Seagate Assigned Sixteen Patents

Storage drive pressure sensing using head temperature sensor and head heater
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11468918) developed by Lou, Huazhou, Niu, YiMin, Eden Prairie, MN, McCalla, Eric John, Big Lake, MN, and Purani, Dipeshkumar J., Shakopee, MN, for a “data storage drive pressure sensing using a head temperature sensor and a head heater.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage drive includes a rotatable data storage medium, and a head communicatively couplable to the data storage medium. The head includes a temperature sensor and a heater. The data storage drive also includes a ramp for supporting the head when the head is moved away from the data storage medium, and a controller. The controller is configured to obtain first temperature sensor measurement values for different head heater power settings when the head is positioned on the ramp, and is configured to determine an internal pressure of the data storage drive as a function of the first temperature sensor measurement values.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-05-17 (17/322266).

Zero skew with ultrasonic piezoelectric swing suspension
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11468909) developed by Liang, Cho Kok, Liu, Xiong, Myint, Than Zaw, and Ma, Yichao, Singapore, Singapore, for a “zero skew with ultrasonic piezoelectric swing suspension.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device includes a base, a data storage disk, an actuator arm, a suspension, and a piezoelectric actuator. The data storage disk is attached to the base and has a read/write surface defining an x-y plane. The actuator arm is attached to the base at a first pivot point to rotate parallel to the x-y plane. The suspension is attached to the actuator arm at a second pivot point, the suspension having a first end comprising a curved edge surface, and a second end supporting a head that is configured to interact with the read/write surface. The piezoelectric actuator is disposed on the actuator arm and comprises a biasing finger configured to contact the curved edge surface to rotate the suspension parallel to the x-y plane about the second pivot point. An actuator arm assembly and a method of use are also described.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-11-02 (17/517061).

Computational pipelines for computational storage
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11467987) developed by Jones, Marc Tim, Longmont, CO, for “computational pipelines for computational storage devices.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The technology disclosed herein provides a method including generating, at a PCIe interface, a functional capability table associating a plurality of computational functionalities (CFs) with a plurality of computational storage devices (CSDs) communicatively connected to each other via the PCIe interface, communicating the functional capability table to each of the plurality of CSDs, receiving, at a first of the plurality of CSDs (CSD1), a request for a computational process including the plurality of CFs, determining that a first of the CFs (CF1) is associated with the CSD1 and a second of the CFs (CF2) is associated with a CSD2, requesting a computational program memory (CPM2) at the CSD2 and performing the CF1 at CSD1.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-03-31 (17/218533).

Hot-swappable protocol expander module for storage array
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11467997) developed by Killen, Jr., Odie Banks, Colorado Springs, CO, Anderson, David Dick, New Braunfels, TX, and Schnabel, John Davis, Hampshire, Great Britain, for a “hot-swappable protocol expander module for storage array.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage array has a backplane at the base of an enclosure. A plurality of data storage drives are coupled to connectors of the backplane. A hot-swappable protocol expander module is coupled between the drives and the backplane through a top of the enclosure or to the backplane through a side of the enclosure.”

The patent application was filed on 2017-02-22 (15/439024).

Function-specific time-configurable replication of data manipulating functions
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11467931) developed by Jakob, Holger, Finsterhennen, Switzerland, for “method and system for function-specific time-configurable replication of data manipulating functions.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The system (10) and method (100) of the invention provides for function-specific replication of data manipulating functions (12) performed on data, such as files or objects, with a configurable time delay (14) for each function to be replicated. The system (10) and method (100) includes a replication management module (40) for managing the consistent function specific replication of data manipulating functions (12) with a function-specific delay (14) between a source storage system(s) (20, 65) and a destination storage system(s) (30, 75) and optionally includes a replication monitoring database (42).”

The patent application was filed on 2019-04-08 (16/377703).

