Patents Represented by Attorney Patrick W. Duncan
  • Patent number: 7054090
    Abstract: Disclosed is a data storage device to provide servo patterns of a track pitch individually consistent with head characteristics (writing width, and reading width) in a recording medium of a hard disk device. The data storage device is provided with a disk having pitch information indicating a track pitch recorded in a predetermined area, and a head for scanning the disk to read the TPI ID and reading/writing data from/in the disk by being subjected to seeking control based on the TPI ID. The TPI ID is recorded as a part of a servo pattern in a TPI ID embedded area provided in an outer periphery of a data area of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Masaomi Ikeda, Nobuyuki Kitazaki, Kenji Ogasawara, Atsushi Takeichi, Hirofumi Yanase
  • Patent number: 6765743
    Abstract: A micro-actuator of a head suspension either is wired in a reverse polarity to effect movement of the suspension arms in opposing directions relative to the magnetic disks or reversed in physical orientation and wired identically. This permits a single micro-actuator control signal to control all micro-actuators and thereby cancel the affects of inertia of the suspension arms and the read/write heads on the actuator arms as half of the suspension arms and magnetic heads move in one direction while, simultaneously, the other half of the suspension arms and magnetic heads move in a second, opposite direction in response to a single control signal, simplifying wiring and control electronics. The counter-movement of the suspension arms and magnetic counter the inertia and inertial forces and expedite the settling into their stable recording/reading positions, thereby reducing seek times and improving disk drive performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands. B.V.
    Inventors: Dale E. Goodman, Eric A. Eckberg
  • Patent number: 6680806
    Abstract: A computer hard disk drive has a drive controller that monitors the condition of the head-disk interface within the drive. In response to sensing a degradation of the head-disk interface, the drive prolongs the onset of failure by selectively altering performance parameters. In one embodiment, the internal pressure of the drive is increased to allow the air bearing surfaces of the heads to achieve a greater flying height above the surfaces of their respective disks, thereby delaying the onset of a catastrophic head-disk interface failure. In other embodiments, the spindle rotation rate and/or the slider head access rate are decreased to avoid hastening the imminent failure. Measurements of the condition and stability of the head-disk interface inside the drives are made by monitoring data error rates, head flying height, or other performance variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Gordon James Smith