Patent ID: 6993604

Claim:
A method for handling multiple data streams in a disc drive, the method comprising steps of: a) allocating a buffer size required by each data stream currently being handled; b) utilizing the buffer sizes found in allocating step a) for corresponding data streams; c) when an additional data stream is to be added, reallocating the buffer size required by each data stream including the additional data stream; and d) when a data stream currently being handled is to be terminated, reallocating the buffer size required by each data stream that will remain after the data stream is terminated, wherein the allocating step a) comprises a step of: a)(1) scaling a host data rate for each data stream by an expression for a total time to fill or empty the buffer size allocated to all of the data streams being handled to create a set of simultaneous equations for the buffer sizes; and a)(2) solving the simultaneous equations to find the buffer size to be allocated for each data stream.