Patent · US Expired

Circuit and method for controlling the parking and unparking of a read-write head

US7079350B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
12References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 30, 1999
Grant dateJul 18, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 30, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B21/12
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A control circuit controls a motor assembly having a coil and a movable arm. The control circuit includes a drive circuit that is coupled to the coil and that generates a drive signal in response to a control signal and a speed signal. The control circuit also includes a sensor circuit that is coupled to the drive circuit and to the coil and that generates the speed signal at a level that corresponds to the speed of the arm. In a disk drive, such a circuit can be used to control the movement of a read-write-head assembly during parking and unparking of a read-write head. The circuit monitors the speed of the head and uses this speed information as feedback to maintain the speed of the head within a specified range. This prevents damage to the head and other disk-drive components, particularly in a disk drive that incorporates a head parking platform.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.