Travis E Ell

Title: Innovations by Travis E Ell in Disk Drive Technology

Introduction

Travis E Ell is an accomplished inventor based in Foothill Ranch, CA (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of disk drive technology, holding a total of 2 patents. His work focuses on enhancing the efficiency and performance of disk drives, which are crucial components in modern computing systems.

Latest Patents

Travis E Ell's latest patents include innovative designs that improve the functionality of disk drives. One of his patents is titled "Disk drive and method having cost-effective storage of the disk drive's internal program code." This invention discloses a disk drive that incorporates a disk, a masked read-only memory (ROM) device, a reprogrammable nonvolatile memory device, and a microprocessor for executing program code. The design features a magnetic data storage surface with embedded servo wedges that define data storage tracks, including reserve tracks. The masked ROM device is responsible for storing program code that implements a spindle motor controller, a portion of a servo controller for track following, and a disk controller for managing data writing and reading from reserve tracks. The reprogrammable nonvolatile memory device stores configuration data for the disk drive, while the reserve tracks are utilized for implementing a cache control system.

Another notable patent by Travis is "Disk drive control system having a servo processing accelerator circuit." This patent describes a control system designed for processing sampled servo data in a disk drive. It includes a microprocessor and a servo processing accelerator circuit that performs operations on the sampled servo data while the microprocessor executes firmware code. This innovative accelerator circuit allows for a higher servo bandwidth, resulting in increased track density and greater storage capacity for the disk drive. Additionally, it alleviates the microprocessor from ordinary servo processing tasks, enabling it to focus on other controller and interface functions.

Career Highlights

Travis E Ell is currently employed at Western Digital Technologies, Inc., where he continues to develop cutting-edge technologies in disk drive systems. His expertise in this field has positioned him as a valuable asset to the company.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Travis has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Hanan Kupferman and Hoa V Le. These partnerships have contributed to the advancement of innovative solutions in disk drive technology.

Conclusion

Travis E Ell's contributions to disk drive technology through his patents demonstrate his