Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – General recording or reproducing – Signal switching
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2002-06-25
Sniezek, Andrew L. (Department: 2651)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
General recording or reproducing
Signal switching
C360S069000, C360S075000, C711S004000, C711S111000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06411454
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates, generally, to disc drive systems and methods of making, testing and using the same, which involve arranging a plurality of heads and recording surfaces in a stack and in preferred embodiments to such systems and methods wherein data is associated with the plurality of heads depending on a head location scheme for maximizing manufacturing flexibility. Further embodiments involve defining a reading or recording scheme in which data is read or recorded, using an array of heads operated in seriatim and an alternating order relative to the stack of recording surfaces.
BACKGROUND
Modern computers employ various forms of storage systems for storing programs and data. For example, various forms of disc drive systems have been designed to operate under the control of a computer to record information and/or retrieve recorded information on one or more recording discs. Such disc drives include hard disc drives which employ recording discs that have magnetizable (hard) recording material, optical disc drives which employ recording discs that have optically readable recording material, magneto-optical (MO) disc drives which employ recording discs that have optically readable magnetizable recording material, or the like.
Conventional disc drive systems typically include one or more recording discs supported for relatively high speed rotation on a rotary spindle. In systems employing more than one recording disc, the discs are typically arranged in a stack on the spindle. The recording surfaces of such stacked discs are accessed by the read/write heads which are mounted on a complementary stack of actuator arms which form a part of an actuator assembly. Typically, the actuator assembly has an actuator body that pivots about a pivot mechanism disposed in a medial portion thereof. A motor selectively positions a proximal end of the actuator body. This positioning of the proximal end in cooperation with the pivot mechanism causes a distal end of the actuator body, which supports the read/write heads, to move generally radially across the recording surfaces of the discs, such that the head may be selectively positioned adjacent any recording location on the recording surface, as the disc is rotated.
In operation, the heads are moved in the generally radial direction to align or register with a desired track locations on the recording surfaces of the discs. Once aligned or registered with the desired track location, the heads are operated to read or write information onto the recording surface at the desired track location.
For example,
FIG. 1
shows a top-down view of a single disc recording surface
11
of disc
10
, which may, for example, be the top disc in a stack of discs.
FIG. 1
also shows a head assembly structure, supporting a recording and/or reading head
12
adjacent the recording surface
11
. The recording surface
11
defines multiple, concentric recording tracks. While modern recording disc technology allows for a much greater track density than that shown in
FIG. 1
, a number of widely spaced tracks, labeled 0-4 are illustrated in exaggerated widths and interspacings, to simplify the drawings.
In
FIG. 1
, the head
12
is supported on a suspension member
13
of a head support arm
14
. As described above, the arm
14
is coupled to (or part of) an actuator, such as a voice coil motor or other suitable actuation device
16
. Also as described above, the actuator
16
is connected to suitable control electronics for controlled movement of the arm
14
and, thus, controlled positioning of the head
12
relative to the radial dimension of the disc surface
11
.
More specifically, selective activation of the actuator
16
causes selective pivotal movement of arm
14
about the pivot joint
15
. Such selective pivotal arm motion results in selective motion of the head
12
in the cross-track direction (generally in the radial dimension of the disc surface), as indicated by arrows
18
. In this manner, the head
12
may be selectively positioned adjacent a particular track for recording and/or reading on that track. For example, in
FIG. 1
, the head
12
is positioned for reading and/or recording on track
3
. However, by selectively activating the actuator
16
to pivot the arm
14
, the head
12
may be moved to a new head position, adjacent another track.
During reading or recording operations, the disc is rotated on a spindle hub
20
. The disc rotation is represented in
FIG. 1
by arrow
19
. For any given head position (such as the track
3
position of head
12
in FIG.
1
), the entire track passes adjacent the head in each compete revolution of the disc. Moreover, as described above, the head
12
may be selectively moved to any track location on the disc. Thus, the head
12
may be capable of being positioned, relative to the disc surface
11
, for reading or recording data on any portion of any track on the disc surface. For further recording capacity, double-sided disc systems employ a second head
22
similarly supported and positionable adjacent a second set of recording tracks on the opposite facing surface
21
of disc
10
, as shown in FIG.
2
.
Yet greater recording capacity and recording or retrieving speeds can be achieved with multiple disc systems. As can be readily appreciated, for a given disc size and recording density, the recording capacity of a multiple disc system can increase by up to about N times the capacity of a single disc system, wherein N is the number of discs in the multiple disc system. In addition, multiple disc systems can provide improved recording and/or reading speeds, relative to single disc systems, in that data may be read from multiple tracks (one track for each disc surface) at each given track position of the head array. In contrast, for a single disc system, at most, two tracks may be read or recorded (in a double-sided disc arrangement) before the head array must seek the next track position, resulting in greater overall head re-positioning delays, as compared to the capabilities of multiple disc system technology.
The number of discs included in a disc drive system is typically based on the demands of the intended application of use of the system. Various factors, such as, but not limited to recording capacity, speed, cost, size, weight and the like can affect the determination of the number of discs (and heads) to be included in a particular disc drive system. As a whole, the demand in the disc drive industry varies widely. Some applications of use require the capability to store large amounts of data or fast retrieval and/or recording speeds and, thus, require a relatively large number of discs. Yet other applications require low cost and/or involve lower storage capacity demands and, thus, require fewer discs. However, it is typically not economically efficient to design a completely different disc drive system for each different application of use.
Accordingly, there is a need in the disc drive industry to meet such varying demands and, at the same time, produce high quality products in a cost efficient manner.
Furthermore, in many applications of use of disc drive systems having a stack arrangement of discs and heads, it is desirable to maximize the reading or recording speed. In typical multiple disc systems, a plurality of discs are arranged in a stack on a common hub, such that track
1
of each disc in the stack is generally in alignment with track
1
of the other discs in the stack, track
2
of each disc is generally aligned with track
2
of the other discs, and so forth. In this manner the generally aligned tracks of the stack of discs define concentric cylinders, which correspond to the similarly numbered tracks in
FIG. 1
, as cylinder
0
, cylinder
1
, cylinder
2
, and so forth. A plurality of heads on a common head/arm actuator structure are arranged in an array adjacent the discs in the stack such that a respective head is associated with each respective recording surface in the disc stack.
As the array is moved by the actuator in the cross-track direction (f
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Seagate Technology LLC
Sniezek Andrew L.
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