Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a touch-down and contact between a head and a storage medium by using a signal generated by a data storage device, specifically by a sensor installed in a slider. The method includes: separating a signal detected by a sensor into a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component, wherein the sensor has an electrical characteristic that changes according to temperature; using the DC component to detect a touch-down state of the head during a touch-down test to determine a value of a control signal for adjusting the flying height of the head; and using the AC component to detect a contacting state between the head and the storage medium in an operating state of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method of detecting a touch-down of a head in a disk drive, a method of adjusting a head flying height by using the method of detecting a touch-down of a head, and a disk drive using the method of detecting a touch-down of a head detect a change of an electrical characteristic of a sensor installed in a slider, wherein the electrical characteristic changes according to temperature; and determines that the head flying height reached a touch-down flying height if the detected change of the electrical characteristic satisfies a threshold condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a touch-down and contact between a head and a storage medium by using a signal generated by a data storage device, specifically by a sensor installed in a slider. The method includes: separating a signal detected by a sensor into a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component, wherein the sensor has an electrical characteristic that changes according to temperature; using the DC component to detect a touch-down state of the head during a touch-down test to determine a value of a control signal for adjusting the flying height of the head; and using the AC component to detect a contacting state between the head and the storage medium in an operating state of the apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus, medium, and method controlling a flying height of a magnetic head of a disk drive so that a clearance between a disk and the magnetic head in a data write mode can be similar, e.g., substantially the same, as that of the magnetic head in a data read mode. The apparatus may includes a disk storing information, a magnetic head including a magnetic read element detecting a magnetic field on the disk, a magnetic write element magnetizing a portion of the disk, a structure generating an air bearing between a surface of the disk and the magnetic read element and magnetic write element, and a heater heating the structure that generates the air bearing, and a current supply circuit supplying current to the heater so that a clearance between the disk and the magnetic head in a write mode can be similar, e.g., substantially the same, as that of the magnetic head in a read mode.

Abstract: A device and method for adjusting a distance between a magnetic head and a data storage medium are provided. In the device, a microprocessor outputs a control signal for adjusting the distance to a pre-amplifier based on a correlation between a flying height (FH) and a coefficient of a fifth tap of an adaptive digital filter included in a read/write (R/W) channel circuit or a correlation between the FH and a discrete Fourier transformed third harmonic signal output from the R/W channel circuit. The pre-amplifier outputs a voltage or current for flying on demand (FOD) to the magnetic head based on the control signal. The magnetic head adjusts the distance in real time based on the voltage or current for FOD.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of dummy writing in a data storage system. A dummy write is executed before executing a write mode and a write head pole tip is thermally fully expanded to reduce bit error rate occurring in the early writing. The dummy write is executed in inter sector gaps before the write mode is executed in the data storage system to thermally expand the head pole tip until the head pole tip is saturated. A level of a signal written in a sector in an initial write mode is lowered to prevent errors from occurring.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for recording bursts on a disk and a related apparatus. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method for recording bursts on a burst field of a servo sector of a disk comprises generating a first write current corresponding to burst data provided by a write channel circuit, and generating a second write current having a higher frequency than the first write current using a high frequency AC current generator, wherein the high frequency AC current generator is independent from the write channel circuit. The method further comprises selectively applying the first write current to a write head in response to a signal and selectively applying the second write current to the write head in response to the signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a hard disc drive, in which parameters of the hard disc drive are updated by periodically performing a retry of the hard disc drive when the hard disc drive is in an idle state and using the accumulated results, and a recording medium that stores programs of the method. The method includes periodically calculating parameter values to optimize the operation of the hard disc drive and applying the optimized parameters calculated in the calculation of optimization parameters to the operation of the hard disc drive.

Abstract: A device and method for adjusting a distance between a magnetic head and a data storage medium are provided. In the device, a microprocessor outputs a control signal for adjusting the distance to a pre-amplifier based on a correlation between a flying height (FH) and a coefficient of a fifth tap of an adaptive digital filter included in a read/write (R/W) channel circuit or a correlation between the FH and a discrete Fourier transformed third harmonic signal output from the R/W channel circuit. The pre-amplifier outputs a voltage or current for flying on demand (FOD) to the magnetic head based on the control signal. The magnetic head adjusts the distance in real time based on the voltage or current for FOD.

Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus which records information on a medium and reproduces information stored on the medium includes a write compensation circuit configured to perform compensation of the information recorded on the medium, wherein the write compensation circuit corrects, in advance, an asymmetry of a signal read from the medium by correcting a write signal in a pulse form along a time axis, and an amount of correction along the time axis is based on information included in the write signal.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for recording bursts on a disk and a related apparatus. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method for recording bursts on a burst field of a servo sector of a disk comprises generating a first write current corresponding to burst data provided by a write channel circuit, and generating a second write current having a higher frequency than the first write current using a high frequency AC current generator, wherein the high frequency AC current generator is independent from the write channel circuit. The method further comprises selectively applying the first write current to a write head in response to a signal and selectively applying the second write current to the write head in response to the signal.

