Abstract: A disk drive for storing data includes a drive housing, a storage disk that is rotatably coupled to the drive housing, a slider assembly positioned near the storage disk, and a drive circuitry. The slider assembly includes a head that interacts with the storage disk during a data transfer operation and a slider mover. The drive circuitry directs a first power level to slider mover to maintain the head at a first HtD spacing, and a second power level to the slider mover to maintain the head at a second HtD spacing, and a variable, transition power to the slider mover during a transition between the first power level being directed to the slider mover and the second power level being directed to the slider mover. The transition power is tailored to rapidly move the head between the HtD spacings.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention reduce a possibility that a head will collide with a medium when the clearance between the head and the medium is adjusted by using a medium, and sufficiently reduce the clearance even at an initial stage of accessing a data area. In one embodiment, a hard disk drive (HDD) switches a heater from OFF to ON in the specified timing after a seek mode is switched to a following mode. Specifically, for example, on the completion of seek operation, in the timing in which a head arrives at a target track, or in the timing in which an HDC/MPU enters the following mode, the heater is turned ON, and this state is kept unchanged until access to the target sector is made.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention reduce the error rate of a read error that is caused by a spacing interval between a write head and a read head, which are formed on a slider. In one embodiment, a write head writes user data, which is placed at a position, on a magnetic disk when a read head is placed at a target position in accordance with a head spacing interval and yaw angle. DHO adjustment data is written at a second position, which is obtained by subjecting the read head to DHO correction in order to read the user data written at the target position. When the user data is to be read, a processor reads the DHO adjustment data, changes the read head position to the first position, and controls the operation of a magnetic disk drive to read the user data.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising an actuator arm, a head attached to a distal end of the actuator arm, a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot, and an optical sensor operable to generate a first position signal representing a position of the actuator arm with respect to the disk, wherein the first position signal is substantially unaffected by a vibration mode of the actuator arm. Servo sectors recorded on the disk are processed to generate a second position signal representing a position of the head with respect to the disk, wherein the second position signal comprises a significant component due to the vibration mode of the actuator arm. A control signal is applied to the voice coil motor in response to the first and second position signals.

Abstract: Methods of compensating for radial incoherence in servo information that is read from adjacent servo tracks that have a phase offset relative to one another on a data storage disk of a disk drive are provided. While a transducer is seeking to a target track, the transducer generate a servo information signal that has a first component from servo information read from a first servo track on the disk and a second component from servo information read from a second servo track that is radially adjacent to the first servo track. The servo information in the first and second servo tracks are offset by a non-zero phase error relative to one another and are in a same servo sector on the disk. The servo information signal is sampled to generate a series of sampled servo values. A phase error of a group of the sampled servo values is determined. The sampled servo values are compensated in response to the determined phase error to generate compensated servo values with at least reduced phase error.

Abstract: Methods of filtering a position error signal (PES) indicative of a position of a transducer of a disk drive include obtaining sample position data for the transducer, eliminating selected data of the sample position data to provide a subset of the sample position data, obtaining a plurality of sets of preliminary filter coefficients based on the subset of the sample position data, obtaining a final set of filter coefficients from the plurality of sets of preliminary filter coefficients, and filtering a position error signal using the final set of filter coefficients. Corresponding disk drives are also disclosed.

Abstract: A head position control method controls a position of a head of a first apparatus with respect to a disk which has been formed with a track and has been recorded with servo information including position information in servo frames by a second apparatus that is different from the first apparatus. The method includes measuring an eccentricity of the disk in the first apparatus and calculating a correction value for controlling the head to scan a virtual circular locus approximately matching the track, writing the correction value in a specific servo frame, and controlling the head during a seek, based on the correction value read from the specific servo frame, so that the head scans the virtual circular locus approximately matching the track which has been formed by the second apparatus.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for detecting an actuator vibration, and a hard disc drive write control method of avoiding an effect due to the actuator vibration. The method of detecting an actuator vibration includes: obtaining a specified number of position error signal (PES) samples while following a track; performing a time-frequency conversion on the specified number of PES samples; and detecting a magnitude of a conversion coefficient indicating a magnitude of an actuator vibration, in a specified frequency band.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously recording multiple reference magnetic signals by using a magnetic head having multiple recording portions is provided. A writing yoke formed of a ferromagnetic material thin film and a back yoke are provided to a side wall of a slider, which is formed of a hard ceramic, as a distal end portion of the magnetic head. After forming the yokes to the slider, grooves are formed by focused ion beam machining from the slider side. All of the materials of the slider, the back yoke, and the writing yoke are thus locally removed. Magnetic writing is thus blocked by the grooves, and magnetic recording is only performed by four recording portions of the writing yoke.

