Patent ID: 7904645

Claim:
An apparatus that is operable to generate format field elements (FFEs) for use in operating a hard disk drive (HDD), the apparatus comprising: a plurality of data formatting modules; a processing module; and a memory, coupled to the processing module, that is operable to store operational instructions that enable the processing module to: generate a plurality of FFEs that includes a first FFE, a second FFE, a third FFE, and a fourth FFE, wherein: the first FFE includes a first parameter by which a first data formatting module of the plurality of data formatting modules operates during a first time and a corresponding opcode within the first FFE indicates a first condition that, when met, transfers operation of the first data formatting module within the HDD to be governed by the second FFE; and the third FFE includes a second parameter by which a second data formatting module of the plurality of data formatting modules operates during a third time and a corresponding opcode within the third FFE indicates a second condition that, when met, transfers operation of the second data formatting module within the HDD to be governed by the fourth FFE.