Data timestamp and read counter for magnetic recording devices
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorsShaomin Xiong, Erhard Schreck, Robert Smith, Sukumar Rajauria
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure generally relates to using a data timestamp and/or a read counter to prevent data from being re-read and signal that the data has been accessed. The write assist element in the write head can be utilized to degrade the data or an allocated marker after the data has been read. The degradation functions as a read counter to indicate how many times the data has been read. Additionally and/or alternatively, a timestamp can be utilized. The timestamp is updated each time that the data has been accessed. In so doing, it is possible to determine whether data in a data storage device has been accessed.
Claims19
A data storage device, comprising:
- a magnetic head comprising a read head and a write head, wherein the write head comprises a write assist element;
- a magnetic storage media;
- and
- a controller configured to cause the data storage device to:
- read data from the magnetic storage media using the read head;
- and
- apply current to the write assist element, wherein the applied current:
- is insufficient to cause data to be written to the magnetic storage media, and
- changes an amplitude of the read data or a mark on the magnetic storage media;
- wherein the magnetic storage media comprises a mark associated with a data sector on which the read data is stored, the mark being degraded by the applying the current.
A data storage device, comprising:
- a magnetic head comprising a read head and a write head, wherein the write head comprises a write assist element;
- a magnetic storage media;
- and
- a controller configured to cause the data storage device to:
- partially degrade data on the magnetic storage media or partially degrade a mark on the magnetic storage media, wherein the partially degrading is performed by the write assist element;
- and
- cause the data to be read before or concurrently with the partially degrading.
A data storage device, comprising:
- a magnetic head comprising a read head and a write head;
- a magnetic storage media;
- and
- a controller coupled to the magnetic head and the magnetic storage media, wherein the controller is configured to:
- write a timestamp to the magnetic storage media, wherein the timestamp corresponds to a time that data was accessed on the magnetic storage media, and the timestamp is coordinated with power-on timer information;
- read the data;
- and
- update the timestamp in response to the read data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.