US 6,121,742 A · Control scheme for multi-actuator disc drive

Abstract

In a computer disc drive system having a plurality of voice coil motors for independently actuating a plurality of actuator arms or E-blocks, a single voice coil motor servo control circuit controls the plurality of voice coil motors. In a preferred embodiment, a single digital servo processor dynamically allocates servo bandwidth to the plurality of voice coil motors according to the present activity of each voice coil motor. In a preferred embodiment, the single digital servo processor allocates the greatest amount of bandwidth to a voice coil motor that is presently positioning an associated read/write head for writing, a lesser amount of bandwidth to a voice coil motor that is presently positioning a read/write head for reading, and the least amount of bandwidth to a voice coil motor that is presently seeking or idle.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An actuator assembly for a computer disc drive system having one or more magnetic discs adapted to store data, the actuator assembly comprising:

a plurality of actuator arms, each rotatable about a pivot axis independently from another one of the plurality of actuator arms;
a plurality of read/write heads, each mounted at a distal end of one of the actuator arms so as to be proximate a surface of one of the magnetic discs;
a plurality of voice coil motors, each coupled to at least one of the actuator arms, each adapted to controllably rotate its associated at least one actuator arm about the pivot axis independently from another one of the plurality of voice coil motors;
and
a single servo control circuit adapted to control the plurality of voice coil motors, the servo control circuit adapted to dynamically allocate servo bandwidth to the plurality of voice coil motors according to a present activity of each voice coil motor.

2 more elements

A computer disc drive system comprising:

a spindle;
at least one magnetic disc adapted to store data and rotatable about the spindle;
a spindle motor adapted to rotate the at least one magnetic disc;
a plurality of actuator arms, each rotatable about a pivot axis independently from another one of the plurality of actuator arms;
a plurality of read/write heads, each mounted at a distal end of one of the actuator arms so as to be proximate a surface of one of the magnetic discs;
a plurality of voice coil motors, each attached to at least one of the actuator arms, each adapted to controllably rotate its associated at least one actuator arm about the pivot independently from another one of the plurality of voice coil motors;
and
a single servo control circuit adapted to control the plurality of voice coil motors, the servo control circuit adapted to dynamically allocate servo bandwidth to the plurality of voice coil motors according to a present activity of each voice coil motor.

5 more elements

A method of providing servo control for a plurality of voice coil motors in a computer disc drive system, each voice coil motor adapted for independently positioning at least one read/write head relative to a disc surface, the method comprising:

(a) controlling the plurality of voice coil motors with a single digital servo processor;
and
(b) dynamically allocating servo bandwidth to the plurality of voice coil motors according to a present activity of each voice coil motor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control scheme for multi-actuator disc drive

Life of this patent

Control scheme for multi-actuator disc drive

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16