Shock resistant, high reliability rotating magnetic storage device
View Patent ↗A rotating storage apparatus is provided for high recording reliability in an environment in which a shock or vibration exists. Provided are means for outputting a shock out signal (SO) if an output from an acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, a latch circuit 21 for outputting a latch signal at high level during a predetermined write inhibit period after the shock out signal (SO) is input, and a write gate signal (WG) which goes high when a write is enabled. A write enable signal is generated by an AND circuit 23 having a NOT output of the latch signal as well as the write gate signal WO as its inputs.
1. A storage apparatus, comprising:
a rotating recording medium for recording information;
a mechanism for performing at least a write operation onto said rotating recording medium; and,
an acceleration sensor for detecting a shock,
wherein if an output from said acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, said write operation is inhibited during a write inhibit period,
wherein a duration of said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on a time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold.
2. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said write inhibit period is longer than a period that said output from said acceleration sensor exceeds said predetermined threshold.
3. A storage apparatus comprising:
a rotating recording medium for recording information;
a mechanism for performing at least a write operation onto said rotating recording medium; and,
an acceleration sensor for detecting a shock,
wherein if an output from said acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, said write operation is inhibited during a write inhibit period,
wherein a duration of said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on one or more of: a time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold, a peak value of said acceleration sensor output, and a waveform of said acceleration sensor output;
wherein said write inhibit period is selected by varying a predetermined fixed time period based at least in part on said time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold.
4. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected by varying a predetermined fixed time period based at least in part on said peak value of said acceleration sensor output.
5. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a gravitational acceleration sensor.
6. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a gyro-meter.
7. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a semiconductor sensor.
8. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said storage apparatus is a bard disk drive.
9. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said storage apparatus is removable from a host system.
10. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said rotating recording medium is an optical disk.
11. A storage apparatus comprising:
a rotating recording medium for recording information;
a mechanism for perfomring at least a write operation onto said rotating recording medium; and,
an acceleration sensor for detecting a shock,
wherein if an output from said acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, said write operation is inhibited during a write inhibit period,
wherein a duration of said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on one or more of: a time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold, a peak value of said acceleration sensor output, and a waveform of said acceleration sensor output;
a mechanism for monitoring an output from said acceleration sensor, and, if said monitored output exceeds a predetermined threshold, outputting a shock out signal;
a latch mechanism for outputting a latch signal at a first level during said write inhibit period from a time at which said shock out signal is input;
a write gate signal generation mechanism for outputting a write gate signal at the first level when a write permission is given; and
a logic circuit enabling a write onto said rotating recording medium when said latch signal is at a second level other than said first level and when said write gate signal is at the first level.
12. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the mechanism for monitoring the output from said acceleration sensor monitors the output with respect to only one predetermined threshold.
13. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the latch mechanism is a single latch logic circuit, no other latch logic circuit providing signals to the logic circuit enabling the write onto the rotating recording medium.
14. A storage apparatus, comprising:
a rotating recording medium for recording information;
a mechanism for performing at least a write operation onto said rotating recording medium;
an acceleration sensor for detecting a shock, said acceleration sensor providing output upon detecting a shock;
a mechanism for monitoring an output from said acceleration sensor, and outputting a shock out signal based on said acceleration sensor output;
a latch mechanism for outputting a latch signal at a first level during a write inhibit period from a time at which said shock out signal is input, wherein said write inhibit period is selected based on said output of said acceleration sensor;
a write gate signal generation mechanism for outputting a write gate signal at the first level when a write permission is given; and
a logic circuit enabling a write onto said rotating recording medium when said latch signal is at a second level other than said first level and when said write gate signal is at the first level.
15. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said latch mechanism is a single latch logic circuit, no other latch logic circuit providing signals to the logic circuit enabling the write onto the rotating recording medium.
16. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on a time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds a predetermined threshold.
17. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on a peak value of said acceleration sensor output.
18. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on a waveform of said acceleration sensor output.
19. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is longer than a period that said output from said acceleration sensor exceeds said predetermined threshold.
20. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected by varying a predetermined fixed time period based at least in part on said time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold.
21. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said write inhibit period is selected by varying a predetermined fixed time period based at least in part on said peak value of said acceleration sensor output.
22. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a gravitational acceleration sensor.
23. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a gyro-meter.
24. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said acceleration sensor is a semiconductor sensor.
25. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said storage apparatus is a hard disk drive.
26. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said storage apparatus is removable from a host system.
27. A storage apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein said rotating recording medium is an optical disk.
28. An information recording method in a rotating storage apparatus comprising a rotating recording medium for recording information, a head for performing at least a write operation onto said rotating recording medium, and an acceleration sensor for detecting a shock, said method comprising:
outputting a shock out signal if an output from said acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold;
outputting continuously a signal at a first level during a write inhibit period in response to the input of said shock out signal, wherein a duration of said write inhibit period is selected based at least in part on one or more of: a time span in which said acceleration sensor output exceeds said threshold, a peak value of said acceleration sensor output, and a waveform of said acceleration sensor output;
generating a logical AND signal of a logical negation signal of the signal at a first level and a write gate signal output, said write gate signal output being at the first level when a write permission is given; and
enabling a write onto said rotating recording medium when said logical AND signal is at the first level.