Disk drive controlling microcomputer

Claim 2

A disk drive as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk controlling microcomputer (12) comprises: an A/D converter (123) for inputting control information read from said disk of said head-disk assembly (18) and necessary for head positioning servo control; and a D/A converter (124) for outputting a head positioning servo control information calculated on the basis of said control information necessary for servo control.

Claim 3

A disk drive as set forth in claim 2, wherein said format control means (122) is electrically connected to said A/D converter (123) and said format control means includes means (122) for outputting a timing signal designating conversion initiation timing of said A/D converter (123).

Claim 4

A disk drive as set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive control means (10) includes buffer means (13) for temporarily storing write data from said external system and read data from said disk for adjusting transfer speed and transfer timing between said external system and said disk; and said disk controlling microcomputer (12) includes buffer control means (121) connected to said buffer means (13) for controlling access to said buffer means from said instruction executing means, said format control means (122) and said interface means (120).

Claim 5

A disk drive as set forth in claim 1, wherein said format control means (122) comprises: drive data transfer means (151) for performing data transfer process during read/write operation for said disk and serial-parallel conversion of data; error correction control means (152) for performing error code generating process during data writing in said disk and data error detection and correction process based on said error code; storage means (154) for storing instructions for controlling reading and writing by loading said instructions by an instruction execution control signal of said instruction executing means (106); and control means (153) for reading out the instructions stored in said storage means (154) and controlling reading and writing operation, and said interface means (120) comprises: means (142) for storing read/write command fed from said external system and notifying reception of said read/write command to said instruction executing means (106).

Claim 6

A disk drive as set forth in claim 4, wherein said buffer control means (121) comprises: means (146) for performing preferential order control for assigning access right for said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120) at the occurrence of access demand therefrom.

Claim 7

A disk drive as set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive control means (10) includes buffer means (13) for temporarily storing write data from said external system (70) and read data from said disk for adjusting transfer speed and transfer timing between said external system and said disk; said disk controlling microcomputer (12) includes buffer control means (121) connected to said buffer means (13) for controlling access to said buffer means from said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120); said format control means (122) comprises: drive data transfer means (151) for performing data transfer process during read/write operation for said disk and serial-parallel conversion of data; error correction control means (152) for performing error code generating process during data writing in said disk and data error detection and correction process based on said error code; storage means (154) for storing instructions for controlling reading and writing by loading said instructions by an instruction execution control signal of said instruction executing means (106); and control means (153) for reading out the instructions stored in said storage means (154) and controlling reading and writing operation; said interface means (120) comprises: means (142) for storing read/write command fed from said external system and notifying reception of said read/write command to said instruction executing means (106); and said buffer control means (121) comprises: means (146) for performing preferential order control for assigning access right for said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120) at the occurrence of access demand therefrom.

Claim 8

A disk drive as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk controlling microcomputer (12) comprises: interrupt control means (116) inputting the command reception signal from said interface means (120) or a servo control signal read from said disk of said head-disk assembly (18) for outputting an interrupt demand for command control process or servo control process to said instruction executing means (106) corresponding to input command reception signal or said servo control signal.

Claim 9

A disk controlling microcomputer for a disk drive, controlling operation of a head-disk assembly (18) including a disk, a head for reading and writing data with respect to said disk and drive means for said disk and said head, and read/write operation of an external system (70) with respect to said disk, comprising: instruction storage means (119) for storing instructions for controlling the operation of the head disk assembly (18) and the operation of reading and writing; instruction executing means (106) for reading out the instruction from said storage means (119) in order, servo control process for positioning said head and a command control process corresponding to the read/write command from said external system (70); format control means (122) connected to a said head-disk assembly (18) and said instruction executing portion (106) and controls the reading and writing operation for said disk and conversion from a serial data into a parallel data; and interface means (120) connected to said instruction executing portion (106) and said external system (70) for controlling operation of command reception from the said external device and a data transfer process to the external system (70).

