Disk drive slider with sense amplifier for coupling to a preamp through a supply/bias line and a read signal line

• US 9,299,371 B1
• Filed: 05/21/2015
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hogg, Dennis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/719,127
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 360/66, 360/67, 360/234.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10018 analog processing for digital recording or reproduction G11B20/10037 - G11B20/10481 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10027 adjusting the signal strength during recording or reproduction, e.g. variable gain amplifiers optimum power control for optical discs G11B7/125
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/012 Recording on, or reproducing or erasing from, magnetic disks G11B17/00, G11B19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/02 Recording, reproducing, or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/09 Digital recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/455 Arrangements for functional testing of heads; Measuring arrangements for heads
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4853 Constructional details of the electrical connection between head and arm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5526 Control therefor; circuits, track configurations or relative disposition of servo-information transducers and servo-information tracks for control thereof G11B5/556 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/58 with provision for moving the head for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the head relative to the record carrier during transducing operation, e.g. to compensate for surface irregularities of the latter or for track following spacing means incorporated in the head structure G11B5/187, G11B5/255, G11B5/3106

Abstract

A disk drive slider is disclosed comprising a first read element for generating a first read signal, and a first sense amplifier comprising a first input terminal coupled to the first read element, a first output terminal coupled to a first output line, and a first supply terminal coupled to a supply line. The first sense amplifier is for amplifying the first read signal to generate a first amplified read signal, the first output line is for transmitting the first amplified read signal to a preamp, and the supply line is for coupling to the preamp in order to supply power to the first sense amplifier and supply a first bias to the first read element.

Claims

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk;

a slider actuated over the disk, the slider comprising a first read element and a second read element; and

control circuitry configured to;

calibrate a first bias supplied to the first read element;

calibrate a second bias supplied to the second read element;

generate an operating bias based on the first bias and the second bias; and

apply the operating bias to the first read element and the second read element when reading data from the disk.

2. The disk drive as recited in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to generate the operating bias by averaging the first bias and the second bias.

3. A method of operating a disk drive comprising:

calibrating a first bias supplied to a first read element;

calibrating a second bias supplied to a second read element;

generating an operating bias based on the first bias and the second bias; and

applying the operating bias to the first read element and the second read element when reading data from a disk.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising generating the operating bias by averaging the first bias and the second bias.