette has a hole to engage a
drive hub which in operation spins the diskette inside its
cover. The latter has a radial aperture in order to permit
access to the diskette surface by a magnetic head.
Data is recorded on the diskette in concentric
circles called "tracks", each track subdivided into segments
called "sectors". The disk drive has detection means for
indicating when the (magnetic) head is positioned at the
outermost track (track 0). A stepper motor controls the
head position causing it to step from track to track.
Information to locate a sector is usually written (stored)
on the diskette as part of an identification header at the
beginning of each data segment, this is called soft
sectoring. Sector 0 is located by an index hole in the
diskette and causes detection means to emit a pulse once
every revolution of the diskette. Another technique of
sectoring is to locate each sector with a hole in the
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diskette (hard sectoring), although this technique has
not become the industry standard.
track is divided into "bit cells and one
standard format is to record a clock pulse as a bit in
every bit cell. This standard is called single density
encoding" and normally permits recording 128 bytes in each
sector given an 8 inch disk.
In "double density encoding" clock bits are
recorded in a bit cell only when two or more consecutive
lo data bits are zeros. Thus 256 bytes are normally recorded
per sector. As a result of the different encoding there
is a fundamental difference in how data is recognized by
so called address marks at the beginning of a 'data field".
In single density an address mark consists of a single byte
with three consecutive bit cells without clock bits. In
double density the first three bytes have one missing
clock bit per byte and the fourth byte is used for further
identification purposes.
There are other variations in floppy disk drives.
There are the 8 inch disk and a smaller 5.25 inch version
often called mini floppy While the 8 inch disk has 77
tracks, the mini floppy holds either 35, I or -80 tracks, depend-
in on the manufacturer. The number of sectors in the
"flops 26 while for the mini floppy it is normally
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16, there being no industry standard.
Manufacturers of disk drives have also increased
recording densities by devising the double sided diskettes,
which permit use of two heads, one for each diskette side.
As a result, an 8 inch double density, double sided disk
can store up to 1,025,024 bytes.
The foregoing summary illustrates the variety of
disk drives that must be accommodated by a successful,
universal disk emulating system.
lo Bubble Memory
Magnetic bubble memory (MUM) devices do not
require moving parts. The devices are sealed and impervious
to dust, and shock and vibration do not affect them The
devices may also be used as removable media-like disks,
although they are significantly bulkier and more expensive
But for some applications this is acceptable, particularly
if the remainder of the micro- or minicomputer system can
be used as is without modification or being specially
designed for magnetic bubble media. The MUM devices them-
selves are commercially available, for example from INTEL
Corporation, California, United States of America.
The problems facing a computer system user
wishing to use bubble memory devices are not trivial. or
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MUM devices require specialized hardware and software,
that must also be compatible with the user's particular
system. This would require the user to make changes to
an operating system supplied by others. For some users,
a combination of regular floppy disk drives and an MUM
based storage system meets with reliability requirements.
For others, a system using MUM devices exclusively may
be necessary to meet particularly stringent requirements.
In either case, it is desirable to be able to utilize
MUM devices without system modification, either in hard-
ware or software.
In bubble memory, data is stored as magnetic
domains ("bubbles") in a garnet wafer. A permanent magnetic
field sustains the magnetic bubble domains once formed
(generated) without external power. Storage is thus non-
volatile. The solid-state nature of bubble memory
obviates the need for moving parts and permits high storage
density. Reliability is therefore the hallmark of MUM
devices, making them desirable for use in real-time contain-
use process control systems as well as hostile and
demanding environments.
The advantages of bubble memory obtain at the
cost of uniqueness. A major obstacle in its implementation
is the inherently complex control requirements imposed by
the nature of the medium. For instance the devices require
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an in-plane rotating magnetic field in order to move
the bubble domains within the garnet medium and permit
access to them, and the bubbles must be detected and
converted to electrical impulses and vice versa.
