Gain margin detector for a memory unit utilizing a servo control loop

Claim 1

A fixed disk type memory unit provided with a recording medium which is rotatably driven, a head disposed in communication with the recording medium so as to reproduce information from the recording medium, and a servo mechanism including a head position sensor for detecting a relative position of the head with respect to the recording medium, a servo circuit which generates and outputs a servo signal for positioning the head responsive to the detected relative position provided by the head position sensor, and an actuator lacking vibration when a gain margin is sufficient, the actuator coupled to the servo circuit for moving the head according to a position signal derived from the servo signal, comprising: a variable gain amplifier, having a first input coupled to the servo signal, a second input for controlling an amplification level of said amplifier, and an output coupled to the actuator, said variable gain amplifier amplifying said servo signal in response to an amplification signal received at said second input to provide said position signal to said actuator; an error detection circuit, coupled to the head, for detecting a reproduction error in the information reproduced by the head from the recording medium and generating an error signal in response to said detected reproduction error; a gain setting means, coupled to said variable gain amplifier and producing said amplification signal, for varying and setting a gain of said variable gain amplifier; and means for detecting said error signal when said gain setting means varies the gain of said variable gain amplifier.

Claim 3

A method for testing a sufficiency of a gain margin of a servo system having a position of a servo actuator monitored by a position sensor and coupled to a servo control circuit providing a position signal to the actuator to move a read/write head relative to a recording medium, comprising the steps of: providing a gain setting means, a variable gain amplifier responsive to said gain setting means to increase an amplification level of the position signal provided to the actuator, and an error detecting circuit coupled to the read/write head to output an error signal if data reproduced by said read/write head includes a noise component exceeding a preestablished threshold; increasing said amplification level of said position signal; monitoring said error detecting circuit to determine if said error signal is output; and establishing that a gain margin of the servo system is unsatisfactory if said error signal is output and that said gain margin is sufficient if said error signal is not output.

Claim 4

A method for testing a sufficiency of a gain margin of a servo system having a position of a servo actuator monitored by a position sensor and coupled to a servo control circuit providing a position signal to the actuator to move a read/write head relative to a recording medium, comprising the steps of: providing a gain setting means, a variable gain amplifier responsive to said gain setting means to increase an amplification level of the position signal provided to the actuator, and an error detecting circuit coupled to the read/write head to output an error signal if data reproduced by said read/write head includes a noise component exceeding a preestablished threshold; increasing said amplification level of said position signal; monitoring said error detecting circuit to determine if said error signal is output; and establishing that a gain margin of the servo system is unsatisfactory if said error signal is output and that said gain margin is sufficient if said error signal is not output.