Method and apparatus for thermal asperity recovery for word sync detection in data channels

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for thermal asperity recovery for word sync detection in data channels. A word sync field contains a plurality of word sync patterns. A word sync detector receives a read signal of the word sync field. The word sync detector identifies a first subset of the plurality of word sync patterns and starts a customer data read. When the word sync detector fails to identify the first subset of the plurality of word sync patterns, the read signal of the word sync field is received again. Then the word sync detector identifies a second predefined subset of the plurality of word sync patterns and starts a customer data read. A single word sync field is used instead of the conventional dual word sync fields required for each sector. The second predefined subset of the plurality of word sync patterns is smaller than the first subset. For example, when the first subset is defined as 4 of 8, the second predefined subset is 2 of 8. For example, when the first subset is defined as 6 of 12, the second predefined subset is 2 of 12.