Transducer instability detection in a digital channel

Abstract

A data handling system that effectively detects and diagnoses manifestations of excessive transducer instability. For example, some embodiments identify shouldering and baseline pop instabilities in a digital servo channel. A preferred method of the present invention involves detecting a precise time at which a first feature in the received signal is encountered. Then, after a preset delay, a first level of the received signal is sampled. Then, after waiting until after a second feature in the received signal occurs, a second level of the received signal is sampled. Finally, at least one digital signal is generated so as to indicate whether an arithmetic combination of the first and second levels falls outside a stability-indicative range. A preferred device of the present invention includes a transducer, a peak detector configured to receive a signal from the transducer, two delay elements, two sampling circuits, and an output.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.