Seagate Assigned Eighteen Patents

Storage system including movable carriage
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,367,464) developed by Herdendorf, Brett, Mound, MN, Mendonsa, Riyan, Edina, MN, and Subramanian, Krishnan, Shakopee, MN, for a “data storage system including movable carriage.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus with a housing which stores a plurality of data storage magazines, where each data storage magazine includes a plurality of data storage devices. The housing includes a movable carriage, the movable carriage configured to selectively couple a set of data storage devices held by a particular data storage magazine to a host device. The housing also includes a motor configured to move the movable carriage within the housing to enable the movable carriage to communicatively couple the set of data storage devices held by the particular data storage magazine to the host device.”

The patent application was filed on October 13, 2020 (17/069,424).

Laser cutting HDD substrate for edge profile alignable to registration support
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,367,462) developed by Greenberg, Thomas Larson, Berkeley, CA, Davies, Robin Andrew, Livermore, CA, Heberly, Clay Harrison, San Jose, CA, and Ahner, Joachim, Livermore, CA, for a “method of laser cutting a hard disk drive substrate for an edge profile alignable to a registration support.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A non-metallic media substrate includes a disc-shaped substrate body having at least one media storage surface on a face thereof. The substrate body has a center opening having an inner diameter and an outer diameter surface, and the substrate body has a thickness. The substrate further includes an annular groove at the outer diameter of the media substrate, the annular groove having chamfered edges and an internal concavity extending toward the inner diameter.”

The patent application was filed on January 28, 2019 (16/259,750).

Zero skew disk drive with dual actuators
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,361,787) developed by Mendonsa, Riyan Alex, Edina, MN, Herdendorf, Brett R., Mound, MN, Harwood, Gordon A., Minneapolis, MN, and Subramanian, Krishnan, Shakopee, MN, for a “zero skew disk drive with dual actuators.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device includes a stack of a plurality of disks, first and second arms, first and second heads, first and second linear drivers and an elevator. Each of the plurality of disks includes a read/write surface. The first arm has a first head end that is movable relative to the stack. The first head is configured to interact with a selected one of the read/write surfaces. The first linear driver is configured to move the first arm along a first straight line in a x-y plane defined by the one of the read/write surfaces. The elevator is configured to move the first arm in a z direction. The second arm has a second head end that is movable relative to the stack and supports the second head. The second linear driver is configured to move the second arm along a second straight line in the x-y plane.”

The patent application was filed on July 30, 2021 (17/389,950).

Region-specific directed offline scan for HDD
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,360,671) developed by Qiang, Jian, Toribio, Jose Mari, Lim, Teck Khoon, Xie, Wenxiang, and Liu, Xiong, Singapore, Singapore, for a “region-specific directed offline scan for hard disk drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An adjacent track interference (ATI) metric is determined for each of a plurality of regions of a single surface of a magnetic disk. Based on the ATI metrics, each of the regions is assigned a region-specific directed offline scan (DOS) criterion, at least two of the DOS criteria being different from one another. Based on a write count of a track within one of the regions satisfying the associated region-specific DOS criterion, a DOS remediation of the track is performed.”

The patent application was filed on July 22, 2020 (16/935,527).

Storage using encryption key with time expiration associated therewith
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,356,283) developed by Schnabel, Dieter P., Erie, CO, for a “data storage using an encryption key with a time expiration associated therewith.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A system includes a storage unit, a trusted time source, a key generation unit, and an encryption unit. The storage unit is configured to store data. The trusted time source provides a correct time responsive to a request. The key generation unit receives a time expiration associated with the data stored on the storage unit. The time expiration indicates when the data stored on the storage unit is to become inaccessible. The key generation unit further receives the correct time from the trusted time source and generates an encryption key based on the correct time and further based on the time expiration. The encryption unit is configured uses the encryption key to encrypt the data stored on the storage unit. A certificate that includes the time expiration and a decryption key associated with the encryption key is generated responsive to the data stored on the storage unit being encrypted.”

The patent application was filed on May 8, 2019 (16/406,717).

Mounting supports that create bond pad gap for hard disk slider
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,355,144) developed by Stephan, Joseph M., Eden Prairie, MN, Newman, Robert Aaron, Discovery Bay, CA, Ahlen, Lars H., Bloomington, MN, and Collins, Aaron Michael, Minneapolis, MN, for a “mounting supports that create a bond pad gap for a hard disk slider.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A slider includes a slider body with an air-bearing surface and a top surface opposing the air-bearing surface. A plurality of slider bond pads are disposed on or parallel to the top surface and proximate to or at a trailing edge of the slider. The plurality of slider bond pads have an exposed surface facing away from the top surface of the slider body. One or more mounting supports extend from the top surface to a distance of at least 12 .mu.m above the exposed surface of the plurality of slider bond pads.”

The patent application was filed on May 11, 2021 (17/317,277).