Abstract: The amount of position error written into a servo burst pattern can be reduced by using additional media revolutions to write the pattern. Where servo bursts are used to define a position on the media, trimming a first burst and writing a second burst on separate revolutions of the media will result in a different amount of position error being written into each burst. The end result will be a reduction in the overall error in position information. In order to further reduce the position error given by a combination of bursts, each burst also can be trimmed and/or written in multiple passes. The overall error in position should decrease as the number of passes used to write a burst combination increases. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Abstract: In a head position control device having a disturbance suppression function and eccentricity correction function, the interference between the eccentricity correction function and the disturbance suppression function is prevented. An eccentricity correction function and disturbance suppression control function are provided in the head positioning control system, and an interference prevention function, which detects the disturbance suppression frequency and turns OFF the feedback of the eccentricity correction control for the eccentricity correction frequency near the disturbance suppression frequency, or shifts the disturbance suppression frequency from the eccentricity correction frequency, is provided. Therefore the interference between the eccentricity correction and the disturbance suppression can be prevented, and unstable eccentricity correction can be prevented.

Abstract: A data storage device adapted to compensate for physical disturbances has a storage medium, a read-write mechanism positionable relative to the storage medium, and a disturbance observer. The read-write mechanism is adapted to read and write data. The disturbance observer compensates a position of the read-write mechanism according to low-frequency components of physical disturbances.

Abstract: A method used in a disk drive system for compensating a frequency component affecting servo control performance. The method includes detecting a frequency component affecting a servo control output in a disk drive/head during a manufacturing process and storing the detected frequency component in a nonvolatile memory device. A frequency component is read from a nonvolatile memory device corresponding to a selected head each time the disk drive is turned on by a user. A parameter value of a filter is determined by using a servo control circuit of the disk drive to suppress the read frequency component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for quickly and finely compensating for non-repeatable run out (NPRO) of a disc drive. The NPRO compensation control apparatus in a run out compensation apparatus of a system includes: a frequency estimator directly estimating a trigonometric function value of an NRRO frequency from a predetermined signal responding to the system using a correlation between a filter coefficient of a notch filter and a notch frequency; and an NRRO compensator canceling NRRO of the system using the trigonometric function value of the NRRO frequency estimated by the frequency estimator.

Abstract: System and method for generating a Position Error Signal (PES) reference curve in data storage devices are provided. The method includes scanning a distance of at least one Track Pitch (TP) in a cross-track direction in each servo-burst along a predefined path. One or more TPs in each servo-burst are scanned with a read head. The method further includes, calculating a plurality of samples of each differential signal. A differential signal corresponds to a first read-back signal and a second read-back signal. Thereafter, a plurality of normalized signals are determined. A normalized signal is determined by dividing each sample of the differential signal with a normalization constant. The plurality of normalized signals are combined to generate the PES reference curve.

Abstract: A method of determining, and an apparatus to determine, a track zero position of a disc in a disc drive, the method including seeking, sequentially, in units of predetermined numbers of tracks, outwardly from a designed track zero position to a predetermined critical track position of the disc; determining whether track following is performed normally during the seeking; and determining an actual track zero position by shifting the designed track zero position inward by a predetermined number of tracks in response to the track following not performing normally, and determining the actual track zero position to be the designed track position in response to the track following performing normally.