Abstract: A method, medium, and apparatus to control a domain characteristic of a magneto-resistive (MR) sensor, e.g., included in a head of an HDD. The method may include maintaining the head in a non-flying state, applying temperature suitable for demagnetizing the MR sensor by driving a heater installed in the head, and cooling the MR sensor while applying a magnetic field for magnetizing the MR sensor. Accordingly, annealing can be performed in a fully assembled HDD by obtaining temperature suitable for annealing the MR sensor using a heater installed inside a head.

Abstract: A method, medium, and apparatus recording a magnetic disk servo pattern. The method of recording a servo pattern, including servo information, on a magnetic disk may include an erasing of erase regions existing between burst signals contained in a burst signal recording zone of a servo pattern of the magnetic disk by applying an AC current signal of a predetermined frequency to the erase regions.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus, medium, and method controlling a flying height of a magnetic head of a disk drive so that a clearance between a disk and the magnetic head in a data write mode can be similar, e.g., substantially the same, as that of the magnetic head in a data read mode. The apparatus may includes a disk storing information, a magnetic head including a magnetic read element detecting a magnetic field on the disk, a magnetic write element magnetizing a portion of the disk, a structure generating an air bearing between a surface of the disk and the magnetic read element and magnetic write element, and a heater heating the structure that generates the air bearing, and a current supply circuit supplying current to the heater so that a clearance between the disk and the magnetic head in a write mode can be similar, e.g., substantially the same, as that of the magnetic head in a read mode.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to control a data storage system, and more particularly, a method and an apparatus to restore the stability of a head in a data storage system by automatically applying a bias shock current to the head in accordance with the result of a thermal asperity detection (TAD) method, in case that a quality problem occurs in the manufacturing process and/or under severe user conditions. A thermal asperity detection (TAD) routine operates if BER is large or an ECC error occurs in a process of manufacturing a data storage system or in a user field. Thus, it is determined whether the instability of a head causes a quality problem, and if it is determined that the instability of the head causes the quality problem, a bias shock current is automatically applied to the head to restore the stability of the head.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control changes in a flying height between a write head and a disk caused by a write current or an overshoot value of a write current are provided. The method comprises: changing a write current or an overshoot value of the write current in relation to a temperature; determining whether the head and the disk surface of a hard disk drive are in contact in relation to changes of the write current or the overshoot value of the write current; and setting the write current and the overshoot value of the write current as a threshold when the head and disk surface are in contact. Accordingly, the magnitude of a write current and the threshold of an overshoot value can be accurately set, and a write current equal to or less than the threshold can be provided when a write operation is performed, thereby providing a reliable write operation.

Abstract: A hard disk drive and process of controlling the drive by adjusting disk drive parameters in accordance with ambient temperature. Various parameters affected by thermal variation are controlled to automatically adjust those values in order to compensate for changes in ambient temperature when an environment where a hard disk drive is installed changes, thereby allowing the hard disk drive to continuously operate with optimal performance. Those parameter, which are sensitive to the temperature of a hard disk drive, can be modified or controlled using the relationship therebetween in accordance with the current ambient temperature, thereby preventing any deterioration of the performance of the hard disk drive, even when temperature at the burn-in process and the current ambient temperature are different from each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to control changes in a flying height between a write head and a disk caused by a write current or an overshoot value of a write current are provided. The method comprises: changing a write current or an overshoot value of the write current in relation to a temperature; determining whether the head and the disk surface of a hard disk drive are in contact in relation to changes of the write current or the overshoot value of the write current; and setting the write current and the overshoot value of the write current as a threshold when the head and disk surface are in contact. Accordingly, the magnitude of a write current and the threshold of an overshoot value can be accurately set, and a write current equal to or less than the threshold can be provided when a write operation is performed, thereby providing a reliable write operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing a hard disc drive, in which parameters of the hard disc drive are updated by periodically performing a retry of the hard disc drive when the hard disc drive is in an idle state and using the accumulated results, and a recording medium that stores programs of the method. The method includes periodically calculating parameter values to optimize the operation of the hard disc drive and applying the optimized parameters calculated in the calculation of optimization parameters to the operation of the hard disc drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of dummy writing in a data storage system. A dummy write is executed before executing a write mode and a write head pole tip is thermally fully expanded to reduce bit error rate occurring in the early writing. The dummy write is executed in inter sector gaps before the write mode is executed in the data storage system to thermally expand the head pole tip until the head pole tip is saturated. A level of a signal written in a sector in an initial write mode is lowered to prevent errors from occurring.