United States Patent (19) 11) Patent Number: 4,514,771

Stark et al. 45 Date of Patent: Apr. 30, 1985

54 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
IMPROVING DSK STORAGE CAPACITY
54-10707 1/1979 Japan ..................................... 360/73
75 Inventors: Glenn Stark, Santa Cruz, David M. 2046979 11/1980 United Kingdom .................. 360/73
Barton, San Jose, both of Calif. Primary Examiner-George G. Stellar
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Townsend and Townsend
(73) Assignee: Victor Technologies Inc., Scotts
Valley, Calif. 57 ABSTRACT
Data is stored on a rotating memory disk by maintaining
21 Appl. No.: 434,075 constant the relative velocity between the recording
transducer and the recording media. The rotational
22 Fied: Oct. 13, 1982 speed of the disk is varied as the transducer is translated
radially of the disk recording surface, the disk surface
51 Int. C.3 ... ... G11B 19/24 being divided into a number of concentric track zones
52 U.S. C. ...................................................... 360/73 each containing a predetermined number of tracks. For
58) Field of Search ...................... 360/73; 369/43, 44, any given zone, an optimum rotational motor speed is
369/56, 240 established and the rotational speed of the disk is main
tained at that Zone speed when the transducer position
56 References Cited signals specify a given zone. As the transducer is com
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS manded to step to a different track in a different zone,
1,221,074 4/1917 MacLane .............................. 369/53
the rotational speed of the disk is altered to match the
2,505,630 4/1950 Weathers ... ... 369/240
new zone speed within a relatively short period of time.
2,692, 14 10/1954 Rudenauer .......................... 369/240 Once the transducer is located within the given zone,
2,901,737 8/1959 Stovall. the rotational disk speed is maintained at that zone
3,646,259 2/1972 Schuller ................................ 360/73 speed for motion within the zone.
4,190,860 2/1980 Somers et al. . 358/128.5
4,351,044 9/1982 Imanaka et al. ...................... 369/43 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

28
CARSE
CONTRO
SPEED
COMMAND

COMPARATOR
TACH

CONVERTER

RACKS 30-39

RACKS 40-49

RACKS 50-59

TRACKS 60-69

. RACKS 70-79
U.S. Patent Apr. 30, 1985 Sheet 1 of 3 4,514,771
2O 22
MOTOR
SPEED DRIVE
CONTROL MOTORS

4.
ADDRESS
DISK HEAD HEAD
DATA CONTROLLER POSITIONERS MECHANISM

READ/WRITE
UNIT

A/G-/
25 ZONE 28
COARSE
SPEED CONTROL
COMMAND
29

COMPARATOR
TACH 32
FNE
FREQ, To cONTROL
VOLTAGE
CONVERTER

A/G-2.
U.S. Patent Apr. 30, 1985 Sheet 2 of 3 4,514,771

TRACK ZERO

CENTER
TRACK

TRACK
8O

A/G 5.

