Data storage apparatus, rotation control apparatus, and rotation control method

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to rotation control of a recording medium (disk) in a data storage apparatus such as a hard disk apparatus (drive).

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] With a data storage apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “disk drive”) that records data on a recording medium that rotates, such as a hard disk drive, it is vital to achieve highly precise rotation control. In particular, as the capacity of recording media increases and data is stored at a higher density, strong measures are necessary against oscillation of the direction of rotation due to external factors.

[0005] Conventionally, in the case of rotation control using a 3-phase DC motor, rotation is controlled by measuring the zero-crossing time at which the counter electromotive force induced in the phase intersects the reference voltage. For example, in the case of a motor that outputs a 6-cycle voltage waveform during one circuit (one revolution), a possible method is to have the controller measure the time of each cycle and compare it with a target time, and obtain a feedback value.

[0006] Since the counter electromotive force waveform is determined by the arrangement of magnets in the motor, the times of the six cycles in the voltage waveform are not the same even if the motor is rotating at constant speed. Thus, conventionally, measures are taken to reduce the controller gain and prevent an excessive change in the feedback values in each cycle so that the motor rotates with good precision even if there is dispersion of the six cycle times in the voltage waveform. For this reason, the open loop function zero-crossing frequency is approximately 1/15th of the rotation frequency of the motor.

[0007] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the configuration of the rotation control apparatus of a spindle motor (DC motor) in a conventional disk drive.

[0008] As shown in FIG. 6, an output wave resulting from adding the influence R of field dispersion based on the position of magnets (hereinafter referred to simply as “magnet position dispersion”) to output Y of a spindle motor 61 is input to a controller 62. The output of the controller 62 is then fed-back to the spindle motor 61.

[0009] Taking time as output, transfer function P(z) of the spindle system (spindle motor 61) in FIG. 6 is non-linear, but can be approximated by means of the equation in Numeric Reference 2 below. $\begin{array}{cc}P\left(z\right)=-\frac{1}{2}\frac{T^3}{\theta }\frac{\left(z+1\right)}{z\left(z-1\right)}\frac{k_t}{J}& \left[\mathrm{Numeric}\mathrm{Reference}2\right]\end{array}$

[0010] In the case of spindle motor 61 in which a 6-cycle voltage waveform is output during one cycle (one revolution), T is rotation time/6 and θ is 2π/6. Also, k_r is the torque constant and J is inertia.

[0011] At this time, the influence of magnet positions on the rotation of the spindle motor 61 is expressed by the equations in Numeric Reference 3 below. $\begin{array}{cc}Y=F_{\mathrm{Phase}}R{F}_{\mathrm{Phase}}=\frac{\mathrm{PH}}{1-\mathrm{PH}}& \left[\mathrm{Numeric}\mathrm{Reference}3\right]\end{array}$

[0012] In the equations in Numeric Reference 3 above, transfer function P(z) of the spindle motor 61 is denoted by P. H is transfer function H(z) of the controller 62, and is expressed by the equation in Numeric Reference 4 below. $\begin{array}{cc}H\left(z\right)=k_p+\frac{k_1}{z-1}& \left[\mathrm{Numeric}\mathrm{Reference}4\right]\end{array}$

[0013] It is assumed that the spindle motor 61 rotates at 4200 rpm and that 6 times are sampled in one revolution. At this time, the base frequency of magnet position influence R is 70 Hz. It is therefore necessary to select a controller 62 that will enable the 70 Hz component to be adequately suppressed. For example, in PI control, a controller 62 is designed for approximately −30 dB at 70 Hz, the magnet position influence R base frequency. FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the error function (Rejection function) in this case.

[0014] At this time, the following apply to the controller 62:
u_n=k_p(t_n−t_target)+k_iI_n
I_n+1=I_n+t_n−t_target
 k_i=11.7
k_p=1170
where u_n is the spindle current, t_n is the measured time, and t_target is the target time.
[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0015] If controller gain is reduced in order to absorb magnet position dispersion in the spindle motor, feedback values from the controller do not change even if the voltage waveform of the motor is influenced by disturbance, and it is difficult to eliminate the influence of disturbance.

[0016] It is thus an object of the present invention to raise controller gain while absorbing magnet position dispersion in a motor, and implement rotation control that is resistant to the influence of disturbance.

