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.

Date of Patent:
Jul. 01, 2003

Filed:

Jan. 28, 2000
Applicant:
Inventors:

Bernhard Hiller, San Jose, CA (US);

Glenn Albert, Longmont, CO (US);

Dennis Chen, Milpitas, CA (US);

Assignee:

Maxtor Corporation, Longmont, CO (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 1/546 ; G11B 2/102 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 1/546 ; G11B 2/102 ;
Abstract

A method for overcoming a stiction condition in a disk drive is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (1) providing a plurality of disks each having a pair of disk surfaces, each of the disk surfaces having a corresponding actuator arm assembly including a head; (2) providing a spin motor for rotating said plurality of disks when a stiction condition does not exist; (3) providing a voice coil motor for positioning said heads relative to said disk surfaces when a stiction condition does not exist; (3) providing a microprocessor for controlling application of a voice coil motor current to said voice coil motor and for controlling application of a spin motor current to said spin motor; (4) applying a spin motor current to said spin motor; (5) sensing that the spin motor is not rotating said plurality of disks and, hence, a stiction condition exists; (6) applying a first oscillating current to said voice coil motor in response to said stiction condition, said first oscillating current having a fixed frequency and a first amplitude; (7) determining whether said spin motor is rotating in response to said first oscillating current; and, (8) continuing to apply said first oscillating current for at least one commutation state of said spin motor after determining that said spin motor is rotating in response to said first oscillating current.


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