Methods for detecting and mitigating the effects of hard drive head crashes
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorThomas R. Forrer JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for detecting head-to-disk interference events in a disk drive is provided. The invention comprises coupling a transducer to an air filter in the disk drive, wherein the transducer detects changes in magnetic readings due to debris produced by physical contact between a read/write head and a magnetic storage medium (head crash). The is monitored during disk drive operations and comparing magnetic readings from the transducer with defined parameters. If the transducer readings exceed the defined parameters, the spindle motor of the disk drive is shut off, thus stopping the rotation of the disk and minimizing data loss and damage due to the head crash.
Claims19
A method for detecting head-to-disk interference events in a disk drive, the method comprising:
- coupling a transducer to an air filter in the disk drive, wherein the transducer detects changes in electromagnetic readings due to debris produced by physical contact between a read/write head and a magnetic storage medium;
- monitoring the transducer during disk drive operations and comparing electromagnetic readings from the transducer with baseline parameters;
- and
- if the transducer readings exceed the baseline parameters, halting rotation of the disk and unloading the read/write head from the magnetic storage medium.
A system for detecting head-to-disk interference events in a disk drive, the system comprising:
- a transducer coupled to an air filter in the disk drive, wherein the transducer detects changes in electromagnetic readings due to debris produced by physical contact between a read/write head and a magnetic storage medium;
- a microprocessor that monitors the transducer during disk drive operations and compares electromagnetic readings from the transducer with baseline parameters;
- and
- an intervention mechanism that, if the transducer readings exceed the baseline parameters, halts rotation of the disk and unloads the read/write head from the magnetic storage medium.
A computer program product in a computer readable medium, for detecting head-to-disk interference events in a disk drive, the computer program product comprising:
- instructions for monitoring a transducer during disk drive operations and comparing electromagnetic readings from the transducer with baseline parameters, wherein the transducer is coupled to an air filter in the disk drive and detects changes in electromagnetic readings due to debris produced by physical contact between a read/write head and a magnetic storage medium;
- and
- if the transducer readings exceed the baseline parameters, instructions for halting rotation of the disk and unloading the read/write head from the magnetic storage medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.