Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Assigned Twenty-Two Patents

Magnetic disk device and method of changing key generation of cryptographic key
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11989311) developed by Nakanishi; Hironori, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, and Furuhashi; Kana, Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and method of changing key generation of cryptographic key.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head writing data to the disk and reading data from the disk, and a controller managing a key generation of a cryptographic key, based on generation confirmation information which is generated by the cryptographic key managed by an external device and transferred from the external device, and which is unable to generate the cryptographic key.”

The patent application was filed on 2021-09-09 (17/470262).

Magnetic disk drive and method of setting notch filter of drive
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11990153) developed by Matsuzawa; Takuji, Kashiwa Chiba, Japan, for “magnetic disk drive and method of setting a notch filter of the drive.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive includes a notch filter, a parameter storage unit and a computation unit, when the sampling period changes from a first sampling period to a second sampling period, the computation unit computes a damping ratio parameter related to the damping ratio in a second set of parameters at the second sampling period, based on a first absolute value at a first angular frequency of a first transfer function computed from a first set of parameters at the first sampling period and a second absolute value at the first angular frequency of a second transfer function computed from the first set of parameters at the second sampling period, and the notch filter is set with the second set of parameters at the second sampling period is computed.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-15 (18/184567).

Magnetic disk apparatus and method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, , has been assigned a patent (11984142) developed by Ogawa; Kenji, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk apparatus and method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, and a controller. The magnetic disk is provided with a track including a plurality of first sectors. The controller accesses the magnetic disk by using the magnetic head. The plurality of first sectors includes a plurality of second sectors where data segments are written and a third sector where parity and first information indicating effectiveness or ineffectiveness of protection by the parity are written.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-09-12 (17/943015).

Disk device
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11984144) developed by Nojima; Yusuke, Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a magnetic head, a piezoelectric element and a flexure. The piezoelectric element includes two electrodes. The flexure includes a first part and a second part that swings. The first part has a first surface to which a first electrode is joined. The second part has a second surface to which the magnetic head is joined. The magnetic head has a third surface facing the first surface and the second surface. The first electrode is spaced apart from a second electrode in a first direction. The first surface and an end of the third surface face each other. The second surface and another end of the third surface face each other. A distance between the first surface and the one end of the third surface is longer than a distance between the second surface and the other end of the third surface.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-03 (18/178476).

Magnetic disk apparatus and method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11978483) developed by Tsukahara; Wataru, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk apparatus and method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to embodiments, a magnetic disk apparatus includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The magnetic disk has formed therein a servo sector in which servo data including a first post code and a second post code is recorded. In the positioning of the magnetic head, the controller performs a correction using a third post code that is based on the first and second post codes and a first temperature detected by the temperature sensor.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-09-13 (17/931679).

Magnetic disk device and SSW method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11967349) developed by Aoki; Takahiro, Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and SSW method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises a disk, a first head, a second head, a controller. The disk includes a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface. The first head carries out read and write of data from and to the first surface. The second head carries out read and write of data from and to the second surface. The controller adjusts a spiral speed of at least one of the first head and the second head according to a cylinder offset amount corresponding to a positional difference between the first head and the second head. The spiral speed is a speed at which spiral servo patterns are to be written.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-08-22 (17/892947).

Seek scheduling in split actuator drive
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11960760) developed by Calfee; Gary W., Santa Clara, CA, Ehrlich; Richard M., Saratoga, CA, Schmidt; Thorsten, Livermore, CA, and Dunn; Eric R., Cupertino, CA, for “seek scheduling in a split actuator drive.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for scheduling the execution of disk access commands in a split-actuator hard disk drive are provided. In some embodiments, while a first actuator of the split actuator is in the process of performing a first disk access command (a victim operation), a second disk access command (an aggressor operation) is selected for and executed by a second actuator of the split actuator. The aggressor operation is selected from a queue of disk access commands for the second actuator, and is selected based on being the disk access command in the queue that can be initiated sooner than any other disk access command in the queue without disturbing the victim operation.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-05-15 (18/317836).

Magnetic disk device and method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11955146) developed by Tagami; Naoki, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, in a magnetic disk, a plurality of first servo sectors is arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of the plurality of first servo sectors includes a first area and a second area. First information including a preamble, a servo mark, and a Gray code is written in the first area. The second area is disposed after the first area in a write and read direction along the circumferential direction, and second information including a burst pattern is written in the second area. The plurality of first servo sectors includes a plurality of second servo sectors and a plurality of third servo sectors. The circumferential length of a first area included in each of the plurality of third servo sectors is longer than the circumferential length of a first area included in each of the plurality of second servo sectors.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-07 (18/179824).