An 'application Note" (Apple) published by
INTEL June 1981, and a "Bubble Memory Prototype Kit User's
Manual" (order No.: 121685-002) explain the details
necessary for using the kit (designated BPK 72) supplied
by the company. The publications also explain to those
skilled in the art facts about bubble memories necessary
for understanding the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The above mentioned prototype kit (BPK 72)
interfaces an MUM module designated 7110 MUM to a
microprocessor, such as INTEL's 8086. Nevertheless, the
unique internal architecture of the MUM module itself
remains apparent to the host system and must be accommodated
as such. It is therefore a primary object of the present
invention to provide an MUM system compatible with any
industry standard floppy disk controller.
' According to the present invention there is
provided, a magnetic bubble memory (MUM) based data
storage system for emulating another data storage system,
by
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comprising:
(a) a central processor bus (CUB);
(b) a central processor unit (CPU), an instruction
memory for said CPU, and a dynamic buffer memory,
all connected to said CUB;
(c) MUM interface means for interfacing an MUM unit
with said CUB;
(d) direct bubble memory access (DMBA) means connected
to said CUB for causing said MUM interface means
to transfer data to selected parts of said dynamic
buffer memory through said CUB;
(e) encoder/decoder means connected to said PUB for
transmitting and receiving data to and from a host
system in a manner substantially identical to that
of said another data storage system, said encoder/
decoder means including two direct memory access
(DAM) channels, one associated with transmission
and the other with reception of data to and from said
host system for transferring data to and from
selected parts of said dynamic buffer memory through
said CUB; and
(f) said DAM channels each having registers for hold-
in addresses to said dynamic buffer memory,
said registers being updated by said CPU through
said CUB without affecting ongoing data transfer
to and from said dynamic buffer memory.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the invention
will now be described in conjunction with the attached
drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an overall block diagram of a
magnetic bubble memory based floppy disk emulator
system according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the
encoder portion of the encoder/decoder in Figure l; and
Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the
decoder portion of the encoder/decoder in Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the MUM
disk emulator system comprises a local central processing
unit 10 and associated instruction memory 11 and buffer
memory 12, a timing unit 13, a floppy disk data encoder/
decoder unit 14, a bubble memory interface unit 15, and a
direct bubble memory access (DBMA) unit 16. All these
20: units are interconnected via a central processor bus 17,
which is a conventional microprocessor bus carrying data
and addresses. The bubble memory interface 15 interfaces
a removable bubble memory cassette or module 18 (which
corresponds to the removable disk or diskette in a floppy
disk system) with the rest of the emulator system and
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there through with the host computer 20. A fixed bubble
memory board 19 may be included in addition to, or
instead of, the capability of the removable cassette 18.
As is apparent, the host computer 20 "sees" the removable
cassette 18 as a floppy disk or diskette, as the case
may be, through the intermediate emulator system.
In Figure 2, a functional block diagram of the
encoder portion of the encoder/decoder 14 is shown. The
encoder portion delivers to the host computer 20 a
continuous stream of data identical to that would
be delivered by a floppy disk. The encoder portion
comprises a synchronous transmitter 21, which is fed data
read out from the bubble module 18 over the central
processor bus 17, and which continuously feeds data into
a continuous formatter and address mark generator 22.
Actually the data supplied to the synchronous transmitter
21 via the central processor bus 17 is output under
control of a direct disk memory access (DDMA) unit 23
upon request by the synchronous transmitter 21 from a
buffer that is associated with the DDMA unit 23. Such
buffer has stored one full track (disk-track) of data at
all times. DIP switches 24 and 25 program the unit 22
to format for single or double density disks, and for
mini floppy marks or floppy marks, respectively. The
continuous formatter unit 22 outputs a continuous stream
of composite dusk") read data to the host computer 20.
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Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of
the decoder portion of the encoder/decoder 14. As
composite write data arrives from the host computer 20
the write command from the host is applied to a phase
lock loop (PULL) 26 which then locks onto the incoming
composite write data. The output of the PULL 26 is then
applied to a data/clock separator 27, which applies the
data to a synchronous receiver 28, which is clocked by
the separated clock. A direct disk memory access (DDMA)
unit 29 responds to the synchronous receiver 28 and
causes its associated full track buffer to store the
data output by the synchronous receiver 28 onto the central
processor bus 17. Once the data is stored and the write
command ceases, the stored data is output onto the bus
17 to be written into the bubble cassette 18.
