Storage media defect detection

1. A method for detecting a defect on a storage device, comprising:

receiving a signal read from a storage device;

sampling the signal with an arbitrary phase offset to obtain a set of signal samples;

computing with a processor a defect value for a defect type using the set of signal samples, wherein the defect value is computed at least in part based on a relationship corresponding to a sine waveform, and wherein computing includes computing the difference between a first sample and a third sample in a sequence of three samples to obtain a first difference;

comparing the defect value with a threshold associated with the defect type;

determining whether there is a defect of the defect type based at least in part on the comparison; and

in the event that a defect is detected, outputting an indication associated with the defect.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the signal samples does not coincide with a peak of the signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein computing includes using four signal samples to compute the defect value.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the set of signal samples is a sequence of signal samples that are sampled at a prescribed sampling rate.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect type includes a drop in/drop out amplitude defect associated with an amplitude gain or loss of 5% or more.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect type includes a shallow amplitude defect associated with an amplitude gain or loss of 5% or less.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect type includes a thermal asperity defect associated with a DC offset.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect type includes a timing defect associated with a phase jump in the signal.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect value is an accumulated defect value that is computed at least in part by summing a first defect value with a second defect value.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect value is based at least in part on an amplitude value or a DC component value.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect value is computed at least in part by taking the difference between a first phase and a second phase.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the defect value is computed at least in part by taking the difference between a first accumulated phase and a second accumulated phase.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein computing further includes squaring the first difference to obtain a first squared distance.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein computing further includes summing the first squared difference and a second squared difference to obtain a sum of squared differences.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein computing further includes taking the square root of the sum of squared differences.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein computing includes summing the set of signal samples.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein computing further includes dividing the first difference by a second difference to obtain a ratio of differences.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 , wherein computing further includes taking the arctangent of the ratio of differences.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein computing includes using a look up table.

20. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein comparing includes determining whether the defect value is greater than the threshold.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 , wherein determining includes in the event that the defect value is greater than the threshold, determining that there is a defect.

22. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the indication includes a location of the defect within a given resolution.

23. A system for detecting a defect on a storage device, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a signal read from a storage device;

sample the signal with an arbitrary phase offset to obtain a set of signal samples;

compute a defect value for a defect type using the set of signal samples, wherein the defect value is computed at least in part based on a relationship corresponding to a sine waveform, and wherein computing a defect value includes computing the difference between a first sample and a third sample in a sequence of three samples to obtain a first difference;

compare the defect value with a threshold associated with the defect type;

determine whether there is a defect of the defect type based at least in part on the comparison; and

in the event that a defect is detected, output an indication associated with the defect; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions.

24. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein at least one of the signal samples does not coincide with a peak of the signal.

25. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein computing includes using four signal samples to compute the defect value.

26. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the set of signal samples is a sequence of signal samples that are sampled at a prescribed sampling rate.

27. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect type includes a drop in/drop out amplitude defect associated with an amplitude gain or loss of 5% or more.

28. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect type includes a shallow amplitude defect associated with an amplitude gain or loss of 5% or less.

29. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect type includes a thermal asperity defect associated with a DC offset.

30. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect type includes a timing defect associated with a phase jump in the signal.

31. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect value is an accumulated defect value that is computed at least in part by summing a first defect value with a second defect value.

32. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect value is based at least in part on an amplitude value or a DC component value.

33. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect value is computed at least in part by taking the difference between a first phase and a second phase.

34. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the defect value is computed at least in part by taking the difference between a first accumulated phase and a second accumulated phase.

35. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein computing further includes squaring the first difference to obtain a first squared distance.

36. The system as recited in claim 35 , wherein computing further includes summing the first squared difference and a second squared difference to obtain a sum of squared differences.

37. The system as recited in claim 36 , wherein computing further includes taking the square root of the sum of squared differences.

38. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein computing includes summing the set of signal samples.

39. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein computing further includes dividing the first difference by a second difference to obtain a ratio of differences.

40. The system as recited in claim 39 , wherein computing further includes taking the arctangent of the ratio of differences.

41. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein computing includes using a look up table.

42. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein comparing includes determining whether the defect value is greater than the threshold.

43. The system as recited in claim 42 , wherein determining includes in the event that the defect value is greater than the threshold, determining that there is a defect.

44. The system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the indication includes a location of the defect within a given resolution.

45. A computer program product for detecting a defect on a storage device, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a signal read from a storage device;

sampling the signal with an arbitrary phase offset to obtain a set of signal samples;

computing a defect value for a defect type using the set of signal samples, wherein the defect value is computed at least in part based on a relationship corresponding to a sine waveform, and wherein computing includes computing the difference between a first sample and a third sample in a sequence of three samples to obtain a first difference;

comparing the defect value with a threshold associated with the defect type;

determining whether there is a defect of the defect type based at least in part on the comparison; and

in the event that a defect is detected, outputting an indication associated with the defect.