Abstract: The head gimbal assembly includes a slider and a micro-actuator assembly sharing power for the micro-actuator assembly to aid in positioning the slider and for an amplifier included in the slider to generate an amplified read signal when the slider read accesses data on a rotating disk surface included in a hard disk drive. The slider includes a read-write head providing a read differential signal pair to an amplifier to generate an amplified read signal reported when read accessing a rotating disk surface near the slider, which includes a read head employing a spin valve or employing a tunneling valve. Hard disk drive including a head stack assembly, which includes at least one of the head gimbal assemblies. Manufacturing the head gimbal assembly, the head stack assembly, and the hard disk drive, as well as these items as products of the invention's manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A servo control device for a disk drive capable of effectively compensating for a low frequency disturbance incoming to the disk drive is provided. The servo control device includes: a state variable estimator calculating a position estimation error based on a control input for controlling motion of a head and a position error signal by using a predetermined state equation; an estimation filter calculating a disturbance estimation value from the position estimation error by using a mathematical relation between a disturbance and the position estimation error; and a subtractor subtracting the disturbance estimation value from the control input.

Abstract: A signal reproducing method reproduces servo information recorded on a recording medium by use of a head. A current calculation related to a current and an observer calculation related to a position and a velocity of the head are made based on reproduced servo information, and a current value for driving the head is calculated based on the above calculation result. Only computations which require a demodulation result of a present sample are made during a first time after demodulation of the position of the head to a time when the current value is output, and computations which require a demodulation result of a past sample are made during a second time other than the first time.

Abstract: A rate of occurrence of off-track write events is determined. A seek function control parameter for a head is adaptively adjusted based on the determined rate of occurrence of the off-track write events. Related circuits and devices are also discussed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention allow for controlling a microactuator based at least in part on an output of a temperature sensor. Also, embodiments of the present invention allow for adjusting a control of a microactuator so as to compensate for changes in a gain of the microactuator due to changes in temperature.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed having hybrid spindle speed control. The disk drive includes a disk having a plurality of servo wedges, and a spindle motor for rotating the disk at an operating speed. The spindle motor generates a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage. In operation, the disk rotation is maintained at the operating speed during a track following operation by updating, in a wedge spindle speed control mode, the spindle control current in response to a wedge speed error. Before executing a high-speed seek, the disk drive is switched to a BEMF spindle speed control mode, and the disk rotation is maintained at the operating speed during the high speed seek by updating the spindle control current in response to a BEMF speed error signal generated based on the BEMF voltage. During a seek-settle time, the disk drive is switched back to the wedge spindle speed control mode.

Abstract: The Invention provides a motor drive semiconductor integrated circuit for driving and controlling a voice coil motor that can conduct a seek operation, a track follow operation and a settling operation through PWM control, has desired control accuracy and can be produced by a CMOS process. In a voice coil motor drive circuit (200) for executing positioning control of a magnetic head by feedback-controlling a driving current of a voice coil motor (108) for moving a magnetic head (106) over a magnetic disk for reading information from a storage track on the magnetic disk driven for rotation while a read state of the magnetic head is being monitored, head movement control such as a seek operation, a track follow operation etc, of the magnetic head is executed by PWM driving on the basis of a command value from a controller.

Abstract: In a settling judgment method for judging whether an object is settled in a target position, the settlement is judged accurately at high-speed. In a positioning device for controlling a position of an object using a position error between a target position and a current position, a plurality of judgment blocks, each of which has a different judgment slice value and continuous sample count, are created in a settling judgment block for judging whether the object is settled within the positioning accuracy range of the target position, the judgment value of the position error computed by the judgment formula is judged in each judgment block each having a different judgment slice value and continuous sample count respectively, and OR of the judgment results is output. According to the settling judgment formula, settling can be judged accurately at high-speed, and both improvement of positioning accuracy and high-speed judgment can be implemented.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for synchronizing sampling frequencies of a receiver and a transmitter of a multi-carrier communication system is provided. The receiver includes an estimator for estimating a frequency offset by employing an additional angle rotation of a received signal in frequency domain. The apparatus includes a compensation loop filter for generating a first output in response to a frequency offset compensation, an adder for adding the estimated frequency offset and the first output to generate a second output, and a loop filter for generating frequency offset compensation according to the second output. The method repeatedly applies the apparatus to generate frequency offset compensation, and then feeds it back to an oscillator to compensate the sampling frequency of the receiver. The apparatus and method can also be applied to a communication system with a carrier frequency offset.

