Abstract:
Provided are a method of improving a recording performance of a hard disk drive (HDD) by controlling write strength according to a flying height of a head and a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program suitable for the method. The method of controlling write strength of the HDD includes calculating the flying height of the head before starting a recording operation and controlling the write strength according to the calculated flying height. Accordingly, optimal writing can be performed by the write strength according to the head flying height.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-038382, filed on May 9, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a hard disk drive (HDD), and more particularly, to a method of improving a recording performance thereof by controlling write strength according to a flying height of a head and a computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program suitable for the method. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A hard disk drive (HDD), which is a type of data storage medium, reproduces data recorded on a disk or writes data on the disk using a magnetic head. 
     FIG. 1  is a structure of a typical HDD  10 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , a hard disk  20  is assembled in the HDD  10  to rotate on a base  11  of the HDD  10 . The HDD  10  includes at least one magnetic head positioned over a recording/reproducing surface of the rotating hard disk  20  to read or write information by sensing or magnetizing a magnetic field formed on the hard disk  20 . 
   The magnetic head is combined with one end of a magnetic head assembly  30  assembled to rotationally move on the base  11  of the HDD  10 . The head is moved to a target position on the rotating hard disk  20  according to stewing of the magnetic head assembly  30 . 
   The magnetic head assembly  30  includes a magnetic head slider  50  having the magnetic head attached that can write or read information on or from the hard disk  20  at one end thereof, an actuator arm  32  connected to a rotary axis  34  to allow rotation, and a suspension  31  connected between the actuator arm  32  and the magnetic head slider  50 . 
   The magnetic head slider  50  is biased to the hard disk  20  by the suspension  31 , and when the hard disk  20  starts to rotate, the magnetic head slider  50  flies and floats on a cushion of air over the hard disk  20  as a result of air flow pressure generated by the rotation of the hard disk  20 . When the magnetic head slider  50  flies and floats, a gap between the magnetic head and the surface of the hard disk  20  that results is the flying height. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a typical magnetic head  70 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the magnetic head  70  includes a magneto-resistive head  74  for reproducing and an inductive write head for recording. The magneto-resistive head  74  senses and reads a magnetic signal recorded on the hard disk  20 . The inductive write head writes a desired signal on the hard disk  20 . The inductive write head includes a top pole  71  and a bottom pole  72 , which are separated from each other by a predetermined gap to form a leakage flux for magnetizing a magnetic layer of the hard disk  20 , and a write coil  73 , which generates a magnetic field by applying a current thereto. 
   Recently, in HDDs, TPI (track per inch) has been increased to increase storage capacity, flying height has been reduced, and write frequency has increased. 
   To reduce a track width of the hard disk  20 , a width of the inductive write head for writing a magnetic signal on the track should be reduced according to the reduction of the track width. To read a magnetic signal written on the narrowed track, the flying height of the magnetic head  70  should be lowered. 
   It is preferable that the flying height of the magnetic head  70  be as low as possible within an acceptable limitation. The flying height of the magnetic head  70  is optimized by considering the number of rotations of a spindle motor, a disk substance, and mechanical characteristics of the head assembly. 
   However, the flying height of the magnetic head  70  may vary due to an operational temperature of the HDD  10 , atmospheric pressure, moisture content in the air, or a driving voltage of the HDD  10 . For example, the atmospheric pressure in the HDD  10 , which varies according to a user environment, influences air flow pressure required to float the magnetic head  70 . 
   Thus, it is necessary to consider these variables, in order to optimize the flying height of the magnetic head  70 . 
   The lower the flying height of the magnetic head  70 , the less a margin of a head-disk interface (HDI). In particular, if the flying height is too high, a weak write may occur, and if the flying height is too low, the magnetic head  70  may crash onto the hard disk  20 . 
