Patent ID: 7595951

Claim:
A recording system for writing incoming data to and reading outgoing data from a recording medium, the system comprising: a write head adapted to generate an electromagnetic (EM) field based on the incoming data for writing to the recording medium; a read head adapted to sense an EM field corresponding to the outgoing data for reading from the recording medium; writer circuitry adapted to amplify incoming signals corresponding to the incoming data for application to the write head; reader circuitry adapted to amplify outgoing signals generated by the read head corresponding to the outgoing data; and a controller adapted to control operations of the writer circuitry and the reader circuitry, wherein: first circuitry being one of the writer circuitry and the reader circuitry supports (1) a low-power mode in which said first circuitry is powered at a low power level, (2) an intermediate-power mode in which said first circuitry is powered at an intermediate power level, and (3) a full-power mode in which said first circuitry is powered at a full power level; if said first circuitry is the writer circuitry, then second circuitry is the reader circuitry, and vice versa; during a full-power operation of said second circuitry, said first circuitry is adapted to be in either the low-power mode or the intermediate-power mode, as selected by the controller; and the controller is adapted to: transition said first circuitry to the low-power mode at the beginning of the full-power operation of said second circuitry; and transition said first circuitry to the intermediate-power mode at the end of the full-power operation of said second circuitry.