Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optical transducer positioned adjacent to a storage medium and including a waveguide and a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, a light source transmitting light to the grating, and a detector for detecting a portion of the light, wherein the detected portion of the light has a magnitude that varies in response to the amount of light coupled into the waveguide.

Abstract: A storage device includes an interface for receiving and outputting messages for processing data units, wherein each data unit includes message input field parameters, message output field parameters, and content field parameters, a non-volatile memory for storing data units, a volatile memory, and a processor coupled to the interface, the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory, for manipulation of the parameter values in the data units, and storing the data units in at least one of the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing metadata associated with a data storage array. In accordance with various embodiments, a group of user data blocks are stored to memory cells at a selected physical address of the array. A multi-tiered metadata scheme is used to generate metadata which describes the selected physical address of the user data blocks. The multi-tiered metadata scheme provides an upper tier metadata format adapted for groups of N user data blocks, and a lower tier metadata format adapted for groups of M user data blocks where M is less than N. The generated metadata is formatted in accordance with a selected one of the upper or lower tier metadata formats in relation to a total number of the user data blocks in the group.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a movable member, first and second rigid members positioned on opposite sides of the movable member, a first suspension assembly connected between a base and the first and second rigid members, a second suspension assembly connected between the first and second rigid members and the movable member, first and second actuators coupled to the first and second rigid members along a first central axis, and third and fourth actuators coupled to the movable member along a second central axis.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a storage medium having a plurality of data sectors and a head that communicates with the data storage medium. The head produces a readback signal when reading information from the data storage medium. A computation unit extracts a distortion component of the readback signal and generates a position error signal from the distortion component.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a load beam, a slider coupled to the load beam by a gimbal assembly and including an optical transducer, an optical fiber for transmitting light directly toward the transducer, and a mounting structure for adjusting the position of an end of the optical fiber. Data storage devices that include the apparatus are also included.

Abstract: A data storage system includes a storage medium having a plurality of data sectors and a head that communicates with the data storage medium. The head produces a readback signal when reading information from the data storage medium. A computation unit extracts a distortion component of the readback signal and generates a position error signal from the distortion component.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a moveable arm for positioning an optical transducer adjacent to a storage medium, a stationary light source, and a moveable mirror mounted at a pivot axis of the arm for reflecting light from the light source to the optical transducer. An actuator can be provided for rotating the moveable mirror through an angle of about one half of an angle of rotation of the moveable arm.

Abstract: A track accessing mechanism includes a track accessing arm actuable by a primary actuation device for accessing concentric data tracks on a storage medium and at least one slider attached to the track accessing arm. The at least one slider includes a servo head configured to read positional information from a plurality of continuous, concentric rings radially spaced apart from each other on a storage medium and a data head configured to read and write user data to the least one concentric data track. At least a portion of each ring includes servo information. The at least one data track is positioned between each continuous, concentric ring on the storage medium.

Abstract: A track accessing mechanism includes a track accessing arm actuable by a primary actuation device for accessing concentric data tracks on a storage medium and at least one slider attached to the track accessing arm. The at least one slider includes a servo head configured to read positional information from a plurality of continuous, concentric rings radially spaced apart from each other on a storage medium and a data head configured to read and write user data to the least one concentric data track. At least a portion of each ring includes servo information. The at least one data track is positioned between each continuous, concentric ring on the storage medium.

Abstract: A storage device includes an interface for receiving and outputting messages for processing data units, wherein each data unit includes message input field parameters, message output field parameters, and content field parameters, a non-volatile memory for storing data units, a volatile memory, and a processor coupled to the interface, the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory, for manipulation of the parameter values in the data units, and storing the data units in at least one of the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a movable member, first and second rigid members positioned on opposite sides of the movable member, a first suspension assembly connected between a base and the first and second rigid members, a second suspension assembly connected between the first and second rigid members and the movable member, first and second actuators coupled to the first and second rigid members along a first central axis, and third and fourth actuators coupled to the movable member along a second central axis.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a load beam, a slider coupled to the load beam by a gimbal assembly and including an optical transducer, an optical fiber for transmitting light directly toward the transducer, and a mounting structure for adjusting the position of an end of the optical fiber. Data storage devices that include the apparatus are also included.