[0017] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is implemented as a data storage apparatus configured as follows. Namely, this data storage apparatus comprises a recording medium that records data, drive means for performing rotational drive of this recording medium in order to perform reading/writing of data on the recording medium using a predetermined head, and rotation control means for controlling rotational drive of the recording medium by the drive means by comparing a pulse time in rotational drive of the drive means with a predetermined target time and performing feedback; and this rotation control means varies the target time dynamically so as to suppress the rotation frequency and higher harmonic components thereof contained in the drive current waveform of the drive means.

[0018] More specifically, this rotation control means calculates the above-described target time in the next control based on the drive current in the previous control. Still more specifically, this rotation control means calculates the target time in the next control using the difference between the drive current in the previous control and the drive current in the control further previous thereto.

[0019] Alternatively, this rotation control means controls rotational drive by the drive means using target times converged to a fixed value after rotational drive of the recording medium by the drive means has reached a steady state.

[0020] Another data storage apparatus according to the present invention comprises a recording medium that records data, a motor that performs rotational drive of the recording medium in order to perform reading/writing of data recorded on the recording medium using a predetermined head, a controller that controls rotational drive of the recording medium by the motor by comparing a pulse time in rotational drive of the motor with a predetermined target time and performing feedback, and a digital filter that supplies to the controller a signal for compensating for the influence of magnet position dispersion of the motor included in the rotation of the motor.

[0021] More specifically, this digital filter supplies to the above-described controller a signal that varies the target time dynamically in the next control by the controller based on a motor control signal by the controller. Moreover, this digital filter comprises a peak filter that has a peak at the rotation frequency and higher harmonics thereof contained in the drive current waveform of the motor, and for which gain is virtually 0 at other frequencies.

[0022] Alternatively, this digital filter is a filter whereby transfer function F(z) indicated by z conversion is expressed by the following equation when six pulse times are obtained when the motor rotates once: $\begin{array}{cc}F\left(z\right)=\left(\frac{\left(k_{1}z+k_2\right)z}{z^2-2\cos \left(\frac{\pi }{2}\right)z+1}+\frac{\left(k_{3}z+k_4\right)z}{z^2-2\cos \left(2\frac{\pi }{2}\right)z+1}+\frac{k_{5}z}{z+1}\right)·\left(1-\frac{1}{z}\right)& \left[\mathrm{Numeric}\mathrm{Reference}5\right]\end{array}$
where k₁, k₂, k₃, k₄, and k₅ are constants.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object is implemented as a rotation control apparatus configured as follows. Namely, this rotation control apparatus comprises control means for controlling rotational drive of a motor by comparing a pulse time in rotational drive of the motor with a predetermined target time and performing feedback, and compensating means for compensating the control means so as to compensate for the influence of magnet position dispersion of the motor included in the rotation of the motor.

[0024] More specifically, this compensating means varies the target time dynamically in the next control by this controller based on controller output fed-back to the motor. Moreover, this compensating means is a digital filter that has a peak at the rotation frequency and higher harmonics thereof contained in the drive current waveform of the motor, and for which gain is virtually 0 at other frequencies.

[0025] Yet another aspect of the present invention that achieves the above object is implemented as the following kind of rotation control method that controls rotational drive of a motor. Namely, this method comprises a step of detecting motor output pulses and measuring the generation interval of these output pulses, a step of comparing the measured output pulse generation interval and a predetermined target time and calculating the motor drive current, and a step of calculating the above-described target time for comparing with the next output pulse generation interval when the next output pulse is detected, based on the calculated drive current.

[0026] Still more specifically, when six pulses are obtained when the motor rotates once, the step of calculating this target time calculates the above-described target time for the next comparison by means of the following equations:
p_n+1=2 cos(π/3)p_n−p_n−1+u_n−u_n−1
q_n+1=2 cos(π⅔)q_n−q_n−1+u_n−u_n−1
r_n+1=−r_n+u_n−u_n−1
s_n+1=k₁p_n+1+k₂p_n+k₃q_n+1+k₄q_n+k₅r_n+1+t_target
where u_n and u_n−1 are the nth and (n−1)th drive currents respectively, k₁, k₂, k₃, k₄, and k₅ are constants, and t_target is a preset target time reference value.

[0034] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail taking a hard disk drive as an example.

