Patents Assigned to Seagate Technologies
  • Identifying track pitch capability of a recording device
    Patent number: 8736995
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for identifying the track pitch capability of a recording device, such as but not limited to a recording system and/or a servo control system in a data storage device. In accordance with some embodiments, data are written to first and second tracks at an initial track pitch such that the second track at least partially overlaps the first track. Data are arranged on the first track in code words each having a fixed plurality of bits which are decoded as a group by a data channel. The code words are transferred from the first track to the data channel, and a final track pitch for subsequent tracks is responsive to a distance at which nominally half of the code words are undecodeable by the data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kurt Wiesen, Randall Bauck
  • Resistance temperature sensors for head-media and asperity detection
    Patent number: 8737009
    Abstract: A temperature sensor of a head transducer measures temperature near or at the close point. The measured temperature varies in response to changes in spacing between the head transducer and a magnetic recording medium. A detector is coupled to the temperature sensor and is configured to detect a change in a DC component of the measured temperature indicative of onset of contact between the head transducer and the medium. Another head transducer configuration includes a sensor having a sensing element with a high temperature coefficient of resistance to interact with asperities of the medium. Electrically conductive leads are connected to the sensing element and have a low temperature coefficient of resistance relative to that of the sensing element, such thermally induced resistance changes in the leads have a negligible effect on a response of the sensing element to contact with the asperities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Gary J. Kunkel, Huazhou Lou, Declan Macken, Timothy W. Stoebe
  • Alignment feature for near-field transducers
    Patent number: 8737178
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a lens, an alignment feature positioned adjacent to a surface of the lens, a detector for producing an alignment signal in response to a portion of incident light reflected by the alignment feature and a portion of the incident light reflected by the surface adjacent to the alignment feature, and an actuator for controlling alignment of the incident light in response to the alignment signal. A method of controlling alignment of the beam of incident light is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Milster, Jaisoon Kim
  • Repeatable runout data stored in pre-servo gap
    Patent number: 8737011
    Abstract: A data storage medium has first and second data sectors of a track, a pre-servo gap being proximate the first data sector. The data storage medium also includes a servo wedge that stores servo data for the track. A start of the servo wedge is proximate to the pre-servo-gap and an end of the servo wedge is proximate to the second data sector. A repeatable runout field is included in the pre-servo gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Douglas Buch, Barmeshwar Vikramaditya
  • Self-aligned bevels for write poles
    Patent number: 8734894
    Abstract: A method of depositing material onto a base portion of a wafer is disclosed. The method includes forming a bevel into a portion of a surface of the base portion of the wafer and depositing a first layer of conductive material onto the beveled portion of the base portion so that part of the first layer includes a wedge shape above the surface of the base portion. A second layer of conductive material is deposited onto the base portion including the portion of the base portion onto which the first layer of material is deposited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: David Chris Seets, Chang Xie, Christopher J. Cote, Karen Virginia Rud
  • Single thrust bearing fluid dynamic bearing motor
    Patent number: 8732954
    Abstract: A typical dynamic bearing design comprises a ring shaped or circular thrust plate mounted at or near the end of a shaft, the shaft defining together with a surrounding sleeve a journal bearing by providing grooves on only one of the two surfaces facing the gap between the shaft and sleeve. On the ring shaped thrust plate supported by the shaft, the traditional upward thrust bearing defined between the lower face of the thrust plate and the facing surface of the sleeve is maintained; but no grooves are on the surface of the thrust plate distant from the shaft and a facing counterplate surface. Further, the journal bearing is defined to have an asymmetry so that a bias force pressure along the surface of the shaft toward the thrust plate is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. Aiello
  • Equalizer and detector arrangement employing joint entropy-based calibration
    Patent number: 8737460
    Abstract: An equalizer configured to receive a data signal from a channel. The detector is coupled to the equalizer, and a calibration unit is coupled with the equalizer and the detector. The calibration unit is configured to jointly calibrate the equalizer and the detector using a metric subject to an entropy-preserving equalizer constraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Raman Venkataranmani, William Michael Radich