TRACKS O-9

TRACKS 70-79

A/G 4.
 4,514,771
1. 2
recording surface. While the speed of the recording
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING surface in the circumferential direction relative to the
DISKSTORAGE CAPACITY read/write transducer normally changes with the radial
position of the transducer in ordinary disk memory
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 storage devices, in devices incorporating the invention,
Field of the Invention the rotational speed of the disk is varied to compensate
This invention relates to rotating disk memory stor for this ordinary change in linear speed.
age devices used in connection with digital computer The disk surface is conceptually divided into a plural
systems. ity of concentric track zones, each zone containing a
Rotating disk memory storage devices are used in 10 predetermined number of tracks. For any particular
conjunction with digital computers to magnetically Zone, an optimum rotational motor speed is established
store digital information on a non-volatile basis. A typi and the rotational speed of the disk is maintained at that
cal device of this type includes a spindle rotated by a zone speed whenever the transducer position signals
drive motor mechanism, one or more recording disks 15 specify translation of the read/write transducer to a
attached to the spindle, either permanently or remov particular zone. As the transducer is commanded to step
ably, for rotation therewith at a relatively precise con to a different track in a different zone, the rotational
stant speed, and an electromechanical read/write as speed of the disk is altered to match the new zone speed
sembly for enabling information to be written onto and within a relatively short period of time. Thereafter, the
read from the disk recording surfaces. Each read/write 20 rotational disk speed is maintained at the new zone
assembly includes a number of transducers for reading speed until the transducer is commanded to move to a
and writing data magnetically from and to the individ track lying within a different zone.
ual disk recording surfaces, and a corresponding num By controlling the speed of disk rotation in accor
ber of transducer motion translation mechanisms, typi dance with the radial position of the transducer, and
cally operated by stepper motors to effect radial motion
of the transducers across the recording surface of each 25 thus the circumference of the underlying track, certain
disk. The stepper motors are typically driven by control specifically,intheprior
limitations art systems are overcome. More
traditional approach to storing data on
circuitry which receives electrical position signals in rotating memory disks, particularly floppy disks, in
digital form from the associated computer and converts volves writing data at a fixed rate onto each track while
this position information into mechanical motion of the rotating the disk at a constant speed. Since the circum
transducer heads. 30
Each annular recording surface of a disk is usually ference of the outer most track on the disk is larger than
arranged in the form of concentric circular tracks di all the other tracks, the recording density on the outer
most track must be lower than the recording density on
vided in the circumferential direction into track sectors,
in order to enable access locations to be accurately the inner most track. The major limiting factor in re
cording on magnetic media is bit density. Consequently,
specified by the associated computer for rapid and accu 35 the outer tracks contain much less data than would be
rate information storage and retrieval.
Recent trends in the development of rotating disk possible if all tracks were recorded at the same density.
memory storage devices have been toward reduction in In addition, by rotating the disk at a constant speed the
the physical size of the system without sacrificing, and linear velocity of the head, relative to the media, varies
in many cases actually increasing, the storage capacity from track to track. Since the amplitude of the recorded
of each disk. These trends have been especially evident signal is partly a function of speed, the signal amplitude
in disk drives designed for use with small business com varies greatly from the outer most track (highest ampli
puters and personal computers, which nearly exclu tude) to the inner most track (lowest amplitude). As a
sively employ five and a quarter inch fixed rigid disks, result, the signal to noise ratio of the read circuitry is
removable flexible (floppy) disks or a combination of 45 substantially less than that obtainable with the inven
both. Due to the relatively small surface area available tion, which makes it possible to record all tracks with a
for information storage on such disks, many efforts have constant amplitude signal.
been made to maximize the amount of information With reference to the track zone arrangement, the
which can be accurately stored on such disks, which number of tracks in a zone is dependent primarily upon
efforts have included a wide variety of specially de 50 the difference in circumference between tracks and the
signed recording techniques, read/write transducers desire to add additional sectors to a group of tracks.
