Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing feedforward control of two interacting actuators to compensate for interaction there between is disclosed. State models for each actuator that processes acceleration for each actuator provide an estimate of head acceleration for each of the actuators and to provide feedforward control signals to the actuators for controlling the positioning of the heads based upon the estimates of head acceleration for each of the actuators.

Abstract: A method and system in accordance with the present invention for minimizing the loss of data by a write head is disclosed. The method comprises providing a desired write head width based upon a hard error rate. The method further comprises adjusting at least one parameter of the servo control logic based upon a comparison of the width of the write head and the desired write head width, wherein the write head will not exceed the hard error rate when writing data. Through the use of a system and method in accordance with the present invention a servo system can be designed based on a constant hard error rate. The write inhibit window and the settle delay for writing operations in a servo system will be optimized, based on the hard error rate, for each individual head in the disk drive configuration. This will increase the speed of the servo process without affecting the reliability of the data.

Abstract: There is disclosed an error correction and detection method and apparatus for retreiving predetermined data, e.g. servo data, from the position error signal (PES) fields of a disk in a data storage system . In the preferred embodiment the PES data such as the track number is mapped into codewords of an error correction code (ECC) which are then further divided into a set of symbols which are mapped onto a second set of bit vectors which have a constant weight. The preferred encoding method is selected to equalize the analog signal characteristics of the PES fields so that minimal, if any, change in the conventional servo detection circuitry needed to use the PES fields of the invention both as analog and digital information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and an article of manufacture for calibrating a position error signal for controlling the position of a read transducer with respect to a storage media having positioning information written at a location thereon. In one embodiment, the invention is embodied in a method comprising determining a relationship between a read transducer position and the positioning information by measuring the positioning information while passing the read transducer across the location, determining a measured position error signal from the measured positioning information, and computing a relationship between the measured position error signal and the read transducer position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling write operations for a data storage system during and after a shock event is disclosed. A shock sensor measures the magnitude of a shock event and compares the magnitude of the shock event to at least two predetermined thresholds. Write operations are then inhibited based upon the comparison of the magnitude of the shock event and the at least two predetermined thresholds. When the shock event meets a first upper threshold, the write is inhibited until the write is requalified. The write is executed if the measured shock event does not meet a second lower threshold and the write is paused for a predetermined time period when the measured shock event meets the second lower threshold but does not meet the first upper threshold.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for rotational position reordering of queued commands in a data storage device based on settle time estimator feedback. An initial settle time estimation is programmed into a servo controller for the data storage device. As data operations are performed in the data storage device, an actual settle time is measured for the data operations, generally through the use of a timer in the servo controller. The settle time estimation is then modified based on the actual settle time and the data operations are reordered or scheduled based on the settle time estimation. Specifically, the settle time estimation is adjusted based on a success rate for the data operations, wherein the success rate comprises a comparison of the actual settle time versus the settle time estimation.

Abstract: Linearity compensation is provided for a position error signal based on repeatable and non-repeatable run out in a data storage device. The run out is measured on a track of the data storage device at a plurality of points, such as a track center and one or more points offset from the track center. The run out is typically measured using either an unstitched primary position error signal or an unstitched quadrature position error signal. The offsets are usually stitch points for the position error signal. A component of the run out is extracted at the points, wherein the component generally comprises one or more characteristics of the run out, such as a frequency, a set of frequencies, a root mean square, or some other characteristic of the run out. The linearizing equation to be used for the position error signal is identified based on the measured run out and generally comprises a polynomial function.

Abstract: Method and system aspects for controlling spindle motor speed during head loading in a disk drive are described. The aspects include inputting a time-varying reference velocity profile signal, and selecting a controller to control spindle motor speed. Further included is feeding forward control signals sufficient to precompensate for drag during a head loading event and maintain spindle motor speed within an operating tolerance.

Abstract: A variable pulse pulse width modulation digital-to-analog converter comprising: an input code register to store a digital input code to be converted; a PWM decoder, coupled to the input code register, to convert the input code to a series of pulses; an output driver circuit coupled to the PWM decoder, wherein the output driver circuit generates an output signal comprising pulses of a high logic level and pulses of an intermediate logic level; and a filter to integrate the pulses to generate an analog output value corresponding to the digital input code. In one embodiment, the output stage comprises an active tri-state driver, a multiplexer and at least two output reference voltage sources. Using a plurality of different amplitude pulse levels enables PWM DACs according to the present invention to provide greater resolution than conventional PWM DACs for a given clock frequency and conversion period.

Abstract: A system and method for compensation for variation in a voice coil motor's torque factor due to changes in temperature to improve the seek performance of a disk drive. The method uses the numerical relationship between change in torque factor and change in temperature (G) for the voice coil motor, combined with torque factor KT and temperature at/near the voice coil motor measured at a first time (for example during the initial start-up of the disk drive during the automatic recalibrations that is performed during a start-up, (KT RECAL) and (TRECAL) respectively). These KRECAL and TRECAL can be stored in memory. At some later predetermined interval or event, the temperature at or near the voice coil motor is again measured (TEVENT). From these known temperature and torque factor parameters, in combination with the known relationship between temperature and torque factor for the voice coil motor, the KT at the future time/event (KT EVENT) can be calculated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling write operations for a data storage system during and after a shock event is disclosed. A shock sensor measures the magnitude of a shock event and compares the magnitude of the shock event to at least two predetermined thresholds. Write operations are then inhibited based upon the comparison of the magnitude of the shock event and the at least two predetermined thresholds. When the shock event meets a first upper threshold, the write is inhibited until the write is requalified. The write is executed if the measured shock event does not meet a second lower threshold and the write is paused for a predetermined time period when the measured shock event meets the second lower threshold but does not meet the first upper threshold.

