IBTSC Unveils Composite HDD Architecture in US Patent

International Business and Technology Service Corporation (IBTSC) based at North Oaks, MN, announce the issue of patent for a composite HDD architecture that enables high drive capacities that match or exceed the SMR or HAMR drive while maintaining conventional PMR drive performance.

This drive model demonstrates its capacity and performance benefits, and its reliability matches that of conventional PMR drives when using HAMR platters. The architecture offers early technology shipment, increased drive capacity, improved yield, and reduced costs, while reducing technical barriers for new component technologies. The composite drive architecture offers a promising solution for the storage industry’s pursuit of higher capacities, improved performance, and lower costs.

The title of the US patent, N° 11600296, is Composite hard disk drive and the inventor Kaizhong Gao, chief scientist, IBTSC. The patent application was filed on 2021-12-22 (17/559214).

The abstract published by USPTO is: “Data storage method, apparatus and system that increase drive capacity, minimize latency, reduce write access time and improve drive lifetime is described in this invention. In one embodiment, the data storage device described here is a composite hard disk drive comprises a number of recording media platters labeled from 1 to n, where n is greater than or equal to 2; wherein there exist two positive integer n1 and n2, where n1 and n2 are between 1 and n; n1 is not equals to n2; wherein the data tracks for the media platters n1 and n2 are written based on one of the following: 1) different RTs; 2) different WAs; or 3) different RTs and different WAs.“

Composite magnet solution for high performance green drive

In 2022, IBTSC team has announced the demonstration of composite magnet technology for HDD voice coil motor (VCM) application and the US patent issued (11423930). By adding optimized cladding magnets, the magnetic flux density profile can be optimized to improve VCM operation efficiency. Simple proof-of-concept samples are fabricated and the magnetic flux density from the magnet component is measured using magnetic field mapper measurement.

The results show that the composite magnet solution provides improved VCM operation efficiency using the same amount of permanent magnet materials as compared to conventional magnet solution. Using the same materials, the read and write performance can be improved for the high capacity HDD. In an alternative approach, the high capacity HDD can maintain its performance with reduced power consumption.

Composite magnet solution achieves performance benefits due to:

1. Take advantage of the Halbach structure and reduce soft yoke saturation
2. Geometrical optimization of the core and the cladding magnets, with particular tapered structure and
3. Optimize cladding magnet and core magnet ratio and materials.

Optimized design can realize target magnetic field profile with reduced materials as compared to the conventional approach.

Technology benefits can be utilized to:

1. Replace existing high capacity HDD product solution with reduced materials cost
2. Optimize design solution to achieve higher performance (i/ops) drive
3. Produce high capacity HDD solutions with reduced power consumption.

The cost benefit for the composite magnet solution developed shows that when the materials cost saving exceeds additional process cost associated with the composite magnet fabrication, a net gain in drive cost can be realized. For high capacity HDD currently utilized in cloud data centers, the magnet materials savings make the composite magnet solution attractive to the HDD industry.

Te title of this company’s patent N° 11423930 is Hard disk drive with composite permanent magnet. The inventor is Gao, Kaizhong, Kaizhong Gao, chief scientist, IBTSC. The patent application was filed on 2020-12-09 (2020-12-09).

The abstract published by USPTO is: “A hard disk drive includes a drive case and a cover plate, the storage media platers and a spindle, the recording heads and actuators, the connection port, the control logic board and one or more voice coil motor, where the actuators are operated via a voice coil motor; wherein the voice coil motor magnets comprise of a pair of composite permanent magnets on both sides of the voice coil, where each piece of composite permanent magnet comprising: a first core magnet M1, a cladding magnet Mc12 and a second core magnet M2; the magnetization direction of M1 and M2 are opposite to each other; the magnetization direction of Mc12 is substantially perpendicular to the magnetization direction of M1 and M2; the ratio of the width of Mc12 to the thickness or the height of Mc12 is 4:1 or less as seen from the back view.“