with increasingly narrow heads (to reduce the track More specifically, even though each track is slightly
width), and disk recording layers with improved mag different in circumferential length, it is not possible to
netic recording properties and finer surface smoothness. take advantage of the potential difference in storage
55 capacity without using sectors of varying size. Given
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION the desire to use sectors of predetermined size (i.e.
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for length), the rotational speed is changed only when this
expanding the information storage capacity of a rotat will result in enough additional capacity for an extra
ing disk memory storage device which is compatible Sector.
with a wide variety of commercially available disks and 60 From an apparatus standpoint, the invention con
which enables a substantially increased amount of infor prises a motor speed control circuit which includes
mation to be stored. means for specifying a particular zone speed, means
In its broadest aspect, the invention comprises the responsive to the zone speed specifying means for pro
technique of maintaining constant the relative velocity viding driving current to the disk motor to achieve the
between the recording transducer and the recording 65 specified zone speed, and feedback means for monitor
media. This technique is achieved by varying the rota ing the actual motor speed and maintaining the actual
tional speed of the disk as the read/write transducer is motor speed at the specified zone speed. The zone speed
translated radially inwardly or outwardly of the disk specifying means includes a digital-to-analog converter
 4,514,771
3 4
responsive to digital input character commands specify and fine speed control signals, which is especially useful
ing a particular zone speed for generating a coarse ana for stall protection. Specifically, upon generation of a
log control signal representative of the digital command start command, the disk controller can monitor the
character. The digital input character commands are actual speed of the motor to ensure that the motor
generated by a dedicated controller which receives achieves the desired zone speed within the permitted
zone command signals from the associated computer. period of time. If the motor fails to ramp to the desired
The dedicated controller also monitors the actual motor speed, the disk controller can generate the motor stop
speed by way of a tachometer feedback signal and com signal. This affords low cost jam protection for the disk
pares the actual motor speed with the desired or speci drive. A motor restart routine can also be provided in
fied zone speed. If the actual motor speed varies from O the disk controller in the event of a jam failure so that
the desired speed, the dedicated controller alters the the disk drive automatically becomes operational after a
digital input character into the digital-to-analog con jam is cleared by the operator.
verter and thus the coarse control voltage. This digital For a fuller understanding of the nature and advan
control loop provides a very fast slew rate for large tages of the invention, reference should be had to the
commanded changes in motor speed to insure that the 15 ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with
disk will arrive at the desired new zone speed in a rela the accompanying drawings.
tively short period of time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The motor speed control circuitry includes an opera
tional amplifier which receives the coarse control signal FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of the preferred
from the digital to analog converter and an output tran 20 embodiment of the invention;
sistor driven by the operational amplifier to drive a FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the motor speed
power transistor coupled to the disk motor circuit. An control major components;
analog tachometer feedback signal, which monitors the FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of one side of a mem
actual motor speed, is coupled to a motor speed correc ory disk showing the typical track layout;
tion circuit, which comprises a frequency to voltage 25 FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial top plan schematic view
converter including a Schmitt trigger for converting illustrating the track zones; and
the sinusoidal analog tachometer signal to a logic signal, FIG. 5 is a logic diagram showing critical compo
a current mirror circuit for generating a pair of current nents of the preferred embodiment.
pulses from the logic signal for each tachometer cycle, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
and a filter circuit for producing a fine control signal 30 EMBODIMENTS
consisting of a dc voltage from the current pulses. The
fine control signal comprises a D.C. level component Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the
proportional to tach frequency and a superimposed major components of a disk drive system constructed
triangular ripple component. This fine control signal is according to the teachings of the invention. As seen in
