Patents by Inventor Gary W. Calfee
Gary W. Calfee has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11960760Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2023Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage CorporationInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Eric R. Dunn
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Patent number: 11942123Abstract: In a disk drive that includes a magnetic head and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) coupled to an actuator for the magnetic head, a method of writing servo information includes: receiving a signal based on an electrical property of a material included in the FPCB, wherein the electrical property of the material changes as the actuator moves; determining a radial position of the magnetic head relative to a disk of the disk drive based on the signal; and controlling a radial velocity of the magnetic head relative to the disk of the disk drive based on the radial position.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2023Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage CorporationInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Rodney Ngai, Gabor Szita
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Patent number: 11942122Abstract: A method of determining radial position of a magnetic head that includes a first read sensor and a second read sensor includes: with the first read sensor, detecting a servo spiral formed on a disk; with the second read sensor, detecting the servo spiral; measuring a time interval between when the servo spiral is detected by the first read sensor and when the servo spiral is detected by the second read sensor; and based on the time interval, determining a radial position of the magnetic head relative to the disk.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2023Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage CorporationInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Gabor Szita, Jiangang Liang
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Publication number: 20230280935Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Inventors: Gary W. CALFEE, Richard M. EHRLICH, Thorsten SCHMIDT, Eric R. DUNN
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Patent number: 11688423Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Gabor Szita
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Patent number: 11508403Abstract: Motion of a first actuator in a multi-actuator drive is prevented from affecting a second actuator in the drive or from being affected by the second actuator. A coupling coordinator generates a hold command for the second actuator based on an operation to be carried out using the first actuator, where the hold command is generated before commands to carry out the operation are issued. The hold command may cause an aggressor actuator in the drive to halt a disturbance-generating operation being performed by the aggressor actuator or delay initiation of such an operation that is to be performed by the aggressor actuator. The hold command may cause a victim actuator in the drive to pause the execution of a sensitive operation being performed by the victim actuator or delay initiation of such an operation that is to be performed by the victim actuator.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Gabor Szita, Anton Gerasimov, Jiangang Liang, Gary W. Calfee
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Publication number: 20220115038Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Gary W. CALFEE, Richard M. EHRLICH, Thorsten SCHMIDT, Gabor SZITA
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Patent number: 11227631Abstract: A self servo-write process in performed on two or more recording surfaces simultaneously. In a dual-stage servo system, a first fine positioning servo system that includes a first microactuator independently controls the position of a first read/write head over a first recording surface of a hard disk drive, while a second fine positioning servo system that includes a second microactuator independently controls the position of a second read/write head over a second recording surface of the hard disk drive.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Thorsten Schmidt, Gary W. Calfee, Gabor Szita, Hieu Pham
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Patent number: 11205450Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Gabor Szita
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Patent number: 11189310Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal for a particular head of the victim actuator is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the particular head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Gabor Szita
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Publication number: 20210366512Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Gary W. CALFEE, Richard M. EHRLICH, Thorsten SCHMIDT, Gabor SZITA
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Publication number: 20210366511Abstract: In a multi-actuator drive, the effect of moving a first actuator (the so-called “aggressor actuator”) in on a second actuator (the so-called “victim actuator”) is reduced or compensated for. A victim feedforward signal for a particular head of the victim actuator is added to a microactuator control signal of the victim actuator in response to a voice-coil motor (VCM) control signal that is applied to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is configured to compensate for disturbances to the victim microactuator caused by VCM commands provided to the aggressor actuator. The feedforward signal is based on a transfer function that models commands added to the victim microactuator, which is coupled to the particular head of the victim actuator, as a function of the aggressor VCM control signal applied to the aggressor actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2020Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Gary W. CALFEE, Richard M. EHRLICH, Thorsten SCHMIDT, Gabor SZITA
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Patent number: 11036436Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Eric R. Dunn
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Publication number: 20210096769Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Gary W. Calfee, Richard M. Ehrlich, Thorsten Schmidt, Eric R. Dunn
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Publication number: 20210096764Abstract: Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Gary W. CALFEE, Richard M. EHRLICH, Thorsten SCHMIDT, Eric R. DUNN
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Publication number: 20200286513Abstract: A self servo-write process in performed on two or more recording surfaces simultaneously. In a dual-stage servo system, a first fine positioning servo system that includes a first microactuator independently controls the position of a first read/write head over a first recording surface of a hard disk drive, while a second fine positioning servo system that includes a second microactuator independently controls the position of a second read/write head over a second recording surface of the hard disk drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Thorsten SCHMIDT, Gary W. CALFEE, Gabor SZITA, Hieu PHAM
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Patent number: 10665257Abstract: A self servo-write process in performed on two or more recording surfaces simultaneously. In a dual-stage servo system, a first fine positioning servo system that includes a first microactuator independently controls the position of a first read/write head over a first recording surface of a hard disk drive, while a second fine positioning servo system that includes a second microactuator independently controls the position of a second read/write head over a second recording surface of the hard disk drive.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND STORAGE CORPORATIONInventors: Thorsten Schmidt, Gary W. Calfee, Gabor Szita, Hieu Pham
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Publication number: 20190279675Abstract: A self servo-write process in performed on two or more recording surfaces simultaneously. In a dual-stage servo system, a first fine positioning servo system that includes a first microactuator independently controls the position of a first read/write head over a first recording surface of a hard disk drive, while a second fine positioning servo system that includes a second microactuator independently controls the position of a second read/write head over a second recording surface of the hard disk drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2018Publication date: September 12, 2019Inventors: Thorsten SCHMIDT, Gary W. CALFEE, Gabor SZITA, Hieu PHAM
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Patent number: 9865290Abstract: In an in-drive erase process in a single-surface HDD, erase spirals on the surface being erased can be employed to control writer position. A reader-to-writer timing offset value is determined for a plurality of radial locations on the surface to be erased, and an erase window is determined for a radial location disposed between two erase spirals. The erase window includes an erase start time, which is based on a spiral exit time of a reader and the reader-to-writer timing offset value for the radial location, and an erase stop time, which is based on a spiral encounter time of the reader and the reader-to-writer timing offset value. The erase window prevents complete erasure of erase spirals, so that the servo system of the HDD can continue to servo off of the erase spirals. The erase spirals may be written with a lower slope than conventional spiral tracks.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Jiangang Liang, Ting-Chun Janet Liu, Gary W. Calfee
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Patent number: 9824708Abstract: A reference spiral is written on a recording surface of a hard disk drive. By launching writing of fine guide spirals from a launch point that is disposed on a pre-existing coarse guide spiral, writing of the fine guide spiral can be launched in response to a write head crossing the pre-existing coarse guide spiral, rather than in response to a precisely timed event. To enable launch points being disposed on pre-existing coarse guide spirals, launch points are not all located at the same radial position on the recording surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Jiangang Liang, Gabor Szita, Tony Huang, Gary W. Calfee