IP Library Granted Patent US 12,347,466
Granted Patent B1
US 12,347,466 · App. 18/582,927 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Data storage device with command selection that minimizes frequency of pre-heating

Inventors: Zarko Popov (Mission Viejo, CA); Andrew Larson (Rochester, MN); Wayne H. Vinson (Longmont, CO)
Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G11B5/012G11B5/4866G11B2005/0021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,347,466
App. No.
18/582,927
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device, method, and one or more processing devices that are configured to: estimate access times of a plurality of access commands included in a command queue of a disk drive containing the one or more disks; adjust a respective one of the access times of a respective one of the access commands based on the respective one of the access commands satisfying one of one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation to heat a laser diode associated with a head of the disk drive; and select one of the access commands as a next command for execution in the disk drive based on the access times.

Claims (44)

1. A data storage device, comprising:

one or more disks;

an actuator mechanism configured to position a selected head among one or more heads proximate to a corresponding disk surface of a corresponding disk among the one or more disks; and

one or more processing devices, individually or in combination, configured to:

estimate access times of a plurality of access commands included in a command queue of a disk drive containing the one or more disks;

adjust a respective one of the access times of a respective one of the plurality of access commands based on the respective one of the plurality of access commands satisfying one of one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation to heat a laser diode associated with a head of the one or more heads; and

select one of the plurality of access commands as a next command for execution in the disk drive based on the access times.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation include:

transitioning from a read operation to a write operation;

transitioning from a write operation to a read operation; and

transitioning from a write operation using a first head to a write operation using a second head different than the first head.

3. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

4. The data storage device of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times based on the pre-heat time comprises adding the pre-heat time to the respective one of the access times.

5. The data storage device of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times based on the pre-heat time comprises setting the respective one of the access times as equal to the pre-heat time.

6. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a determined fraction of a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

7. The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the one or more processing devices, individually or in combination, are further configured to:

determine a number of write operations in the command queue that use a same head as the respective one of the plurality of access commands; and

determine the fraction of the pre-heat time by dividing the pre-heat time by the determined number of write operations.

8. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adding the determined fraction of the pre-heat time to the respective one of the access times.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adding a predefined amount to the respective one of the access times.

10. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive comprises a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) disk drive.

11. A method comprising:

estimating access times of a plurality of access commands included in a command queue of a disk drive containing one or more disks;

adjusting a respective one of the access times of a respective one of the plurality of access commands based on the respective one of the plurality of access commands satisfying one of one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation to heat a laser diode associated with a head of the disk drive; and

selecting one of the plurality of access commands as a next command for execution in the disk drive based on the access times,

wherein the estimating, the adjusting, and the selecting are performed by one or more processing devices individually or in combination.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation include:

transitioning from a read operation to a write operation;

transitioning from a write operation to a read operation; and

transitioning from a write operation using a first head to a write operation using a second head different than the first head.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a determined fraction of a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises adding a predefined amount to the respective one of the access times.

16. One or more processing devices comprising, , individually or in combination:

means for estimating access times of a plurality of access commands included in a command queue of a disk drive containing one or more disks;

means for adjusting a respective one of the access times of a respective one of the plurality of access commands based on the respective one of the plurality of access commands satisfying one of one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation to heat a laser diode associated with a head of the disk drive; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of access commands as a next command for execution in the disk drive based on the access times.

17. The one or more processing devices of claim 16 , wherein the one or more conditions that indicate an increased likelihood of performing a pre-heating operation include:

transitioning from a read operation to a write operation;

transitioning from a write operation to a read operation; and

transitioning from a write operation using a first head to a write operation using a second head different than the first head.

18. The one or more processing devices of claim 16 , wherein the means for adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises means for adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

19. The one or more processing devices of claim 16 , wherein the means for adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises means for adjusting the respective one of the access times based on a determined fraction of a pre-heat time of the respective one of the plurality of access commands.

20. The one or more processing devices of claim 16 , wherein the means for adjusting the respective one of the access times comprises means for adding a predefined amount to the respective one of the access times.

Assignments (2)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (AR) Recorded May 15, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 067417/0329 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2024
From: POPOV, ZARKO; LARSON, ANDREW; VINSON, WAYNE H.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067045/0026 →
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