coupled to the other input of the operational amplifiers 35 this Fig., address and data from an associated digital
and provides a pulse width modulated switching con computer is provided to a disk controller 10 which
trol for the motor power transistor, so that the motor is provides an active interface between the computer and
switched on and off at twice the tachometer frequency. the major components of the disk drive system. Thus,
When a large change in the motor speed is com the disk controller 10 generates control signals for a
manded, the coarse control voltage from the digital-to 40 head positioner unit 12, which controls the operation of
analog converter overrides the operation of the fine the electromechanical head mechanisms 14 to position
control signal and either turns the drive motor on the read/write transducers over the proper disk tracks.
"hard' or completely off, which maximizes accelera In addition, disk controller 10 generates control signals
tion and deceleration of the disk. In the fine mode of for a read/write unit 16, which contains conventional
operation, in which the fine control voltage is close to 45 circuitry for operating the read/write transducer heads
the digital-to-analog converter supplied coarse control 18 in order to write information onto the disk and read
voltage, the ripple present on the fine control signal information from the disk once the transducer heads are
drives the voltage alternately above and below the accurately positioned. Further, the disk controller 10
coarse control voltage, which switches the motor on provides digital information signals to a motor speed
and off at twice the tachometer frequency. If the angu 50 control unit 20, which generates motor speed control
lar motor velocity increases, the fine control voltage signals for the drive motors 22 in accordance with the
duty-factor decreases, which results in a slight decelera invention.
tion of the motor. If the angular motor speed decreases, With reference to FIG. 2, the motor speed control
the duty factor increases, applying more power and unit 20 includes a motor speed controller 25 which
increasing the angular speed. By varying the average 55 receives zone commands from the computer via the disk
power to the motor and driving the motor in a switch controller 10 and a motor speed feedback signal, la
ing mode, power dissipation in the power transistor is belled TACH, from a disk drive motor 26. The motor
minimized. speed controller 25 also generates zone speed com
Two additional functions are provided to enhance the mands which specify a desired zone speed for the disk,
operation of the invention. First, the fine control volt 60 and a special stop command, which signals are coupled
age can be quickly reduced below the minimum coarse to a digital-to-analog converter 28 (hereinafter DAC
control voltage by a separate diode path using a motor 28). DAC 28 generates a coarse control signal, which is
start signal generated by the dedicated controller. This coupled via a comparator 29 to the motor drive cir
eliminates the necessity to wait for the frequency to cuitry 30 for motor 26.
voltage converter output capacitor to discharge. In 65 The TACH signals from motor 26, which are gener
response to a stop command, the coarse control voltage ated by means of a conventional tachometer coupled to
is overridden and forced to a minimum value. The disk the motor 26, are also coupled as an input to a frequency
controller can thus override control of both the coarse to voltage converter 32, along with a special start com
 4,514,771
5 6
mand from motor speed controller 25. Converter 32 portional to the speed of motor 26, and is converted to
generates fine control signals which are coupled via a logic signal by means of Schmitt trigger 53. This logic
comparator 29 to the notor drive circuitry 30. As de signal, whose period is proportional to motor speed, is
scribed more fully below, the coarse control signals are used to steer a double ended current mirror circuit 54
used to change the speed of motor 26 in relatively large which charges an external capacitor 56 at a fixed cur
increments, while the fine control signals maintain the rent until the voltage reaches an internally provided
motor speed within a relatively precise range once the limit. The resulting current pulse also flows out of cir
motor has achieved the proper zone speed. In the pre cuit 54 and is filtered by R-C network 58, 59, which is
ferred embodiment, motor speed controller 25 com connected to the inverting input of operational ampli
prises an Intel type 8748 integrated circuit, while the 10 fier 43.
remaining elements have the preferred construction With a TACH0 signal applied to the input of Schmitt
described below. trigger 53, two units of charge are delivered to the R-C
With reference to FIG. 3, the disk recording surface network 58, 59 for every cycle of the TACH 0 input
is conceptually arranged in an annular recording band signal. The quantity of charge delivered per pulse is a
having a plurality of concentric circular tracks, with the 15 function only of the internal voltage reference levels
outer most track labelled track 0 and the inner most and of the value of external capacitor 56. Since the
