IP Library Patent Application 11742347
Patent Application
App. No. 11/742,347

REGULATING READ/WRITE TRANSDUCER MOVEMENT RESPONSIVE TO ACOUSTICS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/742,347
Abstract

Various methods and circuits are described for controlling movement of a read/write transducer. The acoustics that are generated when moving a read/write transducer are detected. Movement of the transducer is regulated in response to the detected acoustics.

Claims (49)

1 . A method comprising:

detecting acoustics generated when moving a data read/write transducer; and

regulating movement of the transducer in response to the detected acoustics.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating an acoustic signal that is indicative of sound generated when an actuator moves the transducer; and

regulating a current command provided to the actuator in response to the acoustic signal.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein regulating the current command comprises:

selecting among a plurality of seek parameters based on a radial distance between a starting track and a target track for a seek operation;

generating the current command in response to the selected seek parameters; and

scaling the current command in response to the acoustic signal.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein regulating the current command comprises:

regulating slope of a leading/trailing edge of the current command in response to the acoustic signal.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

learning acoustic signal levels generated by transducer seek operations for a plurality of radial distances between starting tracks and target tracks; and

regulating the current command provided to the actuator in response to the radial distance of a seek operation and the associated learned acoustic signal level.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an expected seek time associated with moving the transducer from a starting track to a target track on a data storage disk;

determining an expected rotational latency time associated with rotating the disk to move an addressed data block on the target track adjacent to the transducer after the transducer would be expected to arrive at the target track;

selecting among a plurality of seek parameters based on the expected seek time and the expected rotational latency time;

generating an acoustic signal that is indicative of sound generated when the actuator moves the transducer; and

regulating movement of the transducer by the actuator in response to the selected seek parameters and in response to the acoustic signal.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

limiting acceleration/deceleration of the transducer while seeking the transducer when a starting track and/or a target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of a disk.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein limiting acceleration/deceleration of the transducer comprises limiting acceleration of the transducer while seeking the transducer when the starting track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk, and limiting deceleration of the transducer while seeking the transducer when the target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein limiting acceleration/deceleration of the transducer comprises reducing magnitude of a current command provided to an actuator to move the transducer when the starting track and/or the target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein limiting acceleration/deceleration of the transducer comprises reducing slope of a leading/trailing edge of a current command provided to an actuator to move the transducer when the starting track and/or the target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk.

11 . A circuit comprising:

a servo controller that regulates movement of a read/write transducer in response to acoustics detected when moving the transducer.

12 . The circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:

an acoustic sensor that generates an acoustic signal that is indicative of sound generated when an actuator moves the transducer,

wherein the servo controller regulates a current command provided to the actuator in response to the acoustic signal.

13 . The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the servo controller selects among a plurality of seek parameters based on a radial distance between a starting track and a target track on a data storage disk for a seek operation, generates the current command in response to the selected seek parameters, and scales the current command in response to the acoustic signal.

14 . The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the servo controller regulates slope of a leading/trailing edge of the current command in response to the acoustic signal.

15 . The circuit of claim 12 , wherein the servo controller learns acoustic signal levels generated by transducer seek operations for a plurality of radial distances between starting tracks and target tracks, and regulates the current command provided to the actuator in response to the radial distance of a seek operation and the associated learned acoustic signal level.

16 . The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the servo controller reduces magnitude of a current command provided to an actuator to move the transducer when the starting track and/or the target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk.

17 . The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the servo controller reduces slope of a leading/trailing edge of a current command provided to an actuator to move the transducer when the starting track and/or the target track is less than a threshold radial distance from the inner/outer diameter of the disk.

18 . A method comprising:

receiving a signal from a host device indicating a desired automatic acoustic management level;

estimating a data access time for moving a transducer in a seek operation; and

regulating movement of the transducer during the seek operation in response to the desired automatic acoustic management level and the estimating data access time.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

determining a data access time for moving the transducer based on the desired automatic acoustic management level from the host device;

when the estimating data access time is less than the data access time determined for the desired automatic acoustic management level from the host device, regulating movement of the transducer during the seek operation in response to a lower automatic acoustic management level providing a longer seek time than the desired automatic acoustic management level from the host device.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

when the estimating data access time is greater than the data access time determined for the desired automatic acoustic management level from the host device, regulating movement of the transducer during the seek operation in response to an automatic acoustic management level for which the resulting data access time is no more than the data access time for the desired automatic acoustic management level from the host device.

21 . A method comprising:

within a host, selecting an automatic acoustic management level based on disk drive data input/output throughput requirements, disk drive power consumption requirements, disk drive heat generation requirements, and/or disk drive seek acoustic requirements;

within a disk drive, receiving a signal from the host device indicating the automatic acoustic management level; and

regulating movement of a transducer within the disk drive during a seek operation in response to the automatic acoustic management level.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2025
From: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HDD HOLDINGS; I365 INC.; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL; SEAGATE HDD CAYMAN; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY (US) HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 072193/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Jul 19, 2013
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND SECOND PRIORITY REPRESENTATIVE
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; EVAULT INC. (F/K/A I365 INC.); SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY US HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030833/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 24, 2011
From: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 026010/0350 →
RELEASE Recorded Jan 19, 2011
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY HDD HOLDINGS; MAXTOR CORPORATION; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 025662/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2009
From: MAXTOR CORPORATION
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 022893/0855 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2009
From: MAXTOR CORPORATION; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC; SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND FIRST PRIORITY REPRESENTATIVE; WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND SECOND PRIORITY REPRESENTATIVE
Reel/Frame 022757/0017 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2007
From: LIU, YANNING; DIERKES, FRANZ; TUNG, DAVID
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 019228/0976 →