Patents by Inventor S. Craig Smith

S. Craig Smith 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).

  • Self-writing of servo patterns
    Patent number: 8879187
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention allow for the generation of at least one estimated value of a first parameter that is derived from a regularly measured value of a second parameter. In addition, a single control feedback signal can be adjusted via updating of the estimated and regularly measured values in a control feedback loop. At least one spiral track can be written to storage media based on the single control feedback signal, where the single control feedback signal can be received from an compensating circuit that receives the at least one estimated value of the first parameter, which can refer to position, and the at least one regularly measured value, which can refer to velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Xin H. Yang, S. Craig Smith, Lin Guo
  • Self-servo writing using staged patterning
    Patent number: 7619846
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for servo writing are disclosed. The method includes writing of first servo data to a medium, detecting a velocity integrated position of the first servo data, and writing second servo data in relation to the detected position of the first servo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Stan Shepherd, S. Craig Smith, Yu Sun
  • Servo writing with offset compensation for prewritten reference
    Patent number: 7551387
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, a rotatable member is mounted to a spindle hub so that initial servo data previously provided to the rotatable member are eccentrically offset with respect to a rotational center of the spindle hub. Compensation vales are determined to characterize said offset, after which final servo data are provided to the rotatable member in relation to the initial servo data and the determined compensation values. The final servo data are nominally concentric with the rotational center of the spindle hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Yu Sun, Dave McMurtrey, Bruce Liikanen, Don Brunnett, John W. VanLaanen, Charles R. Watt, Stan Shepherd, S. Craig Smith, Todd Franks, Lin Guo
  • Servo writing using radially overlapped servo segments
    Patent number: 7414809
    Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, initial servo data are written to a storage medium as a series of radially overlapped spiral segments. Final servo data are thereafter written to the medium while concurrently servoing on said overlapped segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: S. Craig Smith, Stan Shepherd, Yu Sun, Yuan Roy Chen, Lin Guo
  • Preconditioning an elastomeric stop member for use as a reference position
    Patent number: 7304818
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for preconditioning an elastomeric stop member to create a stabilized reference position for a moveable member by repetitively biasing the moveable member against the stop member and using the stabilized reference position to initiate a writing of servo data by the moveable member to a storage surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Xin H. Yang, S. Craig Smith, Lin Guo, Yu Sun, Brian Rigney, Stan Shepherd, Yuan Chen