US 2003/0206358 A1 · Head instability detection for a data storage device

Abstract

A method for determining whether a head of a data storage device exhibits head instability. A disc attached to a spindle motor is accelerated to an operating rotational velocity to aerodynamically support the head, the head is positioned over a portion of the disc and a pattern of selected frequency is written. A readback signal is provided to a head instability detection circuit by a magnetoresistive element of the head reading the selected frequency pattern for detection and comparison of an occurrence of randomly repeatable amplitude spikes in relation to predetermined threshold levels.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method by steps comprising:

aerodynamically supporting a head above a recording surface;
writing a selected frequency pattern to the recording surface;
comparing a randomly repeatable amplitude spike of a readback signal to a predetermined threshold for an occurrence of an amplitude of the randomly repeatable amplitude spike exceeding the predetermined threshold;
and
evaluating the occurrence of the amplitude of the randomly repeatable amplitude spike exceeding the predetermined threshold relative to a predetermined occurrence count threshold to determine presence of head instability.

2 more elements

A system for detecting a head exhibiting head instability comprising:

a rotatable magnetic recording surface with a selected constant frequency pattern written thereon, the rotatable magnetic recording surface establishing fluidic currents during rotation sufficient to aerodynamically support the head adjacent the surface;
and
means for determining whether the head exhibits head instability, by steps for determining whether the head exhibits head instability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/406,117Filed 3 Apr 2003

Priority

3 May 2002

Published

6 Nov 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G11B 5/012
Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor: recording on, or…
G11B 27/36
Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel: monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording…
G11B
Information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer

Head instability detection for a data storage device

Life of this patent

Head instability detection for a data storage device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18