Patent ID: 6097559
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: G11B,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of detecting contact between an air bearing slider and a surface feature developed on a surface of a magnetic data storage disk, comprising:acquiring a first set of position error signal (PES) values developed at a first disk location using a transducer provided on the air bearing slider;acquiring a second set of PES values developed at a second disk location using the transducer;computing a first power value using non-repeatable PES values of the first set of PES values;computing a second power value using non-repeatable PES values of the second set of PES values;computing a power ratio value using the first and second power values; andcomparing the power ratio value with a power ratio threshold value, whereby the power ratio value exceeding the power ratio threshold value indicates an occurrence of contact between the air bearing slider and the surface feature of the disk.