Modular edge storage devices with high speed interconnects
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11464129) developed by McParland, Paul, San Jose, CA, Masson, Bruno Jean, Longmont, CO, and Fochtman, Jeffrey Dale, San Jose, CA, for “modular edge storage devices with high speed interconnects.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage ecosystem that includes a series of devices of increasing size, designed to look and work together as a family, with at least one of the devices being a data storage device having a first consumer-accessible connector and a second high speed connector. The data storage ecosystem also includes a rack-mounted docking unit having a third high speed interfacing connector configured to couple to the second high speed connector of the data storage device when the data storage device is inserted into the rack-mounted docking unit.”

The patent application was filed on 2019-11-26 (16/695832).

Vibration-induced on-cylinder limit adjustment
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11462245) developed by Sosseh, Raye A., Michel, Richard P., Minneapolis, MN, Kharisov, Evgeny Rafaelovich, Miami Beach, FL, and Gaertner, Mark A., Shakopee, MN, for a “vibration-induced on-cylinder limit adjustment.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method includes determining at least one of an areal density margin or a reliability margin for a combination of a head and a data storage surface in a data storage drive. The method also includes employing the determined at least one of the AD margin or the reliability margin to adjust an on-cylinder limit value associated with the combination of the head and the data storage surface.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-08-25 (17/411492).

Parameter based load balancing in distributed surveillance system
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11463739) developed by Larrew, Greg D., LaPanse, Margot A., Habinsky, Michael, and Baum, Michael E., Longmont, CO, for a “parameter based load balancing in a distributed surveillance system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A distributed video management system for video surveillance that allows for monitoring a camera allocation parameter and dynamic reallocation of video cameras to available camera nodes in response to detecting a change in the allocation parameter. As such, the system may provide for load balancing of the processing of video data from the video cameras with reference to the allocation parameter. The change in allocation parameter may be due to a number of potential contexts, including a change in availability of camera nodes, a change in the nature of the video data captured, a change in computational load, or other change that results in a change in allocation parameter. The allocation parameter may be continually monitored to allocate video cameras to camera nodes in the system for enhanced system performance in view of potentially changing conditions.”

The patent application was filed on 2020-06-29 (16/915733).

NVM with precise write-once protection
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11455402) developed by Trantham, Jon D., Chanhassen, MN, for a “non-volatile memory with precise write-once protection.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Apparatus and method for selective overwrite protection of data stored in a non-volatile memory (NVM) with fine precision. In some embodiments, a write command is received from a host device to write one or more blocks of data having associated logical addresses to the NVM. A read operation is performed in response to the write command to read a tag value associated with each block. The write command is disallowed in response to the tag value indicating a protected version of the block having the associated logical address is already stored at the selected location. The tag value may be a key version value indicative of a version of an encryption key used to encrypt user data in the data block and whether the block is write-protected.”

The patent application was filed on 2019-01-30 (16/261960).

Managing unexpected shutdown in disk drive with multiple actuators and controllers
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11455250) developed by DeClercq, Bryce L., Waconia, MN, Faulhaber, Steven, Eden Prairie, MN, Hill, Christopher L., Apple Valley, MN, Bremer, David P., Shakopee, MN, and Spaulding, Steven Jerome, Savage, MN, for “managing unexpected shutdown in a disk drive with multiple actuators and controllers.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An event that indicates unexpected shutdown of a hard disk drive is determined. The hard disk includes first and second controllers that control respective first and second independently-operable actuators. Each of the actuators has one or more heads that access one or more spinning disks of the hard disk drive. While receiving power for the hard disk drive via back-electromotive force of a motor driven by the one or more spinning disks in response to the event, the first and second controllers independently move the respective first and second actuators to safe positions. In response to determining the first and second actuators are in safe positions, write cache data associated with the first and second controllers is written to a non-volatile memory.”

The patent application was filed on 2019-07-02 (16/460022).

Thermal spot-dependent write method and apparatus for heat-assisted magnetic storage
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11450341) developed by Liu, Xiong, and Li, Quan, Singapore, Singapore, for “thermal spot-dependent write method and apparatus for a heat-assisted magnetic storage device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus comprises a write pole for writing data to a magnetic recording medium and a near-field transducer (NFT) optically coupled to a laser source and configured to produce a thermal spot on the medium. A laser driver applies laser operation power (Iop) to the laser source. A channel circuit generates symbols having a length of nT, where T is a channel clock rate and n is an integer. The laser driver applies Iop to the laser source and a write driver applies bi-directional write currents to the write pole to record the symbols at a location of the thermal spot on the medium, wherein a duration of applying Iop to the laser source by the laser driver is dependent on a length of the symbols and the effective thermal spot size.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-08-20 (17/407652).