Abstract: An optimal track zero determination method used in a hard disk drive and a hard disk drive using the method. The method has the operations: (a) performing a sequential seek operation on target tracks of a disk, in units of predetermined numbers of tracks, outwardly, from a track separate from a physical track zero position obtained in a servo track write operation, by a predetermined distance toward the physical track zero position; (b) determining whether the target tracks belong to a region where a track-following operation is normally performed, and determining whether an actuator arm connected to a transducer is in contact with a mechanical buffering unit during the sequential seek operation of operation (a); and (c) selecting as a logical track zero, the target track belonging to the region where the track following operation is normally performed and the actuator arm is not in contact with the mechanical buffering unit.

Abstract: A method of reducing microjog errors in a disk drive having a data recording disk with data tracks and a transducer head positionable on the tracks. The head includes a writer element offset from a reader element. To reduce microjog errors, track squeeze is measured at a number of locations across the surface, wherein the squeeze is due to mis-positioning of the track relative to neighboring tracks. A microjog distance for the destination track is provided, and a microjog correction value based on the measured track squeeze is calculated. The correction value is applied to the microjog distance to obtain a corrected microjog distance that reduces microjog errors due to track squeeze.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a disk device capable of writing highly accurate servo data using an extremely simple technique, and a manufacturing method therefor. According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a disk device includes: mounting a magnetic disk and each assembly for driving the magnetic disk, such as an SPM and a VCM, in a base and attaching a top cover so as to seal the enclosure (made up of the base and the top cover) with each assembly of the HDD therein; replacing the air within the hard disk assembly (HDA) with a gas having a lower density than air, such as He; writing servo data to the magnetic disk in a self servo track write operation; and replacing the gas within the HDA with air.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to a positioning control system of a magnetic disk drive. Even if there is no phase correlation in a specific vibration component before and after a seek operation of a magnetic head, a resonance filter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention follows the vibration at the frequency at high speed. A frequency showing a periodic disturbance is selected as a target frequency Ft[Hz]. A resonance filter showing a peak gain at a frequency Ft is designed. For an input to the resonance filter, a time-variable gain K(t) is used that varies depending on the time lapsed after the completion of a seek operation. This time-variable gain K(t) takes a value larger than 1 when the resonance filter starts operating, and after the lapse of a fixed length of time, the value becomes 1 by degrees.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a way to modify the controller of a HDD head actuator to increase the error rejection capability and suppress the wideband vibration that affects the head motion. In one embodiment, a system to suppress influence of an external disturbance to an actuator comprises a controller providing a controller output as an actuator input to drive an actuator; a feedback loop to feed a head signal at an output of the actuator back as an input to the controller to produce an error signal; and a plurality of peak filters coupled to the controller and having different peak frequencies. Each peak filter has a peak filter input including the error signal, and has a peak filter output. A supervisor module is coupled with the peak filters to selectively add or delete the peak filter output of each peak filter to the actuator input to drive the actuator.

Abstract: Track mis-registration (TMR) correction is conditionally made in a hard disk drive using servo data in a closed loop servo control scheme, along with one or more alternative sensing schemes when an external shock or vibration occurs. The alternative sensing schemes include measurement of spindle motor speed using a frequency of servo markers read from a rotating disk, voice control motor (VCM) back emf, spindle motor speed back emf, and accelerometer readings. The predicted TMR resulting from the signal generated by the alternative sensing scheme(s) is simulated based upon a model of the disk drive system, and corrections are applied only if the expected TMR due to the disturbances is large enough that application of the corrections using the alternative sensing scheme would be likely to reduce the overall TMR.

Abstract: A magnetic disk medium of a discrete track recording (DTR) structure and a disk drive using the magnetic disk medium are disclosed. The magnetic disk medium of the DTR structure has positional-error detection servo patterns in a servo region, the positional-error detection servo patterns being formed of null servo patterns. This enables magnetic regions included in the servo region to occupy substantially 50% of the area of the servo region.

Abstract: A servo system includes a first member and a second member that is positionable relative to the first member. A position error signal causes the second member to be positioned at a desired location relative to the first member. The position error signal includes a position error due to a disturbance in the servo system, and the position error is reduced by attenuation of a disturbance signal as a non-linear function of the amplitude of the disturbance signal.

