T13/D99131 revision p3

Proposal for Automatic Acoustic Management in ATA Devices

To:T13 Technical committee

From:Jon Haines

Seagate Technology

2420 Trade Centre

Longmont, CO USA 80503

Phone: 303 684 1460

Fax: 303 684 1190

Email:

Date:December 2, 1999February 11, 2000

Subj:Proposal for an Automatic Acoustic Management feature set to be included in ATA/ATAPI-6

Introduction:

This document describes a protocol by which the host can direct a device’s acoustic behavior.

Replace Advanced Power Management feature set clause with the following:

The Advanced Power Management feature set is an optional feature set that allows the host to select a power management level. The power management level is a scale from the lowest power consumption setting of 01h to the maximum performance level of FEh. Device performance may increase with increasing power management levels. Device power consumption may increase with increasing power management levels. A device may implement one power management method for two or more contiguous power management levels. For example, a device may implement one power management method from level 80h to A0h and a higher performance, higher power consumption method from level A1h to FEh. Advanced Power Management levels 80h and higher do not permit the device to enter the Standby mode as a result of the Advanced Power Management algorithm.

The Advanced Power Management feature set uses the following functions:

A SET FEATURES subcommand to enable Advanced Power Management

A SET FEATURES subcommand to disable Advanced Power Management

Advanced Power Management, Automatic Acoustic Management, and the Standby timer setting are independent functions. The device shall enter Standby mode if any of the following are true:

The Standby timer has been set and times out;

Automatic Power Management is enabled, and the associated algorithm indicates that the Standby mode should be entered to save power; or,

Automatic Acoustic Management is enabled, and the associated algorithm indicates that the Standby mode should be entered to reduce acoustical emanations.

The IDENTIFY DEVICE data indicate that Advanced Power Management is supported, if Advanced Power Management is enabled, and the current advanced power management level if Advanced Power Management is enabled.

Insert the following as a new subclause in the General operational requirements clause in ATA/ATAPI-6:

6.x Automatic Acoustic Management feature set

The Automatic Acoustic Management feature set is an optional feature set that allows the host to select an acoustic management level. The acoustic management level may range from the lowest acoustic emanation setting of 01h to the maximum performance level of FEh. Device performance and acoustic emanation may increase with increasing acoustic management levels. The acoustic management levels may contain discrete bands. For example, a device may implement one acoustic management method from level 80h to A0h, and a higher performance, higher acoustic emanation method from level A1h to FEh. Automatic Acoustic Management levels 80h and higher do not permit the device to enter Standby mode as a result of the Automatic Acoustic Management algorithm.

The Automatic Acoustic Management feature set uses the following functions:

A SET FEATURES subcommand to enable Automatic Acoustic Management

A SET FEATURES subcommand to disable Automatic Acoustic Management

Advanced Power Management, Automatic Acoustic Management, and the Standby timer setting are independent functions. The device shall enter Standby mode if any of the following are true:

The Standby timer has been set and times out;

Automatic Power Management is enabled, and the associated algorithm indicates that the Standby mode should be entered to save power; or,

Automatic Acoustic Management is enabled, and the associated algorithm indicates that the Standby mode should be entered to reduce acoustical emanations.

The IDENTIFY DEVICE data indicates if Automatic Acoustic Management is supported, if Automatic Acoustic Management is enabled, and the current Automatic Acoustic Management level if Automatic Acoustic Management is enabled.

Modifications to the IDENTIFY DEVICE command:

Table XX - Identify device information

Word / F/V
83 / F / Command sets supported. If words 82 and 83 =0000h or FFFFh command set notification not supported.
15-10
9
8-0 / As currently defined.
1=Automatic Acoustic Management feature set supported
As currently defined
86 / V / Command set/feature enabled. If words 85, 86, and 87 = 0000h or FFFFh command set enabled notification is not supported.
15-10
9
8-0 / Reserved
1=Automatic Acoustic Management feature set enabled
As currently defined
94 / V / 15-8
7-0 / ReservedVendor’s Recommended Acoustic Management level
Current Automatic Acoustic Management value.

Words 82-84: Features/command sets supported:

If bit 9 of word 83 is set to one, the device supports the Automatic Acoustic Management feature set.

Words 85-87: Features/command sets enabled:

If bit 9 of word 86 is set to one, the Automatic Acoustic Management feature set is enabled, and the value in word 94 is valid.

Word 94: Current Automatic Acoustic Management value

Bits 8-15 contain the vendor’s recommended Acoustic Management level. (See Table ZZ for an enumeration of all of the possible Acoustic Management levels.)

Contain the vendor’s lowest recommended acoustics emanation level without going into standby. This value can be input into the sector count register as an Acoustic Management level.

Bits 0-7 contain the current Automatic Acoustic Management level. If Automatic Acoustic Management is supported by the device, but the level has not been set by the host, this byte shall contain the drive’s default setting. If Automatic Acoustic Management is not supported by the device, the value of this byte shall be zero.

Modifications to the SET FEATURES command:

Table YY  SET FEATURES register definitions

Value
… / …
42h / Enable Automatic Acoustic Management
… / …
C2h / Disable Automatic Acoustic Management
… / …
8.37.ZZ Enable/disable Automatic Acoustic Management

Subcommand code 42h allows the host to enable Automatic Acoustic Management. To enable Automatic Acoustic Management, the host writes the Sector Count register with the requested Automatic Acoustic Management level, includingand an indication of whether the device is allowed to enter Standby mode to reduce acoustic emanations, and executes a SET FEATURES command with subcommand code 42h. The acoustic management level is a scale from the lowest acoustic emanation setting of 01h to the maximum performance level of FDhFEh. Table ZZ shows the acoustic management level values or the Vendor recommended level may be used.

Enabling or disabling of Automatic Acoustic Management, and the current Automatic Acoustic Management level setting shall be preserved by the device across all forms of reset, i.e. Power on, Hardware, and Software Resets.

Table ZZ  Automatic Acoustic Management levels

Level / Sector Count value
VenVendor Specific / FFh
Maximum performance / Feh
Intermediate acoustic management levels without Standby / 81h-FDh
Minimum acoustic emanation level without Standby / 80h
Intermediate acoustic management levels with Standby / 02h-7Fh
Minimum acoustic emanation level with Standby / 01h
Reserved / 00h

Device performance may increase with increasing acoustic management levels. Device power consumption may decrease with decreasing acoustic management levels. The acoustic management levels may contain discrete bands. For example, a device may implement one acoustic management method from 0180h to 3BFh and a higher performance, higher acoustic management method from level 40h C0h to 7EhFEh. If bit 7 of the Sector Count register is one, the device is not permitted to enter Standby mode as a result of the Automatic Acoustic Management algorithm.

Upon completion of this SET FEATURES subcommand, IDENTIFY DEVICE word 94, bits 0-7 shall be updated by the device.

Subcommand code C2h disables Automatic Acoustic Management. Devices that implement SET FEATURES subcommand 42h are not required to implement subcommand C2h.

For the expressed purpose of clarifying this proposal, the following “INPUTS” block is shown for the “Enable Automatic Acoustic Management”. This disclaimer, subsequent “INPUTS” block, and text are not to be included in the ATA/ATAPI-6 specification, but are included here simply to assist in the out-of-context interpretation of this proposal.

Register / 7 / 6 / 5 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0
Features / 42h
Sector Count / See Table ZZ or word 94 [15:8]
Sector Number / na
Cylinder Low / na
Cylinder High / na
Device/Head / obs / na / obs / DEV / na / na / na / na
Command / Efh

Device/Head register -

DEV shall indicate the selected device.

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