Automatic prompting for cleaning of magnetic disk heads

Claim 1

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head clean operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer head in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a cleaning operation be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; displaying cleaning operation instructions if the operator indicates a desire to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information; or continuing operation of the device if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.

Claim 2

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head clean operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer head in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a cleaning operation be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; displaying cleaning operation instructions if the operator indicates a desire to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information; or continuing operation of the device if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.

Claim 3

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer head in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a cleaning operation be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; cleaning the transducer head with said head cleaning disc which is inserted by the operator in response to said request information; incrementing the third data by one; and reducing the value of the second data to zero.

Claim 4

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer head in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a cleaning operation be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; cleaning the transducer head with said head cleaning disc which is inserted by the operator in response to said request information; incrementing the third data by one; and reducing the value of the second data to zero.

Claim 7

A method for cleaning a transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer heads in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a transducer head cleaning operation is required to be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; and continuing operation of the device if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said transducer head cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.

Claim 8

A method for cleaning a transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer heads in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information requesting that a transducer head cleaning operation is required to be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; and continuing operation of the device if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said transducer head cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.

Claim 11

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer heads in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information stating that a transducer head cleaning operation is required to be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; cleaning the transducer head in response to the displaying of the information requesting that a head cleaning operation be performed; incrementing the third data by one; reducing the value of the second data to zero; or continuing terminal operation if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.

Claim 12

A method for cleaning at least one transducer head with a head cleaning disk inserted by an operator in a magnetic disk drive member located within an operator actuated device comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys thereon, a memory and a display, said method comprising the steps of: storing in the memory a first item comprising first data identifying the number of days of operation of the device required before a transducer head cleaning operation is to occur; storing in the memory a second item comprising second data identifying the number of days of operation since the last transducer head cleaning operation; storing in the memory a third item comprising third data identifying the number of transducer head cleaning operations that have been performed on the transducer heads in the disk drive member; comparing the second data with the first data; displaying request information stating that a transducer head cleaning operation is required to be performed when the second data is equal to or greater than the first data; cleaning the transducer head in response to the displaying of the information requesting that a head cleaning operation be performed; incrementing the third data by one; reducing the value of the second data to zero; or continuing terminal operation if the operator indicates a desire not to perform said cleaning operation by actuating the appropriate key or keys in response to said request information.