  • Adjusting heater current to reduce read transducer asymmetry
    Patent number: 8737005
    Abstract: An asymmetry is determined of a signal generated by a read transducer in proximity to a changing magnetic field of a magnetic media. In response to determining the asymmetry of the signal, a current flowing through a heater of the read transducer is adjusted to cause a change to a magnetic field generated by the current. The change to the magnetic field generated by the current reduces the asymmetry of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Declan Macken, Scott W. Stokes, Jenny J. Wang
  • Bit patterned magnetic storage medium
    Patent number: 8737001
    Abstract: A magnetic storage medium comprises a plurality of discrete magnetic elements and first and second adjoining servo sectors. Each of the servo sectors comprises first and second rows of the discrete magnetic elements extending in a track direction. The second row of the discrete magnetic elements are stacked relative to the discrete magnetic elements of the first row in a cross-track direction that is perpendicular to the track direction. The discrete magnetic elements of the first servo sector are staggered in the cross-track direction relative to the discrete magnetic elements of the second servo sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sundeep Chauhan, Mehmet Fatih Erden, Alexei H. Sacks, Qiang Ling
  • OFFSET REDUCTION FOR DISPLACEMENT SENSOR
    Publication number: 20140139237
    Abstract: A device including a displacement measurement circuitry and a charge adjuster circuitry is disclosed. The displacement measurement circuitry may be configured to measure displacement associated with a rotating object. The charge adjuster circuitry is coupled to the displacement measurement circuitry. The charge adjuster circuitry is configured to measure an offset associated with ambient noise in the device over time. The charge adjuster circuitry is further configured to adjust sensors of the displacement measurement circuitry to reduce the measured offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Hans Leuthold
  • Distribution with dynamic partitions
    Patent number: 8732390
    Abstract: A method and system for specifying at least one read-only partition and at least one read/write partition in a storage device to provide a convenient user experience. Upon initial connection to a computing system, a read-only partition is specified to execute an autorun file. After completion of the autorun file and upon subsequent connections to the computing system, a read/write partition is specified and the read-only partition is invisible to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Warren Berman, Paul McParland
  • Hybrid storage apparatus and method of sharing resources therein
    Patent number: 8732424
    Abstract: A hybrid storage apparatus having a plurality of storage devices and a method of sharing resources therein. The hybrid storage apparatus can include a plurality of storage device controllers to respectively control a plurality of storage devices that employ different writing methods, a system controller to exchange information with the storage device controllers such that the plurality of storage devices are controlled in one system and in an integrated manner, a reset signal generation unit to output a reset signal that is in a first logic state via an output terminal when a power supply voltage used in the system is equal to or greater than a reference voltage, and a connection unit to electrically connect the output terminal of the reset signal generation unit to a reset signal input terminal of the system controller and to reset signal input terminals of the storage device controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology International
    Inventors: Ki-cheol Lee, Byung-wook Kim, Hwa-jun Kim
  • Addressing variations in bit error rates amongst data storage segments
    Patent number: 8732555
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to an apparatus and methods for addressing variations in bit error rates amongst data storage segments. In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a controller that detects variations in bit error rates amongst different segments of a plurality of segments in a storage medium. The controller also adjusts a read/write operation parameter according to the detected variations amongst the bit error rates in the plurality of segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clifford Jayson Bringas Camalig, Mui Chong Chai
  • Contact detection
    Patent number: 8730611
    Abstract: A method of detecting a contact between a transducing head and a storage medium is provided. The method applies an input signal, having a select power level and known frequency, to an actuator for actuating the head. An output signal is obtained in response to the input signal. At least one signal component is extracted from the output signal at the same or a harmonic of the same known frequency as the input signal applied to the actuator. Whether the at least one extracted signal component indicates a contact between the head and the medium is determined. The power level of the applied wave pattern is increased incrementally until the extracted signal component indicates a contact between the head and the storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Dongming Liu, Lin Zhou, Adam K. Himes, Lee C. Knippenberg, Michael T. Johnson
