Use of multiple operating RPMs in a hard disk drive to save energy
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsRaghu Gururangan, Fernando Zayas, Thorsten Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hard disk drive determines whether the hard disk drive is powered by a battery. This determination is used to select an operating RPM value for the hard disk drive. The fly height of a slider on a hard disk drive can be tested at a low operating RPM value. If the fly height is acceptable, the low operating RPM value is enabled to be selectable for the disk drive. In addition to a low operating RPM value, a high operating RPM value can also be selectable.
Claims20
A method of operating a hard disk drive that can be powered from a battery or from an electrical socket, the method comprising:
- determining whether the hard disk drive is powered from the battery or from the electrical socket;
- using the determination to aid in the selection of an operating revolutions per minute (RPM) for operating the rotatable disk of the hard disk drive read and write data;
- and
- operating the rotatable disk of the hard disk drive at the selected operating RPM.
A method comprising:
- testing the fly height of a slider on a hard disk drive at a low operating revolutions per minute (RPM) value;
- and
- if the fly height is acceptable, enabling the low operating RPM value to be selectable for the disk drive, wherein in addition to the low operating RPM value a high operating RPM value is also selectable.
The method of clam 8, wherein the PRM value is selected based on battery life.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.