Patent ID: 8347155

Claim:
A storage device, wherein the storage device comprises: a storage medium; and a data processing circuit, wherein the data processing circuit is operable to receive a data set derived from the storage medium, and wherein the data processing circuit includes: a data detector circuit, wherein the data detector circuit is operable to receive the data set and to provide a detected output; a data decoder circuit, wherein the data decoder circuit is operable to receive a derivative of the detected output and to provide a decoded output; and a health detection circuit, wherein the health detection circuit is operable to receive an indication of a number of times that the data set is processed through the combination of the data detector circuit and the data decoder circuit, and wherein the health detection circuit is operable to generate an indirect health status of the storage medium based at least in part on the number of times that the data set is processed through the combination of the data detector circuit and the data decoder circuit.