Patent ID: 11942113
Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS KK
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 10:
11. A hard disk drive system, comprising:
a plurality of voice coil motors (VCMs) coupled to respective control units configured to drive a retract operation of the plurality VCMs, wherein the retract operation of the plurality of VCMs comprises a sequence of retract steps; and
a common clock line and a communication line coupling the respective control units, wherein
each one of the respective control units are allotted respective time slots for communication over the communication line wherein the respective time slots are synchronized via the common clock line,
in response to a first one of the respective control units driving a first sequence of retract steps in a first one of the plurality of VCMs:
a first one of the respective control units is configured to communicate, over the communication line at its respective time slots signals indicative of the first sequence of retract steps being performed at the first one of the plurality of VCMs,
a second one of the respective control units is configured to sense, over the communication line, the signals indicative of the first sequence of retract steps being performed at the first one of the plurality of VCMs, and drive a second sequence of retract steps, wherein the second sequence of retract steps is performed at the second one of the plurality of VCMs in a timed relationship to the first sequence of retract steps performed at the first one of the plurality of VCMs.