1. Apparatus for use in a storage system comprising:
a plurality of disk drives;
first control logic operable to cause the disk drives to spin up in sequential stages,
wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives is spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system; wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage is calculated as: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state times the steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage system includes a maximum peak current capacity which is greater than the maximum current in order to support activation of any additional disk drives which spin up in response to a single-bit transmission error in a Spin-up signal, wherein the additional disk drives would not have spun up until a later stage but for the single-bit error.
3. Apparatus for use in a storage system comprising:
a plurality of disk drives;
first control logic operable to cause the disk drives to spin up in sequential stages,
wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives is spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the first control logic is operable to produce a first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage; and
second control logic producing a second plurality of Spin-up signals corresponding to the first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein the second plurality of Spin-up signals is wire-or’d with the first plurality of Spin-up signals.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each control logic further comprises a plurality of registers corresponding to the plurality of Spin-up signals, and wherein each Spin-up signal is output from a corresponding register, and wherein each register is a single bit register.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of power rails and a plurality of drivers, wherein each Spin-up signal is coupled to one or more drivers, and wherein a first group of drivers is coupled to a first of the plurality of power rails and a second group of drivers is coupled to a second of the plurality of power rails.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first control logic and the second control logic, when spinning up the disk drives, is configured to provide a pre-defined sequence of disk drive startup signals, the pre-defined sequence being established prior to the activation of the storage system.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage is calculated as: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state times the steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the storage system includes a maximum peak current capacity which is greater than the maximum current in order to support activation of any additional disk drives which spin up in response to a single-bit transmission error in a Spin-up signal of one of the first plurality of spin up signals or the second plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein the additional disk drives would not have spun up until a later stage but for the single-bit error.
9. Apparatus for use in a storage system comprising:
a plurality of disk drives;
first control logic operable to cause the disk drives to spin up in sequential stages,
wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives is spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the first control logic is operable to produce a first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage;
wherein each disk drive provides a presence signal that is asserted when the disk drive is present, and wherein the first control logic provides a power control signal for each disk drive that causes power to be applied to the disk drive when the power control signal is asserted, and wherein the first control logic operates to:
monitor the presence signals;
for each disk drive, if the presence signal is deasserted, deassert the power control signal;
if any deasserted presence signal becomes asserted for a disk drive, assert the power control signal for the disk drive.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first control logic further operates such that if more than two deasserted presence signals become asserted for more than two corresponding disk drives, the control logic asserts the power control signals for the corresponding drives in sequential stages.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage is calculated as: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state times the steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the storage system includes a maximum peak current capacity which is greater than the maximum current in order to support activation of any additional disk drives which spin up in response to a single-bit transmission error in a Spin-up signal of the first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein the additional disk drives would not have spun up until a later stage but for the single-bit error.
13. A method for use in a storage system comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of disk drives;
operating control logic to cause the disk drives to spin up in sequential stages,
wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives are spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the step of operating further comprises the step of producing a first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage;
wherein the step of operating further comprises the steps of:
providing second control logic;
producing a second plurality of Spin-up signals corresponding to the first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein the second plurality of Spin-up signals is wire-or’d with the first plurality of Spin-up signals.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first control logic further comprises a plurality of registers corresponding to the plurality of Spin-up signals, and wherein each Spin-up signals is output from a corresponding register.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:
providing a plurality of power rails and a plurality of drivers, wherein each Spin-up signal is coupled to one or more drivers, and wherein a first group of drivers is coupled to a first of the plurality of power rails and a second group of drivers is coupled to a second of the plurality of power rails, and wherein each register is a single bit register.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of calculating the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage as: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
17. A method for use in a storage system comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of disk drives;
operating control logic to cause the disk drives to spin up in sequential stages,
wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives are spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the step of operating further comprises the step of producing a first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage;
providing a presence signal for each disk drive, the presence signal asserted when the disk drive is present;
providing by the first control logic a power control signal for each disk drive that causes power to be applied to the disk drive when the power control signal is asserted;
monitoring by the control logic the presence signals;
deasserting by the control logic the power control signal for each disk drive if the presence signal corresponding to the disk drive is deasserted;
asserting by the control logic the power control signal for a disk drive if the deasserted presence signal becomes asserted for the disk drive.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:
operating the control logic such that if more than two deasserted presence signals become asserted for more than two corresponding disk drives, asserting the power control signals for the corresponding drives in sequential stages.
