EP0248206A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Error communication decoder for direct access storage device
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1987-04-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-04-28
Abstract
Abstract Error signals from disk drive arm electronics on a transducer supporting actuator are decoded such that they require fewer communication lines than the number of potential error signals. A plurality of error detection circuits, each having an output indicative of an error condition or an error free condition are included in the arm electronics. An error decode circuit in the arm electronics receives outputs from the error detection circuits. The error decode circuit decodes the outputs from the error detection circuits to a decode output having less output lines than there are error detection circuit outputs. One set of conditions on the output lines of the decode circuit is representative of error free operation of the disk drive. The other sets of conditions on the output lines of the decode circuit are representative of error conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory John Kerwin
- 👤 John Donald Lepage
- 👤 James Michael Weispfenning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:39
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/18; G11B27/00; G11B27/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
A magnetic disk (10) drive with a plurality of rotating data surfaces and an actuator carrying a plurality of transducer heads (14, 16, 18, 20) for writing data on said data surfaces and reading data from said data surfaces characterized in that it comprises: an electronic circuit module mounted on said actuator; a plurality of error detection circuits, each having an output indicative of an error condition or an error free condition, included in said electronic circuit module; and an error decode circuit on said electronic circuit module which receives the outputs from said error detection circuits and has an output comprising a plurality of output lines which are fewer in number than the plurality of error detection circuits, wherein one set of conditions on said output lines indicates error free operation and other sets of condition on said output lines indicate an error condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
145 words
A magnetic disk (10) drive with a plurality of rotating data surfaces and an actuator carrying a plurality of transducer heads (14, 16, 18, 20) for writing data on said data surfaces and reading data from said data surfaces characterized in that it comprises: an electronic circuit module mounted on said actuator; a plurality of error detection circuits, each having an output indicative of an error condition or an error free condition, included in said electronic circuit module; and an error decode circuit on said electronic circuit module which receives the outputs from said error detection circuits and has an output comprising a plurality of output lines which are fewer in number than the plurality of error detection circuits, wherein one set of conditions on said output lines indicates error free operation and other sets of condition on said output lines indicate an error condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The magnetic disk drive of claim 1 wherein, when said output lines are all active, an error free operating condition is indicated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
118 words
A storage unit with at least one data surface and an actuator carrying at least one transducer head for writing data on said at least one data surface and reading data from said at least one data surface, characterized in that it comprises : an electronic circuit module mounted on said actuator; a plurality of error detection means, each having an output indicative of an error condition or an error free condition, included in said electronic circuit module; and an error decode means on said electronic circuit module for receiving the outputs from said error detection circuits and decoding the outputs to an error condition signal requiring fewer output lines than the number of error detection means outputs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
118 words
A storage unit with at least one data surface and an actuator carrying at least one transducer head for writing data on said at least one data surface and reading data from said at least one data surface, characterized in that it comprises : an electronic circuit module mounted on said actuator; a plurality of error detection means, each having an output indicative of an error condition or an error free condition, included in said electronic circuit module; and an error decode means on said electronic circuit module for receiving the outputs from said error detection circuits and decoding the outputs to an error condition signal requiring fewer output lines than the number of error detection means outputs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The storage unit of claim 3 and further comprising: communication means coupled to the output lines of the error decode means for carrying the error condition signal on the output lines to circuitry stationary with respect to the actuator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The storage unit of claim 4 wherein the communication means comprises a flexible cable having a plurality of electrical conductors therein for carrying signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The storage unit of claim 5 wherein the thickness and number of the conductors comprising the cable affects the movement of the actuator and the reliability of the cable, and the reduction in the number of error detection means outputs permits an increase in the reliability of the cable without adversely affecting the movement of the actuator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The storage unit of claim 3 wherein the error decode means provides the error condition signal as a function of the logical state of a plurality of the outputs of the error detection means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The storage unit of claim 7 wherein the error decode means can provide more than one error condition signal and wherein the the storage unit further comprises selection means coupled to the error decode means for selecting one of multiple error condition signals based on a predetermined priority.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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