   Methods of measuring a flying height of a head are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-7017, Korean Patent Publication No. 2001-78765, U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,058, etc. 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  are illustrations for explaining thermal pole tip protrusion (TPTP).  FIG. 3A  illustrates a state when a reproducing operation is performed, and  FIG. 3B  illustrates a state when a recording operation is performed. The flying height (FH) is shown as the distance between the hard disk  20  and the head attached to the head slider  50 . Referring to  FIG. 3B , it is known that the top and bottom write poles  71  and  72  protrude (FH&gt;FH′) when a recording operation is performed compared to when a reproducing operation is performed as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The protrusion of the write poles  71  and  72  occurs due to a heat expansion coefficient difference between the nonmetallic head slider  50  and the metallic head  70 . The protrusion causes a reduction in the area between the hard disk  20  and the head, resulting in a new flying height (FH′). The amount of TPTP is proportional to I 2 R, wherein I denotes a write current and R denotes resistance of the write coil  73 . In other words, the TPTP is an inevitable phenomenon occurring due to a current flowing through the write coil  73 . 
   The TPTP influences the HDI. If the write poles  71  and  72  protrude due to the TPTP, the gap between the magnetic head  70  and the hard disk  20  is reduced (FH&gt;FH′). Accordingly, the margin of the HDI is reduced. 
     FIG. 4  is a waveform diagram for explaining an effect of a crash between a head and a disk when a recording operation is performed. In  FIG. 4 , an A section on the left represents a time period during which the head does not crash onto the disk, and a B section on the right represents a time period during which the head periodically crashes onto the disk. It can be seen that a waveform of a reproducing signal has a periodic fluctuation in the B section. The periodic fluctuation is a result of the periodical crash between the head and the disk when the recording operation is performed in the B section. This phenomenon is called a modulation phenomenon, and it is observed that the higher the altitude, the more severe the modulation phenomenon. This is because the higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure, resulting in a lower flying height of the head, and thereby causing a worse effect due to the TPTP. Thus, it is preferable that write strength influencing the TPTP is controlled according to the flying height of the head. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a method of controlling write strength of a hard disk drive (HDD) according to a flying height of a head. 
   The present invention also provides a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable recording program for performing the method. 
   According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method of controlling write strength of the HDD, the method including calculating a flying height of a head before starting a recording operation and controlling the write strength according to the calculated flying height. 
   The write strength may be controlled by at least one of the following: a write current (WC), an overshoot current (OSC), or an overshoot duration (OSD). 
   In an embodiment of the present invention, the calculation of the flying height of the head may include setting a reference value AGC 0  of a reproducing signal by measuring the magnitude of the reproducing signal read from a measuring area of a disk while rotating the disk at a regular rotation speed using constantly-maintained operational conditions of the HDD and measuring a reference flying height corresponding to the reference value AGC 0  of the reproducing signal, measuring the magnitude of the reproducing signal read from the measuring area of the disk while rotating the disk at the regular rotation speed, and calculating the flying height of the head in a user environment by referring to the measured magnitude of the reproducing signal, the reference value AGC 0  of the reproducing signal, and the reference flying height corresponding to the reference value AGC 0  of the reproducing signal. 
   The measuring of the reference value AGC 0  and the reference flying height corresponding to the reference value AGC 0  may be performed using a burn-in test process. 
   The measuring area may be a servo area in which a servo signal is recorded on the disk or a data area having recorded thereon a constant pattern of data. 
   The measuring area may be protected so as not to be rewritten. 
   The reference value AGC 0  and the measured magnitude of the reproducing signal may be average values of a plurality of samples obtained from the measuring area. 