Disk device with positioned ramp
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11955149) developed by Hasegawa; Hisashi, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, Yamaguchi; Hideki, Sagamihara Kanagawa, Japan, and Tukada; Sinji, Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device with positioned ramp.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In general, according to one embodiment, a disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, a suspension, a ramp, a housing, and a screw. The suspension holds the magnetic head and moves to an unload position. The ramp includes an attachment tab with a through hole. The ramp holds the suspension at the unload position. The housing has a support surface with a screw hole to support the attachment tab. The screw includes a screw head, a screw shaft, and a first contact surface. The screw shaft extends from the screw head in a first direction and is fitted into the screw hole through the through hole. The first contact surface is located on the screw head, tapers in the first direction, and contacts the attachment tab. The screw holds the attachment tab in-between the support surface and the first contact surface.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-07 (18/179694).

Disk device including damper to attenuate vibration
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11955150) developed by Tokizaki; Tomoyuki, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device including damper to attenuate vibration.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a disk device includes magnetic disks, a first head gimbal assembly, a first damper, and a carriage. The first head gimbal assembly includes a first magnetic head, a first load beam, and a first base plate. The first load beam supports the first magnetic head. The first base plate is connected to the first load beam. The first damper includes a first viscoelastic material, and a first member attached to the first viscoelastic material. The carriage rotates about a rotation axis to move the first magnetic head along a recording surface of a first magnetic disk. The carriage includes an arm, and a first flat surface of the arm. The first flat surface faces the recording surface of the first magnetic disk. The first base plate and the first viscoelastic material are fixed to the first flat surface.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-07 (18/179707).

Magnetic disk device
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11948604) developed by Hironaka; Hideki, Tokyo, Japan, and Itou; Kenji, Fujisawa Kanagawa, Japan, for a “magnetic disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to an embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head that accesses the magnetic disk, a motor that moves the magnetic head, a ramp, a motor driver, and a processor. When a voltage value of a power supply voltage falls below a first threshold, the motor driver starts a retract operation of retracting the magnetic head to the ramp by controlling a voltage applied to the motor. When the voltage value of the power supply voltage falls below a second threshold larger than the first threshold, the processor transmits an instruction related to applying a brake to the movement of the magnetic head to the motor driver.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-03-10 (17/691835).

Disk clamp with unbalance correction capability and disk device with same
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11948600) developed by Uehara; Manabu, Kanagawa, Japan, for “disk clamp with unbalance correction capability and disk device with the same.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a disk clamp includes a disk-shaped main body including a central axis line, an annular mounting groove provided in a first surface of the main body, in which a wire for unbalance adjustment is mountable, a plurality of through-holes formed through the main body and spaced apart from each other equally in a circumferential direction around the central axis line, through each of which a fixing screw is insertable, and a plurality of female threaded holes formed on the first surface of the main body and spaced apart from each other equally in the circumferential direction, through each of which an adjustment screw for balancing adjustment is screwable.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-08-24 (17/821978).

Disk device
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11948607) developed by Kuribara; Hirofumi, Chuo Tokyo, Japan, for a “disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a disk device includes rotatable magnetic disks, a first actuator assembly rotatably supported on a pivot through a first bearing unit, a second actuator assembly rotatably supported on the pivot through a second bearing unit and provided side by side with the first actuator assembly in an axial direction of the pivot, and a filter unit provided between the magnetic disks and the first and second actuator assemblies. The filter unit includes a holder including a shielding portion facing a boundary portion between the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly and a ventilation opening provided at a position spaced apart from the boundary portion in the axial direction, and a filter held by the holder and facing the ventilation opening.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-06 (18/117603).

Magnetic disk device and command processing method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11942110) developed by Fujinami; Takashi, Fujisawa Kanagawa, Japan, Satou; Noriyuki, Kamakura Kanagawa, Japan, and Onoda; Takashi, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and command processing method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk, a head, a command queue, a command residence time calculation unit calculating a residence time of each of commands in the command queue, a command information calculation unit calculating the number of the commands and a ratio, a limit time determination unit obtaining a latency limit time corresponding to the number of commands and the ratio, from a latency limit time determination table, and a command selection processing unit selecting a command to be executed, by considering the latency limit time.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-09 (18/119749).

Measuring VCM radial location using flex circuit shape during spiral write
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11942123) developed by Calfee; Gary W., Santa Clara, CA, Ngai; Rodney, Sunnyvale, CA, and Szita; Gabor, Mountain View, CA, for “measuring VCM radial location using flex circuit shape during spiral write.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In a disk drive that includes a magnetic head and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) coupled to an actuator for the magnetic head, a method of writing servo information includes: receiving a signal based on an electrical property of a material included in the FPCB, wherein the electrical property of the material changes as the actuator moves; determining a radial position of the magnetic head relative to a disk of the disk drive based on the signal; and controlling a radial velocity of the magnetic head relative to the disk of the disk drive based on the radial position.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-01 (18/177051).

