What is claimed is:
1. A control apparatus of a storage unit, the control apparatus having a first communication port for conducting communication with a computer, a first processor that controls the first communication port, a first storage device that stores a first queue for storing a command for conducting the communication sent from the computer to the first communication port, a first memory that the first processor accesses, a second communication port for conducting communication with the computer, a second processor that controls the second communication port, and a second storage device that stores a second queue for storing a command for conducting communication sent from the computer to the second communication port, the first processor executing the command stored in the first queue to thereby control the communication with the computer, the second processor executing the command stored in the second queue to thereby control the communication with the computer,
the control apparatus comprising:
a unit causing the second processor to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue; and
a unit changing data stored in the first memory while the second processor is being caused to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue.
2. A control apparatus of a storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit causing the second processor to manage execution of the command stored in the first queue is a unit allowing the first processor to transfer the command stored in the first queue to the second queue and allowing the second processor to read the command for execution from the second queue.
3. A control apparatus of a storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit causing the second processor to manage execution of the command stored in the first queue is a unit allowing the second processor to read the command for execution from the first queue.
4. A control apparatus of a storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit changing data stored in the first memory is a unit allowing the first processor to write data inputted from the outside over data stored in the first memory.
5. A method of controlling a control apparatus of a storage unit, the control apparatus having a first communication port for conducting communication with a computer, a first processor that controls the first communication port, a first storage device that stores a first queue for storing a command for conducting communication sent from the computer to the first communication port, a first nonvolatile memory that the first processor accesses, a second communication port for conducting communication with the computer, a second processor that controls the second communication port, and a second storage device that stores a second queue for storing a command for conducting communication sent from the computer to the second communication port, the first processor executing the command stored in the first queue to thereby control the communication with the computer, the second processor executing the command stored in the second queue to thereby control the communication with the computer,
the method comprising the steps of:
causing the second processor to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue; and
changing data stored in the first nonvolatile memory while the second processor is being caused to implement the execution of the command stored in the first queue.
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 method for determining sleep periods within a communications device, comprising:
analyzing at least one of two or more data fields related to a data unit; and
determining device sleep periods based upon the analysis.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether data will be available in a subsequent data unit based on the analysis.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sleep periods are consecutive sleep periods.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sleep periods are separated by awake periods.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating is based upon orthogonal frequency division multiplexed principles.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing occurs within a physical layer of the network.
7. A method for determining sleep periods within a communications device configured to communicate via a network, comprising:
analyzing a data field related to presence of a data unit; and
determining whether data will be available in an ensuing data unit based on the analysis.
8. An apparatus for determining sleep periods within a communications device configured to communicate via a network, comprising:
means for analyzing at least one of two or more data fields related to a data unit; and
means for determining device sleep periods based upon the analysis.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising means for determining whether data will be available in a subsequent data unit based on the analysis.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sleep periods are consecutive sleep periods.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sleep periods are separated by awake periods.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the communicating is based upon orthogonal frequency division multiplexed principles.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the analyzing occurs within a physical layer of the network.
14. A transceiver configured to determine sleep periods associated with communicating via a network, comprising:
a processor configured to analyze at least one of two or more data fields related to a data unit; and
a timer for determining device sleep periods based upon the analysis.
15. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform a method of determining sleep periods within a communications device, the instructions when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
analyzing at least one of two or more data fields related to a data unit; and
determining device sleep periods based upon the analysis.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, carrying the one of more instructions, further causing the one or more processors to determine whether data will be available in a subsequent data unit based on the analysis.
17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the sleep periods are consecutive sleep periods.
18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the sleep periods are separated by awake periods.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the communicating is based upon orthogonal frequency division multiplexed principles.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the analyzing occurs within a physical layer of the network.