track labelled track 79. According to the invention, the charge per pulse is fixed, the average output current is
disk is also arranged conceptually into eight different twoxQXTACH frequency, where Q is the charge per
zones each containing a predetermined number of pulse. The RC network 58, 59 functions as a partially
tracks. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the 20 effective ripple filter, with the value of capacitor 59
outer most zone contains tracks 0–9 and the inner most chosen sufficiently small that a certain ripple voltage is
zone contains tracks 70-79. For each particular zone, a maintained. Since the pulses are constant current, vari
predetermined angular speed of the disk is maintained able frequency, the fine control voltage wave form
within precise limits according to the invention, and applied to the inverting input of operational amplifier 43
whenever the transducer head is commanded to move 25 is a dc level signal with a superimposed triangular rip
to a track in a different zone, the angular speed of the ple. The dc level is proportional to TACH 0 frequency
disk is changed to a new value, so that the relative linear (and thus motor speed), while the ripple frequency is
speed between the transducer head and the portion of twice the TACH 0 frequency.
the disk recording surface directly below the head is Since there are no feedback components around op
maintained relatively constant. The purpose of this is to 30 erational amplifier 43, the very high open loop gain is
achieve relatively constant head/media velocity and retained and, for all practical purposes, the output of
thus relatively constant recording density. In the pre operational amplifier 43 will always be either on or off.
ferred embodiment, with eight zones and ten tracks per To understand the manner in which motor 26 is con
zone, the total variation in the head/media velocity is trolled, consider the following three cases. In the first
approximately four percent, and the angular speed of 35 case, the coarse control voltage supplied from DAC 28
the center track (track 40) is five revolutions per second is far above the fine control voltage: in this case, opera
for a five and a quarter inch flexible disk drive (300 tional amplifier 43 turns the motor on hard causing
rpm). maximum possible acceleration. In case two, the control
FIG. 5 illustrates the circuit components actually voltage supplied from DAC 28 is far below the fine
employed in the preferred embodiment of the invention. control voltage, and the motor is turned off, resulting in
As seen in this Fig., motor speed controller 25 receives maximum possible deceleration. These two cases corre
zone commands LOMS0-L0MS3 from the disk control spond to a desired change in the transducer position
ler, and generates internal 8-bit zone speed commands from one zone to another.
DA0-DA7, which are coupled to the inputs of a type In the third case, the coarse control voltage lies
LS373 latch 41. Latch 41 is enabled by a select signal 45 within the design range for operational amplifier 43, and
from controller 25 labelled SEL0, and serves to stabilize the ripple component of the fine control voltage drives
the 8-bit parallel digital character generated by control the voltage both above and below the level of the
ler 25. The eight data line outputs of latch 41 are cou coarse control signal. Consequently, motor 26 is
pled to the input terminals of DAC 28, which comprises switched on and off at twice the TACH0 frequency. If
a type 0808 converter available from Precision Mono 50 motor 26 speeds up, the duty factor decreases, which
lithics or National Semiconductor. DAC 28 converts causes the motor 26 to slow down. If the motor 26 slows
the digital input character to an analog coarse speed down, the duty factory increases, applying more power
control signal, which is coupled to one input of the and increasing the speed of the motor. Thus, the speed
operational amplifier portion 43 of a type LM2917N of motor 26 is regulated by varying the average power
motor speed control integrated circuit. The remaining 55 to the motor 26. By operating the motor in a switching
input to comparator 43 comprises a fine control signal mode, power dissipation in control transistor 45 is mini
generated by frequency to voltage converter 32 in the nized. To further reduce power loss, a fly back diode
manner described below. The output of comparator 43 61 is coupled across the power leads of motor 26 to
is used to drive an internal transistor, which in turn store energy for a subsequent cycle.
controls a power transistor 45 coupled to motor 26 by As noted above, the TACH 0 signal is supplied as a
means of inductances 46, 47. reference input to controller 25. Controller 25 internally
A conventional tachometer 50 is mechanically cou monitors the actual speed of the motor 26 and compares
pled to the shaft of motor 26 in order to generate a it with the commanded speed specified by zone speed
sinusoidal analog tachometer signal, labelled TACH 0 signals DA0-DA7. Should the actual speed of motor 26
which is coupled as a reference input to frequency to 65 differ from the commanded speed by a relatively coarse