As composite write data is received from the host
computer 20, the host's write command (usually called
"write gate") sets the decoder of Figure 3 into operation
as mentioned above. The synchronous receiver 28 (which
could be the receive part of a commercially available
universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter
or US ART) hunts for the address mark in the incoming data
and transfers the data through the central processor bus
17 under control of the DDMA 29 to the latter's associated
full track buffers, which are actually part of the buffer
memory 12. The terminal count of the DDMA 29 interrupts
the CPU 10, so that the buffered data can be sent to the
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bubble cassette 18 as soon as the CPU 10 time permits.
The encoder of Figure 2 on the other hand must
continuously output one full (disk) track of composite
read data. The synchronous transmitter 21 requests data
byte-by-byte continuously from the DDMA 23 and, accord-
tingly, receives a continuous stream of data bytes. This
stream of bytes is clocked and supplied by the continuous
formatter 22, which replaces every "1" in the stream by
a 250 nanosecond pulse, adds in clock pulses to yield
(disk) composite read data, and also removes clock
pulses as required to create (disk) address marks. This
is accomplished simply by programmable array logic (PAL)
gates programmed by the selection switches 24 and 25.
The initiation of the PAL sequence to produce an address
mark is done by the CPU 10. However, the address
generating PAL sequence is self-terminating. It commences
again when reinitiated by the CPU 10. Depending on the
selection of the DIP switches 24 and 25, data is output
continuously at the rate of 125 kbps, 250 kbps or 500
kbps. Because the data rates are higher than a micro-
processor such as the CPU 10 can handle continuously,
the DDMA 23 is utilized in order to effect the continuous
outputting of a full track of data, just as a disk drive
would do. The contents of the byte and address counts
of the DDMA 23 and 29 registers are updated by the CPU
10 via the CUB 17 without affecting an ongoing transfer
ox data to and from the buffer memory 12. Thus the DDMAs
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permit automatic loading of byte and address counters of
the data transfer channels. The same function is performed
by the DBMA unit 16, except that it controls data transfer
between its buffers in the buffer memory 12 and the memory
in the bubble cassette 18.
It is opportune to have a dynamic buffer memory
12 where selected parts are assigned to associated devices
dynamically. Ideally, the buffer memory 12 would store not
only one full disk-track, but three. It would then have
lo stored the current track, as well as the one preceding and
one succeeding it. As the host computer 20 moves from track
to track, the emulator system would follow as soon as the
CPU 10 time permits. Generally speaking the emulator
system would be sufficiently faster than the emulated
mechanical system. Although without the DAM channels, the
CPV 10 would not be able to perform all its other routines
and still keep step with the host system 20 as it moves
from track to track, or, as the case may be, from one disk
side to the other. Similar considerations apply to the
question of loading new data from the buffer memory 12
into the bubble cassette 18. This would depend on how much
buffer space remains available depending on how much data
the host system 20 has recently written. As the available
buffer space declines, the CPU 10 must give higher priority
to data transfer to the bubble cassette 18. Once the basic
emulator system architecture has been devised, the software
details are within the grasp of those skilled in that art.
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The operation of the system may be enhanced by clever
algorithms without changing the hardware structure of
the system.
The bubble memory interface unit 15 is INTEL's
integrated unit 7220 (bubble memory controller). Also the
bubble cassette 18 consists of the remainder of the herein-
above mentioned kit available from INTEL. The major
function of the 7220 circuit is to perform parallel/serial
and serial/parallel conversion. But is also has a forty
byte FIFO register which is a buffer through which data
passes on its way to and from a formatter/sense amplifier
(part number 7242). The primary purpose of the FIFO is to
reconcile differences in timing requirements between the
outside system interface (in this case the emulator system)
and the 7220 interface to the 7242 amplifier. When data
is to be transferred to the bubble cassette 18 through the
bubble interface unit 15 upon request by the CPU 10 over
the CUB 17, the interface unit 15 when ready gives a data
request signal to the DMBA 16. The latter, having its
address counter as well as its byte counter loaded from its
updated internal registers, causes the associated buffer
memory to begin transferring data via the CUB 17 into the
bubble cassette 18 until the byte count in the DBMA unit
16 is reached. During this operation the remainder of the
system does not interfere.
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