Patent · US Active

Disk drive adjusting fly height when calibrating head/disk contact

US8059357B1 · kind B1 · utility

146Cited by
84References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 18, 2010
Grant dateNov 15, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 25, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B5/6076
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk having a plurality of tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. The disk drive further comprises control circuitry including a fly height actuator. A fly height map is measured for at least one track. A constant FHC signal applied to the fly height actuator is adjusted to decrease an average fly height of the head. After decreasing the average fly height of the head, a fluctuating fly height control (FHC) signal is applied to the fly height actuator to adjust a fly height of the head in response to the fly height map. When the head contacts the disk, an operating FHC signal is determined. The operating FHC signal is applied to the fly height actuator while executing at least one of a read and write operation.

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