   According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a recording medium having recorded thereon a computer-readable program for performing a method including calculating a flying height of a head in a user environment before starting a recording operation and controlling the write strength according to the calculated flying height. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a structure of a typical hard disk drive (HDD); 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a typical magnetic head; 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are illustrations for explaining thermal pole tip protrusion (TPTP); 
       FIG. 4  is a waveform diagram for explaining an effect of a crash between a head and a disk when a recording operation is performed; 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are flowcharts illustrating a method of measuring a flying height of a head according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a write strength of an HDD according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a waveform diagram of a current applied to a write coil in a recording operation according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 9A through 9C  are graphs of varying write strengths according to embodiments of the present invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a gain DAGC of an automatic gain control circuit in a data area according to atmospheric pressure and write strength according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a gain SAGC of the automatic gain control circuit in a servo area according to atmospheric pressure and write strength according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a bit error rate (BER) of a reproducing signal in the data area according to atmospheric pressure and write strength according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating an electrical circuit configuration of an HDD performing the write strength controlling method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  are flowcharts illustrating a method of measuring a flying height of a head of a hard disk drive (HDD) according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a process of setting a reference value AGC 0  of a reproducing signal for measuring a head flying height in a burn-in process of the HDD using constantly-maintained operational conditions of the HDD and measuring a reference head flying height corresponding to the reference value AGC 0 .  FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a process of measuring a head flying height in a user environment.  FIGS. 5 and 6  are flowcharts of processes using a data area of a maintenance area as a measuring area. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , in operation S 502 , data having a uniform pattern is written in a portion of the maintenance area of a disk during the burn-in test process. The maintenance area is an area accessed only by an HDD, not by a user, and an area in which information that should be maintained for operations of the HDD is written. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a portion of the maintenance area is used as the measuring area since the measuring area is an area in which data should not be rewritten. 
   However, the measuring area is not limited to the maintenance area. It is only limited to the maintenance area if rewriting is not allowed in the area that is used to measure the head flying height. 
   According to the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , an example of writing data having a uniform pattern in the data area is illustrated. However, the data writing is not limited to the data area. In the HDD, tracks include alternatively-arranged servo areas and data areas. In the current embodiment, a servo area is an area in which servo information is written. The servo information includes information having a uniform pattern all over the disk area, such as a servo sync signal. Thus, in embodiments of the present invention, the servo area can be used as the measuring area. 
   In operation S 504 , the data written in operation S 502  is read, and the reference value AGC 0  is set by calculating an average value of a gain of an automatic gain control circuit. In the HDD, the magnitude of the reproducing signal can be represented by the gain of the automatic gain control circuit. The automatic gain control circuit outputs a reproducing signal having a constant magnitude by controlling an amplification gain according to the magnitude of the reproducing signal read by the head. That is, the gain of the automatic gain control circuit is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the reproducing signal read by the head. 
   The average value of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit obtained by reading the data written in the measuring area is the reference value AGC 0 , which is used to calculate the head flying height. The burn-in test process is performed in a chamber in which constant atmospheric pressure and temperature is maintained. Thus, the head flying height in the burn-in test process is constant, and thus the reference value AGC 0  can be used in calculating the head flying height. 
   That is, the head flying height in the user environment can be represented by comparing the gain of the automatic gain control circuit with the reference value AGC 0 . 
   In operation S 506 , the average value of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit is written in the maintenance area as the reference value AGC 0 . The reference value AGC 0  is a standard used to determine the head flying height in the user environment. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , a method of measuring the head flying height in the user environment using the reference value AGC 0  obtained through the method illustrated in  FIG. 5  is shown. 
   When power is applied to the HDD, in operation S 602 , the reference value AGC 0  that is used in determining the head flying height is read from the maintenance area. The reference value AGC 0  is the average value of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit obtained by reading the data having the uniform pattern written in the measuring area as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
   In operation S 604 , an average value AGC of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit is obtained by reading the data written in the measuring area while in the user environment. 
   In operation S 606 , the head flying height FH in the user environment is calculated using the reference value AGC 0 , the reference head flying height FHO corresponding to the reference value AGC 0 , and the average value AGC of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit in the user environment. 
   If data written in the measuring area was written by uniform write strength and a uniform write frequency, it can be considered that the gain of the automatic gain control circuit obtained by reading the data written in the measuring area in the user environment is related only to the head flying height. Moreover, the more data samples considered, the more accurate the calculation of the head flying height will be. According to experiments, it has been observed that an accuracy value for the flying height of over 95% can be guaranteed when 1000 data samples are used. 
     FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the method of controlling the write strength according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   In the method of controlling the write strength according to an embodiment of the present invention, the write strength is controlled according to the head flying height. That is, the head flying height is measured in the user environment before a recording operation starts, and the write strength is controlled according to the difference between the measured flying height and the reference flying height. The write strength is controlled by controlling values of a write current WC, an overshoot current OSC, or an overshoot duration OSD. 
   The head flying height is measured before the recording operation starts. The head flying height in the user environment can vary according to the operational temperature of the HDD, atmospheric pressure, moisture content in the air, or the driving voltage of the HDD. To measure the head flying height, a head flying height measurement method according to the embodiment of the present invention, such as the one illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , can be used. 
   In operation S 702 , the reference value AGC 0  is written in the maintenance area using the process illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
   In operation S 704 , the average value AGC of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit is obtained by reading the data written in the measuring area when the HDD is in the user environment. In operation S 706 , a difference dAGC between the measured value AGC and the reference value AGC 0  is calculated. 
   In operation S 708 , it is determined whether the difference dAGC is within a predetermined detection limitation X and whether the difference dAGC has a positive or negative value. 
   If the difference dAGC is within the predetermined detection limitation X in operation S 708 , the write strength is not controlled in operation S 710 . 
   If the difference dAGC is not within the predetermined detection limitation X, and if the difference dAGC has a positive value, the write strength is increased in operation S 714 . 
   The gain of the automatic gain control circuit is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the reproducing signal read by the head. A positive value of the difference dAGC means that AGC measured in the user environment is greater than AGC 0  measured in the burn-in test environment. This means that the magnitude of the reproducing signal in the user environment is less than the magnitude of the reproducing signal in the burn-in test environment and that the head flying height in the user environment is greater than the head flying height in the burn-in test environment. Thus, the write strength should be increased above the optimized write strength in the burn-in test environment. 
   If the difference dAGC is not within the predetermined detection limitation X, and if the difference dAGC has a negative value, the write strength is decreased in operation S 712 . 
   For the write strength, the reference value AGC 0  is set in the burn-in test process. The write strength is optimized according to the operating environment of the HDD in the user environment, and more particularly, according to the head flying height. 
     FIG. 8  is a waveform diagram of a current applied to a write coil in a recording operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 8 , besides a write current (WC) for generating a write magnetic field, an overshoot component is included when a data value is changed. A current for providing the overshoot component is called an overshoot current (OSC), and a duration for which the OSC is maintained is called an overshoot duration (OSD). 
   The WC makes the strength of a magnetic field keep more or less a coercive force, and the OSC increases the strength of the magnetic field to be greater than the coercive force at a position where a direction of the magnetic field is changed. Thus, in the recording operation, the WC, the OSC, and the OSD influence the magnitude of TPTP. 
     FIGS. 9A through 9C  are diagrams of illustrations in which the write strength is changed, according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 9A  illustrates an example of changing OSC,  FIG. 9B  illustrates an example of changing OSD, and  FIG. 9C  illustrates an example of changing WC. 
     FIG. 10  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a gain DAGC (data AGC) of the automatic gain control circuit in a data area according to altitude and write strength in an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the write strength depends upon OSD. 
   In  FIG. 10 , the vertical axis indicates DAGC, and the horizontal axis indicates the altitude. An increase of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit is proportional to a decrease of the magnitude of a reproducing signal. 
   Referring to a graph of the reproducing signal of  FIG. 10 , an increase of the altitude causes a gradual decrease of the DAGC, and the DAGC rapidly increases at an altitude of 11 ktf. The rapid increase of the magnitude of the DAGC at an altitude of 11 ktf occurs since the head crashes onto the disk. Referring to  FIG. 10 , an increase of the altitude makes a decrease of the head flying height, and if the altitude is greater than a predetermined limitation value, the head crashes onto the disk. 
   Referring to graphs of write strengths of 2.08 and 9.18 of  FIG. 10 , for the write strength of 2.08, the head crashes onto the disk when the altitude is 11 ktf, and for the write strength of 9.18, the head crashes onto the disk when the altitude is 10 ktf. This indicates that the write strength should be controlled in relation to the altitude. 
     FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a gain SAGC (servo AGC) of the automatic gain control circuit in a servo area according to altitude and write strength in an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 11 , the vertical axis indicates SAGC, and the horizontal axis indicates the altitude. Referring to  FIG. 11 , the head can be prevented from crashing onto the disk by controlling the write strength in relation to the altitude. 
     FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating correlations of a bit error rate (BER) of a reproducing signal in the data area according to atmospheric pressure and write strength in an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 12 , the vertical axis indicates the BER, and the horizontal axis indicates the altitude. Referring to  FIG. 12 , optimal recording can be performed by controlling the write strength in relation to the altitude. 
   In  FIG. 12 , an area drawn by a circle indicates an area in which the modulation phenomenon illustrated in  FIG. 4  occurs. 
   In  FIGS. 10 through 12 , diagonal dotted lines indicate an appropriate write strength in relation to the altitude. 
     FIG. 13  is a block diagram illustrating an electrical circuit configuration of an HDD performing the write strength controlling method illustrated in  FIG. 7  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 13 , an apparatus  1300  includes a controller  1342  combined with the head  70  of  FIG. 2  through a read/write (RAN) channel circuit  1344  and a pre-amplifier circuit  1346 . The controller  1342  can be a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, or a micro-controller. The controller  1342  provides a control signal to the R/W channel circuit  1344  to read data from the disk  20  or write data on the disk  20 . Information is typically transmitted from the R/W channel circuit  1344  to a host interface circuit  1347 . The host interface circuit  1347  includes a buffer memory and a control circuit allowing the HDD  10  to interface with a system such as a personal computer. 
   The controller  1342  is combined with a voice coil motor (VCM) driver circuit  1348  supplying a driving current to a voice coil  1326 . The controller  1342  supplies a control signal to the VCM driver circuit  1348  to control activation of a VCM and a motion of the head  70 . 
   In a reproduction mode, the R/W channel circuit  1344  performs signal processing to convert an analog signal read from the head  70  and amplified by the pre-amplifier circuit  1346  to a digital signal which can be read by a host computer (not shown), output the converted digital signal through the host interface circuit  1347 , receive user data from the host computer through the host interface circuit  1347 , convert the user data to a write current to write the user data on the disk  20 , and output the write current to the pre-amplifier circuit  1346 . 
   The controller  1342  is connected to a nonvolatile memory  1350 , such as a read only memory (ROM) or a flash memory, and a random access memory (RAM)  1352 . The memory elements  1350  and  1352  store therein commands and data used by the controller  1342  to execute software routines. 
   The software routines include a seek routine for moving the head  70  from one track to another. The seek routine includes a servo control routine for guaranteeing that the head  70  is moved to an exact track. 
   The memory elements  1350  and  1352  store therein a program for performing the flying height measurement method and the write strength controlling method illustrated in  FIGS. 5 through 7 . 
   When the HDD  10  is in the burn-in test environment, the controller  1342  controls the head  70  to write uniform pattern data in an area for measuring the head flying height and to read the data in the area. 
   In addition, the controller  1342  writes uniform pattern data in an area for measuring the head flying height, reads the data in the area, calculates the average value AGC 0  of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit, and writes the average value AGC 0  in the maintenance area. 
   When power is applied to the HDD  10  in the user environment, the controller  1342  reads the data recorded in the measuring area and calculates the average value AGC of the gain of the automatic gain control circuit. The controller  1342  calculates a difference between the calculated average value AGC and the average reference value AGC 0  recorded in the maintenance area. The controller  1342  determines whether the calculated difference dAGC exceeds the predetermined range X, and if the calculated difference dAGC exceeds the predetermined range X, the controller  1342  controls the write strength. 
   The present invention can be applied to various kinds of disk drives including HDDs and various kinds of data storage apparatuses. 
   As described above, using the write strength controlling method according to embodiments of the present invention, an optimized write strength can be obtained based on a head flying height. 
   While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.