System, method, and apparatus for a wireless hard disk drive

• US 20060072241A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Gillis, Donald Ray, Feliss, Norbert A., Khurshudov, Andrei
• Application Number:
  US10/955,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/97.20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs

Abstract

A sealed Hard Disk Drive filled with an inert gas mixture of air, helium, and/or nitrogen provides a wireless data encrypted interface to facilitate data and control transfer with a host system. The wireless interface additionally allows power transfer through Radio Frequency (RF) propagation or electromagnetic induction. Extended measures for vibration, shock, and temperature control are made possible through the use of the wireless interface. Immersion of the HDD into a viscous gel, or other damping material, provides vibration and shock control, while heating/cooling coils provide temperature control.

Claims

1. A method of extended physical protection for a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) in operation within a host system, the method comprising:

sealing the HDD;

encapsulating the sealed HDD within a damping material; and

wirelessly exchanging data and control signals between the host system and the HDD through the damping material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the HDD with one or more of air, helium, and nitrogen prior to sealing the HDD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein encapsulating the HDD comprises:

filling a bag with the damping material;

immersing the HDD within the bag; and

supporting the HDD with at least one support rib.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein filling the bag includes using a hydrocarbon, fluorocarbon or silicone polymerized gel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising regulating a temperature of the HDD.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein regulating the temperature of the HDD comprises:

immersing coils within the damping material;

circulating a refrigerant through the coils in response to a temperature of the HDD exceeding a predetermined temperature set point; and

heating the coils in response to the predetermined temperature set point exceeding the temperature of the HDD.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly exchanging data and control signals comprises formatting the data and control signals according to the 802.11 specification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein wirelessly exchanging data and control signals further comprises encrypting the data and control signals according to the 802.11 specification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly exchanging data and control signals comprises formatting the data and control signals according to the Bluetooth specification.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein wirelessly exchanging data and control signals further comprises encrypting the data and control signals according to the Bluetooth specification.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly providing power to the HDD through the damping material.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein wirelessly providing power to the HDD comprises propagating Radio Frequency (RF) signals to the HDD.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein wirelessly providing power to the HDD comprises electromagnetically inducing energy to the HDD.

14. A storage system comprising:

a sealed Hard Disk Drive (HDD), the sealed HDD comprising a wireless interface adapted to wirelessly exchange data and control signals with a host system;

a physical isolation device adapted to encapsulate the HDD through immersion within a damping substance; and

an Input/Output (I/O) interface wirelessly coupled to the wireless interface and adapted to convert host system data to a wireless format, the wireless format being compatible with the wireless interface.

15. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the HDD further comprises:

a magnetic recording medium;

a read/write head disposed proximate to the magnetic recording medium; and

a data channel coupled to the read/write head and the wireless interface and adapted to exchange the data signals between the read/write head and the wireless interface.

16. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the physical isolation device comprises:

a crash proof box; and

a bag contained within the crash proof box and adapted to contain the damping substance.

17. The storage system of claim 16, wherein the physical isolation device further comprises a plurality of support ribs immersed within the damping substance and adapted to centralize a position of the HDD within the bag.

18. The storage system of claim 16, wherein the physical isolation device further comprises a plurality of coils immersed within the damping substance and adapted to regulate a temperature of the HDD within the bag.

19. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the wireless format comprises the 802.11 specification.

20. The storage system of claim 14, wherein the wireless format comprises the Bluetooth specification.

21. A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), comprising:

a magnetic recording medium;

a read/write head disposed proximate to the recording medium;

a data channel coupled to the read/write head and adapted to exchange storage data with the read/write head; and

a signal processor coupled to the data channel and adapted to translate the storage data into a wireless format, wherein the wireless format is adapted to wirelessly traverse protective material encapsulating the HDD.

22. The HDD of claim 21, wherein the wireless storage data format conforms to the 802.11 specification.

23. The HDD of claim 21, wherein the wireless storage data format conforms to the Bluetooth specification.

24. The HDD of claim 21, wherein the signal processor is further adapted to receive wirelessly transmitted power signals.

25. The HDD of claim 24, wherein the wirelessly transmitted power signals comprise propagated Radio Frequency (RF) signals.

26. The HDD of claim 24, wherein the wirelessly transmitted power signals comprise electromagnetically induced energy.