Method and apparatus for identifying a track of a rotating disk using EPR4 data equalization and detection techniques

A method for identifying a track of a rotating disk of a mass data storage device, comprising:

• detecting track identification indicia recorded on said disk using a read head;
• and
• processing said detected track identification indicia using a data equalization technique having at least three positive and three negative target values,
• wherein said three positive target values are other than 1, 2, and 1, and said three negative target values are other than −1, −2, and −3.

A method for identifying a track of a rotating disk of a mass data storage device, comprising:

• detecting track identification indicia recorded on said disk using a read head;
• and
• processing said detected track identification Indicia using EPR4 data equalization techniques,
• wherein said processing said detected track identification indicia comprises processing said detected track identification indicia using a Viterbi detector, and
• wherein a trellis of said Viterbi detector is configured to detect only four possible information sequences.

A method for identifying a track of a rotating disk of a mass data storage device, comprising:

• writing track identification indicia onto said disk with at least some of said track identification indicia pulses at least partially overlapping;
• detecting said track identification indicia;
• and processing said detected track identification indicia using EPR4 data equalization techniques,
• wherein said processing said detected track Identification Indicia comprises processing said detected track identification indicia using a Viterbi detector, and
• wherein said Viterbi comprises a trellis configured to detect only four possible information sequences.

A mass data storage device, comprising:

• partially overlapping track Identification indida on a rotating disk of said device;
• a read head selectively positionable to detect said track identification indicia;
• and an EPR4 processor to process said detected track identification indicia,
• wherein said EPR4 processor comprises a Viterbi detector which includes a trellis configured to detect only four possible information sequences.