The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 03, 1987
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1983
George D Green, College Park, MD (US);
Lauren M Laboe, College Park, MD (US);
Richard Cook, Gaithersburg, MD (US);
Other;
Abstract
An external diagnostic device for examining the operation of a disk drive. The device is coupled to input terminals and output terminals of the drive and operates in a selected one of several modes at a given time. In a passive mode, the drive terminals are connected to a host computer and the device monitors the presence of signals at the terminals. In a manual mode, the host computer is disconnected from the drive and the device simulates the host computer, directing control signals to the drive via appropriate input terminals. In a test mode, signals from sensors or the head in the drive are directed to the device via corresponding output terminals. Sensor and head signals are processed to determine operational parameters of the drive--such as speed, azimuth and radial alignment, sector burst, and proper reading and writing of data. Before entering the manual mode or the test mode, a step to track 00 operation is performed and a determination is made as to whether the head has been sensed at track 00. When in the passive mode, control signals from the devices are inhibited. When in the test mode, simulated control signals from the device are provided as required, the host computer and the drive being disconnected also during the test mode.