Data storage device configuration using mutual information

A method comprising:

• determining, for a data storage device, a mutual information metric based on a multi-bit symbol size;
• determining a target mutual information threshold for the mutual information metric;
• and
• configuring, based on a comparison of the mutual information metric and the target mutual information threshold, at least one configuration setting for a channel circuit of the data storage device, wherein:
• the channel circuit is configured to encode user data and decode user data from a non-volatile storage medium of the data storage device;
• the channel circuit includes an error correction code encoder and decoder for storing user data based on an error correction code;
• the error correction code includes codewords comprised of a plurality symbols and parity data corresponding to a code rate;
• the mutual information metric defines an upper boundary of the code rate;
• and
• the at least one configuration setting includes the error correction code having a selected code rate less than the mutual information metric.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• means for determining, for a data storage device, a mutual information metric based on a multi-bit symbol size;
• means for determining a target mutual information threshold for the mutual information metric;
• and
• means for configuring, based on a comparison of the mutual information metric and the target mutual information threshold, at least one configuration setting for a channel circuit of the data storage device, wherein:
• the channel circuit comprises at least one signal processing filter;
• and
• the channel circuit is configured to:
• encode user data and decode user data from a non-volatile storage medium of the data storage device;
• iteratively determine the mutual information metric based on a range of tap settings of the at least one signal processing filter;
• and
• determine, responsive to the mutual information metric meeting the target mutual information threshold, a set of tap settings of the at least one signal processing filter.

A data storage device, comprising:

• a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
• and
• a channel circuit configured to encode user data to and decode user data from the non-volatile storage medium using configuration settings that control the encoding and decoding of the user data, wherein:
• at least one configuration setting is determined based on:
• a mutual information metric based on a multi-bit symbol size;
• and
• a target mutual information threshold for the mutual information metric;
• the channel circuit includes a modulation code encoder and decoder for storing user data based on a modulation code;
• the modulation code includes run length limited codewords defining a code penalty;
• the mutual information metric comprises a comparison of:
• data written with the modulation code;
• and
• data written without the modulation code;
• and
• the at least one configuration setting includes the modulation code having a selected code penalty to meet the target mutual information threshold.

A data storage device, comprising:

• a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
• and
• a channel circuit configured to encode user data to and decode user data from the non-volatile storage medium using configuration settings that control the encoding and decoding of the user data, wherein:
• at least one configuration setting is determined based on:
• a mutual information metric based on a multi-bit symbol size;
• and
• a target mutual information threshold for the mutual information metric;
• the channel circuit includes a disk format for storing user data based on a track pitch parameter and a bit density parameter;
• a combination of the track pitch parameter and the bit density parameter determines an areal density of the non-volatile storage medium;
• the mutual information metric correlates to the areal density;
• and
• the at least one configuration setting includes the track pitch parameter and the bit density parameter having a selected areal density to meet the target mutual information threshold.

A data storage device, comprising:

• a non-volatile storage medium configured to store user data;
• and
• a channel circuit configured to encode user data to and decode user data from the non-volatile storage medium using configuration settings that control the encoding and decoding of the user data, wherein:
• at least one configuration setting is determined based on:
• a mutual information metric based on a multi-bit symbol size;
• and
• a target mutual information threshold for the mutual information metric;
• the non-volatile storage medium is divided into a plurality of sectors;
• each sector in the plurality of sectors is comprised of a plurality of symbols;
• the mutual information metric is based on:
• calculating a mutual information value for each symbol of the plurality of symbols;
• and
• aggregating the mutual information values for the plurality of symbols in each sector;
• and
• the mutual information metric correlates to a sector failure rate and is independent of error correction code rate and linear density.