Claim 10

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises: an A/D (123) converter for inputting control information read from said disk of said head-disk assembly (18) and necessary for head positioning servo control; and a D/A (124) converter for outputting a head positioning servo control information calculated on the basis of said control information necessary for servo control.

Claim 11

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 10, wherein said format control means (122) is electrically connected to said A/D converter (123) and said format control means (122) includes means for outputting a timing signal designating conversion initiation timing of said A/D converter.

Claim 12

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises buffer control means (121) connected to buffer means (13) for controlling access to said buffer means (13) from said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120), said buffer means (13) temporarily storing write data from said external system (70) and read data from said disk for adjusting transfer speed and transfer timing between said external system (70) and said disk.

Claim 13

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 9, wherein said format control means (122) comprises: drive data transfer means (151) for performing data transfer process during read/write operation for said disk and serial-parallel conversion of data; error correction control means (152) for performing error code generating process during data writing in said disk and data error detection and correction process based on said error code; storage means (154) for storing instructions for controlling reading and writing by loading said instructions by an instruction execution control signal of said instruction executing means (106); and control means (153) for reading out the instructions stored in said storage means (154) and controlling reading and writing operation, and said interface means (120) comprises: means (142) for storing read/write command fed from said external system (70) and notifying reception of said read/write command to said instruction executing means (106).

Claim 14

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 12, wherein said buffer control means (121) comprises: means (146) for performing preferential order control for assigning access right for said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120) at the occurrence of access demand therefrom.

Claim 15

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises buffer control means (121) connected to buffer means (13) for controlling access to said buffer means from said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120), said buffer means (13) temporarily storing write data from said external system (70) and read data from said disk for adjusting transfer speed and transfer timing between said external system (70) and said disk; said format control means (122) comprises: drive data transfer means (151) for performing data transfer process during read/write operation for said disk and serial-parallel conversion of data; error correction control means (152) for performing error code generating process during data writing in said disk and data error detection and correction process based on said error code; storage means (154) for storing instructions for controlling reading and writing by loading said instructions by an instruction execution control signal of said instruction executing means (106); and control means (153) for reading out the instructions stored in said storage means (154) and controlling reading and writing operation; said interface means (120) comprises: means (142) for storing read/write command fed from said external system and notifying reception of said read/write command to said instruction executing means (106); and said buffer control means (121) comprises: means (146) for performing preferential order control for assigning access right for said instruction executing means (106), said format control means (122) and said interface means (120) at the occurrence of access demand therefrom.

Claim 16

A disk controlling microcomputer as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises interrupt control means (116) inputting the command reception signal from said interface means (120) or a servo control signal read from said disk of said head-disk assembly (18) for outputting an interrupt demand for command control process or servo control process to said instruction executing means (106) corresponding to input command reception signal or said servo control signal.

Claim 17

A disk drive comprising: a disk drive system (18) including a head means for writing and reading information in and from a selected track on a disk; and a single disk drive controlling microcomputer (12) for controlling operation of said disk drive system, said disk drive controlling microcomputer being selectively operative in periodic mode for registering said head means to said selected track of said disk and an on-demand mode, in response to an external demand for reading and writing, for making access of said selected track for reading and writing information therein and therefrom, and said microcomputer controlling selection of said periodic mode and said on-demand mode depending upon presence and absense of said external demand.

Claim 18

A disk drive comprising: a disk drive system (18) including a head means for writing and reading information in and from a selected track on a disk; and a single disk drive controlling microcomputer (12) for controlling operation of said disk drive system, said disk drive controlling microcomputer being selectively operative in periodic mode for registering said head means to said selected track of said disk and an on-demand mode, in response to an external demand for reading and writing, for making access of said selected track for reading and writing information therein and therefrom, and said microcomputer normally executing said periodic mode process in periodic basis and interrupting said periodic mode process for executing said on-demand mode process in response to said external demand.