Western Digital Assigned Nine Patents

Data storage device tester
Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,626,463) developed by two co-inventors for a “data storage device tester.”

The co-inventors are Curtis E. Stevens, Irvine, CA, and Lawrence J. Dalphy, Mission Viejo, CA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device (DSD) tester is disclosed for testing a DSD. The DSD tester comprises control circuitry operable to receive production line data through an interface, wherein the production line data is related to the DSD. The control circuitry executes a DSD test on the DSD, and transmits failure data generated by the DSD test and the production line data to a failure information database.”

The patent application was filed on March 29, 2010 (12/749,243).

Maintaining data redundancy scheme in SSD if power loss
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,615,681) developed by Robert L. Horn, Yorba Linda, CA, for a system and method “for maintaining a data redundancy scheme in a solid state memory in the event of a power loss.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for reducing an amount of backup power needed to provide power fail safe preservation of a data redundancy scheme such as RAID that is implemented in solid state storage devices where new write data is accumulated and written along with parity data. Because new write data cannot be guaranteed to arrive in integer multiples of stripe size, a full stripe’s worth of new write data may not exist when power is lost. Various embodiments use truncated RAID stripes (fewer storage elements per stripe) to save cached write data when a power failure occurs. This approach allows the system to maintain RAID parity data protection in a power fail cache flush case even though a full stripe of write data may not exist, thereby reducing the amount of backup power needed to maintain parity protection in the event of power loss. “

The patent application was filed on Dec. 14, 2010 (12/967,206).

HDD having top cover with electrical connector latch
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,616,900) developed by Robert N. Lion, Redwood City, CA, for a “disk drive having a top cover with an electrical connector latch.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A disk drive, for electrical coupling to a host electrical connector of a host electronic system, includes a disk drive base. A top cover is attached to the disk drive base and a disk is rotably attached to the disk drive base. The top cover and the disk drive base together enclose the disk. A disk drive printed circuit board is also attached to the disk drive base. The disk drive printed circuit board includes a disk drive electrical connector. The disk drive electrical connector is configured to mate with the host electrical connector. The top cover includes a latching feature to retain the host electrical connector.”

The patent application was filed on Jan. 20, 2011 (13/010,491).

Configuring storage device with configuration data record set
in response to configuration code
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,621,115) developed by two co-inventors for a method “for configuring a storage device with a configuration data record set in response to a configuration code.“

The co-inventors are Marc A. Bombet, Trabuco Canyon, CA, and Michael S. Rothberg, Foothill Ranch, CA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method is disclosed for configuring a data storage device. The data storage device receives a configuration code, and in response to the configuration code selects a configuration data record set from a plurality of configuration data record sets. The data storage device is configured in response to the selected configuration data record set. For example, the data storage device may be configured into a manufacturing test procedure mode, and then into a customer specific operating mode. In another embodiment, a hardware configuration of the data storage device is identified, and the configuration code selected based on the identified hardware configuration.“

The patent application was filed on June 16, 2011 (13/162,506).

Aligning components of HSA of HDD
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,611,052) developed by two co-inventors for systems and methods “for aligning components of a head stack assembly of a HDD drive.”

The co-inventors are Tzong-Shii Pan, San Jose, CA, and Shufun Ho, Fremont, CA

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Embodiments of the present invention relate to an alignment comb and a subassembly of a head stack assembly for a hard disk drive using the alignment comb. The subassembly includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC) having a plurality of first apertures, a flexure configured to be coupled to the FPC, the flexure having a second aperture configured to overlap a corresponding one of the first apertures, and an alignment comb including a plurality of fingers configured to align the FPC with the flexure, the plurality of fingers being spaced apart in a first direction and a finger of the plurality of fingers configured to extend into the corresponding one of the first apertures and the second aperture.“

The patent application was filed on March 27, 2012 (13/431,660).

Hybrid drive storing write data in non-volatile semiconductor memory
if write verify of disk fails
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,612,798) developed by Chun Sei Tsai, Tustin, CA for a “hybrid drive storing write data in non-volatile semiconductor memory if write verify of disk fails.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors, a volatile semiconductor memory (VSM), and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM). A first write command is received from a host, the first write command comprising first data. The first data is stored in the VSM and written to a first data sector on the disk. The first data is read from the first data sector at least once during a first read operation, and when the first read operation fails, the first data is written to the NVSM. The first data sector is read at least once during a second read operation, and when the second read operation fails, the first data sector is mapped out.”

The patent application was filed on Oct. 21, 2010 (12/909,624).

Storage device overlapping host data transfer for write command
with inter-command delay
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,631,188) developed by three co-inventors for a “data storage device overlapping host data transfer for a write command with inter-command delay.”

The co-inventors are Mark A. Heath, Oklahoma City, OK, Kenny T. Coker, Corona, CA, and Praveen Viraraghavan, Lake Forest, CA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile memory, such as a disk of a disk drive or a non-volatile semiconductor memory. First and second write commands are received from a host, and in response first and second write data are requested from the host. The first write data is stored in the non-volatile memory, and after storing the first write data, a first acknowledge is transmitted to the host to acknowledge completion of the first write command. After transmitting the first acknowledge, a third write command is received from the host. The second write data is stored in the non-volatile memory, and after storing the second write data, a second acknowledge is transmitted to the host acknowledging completion of the second write command. After transmitting the second acknowledge, third write data is requested from the host associated with the third write command. “

The patent application was filed on Sept. 2, 2009 (12/553,012).

Hybrid drive comprising
write cache spanning non-volatile semiconductor memory and disk
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,639,872) developed by three co-inventors for “hybrid drive comprising write cache spanning non-volatile semiconductor memory and disk.”

The co-inventors are William C. Cain, Foothill Ranch, CA, Mei-Man L. Syu, Fremont, CA, and William B. Boyle, Lake Forest, CA.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, where each data track comprises a plurality of data sectors. The hybrid drive further comprises a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM) comprising a plurality of memory segments. When a write command is received from a host including write data, the write data is written to one of a disk cache and a NVSM cache, wherein the write data is eventually flushed to a non-cache area of the disk.”

The patent application was filed on May 31, 2011 (13/149,703).

Transmitting diagnostic data for storage device
Western Digital Technologies, Irvine, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,640,007) developed by Martin E. Schulze, Longmont, CO, for method and apparatus “for transmitting diagnostic data for a storage device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A test system including a storage device and a protocol analyzer coupled to the storage device. The storage device can include a diagnostic data transmission unit configured to transmit diagnostic data related to an operation of the storage device, and a host interface unit including a first selector configured to receive idle characters and the diagnostic data, wherein the first selector selectively transmits the idle characters or the diagnostic data. The protocol analyzer can be configured to autonomously receive the idle characters or the diagnostic data via the host interface unit.”

The patent application was filed on Sept. 29, 2011 (13/249,193).