Seagate Technology Incorporated

Chris Thomas Settje

David L Schell

Beng Wee Quak

Frank William Bernett

Abhay Tejmal Kataria

Teck Khoon Lim

Thomas C Zirps

Ming Zhong Ding

Patrick TaiHeng Wong

Daniel Eugene Hobson

Soon Wah Leow

Steven Alan Koldewyn

Marinko Bosnich

Mike E Baum

Kar Wei Koay

One illustrative embodiment of the present invention pertains to a device. The device is configured to evaluate a Gray code value and to provide compensation for error in the Gray code value. Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method. The method includes comparing Gray code information with servo information. The method also includes evaluating error in the Gray code information based on the comparison between the Gray code information with servo information. Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention pertains to a data storage system. The data storage system includes a data storage medium, a head, and a controller. The head is controllably positionable relative to the data storage medium. The controller includes a means for sensing position information from the head. The controller also includes a means for compensating for error in the position information, to position the head relative to the data storage medium. Embodiments of the present invention provide unforeseen and inventive advantages over conventional data storage systems, including by assuring superior position evaluation and control of a read head relative to a data storage medium.

Controller with fractional position algorithm

An apparatus and method for selecting physical cylinders (cylinders accessible for read/write operations) in a disc drive is provided. The disc drive includes at least one rotatable disc. The disc drive also includes a first head, which is positionable adjacent a first disc surface, and a second head, which is positionable adjacent a second disc surface. The first disc surface has a first plurality of greycode tracks and the second disc surface has a second plurality of greycode tracks. Each greycode track of the second plurality of greycode tracks corresponds to a different greycode track of the first plurality of greycode tracks, thereby forming a plurality of greycode cylinders, with each greycode cylinder of the plurality of greycode cylinders including a pair of corresponding greycode tracks. The physical cylinders are a subset (less than all) of the plurality of the greycode cylinders. The method of selecting the physical cylinders includes determining whether the first plurality of greycode tracks or the second plurality of greycode tracks demonstrates greater track eccentricity, to thereby obtain a maximum track eccentricity surface and a corresponding maximum eccentricity head. The maximum track eccentricity surface is one of the first and second disc surfaces and the maximum eccentricity head is a corresponding one of the first and second heads. The maximum eccentricity head is used to locate at least one of the physical cylinders.

Selecting physical cylinders in a disc drive employing discs with pre-written servo patterns

By dynamically adjusting the maximum voice coil motor driving current produced by an amplifier in a disc drive, amplifier saturation may be reduced, while still maintaining optimal current to quickly drive the voice coil motor during seek operations. Reducing disc drive saturation, and thus non-linearities in the driving current, increases notch filter performance. As the notch filter is used in the disc drive to remove frequencies from the driving current that tend to cause or excite the mechanical oscillations in the disc drive, increased notch filter performance reduces mechanical oscillations and improves disc drive noise characteristics.

Adaptive seek control for maximum performance with minimal filter corruption

An apparatus and method for dynamic head switch timing recalibration are provided. With the apparatus and method, a determination is made as to whether a difference in a reference head switch timing and the head switch timing at a later time is sufficient to meet a certain criteria. If the difference meets the criteria, a recalibration of the head switch timing is performed. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the criteria is a number of address mark (AM) misses during a head switch operation. If this predetermined number of AM misses is detected, then it is determined that a recalibration is necessary since the predetermined number of AM misses is an indication that the head switch timing has changed significantly from the reference head switch timing.

Dynamic head switch timing recalibration apparatus and method

Growing community of inventors

Westminster, CO, United States of America

Chris Thomas Settje