MOTOR SPIN UP WITH AUXILIARY POWER BOOST

• US 20160329077A1
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Nazarov, Alexey
• Granted Patent: US 10,229,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/2054 Spindle motor power-up sequences
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/108 using diodes blocking reverse current flow H02J1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/028 wherein the motor voltage is increased at low speed, to start or restart high inertia loads

Abstract

An apparatus and associated method that contemplate spinning up an electric motor to an operational speed by accelerating the motor with a primary power, and before the motor is accelerated to the operational speed, boosting the primary power with an auxiliary power for a predetermined interval.

Claims

1. A method of spinning up an electric motor to an operational speed, comprising:

accelerating the motor with a primary power; and

before the motor is accelerated to the operational speed, boosting the primary power with an auxiliary power for a predetermined boost interval.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the boosting comprises discharging a rechargeable battery.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined boost interval is selected from a group consisting of an elapsed time during which the battery is discharged and a voltage drop of the battery from an initial voltage to a predetermined reduced voltage.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the boosting begins substantially simultaneous with the accelerating.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising recharging the battery after the boosting step is completed.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the recharging begins after a predetermined delay interval following the boosting.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the delay interval begins after completion of the boost interval.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a data storage disc;

a motor supporting the disc in rotation;

control circuitry operable to spin up the disc drive by;

beginning the spin up by energizing the motor with a primary power; and

before the spin up is completed, boosting the primary power by discharging a battery for a predetermined boost interval.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a charger for selectively recharging the discharged battery.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a processor-based controller that switches electronic circuitry to combine the primary power and the battery power.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller executes computer instructions stored in memory to compute the predetermined boost interval.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an ammeter that informs the controller of the amount of current that is discharged from the battery.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a data storage disc;

a motor supporting the disc in rotation; and

control circuitry operable to boost a primary power to the motor by discharging the battery for a predetermined boost interval.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the battery and the control circuitry reside in a portable module that is removably pluggable into a communications port of a device selected from the group consisting of a disc drive, an external power module, and a power transmission device between the disc drive and the external power module.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a charger for selectively recharging the discharged battery.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry comprises a processor-based controller that is responsive to an enable signal in activating a switching element to combine the primary power and the battery power.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller activates the switching element to isolate the battery power from the primary power during at least a portion of the spin up.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller activates the switching element to isolate the battery power from the primary power when the primary power is removed from the motor.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry comprises a plurality of power channels and is operable to boost a primary power to each of the power channels.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the apparatus is a disc drive and the power channels collectively supply the entire electrical requirements for the disc drive.