Method for storing format specific data in a microcontroller execution memory
View Patent ↗Format specific parameters may be selected in a disk drive comprising a control system and a plurality of disk surfaces each having a surface format for storing data, wherein at least one surface format is different than other surface formats and wherein the control system comprises a microcontroller having a microcontroller execution memory. The method for selecting these format specific parameters includes initializing the disk drive for operation, receiving a data transfer command, and selecting a disk surface for performing data transfer operations based on the received data transfer command. The method further includes generating a format specific data structure corresponding to the selected disk surface, storing the format specific data structure at a predetermined address in the microcontroller execution memory, and executing instructions for performing the data transfer operations using the microcontroller, wherein the instructions are executed using the stored format specific data structure.
1. A method for selecting format specific parameters in a disk drive comprising a control system and a plurality of disk surfaces each having a surface format for storing data, wherein at least one surface format is different than other surface formats and wherein the control system comprises a microcontroller having a microcontroller execution memory, the method comprising:
initializing the disk drive for operation;
receiving a data transfer command;
selecting a disk surface for performing data transfer operations based on the received data transfer command;
generating a format specific data structure corresponding to the selected disk surface;
storing the format specific data structure at a predetermined address in the microcontroller execution memory; and
executing instructions for performing the data transfer operations using the microcontroller, wherein the instructions are executed using the stored format specific data structure;
wherein the selected disk surface comprises a plurality of wedges and a plurality of zones traversing the wedges, each zone having at least one track having a plurality of sectors and at least one split-sector, wherein the generated data structure corresponds to a selected zone.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each split sector in the track comprises a first portion located in a first wedge and a split-portion located in an adjoining wedge.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the generating further comprises:
identifying the split-sectors in the selected zone; and
determining a preamble-field length value corresponding to a preamble-field of the split-portion of each identified split-sector.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the generating further comprises:
storing the determined preamble-field length values in the microcontroller execution memory.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the determined preamble-field length values are stored in SRAM.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data transfer command is received from a host computer in communication with the disk drive.