×

Disk drive testing method and apparatus

  • US 4,725,968 A
  • Filed: 05/14/1985
  • Issued: 02/16/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of testing a disk drive unit in cooperation with a test disk in the drive unit to evaluate a selected performance characteristic of the disk drive unit, comprising the steps of:

  • (a) operating the disk drive unit such that a selected test is performed on the drive unit in cooperation with the test disk and signal indicative of the performance of the drive unit on the test is provided by the drive unit;

    (b) comparing the signal from the drive unit to a predetermined specification for the signal to determine a performance variable which is related to the deviation of the signal from the drive unit from the specification for the signal;

    (c) displaying to the operator on a display device a graphics field which defines a peformance reference frame including a geometric target position corresponding to the reference specification, a geometric pass range, and a geometric fail range;

    (d) displaying to the operator a cursor figure on the display device which is superimposed on the graphics field and which is displaced geometrically from the target specification position by a distance which is directly related to the performance variable, wherein the drive unit has a photodetector which provides an output index pulse once every revolution of the diskette, and wherein the selected test performed on the drive unit is determination of spindle rotation speed in which the output index pulses from the photodetector in the drive unit are counted to determine the spindle rotation speed, and wherein the spindle rotation speed so determined is compared to a predetermined specification speed for the signal to determine a spindle rotation performance variable, and wherein a reference frame is displayed to the operator including a linear scale representing a range of spindle rotational speeds and a pass band of speeds within that range centered about the specification speed, and wherein a cursor figure is superimposed on the graphics field above the linear scale which is displaced from the position on the scale of the specification speed a distance proportional to the spindle rotation performance variable.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×