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:
Oct. 12, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1997
David A Freitas, Morgan Hill, CA (US);
Kevin Roy Vannorsdel, San Jose, CA (US);
Mantle Man-Hon Yu, San Jose, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The present invention concerns an apparatus, method, and article of manufacture that satisfies the need for verifying the identity of a designated head in a gang servo head environment by querying a control parameter unit. In one embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide a method to increase head select robustness for group head systems controlled by drive electronics. The method is practiced when a request is made for a designated head to perform a read or write operation. The request is received by a control parameter unit included in an arm electronics unit. The control parameter unit is then queried to verify the identity of the arm electronics unit selected. The identity of the designated head is then received. A parity check of the control data is performed and, assuming no errors, an actuating arm containing the designated head is positioned. The selected arm electronics unit is loaded with read or write data copied from a host system and transferred to or from the storage device. In various embodiments, the actuating arm electronics unit contain circuitry for repeatedly verifying that the proper head was selected and the integrity of data copied to the arm electronics unit.