voltage converter 32 and is also coupled by means of an amount, controller 25 can alter the digital character
inverter 51 as a reference input to controller 25. This coupled to DAC 28 in order to provide a relatively
TACH 0, signal has a frequency which is directly pro rapid adjustment to the motor speed.
 4,514,771
7 8
In order to provide fail-safe operation, the FIG. 5 (i.e. between zones) is so quick that the speed of motor
circuitry incorporates two special functions, MOTOR 26 will inevitably arrive within the close regulation
START and MOTOR OFF. The MOTOR START target speed (i.e. the point at which the fine control
function insures that motor 26 can be started and is voltage assumes control) within approximately one
afforded by a diode 63 coupled to the fine voltage con 5 hundred milliseconds. The limitations normally present
trol terminal and to a control signal output terminal of in an analog closed loop servo system, namely long
controller 25 labelled START 0. In response to the term instability, are overcome by the use of the digital
generation of the START 0 control signal, which is a outer loop including the controller 25.
low level signal, the fine control voltage signal applied An important feature of the preferred embodiment
to the inverting input terminal of operational amplifier 10 lies in the programmability of the actual zone speed
43 is pulled below the minimum coarse control voltage values. By activating the SCRESET control input to
supplied by DAC 28, which results in application of the motor speed controller 25, new values of the Zone
control power to motor 26 as a result of the coarse speed signals can be stored in the microprocessor men
control voltage output from DAC 28 alone. This virtu ory from the associated computer. In this way, the
ally instantaneous removal of the fine control voltage 15 number of tracks in any given zone and the actual rota
from the servo loop eliminates any delay time in starting tional (and thus linear) speed of the disk for that zone
the motor which would normally be encountered if can be tailored to the requirements of a particular disk
capacitor 59 were initially charged. The MOTOR OFF drive system.
control function is controlled by the control signal la While the above provides a full and complete descrip
belled STOP 0 which is coupled via inverter 66 and 20 tion of the preferred embodiment of the invention, vari
diode 65 to the coarse control voltage input terminal to ous modifications, alternate constructions and equiva
operational amplifier 43 and which instantaneously lents will occur to those skilled in the art. For example,
pulls the coarse control voltage down to an effective 0 while the controller 25 has been described with refer
level to cause the termination of power to motor 26. ence to a single disk drive motor 26, the functional
Since the MOTOR START and MOTOR OFF func 25 operation of controller 25 may be expanded to include a
tions are locally controlled by the controller 25, this second drive motor. In fact, as shown in FIG. 5, four
unit also can be used to prevent destruction of the motor additional input lines are shown labelled
26 in the event of a jam or excessive mechanical resis L1MS0-L1MS3 for receiving commands from the asso
tance to the motor operation (e.g. such as that caused by ciated computer specifying track zones for a second
excess frictional drag in the disk drive unit). This is 30
accomplished by establishing in the software portion of disk drive, and corresponding SEL 1, TACH 1,
START ONE and STOP ONE control lines. In addi
controller 25 a routine which times the period after the tion, the DAO-DA7 zone command characters can be
initiation of the MOTOR START cycle and compares
the actual motor speed (via the TACH 0 signal) with multiplexed and coupled to a second latch, similar to
the commanded speed. If motor 26 does not achieve the signals for theprovide
35
latch 41, to separate digital speed command
command speed within a predetermined time period form track zones have drive second motor. Further, while uni
been illustrated in FIG. 4, differ
(three hundred milliseconds in the preferred embodi ent arrangements are possible. As an example, for a dual
ment), controller 25 will generate the STOP 0 com sided disk the following arrangement may be employed.
mand. If desired, this checking routine may include an
automatic retry after another predetermined fixed time 40
period so that, barring a component failure, the motor
portion of the disk drive will automatically restart as TRACKS
soon as the mechanical jam has been corrected by the lower head upper SECTORS ROTATIONAL
operator (or the cause of the increased frictional resis ZONE (standard) head PER TRACK PERIOD (MS)
tance has been discovered and eliminated). 45 O 0-3 unused 19 237.9
In disk drive systems incorporating the teachings of 2
4-5
6-26
0-7
8-18
8
17
224.5
212.2
the invention, a substantial increase in the data storage 3 27-37 9-29 16 199.9
capacity of the disk has been experienced. For example, 4. 38-48 30-40 5 187.6
for a five and a quarter inch diskette type floppy disk a 5 49-59 41-51 14 75.3
maximum single side storage capacity of 640 K 8-bit 50 6 60-70 52-62 13 63.0
