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US5557183A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for predicting failure of a disk drive

Assignee: HGST Netherlands BV
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Filing: 1995-02-17
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Granted: 1996-09-17
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Expires: 2015-02-17
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is a disk drive having a spindle motor, a disk that is rotated by the spindle motor, and a movable actuator arm that carries a read/write head. The head physically engages a parked, or home, position at the Inner Diameter (ID) of the disk when the spindle motor is not energized and the disk is stationary. The electrical energization that must be applied to the spindle motor in order to breakaway the head from the disk (i.e., the breakaway current), and the energization that is necessary to cause the motor to achieve a stable spinning state (i.e., the spin current) are monitored. Possible future failure of the disk drive is predicted as a function of any changes in these two electrical parameters, as these parameters may change over a period of time; i.e., may change over a number of disk drive stop/start events.

Inventors

  • 👤 Randall M. Bates
  • 👤 David F. Glaess
  • 👤 Thomas S. Larson
  • 👤 Patricia J. Wadkins

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 16:10
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B19/00; G11B19/20; G11B19/02; G11B19/06; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/18; G11B20/1816

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 143 words
A method for predicting failure of a disk drive, comprising the steps of; providing a disk drive having an electrical spin motor, a disk that is rotated by said spin motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said spin motor is not energized, monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization applied to said spin motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said monitored electrical energization applied to said motor in said plurality of stop/start events, determining a rate of increase of said monitored electrical energization applied to said motor in said plurality of stop/start events, and predicting the possibility of future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 143 words
A method for predicting failure of a disk drive, comprising the steps of; providing a disk drive having an electrical spin motor, a disk that is rotated by said spin motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said spin motor is not energized, monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization applied to said spin motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said monitored electrical energization applied to said motor in said plurality of stop/start events, determining a rate of increase of said monitored electrical energization applied to said motor in said plurality of stop/start events, and predicting the possibility of future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 66 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining a rate of increase of said monitored electrical energization applied to said motor in said plurality of stop/start events, and said step of predicting the possibility of future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase, occur only when said plurality of disk drive stop/start events exceed a given number.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 213 words
A method for predicting failure of a disk drive, comprising the steps of; manufacturing a disk drive having an electrical spindle motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, measuring during said manufacturing step a breakaway electrical energization parameter that must be applied to said motor in order to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, storing said breakaway electrical energization parameter determined during said measuring step, periodically determining during data processing use of said disk drive a breakaway electrical energization parameter that must be applied to said motor in order to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, comparing said stored breakaway electrical energization parameter determined during said manufacturing step to said breakaway electrical energization parameter periodically determined during data processing use, predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said comparison, storing the magnitudes of said periodically determined breakaway electrical energization parameters, determining a rate of increase of said stored magnitudes of said periodically determined breakaway electrical energizations, and predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 213 words
A method for predicting failure of a disk drive, comprising the steps of; manufacturing a disk drive having an electrical spindle motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, measuring during said manufacturing step a breakaway electrical energization parameter that must be applied to said motor in order to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, storing said breakaway electrical energization parameter determined during said measuring step, periodically determining during data processing use of said disk drive a breakaway electrical energization parameter that must be applied to said motor in order to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, comparing said stored breakaway electrical energization parameter determined during said manufacturing step to said breakaway electrical energization parameter periodically determined during data processing use, predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said comparison, storing the magnitudes of said periodically determined breakaway electrical energization parameters, determining a rate of increase of said stored magnitudes of said periodically determined breakaway electrical energizations, and predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 60 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said step of determining a rate of increase of said stored magnitudes of said periodically determined breakaway electrical energization parameters, and said step of predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase, occur only when said periodic determinations exceeds a given number.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 138 words
Apparatus for predicting failure of a disk drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, comprising; means for monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization magnitude applied to said motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said electrical energization magnitude, means for storing said electrical energization magnitude applied to said motor for said plurality of start/stop events, means for determining a rate of increase for said stored electrical energization magnitudes, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 138 words
Apparatus for predicting failure of a disk drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, comprising; means for monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization magnitude applied to said motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said electrical energization magnitude, means for storing said electrical energization magnitude applied to said motor for said plurality of start/stop events, means for determining a rate of increase for said stored electrical energization magnitudes, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 152 words
Apparatus for predicting failure of a disk drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, and memory means containing a prior motor energization parameter that was operative to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, said apparatus comprising; means for periodically monitoring a motor energization parameter that is presently operable to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said prior motor energization parameter and said presently monitored motor energization parameter, means for storing the magnitudes of said periodically monitored motor energization parameters, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of a rate of change of said stored magnitudes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 152 words
Apparatus for predicting failure of a disk drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, and memory means containing a prior motor energization parameter that was operative to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, said apparatus comprising; means for periodically monitoring a motor energization parameter that is presently operable to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said prior motor energization parameter and said presently monitored motor energization parameter, means for storing the magnitudes of said periodically monitored motor energization parameters, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of a rate of change of said stored magnitudes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 141 words
A disc drive having a preventive diagnostic apparatus, said disc drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, said preventive diagnostic apparatus comprising; means for monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization applied to said motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said monitored electrical energization, means for storing each of a plurality of said monitored electrical energizations, means for determining a rate of increase for said plurality of stored monitored electrical energizations, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 141 words
A disc drive having a preventive diagnostic apparatus, said disc drive having a motor, a disk that is rotated by said motor, and a head that physically engages said disk when said motor is not energized, said preventive diagnostic apparatus comprising; means for monitoring, for a plurality of stop/start events, the electrical energization applied to said motor to cause said head to breakaway from said physical engagement with said disk, means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said monitored electrical energization, means for storing each of a plurality of said monitored electrical energizations, means for determining a rate of increase for said plurality of stored monitored electrical energizations, and means for predicting the possibility of a future failure of said disk drive as a function of said determined rate of increase.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1999-09-17 2000-03-18 2000-09-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2003-09-17 2004-03-18 2004-09-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2007-09-17 2008-03-18 2008-09-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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