Abstract: A method of adjusting a MEMS mirror control system is provided to calibrate a MEMS mirror control system to a particular MEMS mirror in a fashion that optimizes MEMS mirror control loop performance. This calibration is implemented by measuring the gain and resonant frequency of the particular MEMS mirror, and adjusting one or more of the parameters used in the implementation of a PID controller, a state estimator, and a feed forward component used to perform seeks.

Abstract: A position sensor includes a stationary platform and a moveable platform. The position sensor further includes at least one beam coupling the moveable platform to the stationary platform. The at least one beam includes piezoresistive material that is positioned tolprovide an indication of a movement of the moveable platform relative to the stationary platform.

Abstract: A position sensor includes a stationary platform and a moveable platform. The position sensor further includes at least one beam coupling the moveable platform to the stationary platform. The at least one beam includes piezoresistive material that is positioned to provide an indication of a movement of the moveable platform relative to the stationary platform.

Abstract: Devices being controlled electronically via physical manipulation often display a resonance. In many circumstances, the frequency range of operation is not close to the resonance frequency. In these cases, the resonance can be removed through the use of simple compensation techniques such as filters. However, when the resonance frequency is close to the frequency range of operation and when the resonance frequency can change depending on temperature, time, and physical position of the device, simple compensation techniques cannot be used. The present invention presents a non-mechanical technique for providing compensation for devices with a shifting resonance. The non-mechanical technique allows for the compensation to be performed via computation.

Abstract: A read/write head assembly (20) is provided for use in a mass storage device such as a hard disk. drive. The read/write head assembly (20) is positioned on a suspension arm (18) and includes a read/write head (24) and a head lifter (22). The head lifter (22) positions the read/write head (24) in a first position and a second position.

Abstract: A microactuator includes a base, first microactuator elements carried by the base, a platform attached to the base, second microactuator elements carried by the platform, and the first microactuator elements being located substantially symmetrically on either side of a plane along a centerline of the base

Abstract: This invention comprises an architecture for voltage mode control of a voice coil motor in a hard disk drive. In contrast to conventional current mode control, coil current is not sensed or measured, which simplifies the feedback design with less hardware required in the implementation. Common design methodologies for the square root velocity profile, linear velocity profile and regulator/estimator control system designs can be migrated from the current mode architecture to the voltage mode architecture.

Abstract: A hard disk drive system (10) includes a rotating magnetic disk (16), and a support arm (22) which is supported for movement relative to the disk under control of a voice coil motor (21). a microactuator (26) supports a read/write head (27) on the support arm for movement relative thereto a control arrangement (13) controls the voice coil motor and the microactuator in response to position information (31), which is read by the read/write head from the disk and which indicates the position of the read/write head relative to the disk. The system is free of a sensor for detecting the actual position of the support arm relative to the read/write head or the disk.

Abstract: A piece-part microactuator (220), or micromotor, manufacturing approach is presented. In this approach, two of the NiFe parts (221,223) and dielectric and copper (225) piece-parts are manufactured separately. This allows the NiFe parts (221,223) to be designed in a manner to maximize the thickness of the metal, which in turn increases the magnetic properties of the motor. The dielectric and copper coils piece-part (225) may be based upon a thin film interconnect (222) or some derivative of a standard flex circuit printed wiring board. These piece-parts (221,223,225) may be tested individually, defective parts discarded, and only functional units assembled. This not only produces a mechanically balanced construction, but has lower cost due to non-sequential manufacturing steps.

Abstract: An integral computer hard drive microactuator support comprising a unitary member of solid material. The support includes a frame portion surrounding and defining an opening portion, and a platform portion disposed within the opening portion. Four fixed-fixed beam portions connect the platform portion to the frame portion, the fixed-fixed beam portions being generally rectangular in cross section and substantially straight along their length.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of moving a device from a first position to a second position by an actuation system includes moving the device in response to providing a control signal having a first amplitude for a first time period. The method also includes, immediately after the first time period, moving the device in response to providing a control signal having a second amplitude for a second time period, the device having a nonzero velocity after the second time period. The nonzero velocity has a magnitude that allows the device to coast to, and stop at, the second position after the second time period without receiving a control signal.

Abstract: a hard disk drive system (10) includes a rotating magnetic disk (16), and a support arm (22) which is supported for movement relative to the disk under control of a voice coil motor (21). a microactuator (26) supports a read/write head (27) on the support arm for movement relative thereto. a control arrangement (13) controls the voice coil motor and the microactuator in response to position information (31), which is read by the read/write head from the disk and which indicates the position of the read/write head relative to the disk. The system is free of a sensor for detecting the actual position of the support arm relative to the read/write head or the disk.

Abstract: A hard disk drive system (10) includes a rotating magnetic disk (13), an arm (16) moved by a voice coil motor (18), and a read/write head (21) movably supported on the arm by a microactuator (22). The read/write head is moved approximately radially of the disk in response to operation of the microactuator or movement of the arm. The microactuator has a nonlinear transfer function. A control system (62) for controlling the microactuator and the voice coil motor includes a control technique (126) having a nonlinear transfer function which is substantially an inverse of the nonlinear transfer function of the microactuator. Control of the microactuator is effected through the control technique, the control technique linearizing the control of the microactuator.

Abstract: An improved micro-actuator position sensor which provides an accurate position signal for higher bandwidth control of a micro-actuator. The position sensor allows closed loop control of the micro-actuator position. Preferred embodiment micro-actuator sensors include a piezo-resistive stress sensor integrated within the springs, a capacitance sensor and magnetic reluctance sensor. Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail as integrated sensors for a micro-actuator used in hard disk drives. The sensor is integrated with a micro-actuator at the tip of the conventional actuator arm to improve the precision seeking capability of the actuator arm.

Abstract: An actuator architecture allows precision control of a micro-actuator read/write head 16a, 16b by measuring the position directly with the read/write heads rather than relying on a position sensor. The position of the micro-actuator head 16a, 16b with respect to the conventional actuator assembly 12 is determined by comparing the position of the micro-actuator head 16a with the position of a second head 16b affixed to the conventional actuator 12 using disk servo patterns.

Abstract: A time optimal control system for electrical motor driven point-to-point displacement of a mechanical member uses a three step voltage application process of 1) applying full supply voltage to achieve maximum acceleration; 2) applying full supply voltage in the opposite direction to achieve maximum deceleration; and 3) removing the voltage to alter the system to decay to the final desired position. The scheduling of the steps 2) and 3) is determined during step 1) by continuously calculating a predicted final position that would occur if the supply voltage were reversed at that moment, given the then current system velocity and acceleration, and comparing the predicated final position with the desired final position.