[0035] In this embodiment, in a method whereby the pulse time proportional to the rotation time in which a number of times are obtained while the motor rotates once is compared with a target time, and feedback is performed, the target time is continually changed so that the rotation frequency and higher harmonic components thereof are not included in the drive current (so that the value of these components is 0). By this means, the influence of magnet position dispersion in the motor ceases to be fed-back, so that it becomes possible to increase controller gain, and rotation control that is resistant to (not susceptible to the influence of) disturbance is implemented.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main sections of a hard disk apparatus 1. The hard disk apparatus 1 is a data recording/playback apparatus in which a magnetic head 4 seeks on a magnetic disk 2 subjected to rotational drive by a spindle motor 3, and stops at a predetermined track (position) and writes data to the magnetic disk 2 or reads data written to the magnetic disk 2. One or a plurality of magnetic disks 2 are installed; FIG. 1 shows an example of a single magnetic disk 2.

[0037] When the hard disk apparatus 1 is operating, the magnetic disk 2 is subjected to rotational drive about the spindle axis of the spindle motor 3, and when the hard disk apparatus 1 is not operating, the magnetic disk 2 stops rotating (is stationary). Two magnetic heads 4 corresponding to the two sides of the magnetic disk 2 are supported at the tip of an actuator 5, and execute data reading and writing on the magnetic disk 2. The actuator 5 is driven by a voice coil motor (VCM) 6 controlled by an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 12 via a digital/analog converter (DAC) 7 and voice coil motor (VCM) driver 8.

[0038] A read/write circuit 11 executes data read/write processing. That is to say, write data transferred from a host computer via an HDC (hard disk controller) 13 is converted to a write signal (current) and supplied to the magnetic head 4. Based on this write current, the magnetic head 4 executes a data write to the magnetic disk 2. On the other hand, a read signal (current) read from the magnetic disk 2 is converted to digital data and is output to the host computer via the HDC 13.

[0039] The HDC 13 has functions as an interface to the hard disk apparatus 1. One of these functions is to receive write data transferred from the host computer and transfer it to the read/write circuit 11. The HDC 13 also transfers read data transferred from the read/write circuit 11 to the host computer, and receives instruction commands, etc., from the host computer and transfers them to the MPU 12.

[0040] The MPU 12 handles control of the hard disk apparatus 1. As this function, in this embodiment the MPU 12 controls the spindle motor 3 and performs high-precision rotation control of the magnetic disk 2.

[0041] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of the rotation control apparatus in a hard disk apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 2, a rotation control apparatus according to this embodiment comprises a spindle motor 3 as drive means, a controller 121 as rotation control means implemented by the MPU 12, and a peak filter (digital filter) 122. As shown in this drawing, spindle motor 3 output (output waveform) Y is added together with disturbance V and magnet position dispersion influence R, and the resulting output waveform is further added to the output signal from the peak filter 122, the compensating means, and the resulting signal is input to the controller 121, the control means. Then the controller 121 output (control signal) is fed-back to the spindle motor 3 and peak filter 122. The controller 121 output controls the spindle motor 3 via the DAC 7 (not shown in FIG. 2).

[0043] In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, spindle motor 3 transfer function P(z) is approximated by the equation in Numeric Reference 2 above, and the controller 121 transfer function H(z) is approximated by the equation in Numeric Reference 4 above. Also, peak filter 122 transfer function F(z) is expressed by the equation in Numeric Reference 6 below. $\begin{array}{cc}F\left(z\right)=\left(\frac{\left(k_{1}z+k_2\right)z}{z^2-2\cos \left(\frac{\pi }{2}\right)z+1}+\frac{\left(k_{3}z+k_4\right)z}{z^2-2\cos \left(2\frac{\pi }{2}\right)z+1}+\frac{k_{5}z}{z+1}\right)·\left(1-\frac{1}{z}\right)& \left[\mathrm{Numeric}\mathrm{Reference}6\right]\end{array}$

[0044] When the motor rotates at 4200 rpm and six times are sampled in one revolution, the basic frequency of magnet position influence R in this motor is 70 Hz. In this case, therefore, the peak filter 122 used in this embodiment is a filter that has peaks at the rotation frequency of the motor and higher harmonics thereof (in the present example, 70 Hz, 140 Hz, and 210 Hz), and for which gain is virtually 0 at other frequencies. Based on the equation in Numeric Reference 6 above, the following apply to the peak filter 122:
p_n+1=2 cos(π/3)p_n−p_n−1+u_n−u_n−1
q_n+1=2 cos(π⅔)q_n−q_n−1+u_n−u_n−1
r_n+1=−r_n+u_n−u_n−1
s_n+1=k₁p_n+1+k₂p_n+k₃q_n+1+k₄q_n+k₅r_n+1+t_target
k₁=−1.94328×10⁻⁷
k₂=3.88657×10⁻⁷
k₃=−3.88657×10⁻⁷
k₄=1.94328×10⁻⁷
 k₅=1.94328×10⁻⁷

[0045] In the above equations, s is the target time, and p, q, and r are the peaks corresponding to the respective higher harmonics (omitting the respective subscripts), with p calculating the denominator of the first term of the equation in Numeric Reference 6, q calculating the denominator of the second term of the equation in Numeric Reference 6, and r calculating the denominator of the third term of the equation in Numeric Reference 6. As s is updated, controller 121 feedback, described next, is received, and the target time that is the next target is calculated.