Abstract: There is disclosed an error correction and detection method and apparatus for retreiving predetermined data, e.g. servo data, from the position error signal (PES) fields of a disk in a data storage system. In the preferred embodiment the PES data such as the track number is mapped into codewords of an error correction code (ECC) which are then further divided into a set of symbols which are mapped onto a second set of bit vectors which have a constant weight. The preferred encoding method is selected to equalize the analog signal characteristics of the PES fields so that minimal, if any, change in the conventional servo detection circuitry needed to use the PES fields of the invention both as analog and digital information.

Abstract: In a disk drive system a servo controller is responsive to a position signal and operative to determine values for servo parameters during each of a plurality of sampling intervals, and is also operative to update a spindle command signal and an actuator command signal during sampling intervals for controlling seeking operations including an acceleration sequence and a deceleration sequence for positioning a head at a target track. The controller is further operative to implement a process of limiting the current drawn by a supply during periods of the deceleration sequence. The spindle command signal is regulated to adjust a spindle current to a reduced value which is less than a nominal value during a spindle energy deferring period while an actuator current exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A direct access storage device (DASD) servo control system detects a servo pattern recorded in multiple cells of a servo sector and compares the cell-to-cell readback signal independently of the position error signal (PES). A servo sector of the disk contains multiple servo identification cells such that a servo readback signal is generated for each cell. If the servo signal data from two successive cells of a single sector, or from the same cell of successive sectors, differs by an amount greater than a predetermined error threshold, then a physical jarring or shock is indicated and the servo control system causes a write inhibit command to the write channel.

Abstract: A direct access storage device (DASD) servo control system includes a servo controller that makes an estimate of disk actuator arm position and velocity as for a regular, expected PES signal sample time, and then alters the estimate for an odd sample time using a simplified estimation function. The altered estimate is generated after determining the amount of time by which the odd sample time is longer than the regular sample time. An odd sample time event is recognized and the odd sample time is forced longer than the regular sample time by skipping a disk control signal computation interval. In this way, the estimated position and velocity of the disk arm is improved for odd sample times, even where the change in one PES sample time may be unrelated to the change in any subsequent PES sample times.

Abstract: A direct access storage device that (DASD) includes a sector servo control system that controls disk write operations by receiving a servo pattern readback signal in a sector, determining track centering for that sector, and generating a write inhibit signal before any write operations are initiated for that sector. The servo control system is able to make write inhibit decisions without software processing delays, enabling the system to produce a write inhibit signal quickly after an off-track excursion, and to terminate a write inhibit decision quickly after it is no longer needed.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a servo system for driving mechanical parts, including a read/write head, to a desired track on a disk. The mechanical parts undesirably resonate at a frequency f, where f is a function of a temperature t of those mechanical parts. The servo system includes a notch filter responsive to an indication of temperature t, to attenuate the amplitude of frequency f in a broadband control signal that is applied to move the mechanical parts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that detects servo sectors that contain defects that need to be rewritten and writes in the servo field to correct the detected defects. The system includes a disk for storing data in data regions, the disk further comprising a plurality of servo regions formed radially between the data regions, a motor for rotating the disk, an actuator arm assembly including a head for reading and writing data on the disk and drive electronics for detecting defective servo sectors on the disk and rewriting a servo in the servo sector to correct the detected defective servo sectors.

Abstract: There is disclosed a disk for use in a disk drive and a method for making the disk. The position error signal (PES) fields for each track on the disk are written with predetermined data, e.g. servo data, encoded thereon. In the preferred embodiment: a) the data such as the track number is mapped into codewords of an error correction code (ECC); b) bit-vectors are used to encode the symbols for further redundancy; and c) the raw data written in the PES fields is constrained to equalize the analog signal characteristic used by the servo system for positioning. Thus, the invention allows the PES fields to be used as in the prior art while also being used as a source of digital data which is robustly recorded therein. In one aspect of the invention, the track ID's are written in the PES fields in a selected pattern in which the track ID for each track is recorded in two PES field groups.

Abstract: A notch filter for a disk drive servo system is disclosed having selectable filtering capability. Different servo notch filters for different heads in the actuator head stack are provided. The notch filters may be selected to remove different resonant modes associated with the different disk drive heads. Each of the plurality of notch filters is tuned to remove a resonant frequency associated with at least one magnetic head of the disk drive. In operation, a notch filter is selected to remove a resonant frequency associated with a magnetic head commanded to write or read data to or from the disk drive. The notch filter system includes a multiplexor for controlling the selection of the notch filters. The multiplexor receives commands from a servo processor to control the selection of a notch filter. Different notch filters can be utilized, including series tapped notch filters or parallel notch filters.