Abstract: A servo system includes a detector circuit operable to apply a data detection algorithm to digital data to yield hard decisions, a convolution circuit operable to yield ideal digital data based on the hard decisions and on target values, a subtraction circuit operable to subtract the ideal digital data from the digital data to yield an error signal, a scaling circuit operable to scale the error signal to yield a scaled noise signal, an adder operable to add the scaled noise signal to the digital data to yield noise-added digital data, and a second detector circuit operable to apply a second data detection algorithm to the noise-added digital data to yield output hard decisions.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for media defect detection.

Abstract: A data processing system includes a decoder circuit, syndrome calculation circuit and hash calculation circuit. The decoder circuit is operable to apply a decoding algorithm to a decoder input based on a first portion of a composite matrix to yield a codeword. The syndrome calculation circuit is operable to calculate a syndrome based on the codeword and on the first portion of the composite matrix. The hash calculation circuit is operable to calculate a hash based on a second portion of the composite matrix. The decoder circuit is also operable to correct the codeword on the hash when the syndrome indicates that the codeword based on the first portion of the composite matrix is correct but a second test indicates that the codeword is miscorrected.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods for filtering a digital signal with a Nyquist constrained digital finite impulse response filter. For example, an apparatus for filtering digital data is disclosed that includes a digital finite impulse response filter having a plurality of taps. The apparatus also includes a tap weight controller connected to the digital finite impulse response filter, operable to adjust a tap weight for each of a subset of the taps such that a magnitude of a Nyquist response of the digital finite impulse response filter remains within a constraint range.

Abstract: The present inventions are related to systems and methods for detecting trapping sets in LDPC decoders, and particularly for detecting variable nodes in trapping sets in a non-erasure channel LDPC decoder.

Abstract: A storage system and method for preventing propagation of link reset among initiators in the storage system is disclosed. The method includes issuing a link reset command by the initiator, and entering the initiator into a back-off period immediately following the issuing of the link reset command. The initiator remains idle for the entire duration of the back-off period and resumes its operations at the end of the back-off period.

Abstract: A method and system for high density pulse density modulation is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a modulation function is split in to two band limited streams using a complementary pair of non-linear functions. More specifically, one bitstream definition contains the peaks of the original function while the other bitstream contains a soft clipping version of the original bitstream. The bitstreams are applied to a pair of switching amplifiers, and the bitstreams can be combined again to reconstruct the original function. The method in accordance with the present disclosure limits the amount of input power necessary to achieve higher output power, lowers operating voltage and improves power amplifier efficiency.

Abstract: A storage system includes a plurality hard disk drives and a plurality of solid-state drives and a storage controller operable to manage the hard disk drives and solid-state drives as a plurality of logical volumes, and categorize input/output requests to the logical volumes into types based on sizes of the input/output requests (e.g., smaller and larger). The storage controller is also operable to reconfigure the logical volumes from the hard disk drives and the solid-state drives based on the types of the input/output requests to the logical volumes. A first of the reconfigured logical volumes occupies a first portion of at least one of the solid-state drives and a first portion of at least one of the hard disk drives. The storage controller is further operable to direct the first type of the input/output requests to the first portion of the solid-state drive occupied by the first reconfigured logical volume.

Abstract: A method of controlling a ping-pong buffer includes selectively providing one of a ping gated write clock signal and a ping gated read clock signal to a single-port ping buffer, and selectively providing a pong gated write clock signal or a pong gated read clock signal to a single-port pong buffer. A controller of a ping-pong buffer includes a ping multiplexer and a pong multiplexer. The ping multiplexer selectively provides a ping gated write clock signal or a ping gated read clock signal to a single-port ping buffer. The pong multiplexer selectively provides a pong gated write clock signal or a pong gated read clock signal to a single-port pong buffer. A ping-pong buffer system includes a ping buffer, a pong buffer, a ping multiplexer, and a pong multiplexer. The ping buffer and pong buffer each include a single-port memory.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a system and method of determining signal quality based upon at least one of: a comparison of energy content of the signal to a threshold energy content, a comparison of energy content of the fundamental harmonic of the signal to a specified percentage of the energy content of the signal, and a comparison of a difference between phase of the signal and a target phase to a threshold phase difference.

