Aaron D Wilson

US Patent:

6421747, Jul 16, 2002

Filed:

Feb 25, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/257391

Inventors:

Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics N.V.

International Classification:

G06F 306

US Classification:

710 56, 711170

Abstract:

A method for maximizing buffer usage in a disk drive system. Control circuitry within the disk drive system tansfers the defective sector list for the disk to a buffer, and places the list in a reserved list area. The size of the defective sector list is then determined and the reserved list area is reduced to a size equal to the size of the defective sector list plus some spare room. If the newly sized reserved list area is not at one end of the buffer, it is then moved to one end of the buffer to leave the remainder of the buffer as a contiguous and expanded reserved user area for use data. The expanded reserved user area reduces the time of read or write operations in a disk drive.

US Patent:

6442715, Aug 27, 2002

Filed:

Nov 5, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/187061

Inventors:

Aaron W. Wilson - Berthoud CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectrics N.V.

International Classification:

G11C 2900

US Classification:

714710, 714718, 714708

Abstract:

Disclosed is a storage media defect management method for use in a storage device that is to be coupled to a computer. The method broadly includes writing data to a storage media of the storage device, the storage media having a plurality of servo fields. Stopping the writing upon detecting an off-track or other servo field error with a particular servo field of the plurality of servo fields. Reallocating a plurality of suspect sectors that may be affected by the off-track or other servo field error detected in the particular servo field. The method then proceeds to resume the writing beginning with a next sector following the plurality of suspect sectors that were reallocated. In a preferred implementation, a number of preliminary checks are preferably performed on the plurality of suspect sectors to ascertain which ones may not be part of the reallocation transfer. However, the plurality of suspect sectors that are reallocated will preferably not be more than a maximum look-ahead number set in accordance with a disk zone that the current track being written lies. In this manner, maximum look-ahead reallocation number can be custom implemented depending on which track of the media the servo error is detected.

US Patent:

6480949, Nov 12, 2002

Filed:

Feb 25, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/257390

Inventors:

Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO
Brett Gerald Lammers - Longmont CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics N.V.

International Classification:

G06F 1210

US Classification:

711206, 711221, 711112

Abstract:

A method and system for laying out and accessing data in a disk drive system. The layout resides in a table in firmware of the disk drive system. The table includes multiple entries or rows, one corresponding to each different area in the disk media. The entry provides information about the range of block addresses in that area including the starting and end block address in the area, and information about the range of physical addresses including the head and the starting and ending cylinder number. A firmware routine finds the appropriate entry in the table and converts the block address to the physical address, or vice versa.

US Patent:

6526476, Feb 25, 2003

Filed:

Feb 26, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/257685

Inventors:

Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO
Wayne Aaron Thorsted - Longmont CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics N.V.

International Classification:

G06F 1200

US Classification:

711112, 711114, 711165, 711170, 711173, 714 6, 714 7, 714 8, 3692753

Abstract:

a firm ware based technique related to managing defective data sector information in a disk drive. Specially, technique provides for a dynamic method by which the number of spare or served alternate sectors and their locations can be allocated in the event defective data sectors exist. One advantage of the present invention exists for certain applications where the capacity and/or configuration of the drive are configured at run time. The present invention also has the advantage of improving performance when accessing âgrownâ defects by allowing the block relocation information to be placed physically closer to the location of the defective blocks.

US Patent:

6560718, May 6, 2003

Filed:

Nov 30, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/451483

Inventors:

Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

G06F 1100

US Classification:

714 5, 714 8

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, computer implemented method and computer programmed product for recovering data from a split sector associated with an inoperable servo timing mark. Instead of using a servo timing mark to synchronize the read/write head to the spin speed variation of a storage media, the trailing end of the data fragment preceding the inoperable servo timing mark is used as a reference point. After detecting the reference point, the read operation is halted a predetermined delay time after which the read operation is resumed recovering the data from the sector relying on the inoperable servo timing mark.

US Patent:

6583944, Jun 24, 2003

Filed:

Aug 23, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/644318

Inventors:

Aaron W. Wilson - Berthoud CO
Rodney A. Mattison - Louisville CO
Russell B. Josephson - Berthoud CO

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

G11B 509

US Classification:

360 51, 360 60, 360 7303

Abstract:

A method, and a system for implementing such method, for use in a magnetic disk storage system for compensating for variation in spin speed of a data storage media from a nominal or design spin speed. The method includes providing the nominal spin speed for the data storage media in the particular magnetic disk storage system and then measuring the actual spin speed of the data storage media. In one preferred embodiment, the spin speed measurement is completed by measuring the time from one servo position field to the next sequential servo position field in a track on the data storage media. Next, the present spin speed variation is determined by comparing the measured spin speed with the nominal spin speed. A correction factor is calculated based on the spin speed error and applied to at least one data transfer parameter, such as channel reference frequency or read/write gate assertion timing, prior to a subsequent data transfer process (i. e. , a read or a write operation).

US Patent:

RE38885, Nov 22, 2005

Filed:

Sep 19, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/165219

Inventors:

Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO, US

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics N.V.

International Classification:

G11B005/09

US Classification:

360 51, 360 48

Abstract:

The invention comprises a magnetic disk storage system and comprises method for configuring the magnetic disk storage system. The magnetic disk storage system facilitates write and read operations that compensate for variances that are experienced with magnetic disk storage systems. When writing data to a data sector, the magnetic disk storage system utilizes a phase lock oscillator field that has a length that is specified for that data sector. When reading from a data sector, the magnetic disk storage system utilizes an incremental read delay that has a duration that is specified for that data sector. Data sectors with shorter data sector delay periods can have shorter phase lock oscillator fields than data sectors with larger data sector delay periods. This frees-up memory space and increases the capacity and performance of the magnetic disk storage system.

US Patent:

7159073, Jan 2, 2007

Filed:

Mar 27, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/401507

Inventors:

Alan Longo - Boulder CO, US
Glen Catalano - Longmont CO, US
Brett Lammers - Longmont CO, US
Glenn Alan Lott - Berthoud CO, US
William Morgan Tempero - Longmont CO, US
Aaron Wade Wilson - Berthoud CO, US

Assignee:

STMicroelectronics, Inc. - Carrollton TX

International Classification:

G06F 12/00

US Classification:

711113

Abstract:

An extent record for an extent based data buffer that includes a host pointer that links the extent record to a next host extent record of a host extent record set, and a storage device pointer that links the extent record to a next storage device extent record of a storage device extent record set. Also, a system for transferring data between a host and a storage device that includes a data buffer coupled to the host and the storage device, where memory in the data buffer is divided into one or more extents, an extent table associated with the data buffer, where the extent table includes at least one extent record, an LBA chain table coupled to the host and the extent table, and a track section table coupled to the storage device and the extent table.