WD Assigned Six Patents

HDD assembly including a NVSM to store configuration data
for controlling HDD operations
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,749,910) developed by Dean V. Dang, Fountain Valley, CA, Colin W. Morgan, Mission Viejo, CA, and Philip Bernard Saram, Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, for a “HDD drive assembly including a NVSM to store configuration data for controlling disk drive operations.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Disclosed is a disk drive that is operable with a host computer that includes a PCBA having a system on a chip (SOC). The disk drive comprises: a HDA; and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM). The NVSM is located in the HDA and is couplable to the SOC of the host computer. The NVSM is configured to store configuration data for disk drive operation. The configuration data is configured to be retrieved by the SOC for controlling disk drive operations.”

The patent application was filed on May 7, 2012 (13/465,716).

HDD adjusting rotational position optimization algorithm
to compensate for repeatable runout
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,755,143) developed by Rebekah A. Wilson, Lake Forest, CA, and Kenny T. Coker, Firestone, CO, for a “disk drive adjusting rotational position optimization (RPO) algorithm to compensate for repeatable runout (RRO).”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A disk drive is disclosed comprising a first disk surface comprising a plurality of tracks, wherein each track comprises a number of data sectors and a number of servo sectors, and a second disk surface comprising a plurality of tracks, wherein each track comprises a number of data sectors and a number of servo sectors. A first repeatable runout (RRO) sinusoid is generated representing an RRO of the first disk surface, and a second RRO sinusoid is generated representing an RRO of the second disk surface. A plurality of access commands are received from a host which are stored in a command queue, and one of the access commands is selected to execute in response to the first and second RRO sinusoids.“

The patent application was filed on April 27, 2011 (13/095,691).

Universal test connector for connecting SATA or USB storage device
to storage device tester
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,753,146) developed by Wally Szeremeta, Mission Viejo, CA, and Minh N. Trinh, Irvine, CA, for an “universal test connector for connecting a SATA or USB storage device to a storage device tester.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A universal test connector is disclosed for connecting a data storage device including a plug connector, a USB interface connector, and a plurality of serial I/O (SIO) contacts to a data storage device tester. The universal test connector includes a receptacle connector configured to connect to the plug connector, a cross-member configured to conform around the USB interface connector, and a plurality of SIO contacts configured to connect to the plurality of SIO contacts on the data storage device.”

The patent application was filed on June 19, 2012 (13/527,460).

Storage device R/W head malfunction detection
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,755,136) developed by Kian Wai Ng, Irvine, CA, Kameron K. Jung, Yorba Linda, CA, and Jinghuan Chen, Irvine, CA, for “systems and methods for storage device R/W head malfunction detection.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In various embodiments, systems and methods to detect signal irregularity caused by defects in the read/write head element are disclosed. In some embodiments, an exemplary system comprises a memory and a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and is configured to implement a filter module and a detector module. The filter module is configured to generate a test waveform based on data read from a medium by a storage device head to be tested. The detector module is configured to generate a signal quality value based on a property of at least a portion of the test waveform, compare the signal quality value to an event threshold, and generate an event indicator based on the comparison, the event indicator indicating possible instability of the storage device head.”

The patent application was filed on April 18, 2012 (13/450,290).

Hybrid drive copying disk cache to non-volatile semiconductor memory
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,782,334) developed by William B. Boyle, Lake Forest, CA, Curtis E. Stevens, Irvine, CA, and Kenny T. Coker, Firestone, CO, for a “hybrid drive copying disk cache to non-volatile semiconductor memory.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors. The hybrid drive further comprises a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM) comprising a plurality of memory segments. A disk cache is defined comprising a first plurality of the data sectors, and a non-cache area of the disk is defined comprising a second plurality of the data sectors. When a write command is received from a host, data is written to the disk cache, and under certain conditions, the data is copied from the disk cache to the NVSM.”

The patent application was filed on Aug. 10, 2011 (13/207,184).

Disk drive detecting when head is on ramp
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,786,976) developed by Soo-Choon Kang, Irvine, CA, Siri S. Weerasooriya, Campbell, CA, and Scott A. Ottele, Longmont, CO, for “disk drive detecting when head is on ramp.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk surface, the head comprising a fly height actuator for controlling a fly height of the head, and a ramp for parking the head. A ramp procedure is executed by applying a control signal to the fly height actuator to decrease the fly height and receiving a corresponding fly height signal, and detecting whether the head is on the ramp in response to the fly height signal.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 20, 2011 (13/237,727).