Seagate Technology Incorporated

BaoHong Liu

KianKeong Ooi

MingZhong Ding

BengWee Quak

WingKong Chiang

JackMing Teng

Djunaedy Chandra Ang

An apparatus and method for writing a product information code (PIC) to a head-disc assembly (HDA) of a disc drive data handling system to facilitate subsequent identification of the HDA. The PIC is configured as a sequence of n multi-bit encoded words. Servo data are written to a disc of the HDA as a number of p angularly spaced apart servo data fields, the servo data used by a servo control circuit to effect head positional control. The n encoded words are distributed across a subset n of the p servo data fields so that the n encoded words replace at least a portion of the servo data in the n servo data fields. Preferably, the n encoded words are written to Gray code (track address) fields of the n servo data fields and are provided with error detection and correction capabilities.

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Singapore, Singapore

BaoHong Liu