  • Adapter assembly for concurrent emulation of a native channel
    Patent number: 8731899
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and method for recovering data from a signal generator using a native communication channel and an emulated communication channel coupled in parallel to the native communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jay Alan Mahr, Jim Everett Wilson, Todd Charles Thaler
  • Suppression of seek repeatable runout
    Patent number: 8730614
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to an apparatus and methods of suppressing seek repeatable runout. In a particular embodiment, a servo loop is disclosed. The servo loop includes a seek signal generation component that generates a seek trajectory acceleration signal. The servo loop also includes a STRRO suppression component that is coupled to the seek signal generation component. The STRRO suppression component injects STRRO suppression signals into the seek trajectory acceleration signal and outputs an STRRO suppressed seek trajectory acceleration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Josiah N. Wernow, Raye A. Sosseh, Randall D. Hampshire
  • Light delivery waveguide
    Patent number: 8730780
    Abstract: A light source and a waveguide are mounted on a recording head slider. Light rays are emitted from the light source into the waveguide. The waveguide may include two core layers for light ray transmission. The first core layer enhances light coupling efficiency from the light source to the second core layer. The second core layer transforms a profile of the light. The waveguide may include a tapered portion with a narrow opening near the light source and a wider opening near the tapered portion exit. The light rays passing through the waveguide may be directed toward a collimating mirror. The collimating mirror makes the light rays parallel or nearly parallel and re-directs the light rays to a focusing mirror. The focusing mirror focuses the collimated light rays to a spot on a magnetic media disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology
    Inventors: Chubing Peng, Edward Charles Gage, Kalman Pelhos
  • Retracting an actuator
    Patent number: 8730613
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated methodology for retracting a first member in relation to a second member. The first member may be selectively moveable by a first motor and the second member may be selectively moveable by a second motor that operably generates a back electromagnetic force (BEMF) voltage VBEMF. In an embodiment a retract control circuit may control movement of the first member via the first motor in response to a loss of supply power to the second motor. An embodiment of the apparatus may include a backup power source storing a voltage VB after the loss of supply power. Another embodiment of the apparatus may include retract logic operative on the retract control circuit to divide the VB from the VBEMF to energize the first motor by the VBEMF and not the VB when the VB is greater than a predetermined threshold voltage and a loss of the supply power to the second motor is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Shuang Quan Min, June Christian Ang, Tze Ming Jimmy Pang, Kian Keongh Ooi, Paul E. Dienstbier
  • Corrosion resistant granular magnetic stack
    Patent number: 8728637
    Abstract: A corrosion-resistant granular magnetic recording medium with improved recording performance comprises a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and a layer stack on the substrate surface, including, in order from the surface: a granular magnetic recording layer; an intermediate magnetic de-coupling layer; and a corrosion preventing magnetic cap layer. The intermediate magnetic de-coupling layer has an optimal thickness and/or composition for: (1) promoting magnetic exchange de-coupling between the granular magnetic recording layer and the magnetic cap layer; and (2) reducing the dynamic closure field (Hcl) for determining writeability and eraseability of the medium. Grain boundaries of the magnetic cap layer are substantially oxide-free, and have a greater density and lower average porosity and surface roughness than those of the granular magnetic recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael Zyee-Shan Wu, Mason Lu, Kueir W. Chour, Connie C. Liu, Edward T. Yen, Lynn Li, Steve Hwang
  • Writing a reference pattern to bit patterned media
    Patent number: 8730604
    Abstract: A given reference pattern is written on bit patterned media that has an initial reference pattern already disposed thereon. A write phase and frequency is detected based on the initial reference pattern and the given reference pattern is written on the bit patterned media at the detected write phase and frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: David Erich Tetzlaff, Puskal P. Pokharel, Rene Johannes Marinus van de Veerdonk