19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of calculating the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage as: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
20. A program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for storing data, the computer program comprising:
first control logic operable to cause the disk drives of a plurality of disk drives to spin up in sequential stages, wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives is spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the first control logic is operable to produce a first plurality of Spin-up; signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage; and
second control logic producing a second plurality of Spin-up signals corresponding to the first plurality of Spin-up signals, wherein the second plurality of Spin-up signals is logically or’d with the first plurality of Spin-up signals.
21. The program product of claim 20 wherein at least one of the first control logic and the second control logic controls the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage based on the calculation: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state times the steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
22. A program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for storing data, the computer program comprising:
first control logic operable to cause the disk drives of a plurality of disk drives to spin up in sequential stages, wherein during each sequential stage a number of disk drives is spun up based on parameters related to the power requirements of the system;
wherein the parameters comprise the maximum current for the storage system, the number of disk drives currently in steady state, the steady state current required for a disk drive, and the spin up current required for a disk drive;
wherein the first control logic is operable to produce a first plurality of Spin-up; signals, wherein one of the Spin-up signals is asserted in each sequential stage, wherein the Spin-up signal asserted in a stage causes a number of disk drives of the plurality of disk drives to spin up during the stage;
wherein each disk drive provides a presence signal that is asserted when the disk drive is present, and wherein the first control logic provides a power control signal for each disk drive that causes power to be applied to the disk drive when the power control signal is asserted, and wherein the first control logic operates to:
monitor the presence signals;
for each disk drive, if the presence signal is deasserted, deassert the power control signal;
if any deasserted presence signal becomes asserted for a disk drive, assert the power control signal for the disk drive.
23. The program product of claim 22 wherein the first control logic further operates such that if more than two deasserted presence signals become asserted for more than two corresponding disk drives, the control logic asserts the power control signals for the corresponding drives in sequential stages.
24. The program product of claim 22 wherein the first control logic controls the number of disk drives to spin up in a stage based on the calculation: (the maximum current for the storage system minus current used by logic in the system minus (the number of disk drives currently in steady state times the steady state current required for a disk drive)) divided by the spin up current required for a disk drive.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A container carrier wherein the carrier comprises:
a downwardly extending and substantially vertical dividing wall formed with a handle portion which extends upwardly therefrom and a handle reinforcement portion which extends downwardly from the handle portion adjacent thereto,
a first base portion extending generally laterally away from the dividing wall, and a first sidewall extending generally upwardly therefrom;
a first roof section extending generally upwardly and laterally from the first sidewall towards the handle portions;
a second roof section extending generally downwardly and laterally from the first roof section and the handle portions, wherein the handle portions pass through a slot formed in a ridge dividing first and second roof sections;
a second sidewall extending generally downwardly from the second roof section;
a second base portion extending generally laterally away from the second sidewall and towards the dividing wall and the first base portion; and
a minor dividing wall extending upwardly from the second base portion, adjacent to and adhered to the dividing wall, wherein the roof sections each include container receiving portions.
2. A container carrier comprising a base and a body defining container-carrying portions, wherein the base comprises feet.
3. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base further comprises feet.
4. The container carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feet comprise a serrated edge.
5. The container carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feet are square shaped.
6. The container carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feet are arcuate shaped.
7. The container carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feet are integrally formed with the base.
8. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is formed from a unitary blank.
9. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container receiving portions each comprise a plurality of deformable bottle-engageable flaps.
10. The container carrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein the deformable bottle engageable flaps further comprise an aperture.
11. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising container-retaining barriers, provided at open ends of the carrier.
12. The container carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein the container-retaining barriers are formed with the base portions.
13. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier further comprises a plurality of separator flaps to prevent adjacently locatable containers from knocking each other whilst the carrier is in transit.
14. The container carrier as claimed in claim 13, wherein the separator flaps are formed in the base portions of the carrier.
15. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is collapsible for storage or transportation.
16. The container carrier as claimed in claim 15, wherein the carrier includes locking means to lock the carrier in an expanded form.
17. The container carrier as claimed in claim 16, in which the locking means comprises a tab and a corresponding cut-out and wherein the tab extends from an upper edge of at least one of the roof portions to engage the cut-out in the dividing wall, below the carrier handle.
18. The container carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier is formed from a corrugated board material, suitably cardboard or a plastics equivalent.
19. A container carrier for carrying containers that can be made from a blank, that can be kept in a flat folded condition and that is foldable to a use condition by means of a simple unfolding operation, during which unfolding operation a number of container receiving portions for receiving containers are arranged in a condition for receiving the containers.
20. The container carrier according to claim 19, comprising pulling means for use during the unfolding operation.
21. The container carrier according to claim 20 in which the pulling means comprise flaps or openings in side walls that need to be folded away from each other during the unfolding operation.
22. The container carrier according to claim 19, comprising flaps that are glueable in a folded position for improving strength.