Patent ID: 7215494

Claim:
A method for determining an optimal position for a read retry operation in a data storage device, the data storage device including a disc having a plurality of data sectors on the surface thereof, a read transducer for reading data from the data sectors, the read transducer being moveable in either a first or second direction, comprising steps of; (a) estimating a first bit error rate (BER) value associated with a read operation performed with respect to a data sector while the read transducer is positioned at a first radial position; (b) estimating a second BER value associated with a first read retry operation performed with respect to the data sector while the read transducer is positioned at a second radial position, the second radial position being different from the first radial position; (c) determining both a distance and direction to move the read transducer to a third radial position to perform a second read retry operation with respect to the data sector based on the first and second BER values, the second radial position being different from the first radial position.