Distributed storage system with offline optimization
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11449643) developed by Allo, Christopher Nicholas, Lyons, CO, for a “distributed data storage system with offline optimization.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A distributed data storage system can connect a customization module to at least one host and a second data storage device via a network controller. The customization module may disconnect the first data storage device from the host and second data storage device prior to assessing a security operation of the first data storage device with the customization module, generating an optimization strategy with the customization module based on the assessed security operation, implementing the optimization strategy in the first data storage device to alter at least one security parameter of the first data storage device, and then connecting the first data storage device to the host and second data storage device to allow at least one data access to be executed to the first data storage device with the altered at least one security parameter.”

The patent application was filed on 2020-02-26 (16/801861).

Low cost storage system
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11449238) developed by Mendonsa, Riyan A., Edina, MN, Herdendorf, Brett R., Mound, MN, Trantham, Jon D., Chanhassen, MN, Subramanian, Krishnan, Shakopee, MN, Moon, John E., Superior, CO, and Mane, Hemant, Pune, India, for a “low cost data storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage system can provide low cost and optimized performance with a cartridge housing multiple separate data storage devices and each of the data storage devices being concurrently engaged by a device player. The device player may have a processor configured to analyze mechanical performance of each data storage device and data performance of data resident in each data storage device.”

The patent application was filed on 2020-10-08 (16/948984).

Writing and reading data in NVM using Lpage identification headers
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11449252) developed by Cohen, Earl T., Oakland, CA, for a “method of writing and reading data in an nvm using Lpage identification headers.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method includes the steps of storing non-header data into a plurality of logical pages (‘Lpages’) of a non-volatile memory (‘NVM’), each Lpage including a number of read units, wherein at least one of the read units is a spanning read unit that spans Lpage boundaries and includes a first byte of at least one Lpage starting in the read unit, storing, in each of the at least one spanning read units that include the first byte of the at least one Lpage starting in the read unit, an Lpage identification header per each of the at least one Lpages starting in the spanning read unit, each Lpage identification header identifying a location of the first byte of the respective Lpage starting within the respective spanning read unit, and locating an Lpage of data stored in the NVM by referring to an entry stored a flash memory controller map table.”

The patent application was filed on 2020-07-08 (16/923655).

Storage device with rewritable in-place memory
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11449431) developed by Ish, Mark, Sandy Springs, GA, Canepa, Timothy, Los Gatos, CA, and Ebsen, David S., Minnetonka, MN, for a “data storage device with rewritable in-place memory.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device may consist of a non-volatile memory having rewritable in-place memory cells each with a read-write asymmetry. The non-volatile memory can store boot data that is subsequently loaded by a selection module of the data storage device. The selection module may bypass a memory buffer of the data storage device to load the boot data.”

The patent application was filed on 2017-05-30 (15/608127).

Secure erasure of drive array using drive-defined, trusted computing group bands
Seagate Technologies LLC, Fremont, CA, has been assigned a patent (11449265) developed by Boddu, Varun Reddy, and Tay, Siew Lian, Singapore, Singapore, for a “secure erasure of a drive array using drive-defined, trusted computing group bands.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Partitions of drives are used to form a volume of a drive array. Each partition is associated with a trusted computing group (TCG) band. Each drive encrypts data stored on the partition with a key unique to the TCG band. The volume is formed using the partitions of the drives. In response to a band-based erasure being invoked on the volume, each drive of the plurality of drives overwrites the key of the TCG band associated with the partition and provides an erasure certificate attesting to the overwriting of the key. The erasure certifications from the drives are compiled into a consolidated erasure certification that attests to the erasure of the volume.”

The patent application was filed on 2020-10-30 (17/084894).