Settling monitor system for a following servo

A system for monitoring settling of a transient response of at least one head controlled by a following controller, said system comprising:

• state estimation means for generating a velocity estimate of the head;
• means, coupled to said head and said state estimation means, for generating calculated settling monitoring time data by inputting, to a predetermined settling evaluation function, calculated settling monitoring time data based on the velocity estimate and data showing a position of the head determined by the following controller, said calculated settling monitoring time data showing a time necessary for monitoring the settling of the transient response determined by a predetermined settling evaluation function;
• timer means for generating time data showing a time elapsed since commencement of supervision of settling;
• comparator means, coupled to said generating means and said timer means, for comparing said calculated settling monitoring time data and said time data with each other and for replacing the time data of said timer means with the calculated settling monitoring time data on the basis of a comparison result;
• and
• decision making means, coupled to said timer means, for generating a settling completion signal when the time data shows a predetermined time.

A disk apparatus comprising:

• head means for writing and reading data into and from a disk-shaped recording medium;
• read/write means, coupled to said head means, for outputting the data read by said head means to an external device and for outputting the data supplied from the external device to said head means;
• actuator means for moving said head means to access a desired track position;
• and
• servo controls means, coupled to said head means and said actuator means for positioning said head and detecting settling a transient response of said head means,
• said servo control means comprising:
• state estimation means for generating a velocity estimate of the head means;
• means, coupled to said head means and said state estimation means, for calculating settling monitoring time data based on the velocity estimate and data showing a position of the head means determined by the following controller;
• timer means for generating time data showing a time elapsed since commencement of supervision of settling;
• comparator means, coupled to said calculated settling monitoring time data generating means and said timer means, for comparing said calculated settling monitoring time data and said time data with each other and for replacing the time data of said timer means with calculated settling monitoring time data output on the basis of a comparison result;
• and
• decision making means, coupled to said timer means, for generating, for generating a settling completion signal when the time data shows a predetermined time.