Patent ID: 7574580
Filing Date: 2009-08-11
Classification: G11B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of storing data on a hard drive, comprising: determining data storage size requirements for data to be stored on the hard drive, selecting a data cluster type from at least two data cluster types based upon data storage size requirements, the at least two data cluster types comprising standard clusters and superclusters, each of the superclusters comprising a number of standard clusters, storing data in at least one of selected data cluster type, and recording cluster file allocation data in one of a plurality of File Allocation Tables corresponding to the selected cluster type, the plurality of File Allocation Tables including a standard File Allocation Table for storing standard cluster file allocation data, and a supercluster File Allocation Table for storing supercluster file allocation data; wherein selecting a data cluster type from at least two data cluster types comprises selecting from standard clusters and superclusters, wherein the each of the superclusters comprises n standard clusters, where n is an integer greater than one; and wherein standard clusters within the superclusters are individually addressable on the hard drive from the standard File Allocation Table so as to allow the hard drive to be backwardly compatible with standard cluster addressing systems.