Abstract: The amount of position error written into a servo burst pattern can be reduced by using additional media revolutions to write the pattern. Where the edges of two servo bursts are used to define a position on the media, trimming the first burst and writing the second burst on separate revolutions will result in a different amount of position error being written into each burst. The end result will be a reduction in the overall error in position information. In order to further reduce the position error given by a burst pair, each burst also can be trimmed and/or written in multiple passes. Additional bursts can also be written, such as for each data track centerline. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write apparatus comprises: a recording medium; and a head for writing/reading data to/from each sector on the recording medium; wherein the magnetic read/write apparatus further comprises: a write inhibit slice setting circuit for, when data is written to the recording medium, setting a write inhibit slice for each sector based on the recording state of each sector on the recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus is configured such that a physical track number is converted into an absolute track number by making a track pitch in an absolute track area formed by a given magnetic head wider by a given amount than a track pitch in a corresponding absolute track area formed by a reference magnetic head if the number of absolute tracks is larger in the absolute track area formed by the given magnetic head than in, the absolute track area formed by the reference magnetic head although the number of physical tracks is identical in corresponding physical track areas between different magnetic disks. The given amount is commensurate with an unused area corresponding to a difference in the number of absolute tracks between the absolute track area formed by the given magnetic head and the absolute track area formed by the reference magnetic head.

Abstract: A method for preventing data loss in a hard disk drive by projecting reduction in gas concentration using insitu non-repeatable runout is disclosed. The method includes using servo tracking error to obtain a measured value of insitu non-repeatable runout (NRRO) for the hard disk drive, the hard disk drive having been filled with the gas and hermetically sealed. The measured value of NRRO is then deconvolved into a plurality of values for flow induced NRRO components. These values of NRRO and of flow induced NRRO components are compared to predetermined limiting values and a time when one of the predetermined limiting values will be reached is predicted. Action is then applied as appropriate.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a magnetic recording medium onto which servo information including position information is recorded by a plurality of concavo-convex patterns formed by a magnetic layer; a gate circuit that extracts a part of a reproducing signal of the concavo-convex patterns by removing an end of a signal corresponding to a concave portion or a convex portion of the concavo-convex patterns from the reproducing signal; a first integrator that obtains area integral of an extracted reproducing signal; and a second integrator that adds respective signals after area integral is obtained to each other to generate a position control signal for controlling a position of a magnetic head. Thus, the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus can make an output of the position control signal larger and can perform positioning control for the magnetic head with high precision.

Abstract: A system and method for performing read retry operations with respect to an erroneously read data sector is disclosed. The system and method use estimates of bit error rates determined during previous attempts to read data from the sector to determine an optimal distance and direction to move a read transducer for a subsequent read retry of the erroneously data sector.

Abstract: A storage device, which comprises a storage media, a spindle motor which spins the storage media, a head unit which records and reads the data to the storage media, an actuator which carries out the positioning operation to the head unit on the storage media, a loading and unloading system which controls the actuator and carries out the unload operation that withdraws the head unit from the storage media and the loading operation that shifts the head unit onto the storage media, and a measurement means which measures the unloading energy required for the unload operation.

Abstract: A method of writing product servo sectors to a disk of a disk drive is disclosed. A plurality of spiral tracks are written to the disk, wherein each spiral track comprises a high frequency signal interrupted at a predetermined interval by a sync mark. During the product servo writing process, the sync marks in the spiral tracks are detected and a sync mark reliability metric is generated, wherein the sync mark reliability metric represents a probability that the sync mark was detected accurately. A timing recovery measurement is generated in response to the detected sync marks and the sync mark reliability metrics. A servo write clock is synchronized in response to the timing recovery measurement and used to write the product servo sectors to the disk while serving on the spiral tracks.