Magnetic heads for use in different fluid atmospheres, and related methods
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,355,143) developed by Lu, Jiaxi, Carper, Matthew Aaron, and Rakshit, Abhik, Bloomington, MN, for “magnetic heads for use in different fluid atmospheres, and related methods.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Described are magnetic recording heads that include an air-bearing surface and that are designed to be useful or potentially useful in two or more different types of fluid atmospheres, also described are related methods of testing the magnetic recording heads and installing the magnetic recording heads in a hard disk drive, as well as hard disk drives that contain a magnetic recording head as described.”

The patent application was filed on June 8, 2020 (16/895,860).

Off-cartridge encryption key storage for cartridge-based library
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,354,398) developed by Mendonsa, Riyan Alex, Minneapolis, MN, Nagarajan, Saravanan, Singapore, Singapore, and Haapala, Kenneth A., Minneapolis, MN, for an “off-cartridge encryption key storage for cartridge-based library.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A secure cartridge-based storage system includes a set of read/write control electronics on a control board adapted to removably couple with each of a plurality of storage cartridges. For each individual storage cartridge, the read/write electronics are adapted to retrieve a unique device identifier from the storage cartridge, retrieve an encryption key stored on the control board in association with the unique device identifier, and utilize the encryption key to encrypt or decrypt data that is in transit to or from a target storage location on the storage media.”

The patent application was filed on March 2, 2020 (16/806,831).

Storage device system performance management
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,354,045) developed by Liu, Xiong, Xie, WenXiang, and Qiang, Jian, Singapore, Singapore, for a “storage device system performance management.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The technology disclosed herein pertains to a method for determining expected command completion time, CCT, the method including receiving a plurality of position error signals (PESs) for an HDD over a predetermined time period, determining sigma of the plurality of PESs, retrieving upper off-track limits (UOL) for one or more data sectors of the HDD, calculating average number of retrieved sectors (A) between two consecutive occurrences of the |PES|>UOL for the HDD, and determining required number of revolutions (CCT) to collect data based on the average number of retrieved data sectors (A) and a total number of requested data sectors (N).”

The patent application was filed on July 30, 2020 (16/943,898).

Recovering from hard decoding errors by remapping log likelihood ratio values read from NAND memory cells
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,349,495) developed by Kumar, Naveen, Tanakamaru, Shuhei, and Haratsch, Erich Franz, San Jose, CA, for “recovering from hard decoding errors by remapping log likelihood ratio values read from NAND memory cells.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Hard errors are determined for an unsuccessful decoding of codeword bits read from NAND memory cells via a read channel and input to a low-density parity check (LDPC) decoder. A bit error rate (BER) for the hard errors is estimated and BER for the read channel is estimated. Hard error regions are found using a single level cell (SLC) reading of the NAND memory cells. A log likelihood ratio (LLR) mapping of the codeword bits input to the LDPC decoder is changed based on the hard error regions, the hard error BER, and/or the read channel BER.”

The patent application was filed on April 15, 2020 (16/849,491).

Adding cap-layer to improve magnetic recording media
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,348,613) developed by Jones, Paul M., Palo Alto, CA, Wang, Hongbo, Fremont, CA, Blaber, Martin, Minneapolis, MN, and Tang, Huan, Los Altos, CA, for “adding a cap-layer to improve magnetic recording media.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for adding a cap-layer to magnetic recording media are described. In one embodiment, the method may include depositing a magnetic recording layer over a substrate, depositing an interface layer over the magnetic recording layer, and depositing a carbon overcoat layer over the interface layer. In some cases, sputter deposition is used to deposit at least the interface layer. In some cases, oxygen is used as a background gas of the sputter deposition.”

The patent application was filed on January 4, 2019 (16/240,510).

Zero skew elevator system
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,348,611) developed by Mendonsa, Riyan Alex, Edina, MN, Herdendorf, Brett R, Mound, MN, and Subramanian, Krishnan, Shakopee, MN, for a “zero skew elevator system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In one aspect, a data storage device includes a disc, an arm, a head, a linear driver, and an elevator. The disc has a read/write surface defining an x-y plane. The arm has a head end that is movable relative to the disc. The head is configured to interact with the read/write surface. The linear driver is configured to move the arm along a substantially straight line in the x-y plane. The elevator is configured to move the arm in a z direction. In another aspect, rather than a linear driver, the data storage device includes a rotary actuator and a pivot actuator. The arm includes a first portion and a load beam. The rotary actuator is configured to move the first portion about a first pivot axis, the pivot actuator is configured to move the load beam about a second pivot axis relative to the first portion.”

The patent application was filed on April 19, 2021 (17/233,818).

