Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device and a non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device that measures a hit rate of read/write commands that result in accesses to the non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device, and adjusts a length of a time period, such as an idle time, based on the hit rate. The duration of the time period can be set each time the magnetic storage device is accessed. Upon expiration of the time period, if the magnetic storage device has not yet been accessed, the magnetic storage device is changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device and a non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device that measures a hit rate of read/write commands that result in accesses to the non-magnetic nonvolatile storage device, and adjusts a length of a time period, such as an idle time, based on the hit rate. The duration of the time period can be set each time the magnetic storage device is accessed. Upon expiration of the time period, if the magnetic storage device has not yet been accessed, the magnetic storage device is changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state.

Abstract: Data are accessed securely in a data storage device that includes a non-volatile solid-state storage device integrated with a magnetic storage device. An identical copy of drive security data, such as an encrypted version of a drive access password, is stored in both the non-volatile solid-state storage device and in the magnetic storage device. In response to receiving a command from a host device that results in access to the magnetic storage device, access is granted to the magnetic storage device if the copy of drive security data stored in the non-volatile solid-state storage device matches the copy of drive security data stored in the magnetic storage device. Furthermore, encrypted drive-unique identification data associated with the drive may be stored in both the non-volatile solid-state storage device and the magnetic storage device, and access is granted if both copies of the encrypted drive-unique identification data match.

Abstract: A data storage device that includes a magnetic storage device selects one or more power states of the magnetic storage device based on a time interval since a most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device. The power state of the magnetic storage device can be changed from a higher power consumption state to a lower power consumption state when the time interval exceeds a predetermined value. The power consumption state may be changed from an active servo state to an intermediate power consumption state, a park state, and/or a standby state, depending on the time elapsed since the most recent time data has been read from or written to the magnetic storage device.

Abstract: Data are accessed securely in a data storage device that includes a non-volatile solid-state storage device integrated with a magnetic storage device. An identical copy of drive security data, such as an encrypted version of a drive access password, is stored in both the non-volatile solid-state storage device and in the magnetic storage device. In response to receiving a command from a host device that results in access to the magnetic storage device, access is granted to the magnetic storage device if the copy of drive security data stored in the non-volatile solid-state storage device matches the copy of drive security data stored in the magnetic storage device. Furthermore, encrypted drive-unique identification data associated with the drive may be stored in both the non-volatile solid-state storage device and the magnetic storage device, and access is granted if both copies of the encrypted drive-unique identification data match.

Abstract: A controller for a data storage device that includes a cache memory and a non-volatile solid state memory is configured to fetch data from the non-volatile solid state memory in response to a read command, conditionally fetch additional data from the non-volatile solid state memory in response to the read command, and then store some or all of the fetched data in the cache memory. The condition for additional data fetch is met when it is determined that a sequence of N (where N is two or more) most recent read commands is requesting data from a successively increasing and consecutive address range. The additional data fetch speeds up subsequent reads, especially when the requested data sizes are relatively small. When the requested data sizes are larger, improvements in read speeds can be achieved if the time between the large reads are well spaced.

Abstract: A hybrid drive controller maintains a deferred trim list that holds a subset of logical addresses of writes performed on magnetic disks. For example, if a write command is issued to an LBA space that overlaps a portion stored in flash memory and the write is to be performed on the magnetic disks, the trimming of the overlapping portion in the flash memory will be deferred. Instead of trimming, the logical addresses associated with the overlapping portion will be added to the deferred trim list and trimming of the logical addresses in the deferred trim list will be carried out at a later time, asynchronous to the write that caused them to be added to the list.

Abstract: A disk drive has multiple disk surfaces and corresponding heads, each disk surface includes multiple regions, and each head is for recording on and playback of information from a corresponding disk surface. The data track density in a first region on a first disk surface is different than the data track density in a second region on a second disk surface, and the first and second regions are radially similarly situated regions. A method of sequentially accessing data in the first and second regions includes sequentially accessing data tracks in the first region and then sequentially accessing data tracks in the second region.

Abstract: A disk drive has multiple disk surfaces and corresponding heads, each disk surface includes multiple regions, and each head is for recording on and playback of information from a corresponding disk surface. The data track density in a first region on a first disk surface is greater than the data track density in a first region on a second disk surface, the data track density in a second region on the first disk surface is less than the data track density in a second region on the second disk surface, the first regions are radially similarly situated regions and the second regions are radially similarly situated regions.

Abstract: A data storage device has multiple storage media surfaces and corresponding heads, each storage media surface includes multiple regions, and each head is for recording on and playback of information from a corresponding storage media surface. A method of defining a storage format for the storage media surfaces includes reading data from each region on each storage media surface with the corresponding head, measuring a record/playback performance of each head for each region on each corresponding storage media surface based on the data read from the regions, and selecting a track density for each region on each storage media surface based on the measured record/playback performance of the corresponding head for the region.

Abstract: A method of defining storage format in a data storage device having a plurality of storage media and a plurality of corresponding data transducer heads, each transducer head for recording on and playback of information from a corresponding storage medium. A storage format is defined in at least one region on each storage medium, wherein each region includes a plurality of concentric tracks for recording on and playback of information. The method includes: moving each storage medium with respect to the corresponding transducer head and reading data from each storage medium with the corresponding transducer head; measuring a record/playback performance capability of each transducer head; selecting a group of track densities, one track density for each region on a storage medium, based on the measured record/playback performance capability of the corresponding transducer head.