Method and apparatus to increase head/AE select robustness for a system using multiple head servo write

A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for increasing head select robustness for group head systems controlled by drive electronics, said method comprising:

• copying arm electronics unit identification data to an arm electronics unit including a head to be used in a write or read operation, the head being one of a group of heads communicatively coupled to the arm electronics unit;
• querying the arm electronics unit to verify the identity of the arm electronics unit;
• copying read or write control data to the arm electronics unit;
• positioning an actuating arm to which the head is attached to locate the head over a selected location on a storage unit;
• and
• writing data to or reading data from the storage unit using the head.

A disk drive servo control system for a high density disk drive having multiple heads mounted on arms and controlled by drive electronics, each head reading information recorded on tracks on a disk storage medium surface, the servo control system comprising:

• two or more arm electronics units, each arm electronics unit connected to control position and operation of a plurality of said heads;
• a control parameter unit connected to the drive electronics for providing information identifying an arm electronics unit and a head to perform a read or write operation;
• and
• means in the drive electronics, connected to the control parameter unit and to the two arm electronics units, for verifying the information and for designating one of the two arm electronics units and a head to perform the read or write operation based upon verification of the information.

A high density disk drive head control system, comprising:

• a disk storage medium having a recording surface;
• multiple actuating arms;
• a head mounted on each actuating arm and held above the recording surface;
• a mechanism for positioning the heads over the recording surface to read data recorded on the disk storage medium or transfer data to the disk storage medium;
• drive electronics coordinating the mechanism and transfer of data to and from the disk storage medium;
• two or more arm electronics units, each arm electronics unit connected to control position and operation of a plurality of said heads;
• a control parameter unit connected to the drive electronics for providing information identifying an arm electronics unit and a head to perform a read or write operation;
• and
• means in the drive electronics, connected to the control parameter unit and to the two arm electronics units, for verifying the information and for designating one of the two arm electronics units and a head to perform the read or write operation based upon verification of the information.