Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for performing a self-servo write operation in a disk drive. In one embodiment, the disk drive includes a disk surface having a read head and a write head associated therewith. Spiral servo information is written onto the disk surface in a closed-loop fashion through use of a servo track writer. The read head reads the spiral servo information and is used to position the write head, which writes final servo information onto the disk surface. The final servo information may be embedded servo information. The final servo information that has been written onto the disk surface looks substantially identical to a disk surface that has had its final servo patterns written using a servo track writer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for modifying a spiral profile using reference tracks written onto a disk surface of a disk drive. In one embodiment, a disk drive includes a disk surface having both a read head and a write head associated therewith. A servo track writer is provided for moving the write head and the read head relative to the disk surface. The write head, under control of the servo track writer, is used to write both a first reference track near an outer diameter of the disk surface and a second reference track near an inner diameter of the disk surface. The servo track writer is used to move the write head according to a spiral profile when writing spiral servo information onto the disk surface, and the first and second reference tracks are used to modify the spiral profile.

Abstract: A method for creating a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In addition, an apparatus having a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In particular, the present invention provides a high efficiency, error minimizing code for use in connection with systems having a communication channel in which identifiable dominant errors occur, and that is used to transmit data that may be usefully applied in the system even though the received signal is not exactly equal to the original signal. Furthermore, the present invention provides a code that may be used to constrain the effects of dominant errors in a communication channel.

Abstract: A method for creating a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In addition, an apparatus having a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In particular, the present invention provides a high efficiency, error minimizing code for use in connection with systems having a communication channel in which identifiable dominant errors occur, and that is used to transmit data that may be usefully applied in the system even though the received signal is not exactly equal to the original signal. Furthermore, the present invention provides a code that may be used to constrain the effects of dominant errors in a communication channel.

Abstract: A method for creating a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In addition, an apparatus having a high efficiency, error minimizing code is provided. In particular, the present invention provides a high efficiency, error minimizing code for use in connection with systems having a communication channel in which identifiable dominant errors occur, and that is used to transmit data that may be usefully applied in the system even though the received signal is not exactly equal to the original signal. Furthermore, the present invention provides a code that may be used to constrain the effects of dominant errors in a communication channel.