Abstract: Read-write head flying height controlled through micro-actuator assembly. Flying height controlled using DC line and ground line. Lateral position controlled using them and AC line. Micro-actuator assembly operates through three terminals coupled with these lines. Head gimbal assembly contains micro-actuator assembly mechanically coupling to slider with read-write head. Actuator arm includes at least one head gimbal assembly. Actuator arm assembly includes at least one actuator arm. Voice coil actuator includes actuator assembly. Hard disk drive containing voice coil actuator. Electrical interface circuit includes ground port, DC port, and AC port, for micro-actuator assembly. Servo controller drives micro-actuator assembly to control flying height and lateral position, preferably including electrical interface circuit. Manufacturing head gimbal assembly, actuator arm, actuator assembly, voice coil actuator, and hard disk drive, and products of these manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A servo writer that uses a clamping push pin is disclosed. The clamping push pin includes a first clamping member that is movable relative to a second clamping member. The first clamping member is spaced from the second clamping member such that a disk drive head positioner assembly may be positioned therebetween. The spacing between the first clamping member and second clamping member is then reduced such that the push pin clamps onto the head positioner assembly. The push pin may then be moved to change the position of the head positioner assembly as required for servo writing operations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention eliminate noise from burst signals by use of a reliable and simple method. In one embodiment, the read processor of the HDD has a noise elimination circuit. The noise elimination circuit retains multiple integral values of the waveform absolute values for each period in the burst signals read out from the head, then removes a maximum value and/or a minimum value from the multiple integral values, and transmits the remainder as noise-eliminated signal data. The noise elimination circuit is a circuit for eliminating noise from an N number of periods of burst signal data, and this circuit integrates the absolute values of the waveforms for each period in the N number of periods of burst signal data, compares the integral values of each period with one another, and outputs the remainder obtained by removing the maximum and minimum integral values, to the servo data decoder of the following stage.

Abstract: The amount of position error written into a servo burst pattern can be reduced by using additional media revolutions to write the pattern. Where the edges of two servo bursts are used to define a position on the media, trimming the first burst and writing the second burst on separate revolutions of the media will result in a different amount of position error being written into each burst. The end result will be a reduction in the overall error in position information. In order to further reduce the position error given by a burst pair, each burst also can be trimmed and/or written in multiple passes. Additional bursts can also be written, such as for each data track centerline. The overall error in position should decrease as the number of passes used to write a burst pair increases. Also, additional bursts can be written in separate passes in order to further reduce position error while avoiding coherence concerns.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a method and an apparatus for generating an optimal MRO for a zone having a plurality of tracks. A disc drive controller determines the optimum MRO of a zone of tracks by analyzing multiple tracks in the zone with the actuator arm located at a series of offsets relative to the track center. Selected tracks in the zone are written to once. Then the selected tracks in the zone are sequentially read at a first offset, and the corresponding errors recorded. This reading is repeated for each of the offsets until all offsets have been analyzed. Based on the offset, or band of offsets, with the least errors over the selected tracks, the optimum MRO can be selected for the zone. The process can be repeated for each zone and the optimum MRO values stored in an MRO table in the disc drive for use during subsequent read and write operations.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method and apparatus for writing servo information on disks to be used in a hard disk drive assembly. In one embodiment, servo information is pre-written onto a disk using an offline servo track writer which employs a fluid dynamic bearing spindle to rotate the disk(s) during read/write operations. In another embodiment, servo information is written onto a disk by a method of track following on a reference disk using an offline servo track writer.

Abstract: A hard disk drive that redefines a notch filter of the drive. The update process may include initially disabling all notch filters and inducing a seek operation of the disk drive heads. A position error signal is read during a settling time of the seek operation and processed to determine the frequency of the signal. The frequency is selected as a resonant frequency if the error signal magnitude exceeds a threshold value. The notch filter is then redefined in accordance with the selected resonant frequency. The controller may also perform a routine to determine whether the resonant frequency is above or below a Nyquist frequency. Unlike prior art techniques, the method disclosed can obtain the resonant frequency without sweeping the excitation signal of the disk drive voice coil motor.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for providing a fine adjustment for transducing head positioning in a hard disk drive (HDD). The apparatus, method, and system include reading a positioning error field wherein the resulting signal is a substantially sinusoidal position error signal (PES), filtering the PES to remove low frequencies and attenuate high frequencies, sample the filtered PES at a multiple of the channel frequency, filter the higher frequency harmonics, down sample the PES, and provide a signal proportional to the amplitude of the down sampled PES. This signal is the reference signal to the head positioning servo.

Abstract: A head positioning control system which is applied to a disk drive is disclosed. The system includes a feedback control system which performs head positioning control of a head and a feedforward control system. The feedforward control system detects the amplitude and phase of a disturbance based on the position error between the position of the head and a target position. The feedforward control system computes a disturbance compensation value for eliminating the disturbance to output the disturbance compensation value to the feedback control system based on each detection result of the amplitude and the phase.