Movable ramp with arm engaging bracket for elevator drive on magnetic disc recording device
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,348,610) developed by Herdendorf, Brett R., Mound, MN, Mendonsa, Riyan Alex, Edina, MN, Rosner, Wolfgang, Burnsville, MN, Weber, Steven L., Ramsey, MN, Subramanian, Krishnan, Shakopee, MN, and Gage, Edward Charles, Lakeville, MN, for a “movable ramp with arm engaging bracket for an elevator drive on a magnetic disc recording device.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device includes at least one data storage disc, at least one head supported by a rotatable actuator arm, an elevator configured to move the rotatable actuator arm in a z direction, a first vertical guide post, a ramp assembly configured to support the head on a movable ramp, and a bracket attached to the movable ramp. The at least one head is configured to communicate with the at least one data storage disc when positioned over the at least one data storage disc. The movable ramp is moveable in a z direction parallel to the first vertical guide post. The bracket is engageable to the rotatable actuator arm so that the bracket moves along the first vertical guide post in unison with z direction motion of the rotatable actuator arm via the elevator, and the bracket is disengageable from the rotatable actuator arm.”

The patent application was filed on February 1, 2021 (17/163,983).

One or more sliders that include protective overcoat that extends across entire air bearing surface
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,348,603) developed by Bergerud, Amy Jo, Minneapolis, MN, and Xiong, Iris Cheng, Maple Grove, MN, for “one or more sliders that include a protective overcoat that extends across the entire air bearing surface.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A slider comprises an air bearing surface having a leading edge at a first end of the air bearing surface, a trailing edge at a second end of the air bearing surface, wherein the first end is opposite to the second end, a first region adjacent to the trailing edge, wherein the first region comprises one or more transducer elements, and a second region adjacent to the first region and the leading edge. The air bearing surface has a protective overcoat layer as an outermost layer, wherein the protective overcoat layer extends across the entire air bearing surface. The air bearing surface comprises a lapped surface and a plurality of milled surfaces, wherein a surface potential difference between the lapped surface and a milled surface is 0+/-50 milliVolts or less as measured according to Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM).”

The patent application was filed on July 14, 2021 (17/375,681).

Randomizing firmware loaded to processor memory
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,347,860) developed by Miller, Michael H., Eden Prairie, MN, for “randomizing firmware loaded to a processor memory.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Apparatus and method for protecting firmware and other types of control data used in a processor-based device, such as but not limited to a solid-state drive (SSD). In some embodiments, the firmware is stored in a firmware store as a plurality of program instructions in a first sequence. The program instructions are loaded to a local memory in a different, second sequence. In some cases, a random number is generated and the second sequence is selected using the random number. A translation table may be generated and used by a programmable processor to locate the various program instructions in the second sequence. In other cases, instructions with calls and other references to other instruction lines are modified based on the order in the local memory. Other forms of control data may also be generated and stored to the local memory in a random order and interspersed with the firmware.”

The patent application was filed on November 5, 2019 (16/674,772).

In-drive bus trace
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,347,573) developed by Kataria, Abhay T., Longmont, CO, Tadepalli, Harathi, Los Gatos, CA, Pomeroy, Robert, Coonen, Daniel J., Longmont, CO, and Muhlach, Brandon W., Louisville, CO, for an “in-drive bus trace.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for identifying a drive malfunction source includes receiving as input multiple drive event records each recorded by a different one of multiple storage drives in a mass storage system. Among other data, each one of the drive event records including internal tasks performed by the associated storage drive and communications transmitted between an external host and a controller of the associated storage drive. The method may further include comparing the drive event records using a processor to identify at least one discrepancy in recorded drive events indicative of the drive malfunction source.”

The patent application was filed on December 18, 2019 (16/719,771).

Extending life of SSD by using MLC flash blocks in SLC mode
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,347,403) developed by Mehta, Darshana H., Shakopee, MN, and Khoueir, Antoine, Mound, MN, for “extending the life of a solid state drive by using MLC flash blocks in SLC mode.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Technologies are described herein for or extending the lifespan of a solid-state drive by using worn-out MLC flash blocks in SLC mode to extend their useful life. Upon identifying a first storage location in the storage media of an SSD as a candidate for defecting, the first storage location is switched from a first programming mode to a second programming mode, where the second programming mode results in a lower storage density of storage locations than the first programming mode. In conjunction with switching the first storage location to the first programming mode, a second storage location in the storage media is switched from the second programming mode to the first programming mode to ensure that the total capacity of the storage media remains at or above the rated capacity.”

The patent application was filed on September 4, 2019 (16/560,858).

Controlling SSD performance by number of active memory dies
Seagate Technology LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11,347,394) developed by Tanakamaru, Shuhei, San Jose, CA, Simonson, Dana Lynn, Owatonna, MN, and Haratsch, Erich Franz, Palo Alto, CA, for “controlling SSD performance by the number of active memory dies.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Improving performance in solid state devices (SSDs) by controlling or throttling the depth of the request queue. In one implementation, a method includes monitoring a request queue in a solid state device, an SSD, the request queue comprising a first request and a second request having an actual time interval therebetween, determining a number of active memory dies of the SSD, determining a target interval based on the number of active memory dies and a target number of active memory dies, and responsive to the actual time interval being less than the target interval, delaying acting on the second request until after the target interval.”

The patent application was filed on August 3, 2020 (16/983,992).