Patent ID: 7068455

Claim:
A method to reduce the power consumed by a data storage device, the method comprising: providing the data storage device, the data storage device including: a spindle motor having at least two terminals; a spindle connected with the spindle motor; a disk connected with the spindle; and an actuator assembly having a head in communication with the disk; applying a voltage potential across two terminals of the spindle motor to cause the spindle to rotate; rotating the spindle at a rotation rate approximating a target speed; removing the head from communication with the disk; removing the voltage potential across the two terminals of the spindle motor; repeatedly switching between applying the voltage potential and removing the voltage potential across two terminals of the spindle motor such that an approximately constant current is provided to the spindle motor; receiving a command to perform an operation on the disk; maintaining the voltage potential across two terminals of the spindle motor; and placing the head in communication with the disk.