Abstract: A data writer may be generally configured at least with a write pole adjacent to and separated from a side shield and a trailing shield. The side shield may be formed of a first material and configured with a trailing box region that is at least partially filled with a flux density insert formed of a second material that is different than the first material.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface and a control circuit. The interface may be configured to process a plurality of read/write operations to/from a memory. The control circuit may be configured to determine if a read disturb has occurred. If the read disturb has occurred, the control circuit may (a) determine a size of a group of the read/write operations and (b) write all of the group of the read/write operations to one of a plurality of memory modules of the memory.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a media controller to read data stored in a media. The media controller determines a value for each bit of a shortened codeword from the media. The shortened codeword includes a plurality of non-shortened bits of a full codeword, where the full codeword includes the plurality of non-shortened bits and one or more shortened bits. Shortened bits correspond to bits unused in the shortened codeword. The media controller converts the determined values for each bit of the shortened codeword into a first set of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) values. The full codeword is decoded using the first set of LLR values for the shortened codeword. The media controller dampens one or more LLR values corresponding to non-shortened bits of the codeword to produce a second set of LLR values and decodes the second set of LLR values.

Abstract: An apparatus of the present disclosure includes a controller coupled to a read/write head wherein the controller is configured to perform various operations. More specifically, the controller is configured to monitor an operational parameter of the read/write head and to detect a fault based on the operational parameter. The fault indicates that a write enabling energy source is malfunctioning during a write operation. The controller is additionally configured, in response to the fault, to take remedial action to protect data associated with the write operation.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a spindle to rotate a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic field generator to expose a track of the medium to a DC magnetic field. The magnetic field generator is configured to saturate the track during an erase mode and reverse the DC magnetic field impinging the track during a writing mode. A laser arrangement heats the track during the erase mode and, during the writing mode, heats the track while the track is exposed to the reversed DC magnetic field so as to write a magnetic pattern thereon. A reader reads the magnetic pattern and generates a read signal. A processor is coupled to the reader and configured to measure one or more magnetic properties of the track using the read signal. The apparatus can further comprise a Kerr sensor that generates a Kerr signal using the magnetic pattern.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for writing data based on a drive state. In one embodiment, a method may comprise receiving a command to store data to a first area of a data storage device, detecting whether the data storage device is in a first state indicating a lowered write reliability, and writing the data to a second area when the first state is detected, the second area having a higher write reliability than the first area. In another embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a processor configured to receive a command to write data to a first area of a data storage device, detect whether the data storage device is in a first mode indicating a reduced writing reliability relative to a second mode, and write the data to a second area of the data storage device when the first mode is detected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for write fault modulation. In an embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to adjust a write fault value for a data storing system based on a circumferential point of a target data storage location, and write data based on the write fault value. The write fault value may represent an amount of off-track deviation of a data writing system within which data writing operations may be performed. In another embodiment, a memory device may store instructions that cause a processor to perform a method including receiving a write command including write data, determining a write fault threshold for a circumferential point of a target location of the write data, performing, using a transducer, a write operation at the circumferential point based on the write fault threshold, and suspending the write operation when a positional deviation of the transducer exceeds the write fault threshold.

Abstract: A data storage device may be configured with at least one data sector sync mark. Various embodiments are generally directed to a data sector having a sync mark and stored on a data storage medium with the sync mark having either a first or second patterns and a sync circuit configured to distinguish between the two different patterns to identify a status of at least some other portion of the data sector.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting unstable read sensors (readers) for data storage systems. In some embodiments, a transducer is supported adjacent a rotating data recording medium having servo data patterns interspersed with calibration test data patterns. A read sensor of the transducer reads the servo and calibration test data patterns while the transducer is maintained at a passive fly height adjacent the medium. A corresponding location on the medium is identified for an error detected during the reading of the servo and calibration test patterns. The servo and calibration test patterns at the location are reread using the read sensor to characterize the read sensor as an unstable reader.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for operating a device in a low power mode. In accordance with some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a memory and a system on chip (SOC) integrated circuit. The SOC has a first region with a processing core and a second region electrically isolated from the first region as an always on domain power island with a power control block. In response to a sleep command, the processing core transfers system data to the memory and the power control block enters a low power mode in which no electrical power is supplied to the first region. In response to a wake up command, power is restored to the first region and the processing core performs a reinitialization operation responsive to status information communicated by the power control block indicative of a state of the system during the low power mode.

Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method of stack patterning, including loading a stack into a stationary stack stage, rotating one or more ion beam grid assemblies substantially concentrically aligned with the stationary stack stage to etch the stack and controlling the operation of the one or more ion beam grid assemblies to achieve substantial axial uniformity of the etched stack.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for inserting a gap in information sent from a drive to a host device. In operation, one or more commands are received at a drive from a host device. Additionally, information is queued to send to the host device. Furthermore, a gap is inserted in the information to send to the host device such that the host device is capable of sending additional commands to the drive.

Abstract: An NVM controller measures cell damage for wear leveling in an NVM, thus improving performance, reliability, lifetime, and/or cost of a storage sub-system, such as an SSD. In a first aspect, the controller determines that an error reading a page of NVM was caused by cell damage and/or cell leakage. The controller reprograms and immediately reads back the page, detecting that the error was caused by cell damage if an error is detected during the immediate read. In a second aspect, the cell damage is tracked by updating cell damage counters for pages and/or blocks of NVM. In a third aspect, wear leveling is performed based at least in part upon measured cell damage for pages and/or blocks of NVM.

Abstract: A data storage system and associated method are provided wherein a policy engine continuously collects qualitative information about a network load to the data storage system in order to dynamically characterize the load and continuously correlates the load characterization to the content of a command queue of transfer requests for writeback commands and host read commands, selectively limiting the content with respect to writeback commands to only those transfer requests for writeback data that are selected on a physical zone basis of a plurality of predefined physical zones of a storage media.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for distributed power delivery. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a device configured to control power to one or more power-consuming components via managing power usage among the one or more power-consuming components based on a priority of a task associated with the one or more power-consuming components. In certain embodiments, a device may comprise a processor configured to: receive a request to allow a component to expend an amount of power, determine if the request can be satisfied with an unallocated power budget managed by the processor, the unallocated power budget being an unallocated portion of a total power budget managed by the first processor, and allow the component to expend the amount of power when the request can be satisfied with the unallocated power budget.

Abstract: Power-backup capabilities are provided by implementing a variety of different methods, systems and devices. According to one such implementation, an energy storage device such as a capacitive storage circuit is powered relative to the powering of one or more additional circuits from a common power supply to limit the draw upon the power supply. Certain applications involve delaying or otherwise modifying the powering of the capacitive storage circuit, which may involve an initial startup of the capacitive storage circuit.

Abstract: A method for using a partitioned flash transition layer is disclosed. Step (A) receives, at an apparatus from a host, a write command having first write data. Step (B) generates second write data by compressing the first write data in the apparatus. The second write data generally has a variable size. Step (C) stores the second write data at a physical location in a nonvolatile memory. The physical location is a next unwritten location. Step (D) returns, from the apparatus to the host in response to the write command, an indication of the physical location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a non-volatile memory and a controller. The non-volatile memory includes a user area and a non-user area. The user area is generally enabled to store and retrieve data in a logical block address space of a host. The non-user area stores a failure-specific recovery routine. The controller may be communicatively coupled to the non-volatile memory. The controller is generally enabled, when operationally coupled to the host, (i) to respond to host commands to read and to write data into the user area of the non-volatile memory and (ii) upon detection of a predefined failure of a controller boot process, to respond to host read requests by returning the failure-specific recovery routine stored in the non-user area of the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a memory and a controller. The memory may be configured to process a plurality of read/write operations. The memory comprises a plurality of memory units each having a size less than a total size of the memory. The controller may be configured to perform a first error correction code decoding on the memory units using a plurality of initial log likelihood ratio values. The controller may be configured to count a number of unsatisfied checks if the first error correction code decoding fails. The controller may be configured to generate a plurality of measured log likelihood ratio values if the number of unsatisfied checks is below a threshold. The plurality of measured log likelihood ratio values are (a) based on calculations using decoded bits of the first error correction code decoding, and (b) used to perform a second error correction code decoding on the memory units.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for using track misregistration values, representing an amount of off-track deviation of a write element, to dynamically increment error scan counters for proximate storage areas. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a processor configured to perform a write operation to record data to a target track of a data storage medium using a write element, determine an amount of deviation of the write element from a center line of the target track, and increment an error scan counter for an area of the data storage medium proximate to the target track based on the amount of deviation.