Location History:
- Oklahoma City, OK (US) (2001)
- Edmond, OK (US) (2003)
Company Filing History:
Years Active: 2001-2003
Title: Innovations by Donald B. Douglas
Introduction
Donald B. Douglas is a notable inventor based in Edmond, OK (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of data storage technology, particularly in the area of disc drives. With a total of 2 patents to his name, his work has had a lasting impact on the efficiency and reliability of data retrieval systems.
Latest Patents
One of his latest patents is titled "Servo control using continuous position error signal with high order polynomial component." This invention describes an apparatus and method for improved servo control in a disc drive. The design features a rotatable disc with multiple radially staggered servo burst patterns that define concentric tracks. An actuator assembly supports a transducing head adjacent to these tracks. The servo circuit combines third-order polynomial functions of burst signals to generate a continuous function position error signal (PES). This signal has normalized absolute magnitudes of 0 when the head is positioned at track centers, 0.5 at track boundaries, and 0.25 at quarter-track locations, with a substantially linear slope in between. The servo circuit then applies current to an actuator motor to position the head relative to a selected track based on the PES magnitude.
Another significant patent by Douglas is "Error recovery using alternate headers in a disc drive." This invention provides a method for recovering from header error conditions in a disc drive. The system includes a rotatable disc with concentric tracks that store data fields and header fields for logical address information. When the disc drive fails to decode the logical address from a selected header field, an alternate header error recovery routine is initiated. This routine attempts to decode the logical address from an alternate header field associated with the selected data block, enhancing the decoding process with radial offsets applied to the head.
Career Highlights
Donald B. Douglas has been associated with Seagate Technology Incorporated, a leading company in data storage solutions. His work at Seagate has allowed him to contribute to advancements in disc drive technology, making significant strides in improving data storage and retrieval processes.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Douglas has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Randall D. Hampshire and Clyde E. Goodner. These collaborations have fostered innovation and have been instrumental in the development of new technologies in the field.
Conclusion
Donald B. Douglas is a distinguished inventor whose contributions to