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:
Aug. 01, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 19, 1997
Lance Robert Carlson, Niwot, CO (US);
Aaron Wade Wilson, Berthoud, CO (US);
STMicroelectronics N.V., , NL;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing head switch operations in a magnetic disk system with a magnetic disk device that is segmented into a plurality of cylinders. The cylinders are grouped into an inner zone, a middle zone, and an outer zone. The inner zone is near the innermost area of the magnetic disk device. The outer zone is near the outermost area of the magnetic disk device. The middle zone is in between the inner zone and the outer zone. The head switch is performed from a current head at a current cylinder to a target head at a target cylinder. Prior to the head switch, the system determines if the current cylinder is in either the inner zone or the outer zone. If the current cylinder is in either the inner zone or the outer zone, then the system determines if the target cylinder is in either the inner zone or the outer zone. If the target cylinder is in either the inner zone or the outer zone, then the system seeks the current head to the middle zone and then performs the head switch. If the target cylinder is in the middle zone, then the system seeks the current head to the target cylinder and then performs the head switch. If the current cylinder is in the middle zone, then the system performs the head switch without seeking. After the head switch, the system seeks the target head to the target cylinder.