bytes has been achieved using the variable speed con 7 7-79 63-74 12 149.6
8 unused 75-79 1 1440
trol technique, which compares with maximum bit stor
age capacities ranging from 110 K to 320 K bytes with
conventional commercially available systems. One of Therefore, the above descriptions and illustrations
the reasons for this increased data storage capacity is 55 should not be construed as limiting the scope of the
the fact that the design of the data recovery circuitry invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
can be simplified and optimized due to the relatively What is claimed is:
constant linear speed of the recording media with re 1. A method of storing information on a rotatable
spect to the read/write transducers. In addition, the magnetic disk using a movable recording transducer,
invention provides enhanced reliability to the read/- 60 said method comprising the steps of:
write operation, and also provides an extremely fast (a) rotating said disk at a first angular speed when said
transient response characteristic due to the combination transducer is operating over a first group of adja
of the fine normally closed analog control loop and the cent tracks; and
digital loop. For example, when viewed as a system (b) rotating said disk at a second angular speed when
block from the control voltage input to the motor speed 65 said transducer is operating over a second group of
as an output, the transient response to commanded step adjacent tracks located at different radial distances
changes in speed exhibits a characteristic time constant from the center of said disk from said first group of
of about thirty milliseconds. Slew rate for large steps adjacent tracks;
 4,514,771 10
said first and second angular speeds being selected to quency motor speed signal for altering the value of
provide substantially the same relative linear speed said zone speed control signal when the difference
between said transducer and the surface of said between motor speed and a presently specified
disk; and zone speed is relatively large.
the number and location of each said group of tracks 5 amplitude
4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said variable
motor speed feedback signal generator com
being selected in accordance with the minimum prises a frequency to voltage converter for generating a
circumferential length of a track required to ac
commodate a sector of information. triangular wave having a dc level proportional to the
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of frequency of said variable frequency motor speed sig
adjacent tracks in said first group is different from the 10 nal.
number of adjacent tracks in said second group. 5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said controller
3. A motor speed controller for a rotatable magnetic includes means for disabling the application of said
disk system, said controller including: variable amplitude motor speed feedback signal to said
6:means responsive to a command signal specifying a 15 comparing means during a start portion of a motor
track zone on the disk recording surface for gener speed cycle to provide a relatively rapid slew rate from
ating a disk speed reference signal corresponding an initial substantially zero motor speed to a desired
to said track zone, said means including motor motor speed specified by said zone speed control signal;
speed controller means for generating zone speed and means for disabling the application of said disk
control signals in response to said track zone com 20 speed reference signal to said comparing means during
mands and digital to analog converter means for a stop portion of a disk motor cycle to provide a rela
generating said disk speed reference signal in re tively rapid slew rate from an existing motor speed to
sponse to said zone speed control signal;
means for converting said disk speed reference signal zero speed.
6. The combination of claim 3 wherein said controller
to an output signal adapted to be coupled to a disk includes second means for comparing said variable fre
25
motor; and quency motor speed signal with said zone speed control
means for generating a variable amplitude motor signal after the start of a motor speed cycle, and means
speed feedback signal from a variable frequency for disabling
motor speed signal supplied from said disk motor, signal to saidthefirst application of said disk speed reference
comparing means when the motor
said converting means including first means for com 30 speed fails to achieve the zone speed within a predeter
paring said variable amplitude motor speed feed
back signal with said disk speed reference signal mined time period.
7. The combination of claim 3 wherein said disk speed
and for switching said output signal in accordance reference signal generator includes programmable
with excursions in said motor speed feedback signal means for generating said Zone speed control signals
representing relatively small differences between 35 from said track zone commands so that the desired zone
motor speed and Zone speed; speeds can be varied.
said disk speed reference signal generator further sk k k sk sk
including means responsive to said variable fre

45

50

55

60

65