Abstract: One embodiment is an apparatus that has a memory array, a discharge device, and a discharge assistance controller. The memory array has memory cells arranged in at least one column that is coupled to a read bit line, and the discharge device is configured to provide discharge assistance to the read bit line. The discharge assistance controller is configured to modify duration of the discharge assistance in correlation with capacitance of the read bit line.

Abstract: Systems and method relating generally to data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for recovering data from a solid state memory.

Abstract: Methods and structure for utilizing a Solid State Drive (SSD) to enhance boot time for a computer. The computer includes an SSD that stores a boot cache for an Operating System of a computer, a Hard Disk Drive that stores the Operating System, and a processor. The processor is able to load an interrupt handler that intercepts Input/Output requests directed to the Hard Disk Drive prior to loading a kernel of the Operating System. The interrupt handler is able to determine whether each intercepted request can be serviced with data from the boot cache, and to redirect a request to the SSD instead of the Hard Disk Drive if the request can be serviced with data from the boot cache.

Abstract: A method of calibrating data slicer-latches in a receiver to remove offset errors in the slicer-latches. A known voltage is applied to all but one of the inputs of the slicer-latch. The remaining input receives an offset cancelation voltage from a DAC is stepped upward from a minimum voltage until the slicer-latch output transitions by incrementing a codeword to the DAC and the codeword that resulted the transition is saved. Then the offset cancelation voltage is swept downward in steps from a maximum voltage until the slicer-latch output transitions and the codeword that caused the transition is averaged with the stored codeword. The average of the codewords is applied to the DAC to generate the offset cancelation voltage used during normal operation of the receiver.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a through-substrate-via structure. The method comprises providing a substrate having a front-side and an opposite back-side. A through-substrate via opening is formed in the front-side of the substrate. The through-substrate-via opening does not penetrate an outer surface of the back-side of the substrate. The through-substrate-via opening is filled with a solid fill material. Portions of the substrate from the outer surface of the back-side of the substrate are removed to thereby expose the fill material. At least portions of the exposed fill material are removed to form a back-side through-substrate via opening that traverses an entire thickness of the substrate. The back-side through-substrate via opening is filled with an electrically conductive material.

Abstract: A circuit and method for dynamically changing trip point voltage in a sensing inverter circuit. In one embodiment, the sensing inverter circuit includes: (1) a base inverter circuit couplable to logic-high and logic-low voltage sources at respective inputs thereof and configured to transition an output thereof from a previous logic-level voltage to a present logic-level voltage based on a logic value of an input voltage received by the base inverter circuit, and (2) a feedback circuit associated with the base inverter circuit and configured to employ the previous logic-level voltage to decouple one of the logic-high and logic-low voltage sources from one of the inputs and thereby shift a trip voltage of the base inverter circuit toward the input voltage.

Abstract: Methods, systems and processor-readable media are disclosed for implementing a “smart” discovery process in a data transfer regime having one or more expanders and one or more initiators. Data traffic associated with such a discovery process can be reduced and one or more of the initiators can be prevented from blocking input/output to particular components in communication with the data transfer regime, thereby improving and completing the discovery process in an optimal time frame while enhancing the performance of the initiator(s).

Abstract: A sense amplifier includes a latch, first and second switching circuitry, and control circuitry. The first switching circuitry selectively couples a voltage supply node and/or a voltage return node of the latch to a voltage supply and/or a voltage return of the sense amplifier, respectively, as a function of a first control signal. The second switching circuitry couples a first sensing node in the sense amplifier with a first bit line of a first sub-bank in one of multiple memory banks in a memory device as a function of a second control signal, and couples a second sensing node with a second bit line of a second sub-bank as a function of the second control signal. The control circuitry imparts an imbalance between the first and second sensing nodes which varies as a function of a third control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a classification block, a pattern generator block, a hash key block and a replacement block. The classification block may be configured to (i) receive a data signal and (ii) identify a portion of the data signal that contains a duplicated data pattern. The pattern generation block may be configured to generate a common continuous pattern of data in response to the data signal. The hash key block may be configured to generate a hash key representing the duplicated data pattern. The replacement block may be configured to replace the duplicated data pattern with the hash key.

Abstract: Systems and method relating generally to data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for fragmenting a data set and recovering the fragmented data set.