Abstract: A method is provided that decides whether a region of data storage units in a data storage system should be scanned for defective data. A current region of data storage units affected by a write operation is determined and which select transducing head of the data storage system that corresponds with the current region is also determined. A scalar value that corresponds with the select transducing head is retrieved. The scalar value related to a condition of the select transducing head based on previously conducted performance tests. An incremented write count of the affected region is scaled by the scalar value to obtain a new increment write count. A defective data scan is performed on the affected region if the new increment write count exceeds a default write count threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention illustrate various configurations of a channel-to-controller interface. In one embodiment, width of symbols crossing the interface is fixed, as is the clock rate. In other embodiments, the symbol width is variable, and the clock rate is also varied based upon the size of the interface symbol width and the operation of the channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides sequence detection which takes into account amplitude and/or time distortions caused by neighboring magnetization regions on the magnetic medium, wherein the distortions in one magnetization region are caused by the closeness of neighboring magnetization transitions on one or both sides thereof. The sequence detection according to the present invention provides an extended state diagram to include the effects of leading and/or trailing magnetization transitions. More particularly, it has been found that accounting for the effects of trailing transitions requires an increase in the number of states in the state diagram used to form the Viterbi detector. Leading transitions are neutralized by increasing the number of branches between states in the Viterbi detector. Increasing the number of branches instead of states keeps the complexity low and thus saves hardware and associated costs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention illustrate various configurations of a channel-to-controller interface. In one embodiment, width of symbols crossing the interface is fixed, as is the clock rate. In other embodiments, the symbol width is variable, and the clock rate is also varied based upon the size of the interface symbol width and the operation of the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing the effects of thermal asperities and other anomalous conditions on disc drive read operations. An improved data block format is provided having first and second sync fields in which sync patterns are stored, the first and second sync fields being separated by a selected distance within the data block. The sync pattern of the second sync field enables synchronization of a disc drive read channel to the user data in the data block when the read channel fails to be synchronized by the sync pattern of the first sync field. In one embodiment, control information used by the read channel to prepare for receipt of the user data is stored in a field between the first and second sync fields; in an alternative embodiment, a portion of the user data is stored between the first and second sync fields.

Abstract: Signal processing circuitry receives input signals representing modulation encoded binary data signals. The signal processing circuitry contains a plurality of signal quality detectors which monitor a corresponding plurality of different characteristics of each received signal to determine whether or not the signal is of an adequate quality insofar as concerns the characteristic of the signal associated with each detector. Each detector generates a binary output signal representing a confidence level pointer associated with each such received signal. The pointer signals are stored in a buffer with received data signals. The contents of the buffer, which at this time contain the bytes of the received data record as well as the associated pointer bytes, are made available to a control module.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for computing CRC codes for fixed length page buffers of user data where the user data arrives from a transmission device in variable length packets with the packet contents being out of sequential order. The received data is written to a storage device after being restored to the correct sequential order. The data packets are comprised of a header portion and a data portion. The transmission and compression methods commonly employed by the transmission device dictates that the header portion of each packet follows the data portion. The present invention computes a complete CRC code for the data stored in a page buffer in real time as the packets are received by using several registers for saving intermediate CRC codes and circuitry to combine partial CRC codes for those packet portions received out of order.

Abstract: The data detection circuit includes a sampling detector which measures both the shape and amplitude of the incoming pulse signal. This apparatus determines the amplitude of the read signal at a plurality of points in time and produces a signal indicative of the presence of recorded data if the measured amplitudes match predetermined thresholds. The predetermined thresholds are used in three measurements: determination that the amplitude of the read signal at one point in time exceeds a predetermined threshold; a determination that the amplitude of the read signal at the one point in time concurrently exceeds the amplitude of the read signal at two other points in time both before and after the one point in time. Also included in this apparatus is a clock generation circuit that produces a clock signal based upon the indication of the presence of recorded data so that the indication of the recorded data and the generation of the clock signal occur in a single channel.

Abstract: A principle embodiment teaches a strobing method and associated apparatus for magnetic recording/detecting systems especially adapted for use in high performance, high capacity, low cost disk drives wherein there is provided strobing means adapted to produce a chain of timing pulses and to distribute them relatively uniformly across a data cell of variable length and so provide a sampling means for such cells.

Abstract: A method for controlling the air-to-fuel ratio fed to an engine or other combustion device provides for periodically adjusting the air-to-fuel ratio to stoichiometric or near stoichiometric, within the response range of the conventional exhaust gas sensor employed. This establishes a reference point from which the setting of an air-to-fuel ratio proportioning device (e.g., carburetor) is established by moving its adjustment means a selected distance from its setting at the reference point. The selected value may be outside the normal response range of the sensor, either rich or lean of stoichiometric. The apparatus may include a sensor which generates an output signal which is compared against a reference signal by a comparator. When the output signal exceeds (or falls below) the reference signal, a timer to operate the proportioning device adjustment means in the desired direction for a stated interval of time is actuated.

Abstract: A system for the control of the air-fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine incorporates an electronic control unit, a sensor of exhaust emissions and a valve for metering fuel with air to control the air-fuel ratio. The electronic control unit provides for the comparison of successive measurements of the sensor output voltage under conditions wherein the fuel valve is being operated for ever increasing richness or leaness until such time as the differential measurement drops below a predetermined amount. An offset voltage is then subtracted from or added to this voltage to calculate an operating set point voltage. Thereby, the system's accuracy is maintained through the compensation for changed sensor characteristics with aging.