Determining absolute position on HDD spiral patterns using dual TDMR readers
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11942122) developed by Calfee; Gary W., Santa Clara, CA, Szita; Gabor, Mountain View, CA, and Liang; Jiangang, Saratoga, CA, for “determining absolute position on HDD spiral patterns using dual TDMR readers.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method of determining radial position of a magnetic head that includes a first read sensor and a second read sensor includes: with the first read sensor, detecting a servo spiral formed on a disk; with the second read sensor, detecting the servo spiral; measuring a time interval between when the servo spiral is detected by the first read sensor and when the servo spiral is detected by the second read sensor; and based on the time interval, determining a radial position of the magnetic head relative to the disk.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-01-17 (18/155633).

Magnetic disk device and method for suppressing time required for rewrite operation caused by adjacent track interference
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11935566) developed by Maruyama; Syosuke, Yamato Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and method for suppressing time required for rewrite operation caused by adjacent track interference.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to an embodiment, on a first track of a magnetic disk, a plurality of first sectors in each of which a data segment is stored, and a second sector in which a parity for first error correction is stored are arranged in this order from a first position. A controller executes a first operation of sequentially reading a first data segment from each of the plurality of first sectors, and storing a group of the read first data segments in a buffer memory. The controller obtains a first parity from the group of the read first data segments. The controller starts a second operation of writing each first data segment stored in the buffer memory, to a first sector that is a read source among the plurality of first sectors, and writing the first parity to the second sector, before the magnetic head reaches the first position.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-09-06 (17/903870).

Disk device
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11929103) developed by Okano; Taichi, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, Ishizaki; Kiyokazu, Tokyo, Japan, Yamamoto; Nobuhiro, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, Tokuda; Kota, Fujisawa Kanagawa, Japan, and Yamaguchi; Hayato, Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A disk device includes a magnetic disk, a magnetic head, a flexible printed circuit board, an electronic component, and a wall. The flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the magnetic head. The electronic component is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board. The wall has rigidity higher than the flexible printed circuit board and is attached to the flexible printed circuit board. The flexible printed circuit board with a first through hole includes a first surface facing the electronic component with a gap, and a second surface opposite the first surface and facing the wall, the first through hole being open to the first surface and the second surface to communicate with the gap. The wall is provided with a second through hole penetrating the wall to communicate with the first through hole.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-08-25 (17/895905).

Disk device with column attached to base and cover
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11922980) developed by Uehara; Manabu, Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device with column attached to base and cover.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a plurality of magnetic disks, a casing, a column, a rotary component, and a screw. The casing includes a base having an inner space in which the plurality of magnetic disks is accommodated, and a first cover attached to the base to close the space. The column with a screw hole, is located in the space and is attached to the base by being fitted into a recess formed in the base. The rotary component is located in the space, surrounds the column, and is configured to rotate about the column. The screw is fitted into the screw hole through the first cover.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-03-08 (18/119263).

Magnetic disk device and control method of magnetic disk
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11907113) developed by Shibasaki; Takeshi, Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk device and control method of magnetic disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises magnetic disks, heads, and a controller. The controller does not allocate logical addresses to sectors of a first area to be specified in such a manner as to correspond to a defect existing in a predetermined recording area, the first area being within the predetermined recording area constituted of a plurality of cylinders adjacent to each other in the magnetic disks, and uniquely allocates logical addresses to sectors of a second area other than the first area. The controller makes allocation of logical addresses to the sectors of the second area different from each other according to the number of defects existing in the predetermined recording area.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-08-04 (17/817463).

Magnetic disk apparatus and method
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11899968) developed by Miyake; Masahisa, Ome Tokyo, Japan, and Takada; Kazuya, Chigasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for “magnetic disk apparatus and method.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus is provided with a magnetic disk, a buffer memory, and a control circuit. The magnetic disk has plural bands, each of which is a storage area in which data is written by the method of SMR. The control circuit receives a read request from outside. If the data requested to be read is first data of an update target stored in a first band among plural bands, the control circuit reads the first data from the first band, stores the first data in a buffer memory, and updates the first data in the buffer memory. Then, the control circuit transmits the first data in the buffer memory to the outside and writes the first data in the buffer memory to one of the plural bands.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-03-08 (17/689242).

Disk device
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, Japan, and Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, has been assigned a patent (11900964) developed by Okubo; Tomokazu, Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan, for a “disk device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “According to an embodiment, there is provided a disk device including a disk, a head, a preamplifier and a controller. The head writes information to the disk according to a write current. The preamplifier causes the write current to flow through the head. The controller is capable of causing the preamplifier to perform current zero control for maintaining an amplitude of the write current at zero, and is capable of changing a time for maintaining the amplitude of the write current at zero according to a pattern of write data.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-08-24 (17/821922).