Abstract: A suspension arm for an optical transducer comprises a load beam, a slider coupled to the load beam by a gimbal assembly and including an optical transducer positioned adjacent to an end of the slider facing a pivot point of the suspension arm, and an optical fiber for transmitting light toward the transducer, wherein an end of the optical fiber is positioned adjacent to the transducer such that light emitted from the fiber passes directly to the transducer. Disc drives that include the suspension arm, and a method of transmitting light to an optical transducer, are also included.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving servo loop performance in a disc drive storage system are provided. The servo loop includes a voice coil motor actuator that moves the head in response to a received servo control signal. A sensor, located in the head, senses servo information located on the disc and produces a servo signal therefrom. The servo signal is combined with a reference signal to produce a position error signal. A servo controller receives the position error signal and responsively produces the servo control signal. The servo controller includes a drive signal generator that receives the position error signal and responsively produces a driving energy signal. A vibration damping circuit receives the driving energy signal and responsively produces the servo control signal.

Abstract: A method and disc drive are disclosed that write servo wedges to a plurality of tracks of a disc. A head having a read element offset from a write element reads a servo wedge on a first track as a propagation guide and writes two or more servo wedges to be used as a subsequent propagation guide on a second track, all during one instance of a sector position of the disc rotating by the head. Additionally, a one of the written servo wedges can be radially continuous from the outer to inner diameter and is used for track-following during normal operation. In this manner, all radially continuous servo wedges for each sector of a given track can be written during one revolution of the disc, thereby reducing the amount of time necessary for servowriting.

Abstract: A method of, apparatus for, and means for controlling pitch of a servowritten track on a disc in a disc drive are disclosed. The disc drive has a head for traversing over a surface of the disc. The head has a read element and a write element separated by a head element offset &Dgr;. A servowriting controller operably connected to the disc drive creates a track k by writing servo information on the disc. The servowriting controller then calculates the head element offset &Dgr; at the track k, [&Dgr;CALC(k)] and determines a skew angle &thgr; at the track k, [&thgr;(k)]. The servowriting controller adjusts a track pitch correction factor based on the &Dgr;CALC(K) and the &thgr;(k) such that the track pitch correction factor is utilized to servowrite a next track.

Abstract: Many parallel tracks on a storage surface of a data handling device are arranged in a longitudinal direction. Each track has a track center comprising reference points for fine lateral positioning. Each successive pair of track centers has a succession of lateral offset distance having an average. Because there are many successive pairs of tracks, there are many average lateral offset distances defining a statistical distribution having a variance. The device includes a laterally movable transducer head and a longitudinally movable data surface. A signal is received from the transducer head while the data surface moves past the head. Many values each indicative of a lateral offset distance between a corresponding pair of lateral reference points are derived from the received signal. These offset-indicative values are used to shift at least some of the latitudinal reference points laterally so as to reduce this variance.

Abstract: Linearizing hysteresis of a microactuator for a disc drive by modeling the microactuator with a first polynomial equation to provide a linear displacement response of the microactuator responding to an applied voltage, deriving a set of constants from a plurality of burst patterns for use with the first polynomial equation to provide a set of variables for use in resolving the second polynomial equation to provide a set of equations from which a set of constants can be derived for use by the second polynomial equation to provide a voltage to the microactuator to displace the microactuator by a predetermined incremental distance.

Abstract: A magnetless rotary actuator for carrying one or more read/write heads across a data bearing medium, the rotary actuator comprising: a stator including a plurality of independently controllable flux generating means for directing flux between the stator and a rotor; the rotor including means for presenting discrete regions of low magnetic reluctance to the controllable flux generating means; torque coupling means for transmitting operative torque from the rotor to the read/write head; and pivot means for supporting the torque coupling means.