[0046] In the calculations of p, q, and r, the reason for providing term u_n−u_n−1 and finding the difference in spindle current is in order to eliminate the direct current component of the spindle current from the calculation of target time s. By this means, it is possible to obtain the correct motor rotation speed.

[0047] Also, the following apply to the controller 121:
u_n=k_p(t_n−s_n)+k_iI_n
I_n+1=I_n+t_n−s_n
k_i=11.7
k_p=11700

[0048] To make a comparison with conventional controller 62, whereas target time t_target was previously fixed, in this embodiment target time s_n is updated as occasion demands by the peak filter 122.

[0049] In the above equations, the k coefficients (k₁ to k₅, k_i, k_p) are set taking account of the stability of the control system (rotation control apparatus) shown in FIG. 2. Matters regarding the stability of this system are included in the following documentation and in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3177120 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,147).

[0050] Documentation: Masashi Kisaka and Yutaka Ozawa, “Higher-Order Repetition Error Compensation Method”, 1995 Technical Report of IEICE, C-361, 1995.

[0051] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the transfer function (Error rejection function) from disturbance V to controller 121 input X in the control system shown in FIG. 2.

[0052] In FIG. 3, the transfer function in this embodiment is indicated by a solid line, and the transfer function in a conventional system that does not have a peak filter 122 is indicated by a dashed line. Comparing the two, it can be seen that, in a conventional control system, at a frequency of 2 Hz or above the gain value is close to 0 dB and disturbance cannot be suppressed, whereas in this embodiment disturbance can be suppressed up to a frequency of approximately 20 Hz. This is due to the fact that the coefficients (k_i, k_p) in the controller 121 are ten times the conventional values.

[0053] Also, referring to FIG. 3, after the transfer function in this embodiment exceeds 20 Hz, the gain value exceeds 0 dB, but there are peaks at the 70 Hz, 140 Hz, and 210 Hz positions, and the gain value is far less than 0 dB. Consequently, there is no influence of magnet positions in these higher harmonics, and it is possible to raise the gain of the controller 121 to a great extent, as described above.

[0054] FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the MPU 12 that implements the controller 121 and peak filter 122 in this embodiment.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 4, when a spindle motor 3 output pulse (output waveform) is input (Step 401), the MPU 12 measures the generation interval of this output pulse (pulse time) t_n (Step 402).

[0056] Then the MPU 12 calculates the spindle current u_n at the present time using the measured pulse time t_n and transmits this to the DAC 7, and also calculates I_n+1 to be used in the calculation of spindle current u_n+1 at the time of the next pulse input (Step 403). In addition, the MPU 12 calculates target time s_n+1 to be used for calculating the next spindle current u_n (Step 404).

[0057] Next, whether the peak filter 122 used in this embodiment compensates for the influence of magnet position dispersion correctly is shown.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the steady-state spindle current in the control system shown in FIG. 2.

[0059] In FIG. 5, it is assumed that it is desirable to obtain the result of passing a 60 mA current to the spindle motor 3 as a load current (spindle current). The spindle current obtained in this embodiment is indicated by a solid line, and the spindle current obtained in a conventional control system is indicated by a dashed line.

[0060] Here, the pulse time is measured six times in one revolution when the motor is rotating correctly, based on the zero-crossing time lag due to magnet position dispersion. It is assumed that the following pulse times (msec) are obtained in the predetermined measurements (in the case shown in the drawing).

• • [0061] 0.002143
  • [0062] 0.002262
  • [0063] 0.002333
  • [0064] 0.002429
  • [0065] 0.0025
  • [0066] 0.002619

[0067] In the case of a conventional control system with no peak filter 122, the above values are compared with a fixed value t_target. In this case, the 6th pulse time is long, and therefore rotation of the motor is determined to be slow at this point, and operation is repeated whereby in the next cycle a large current is passed first to increase motor rotation, and since a fast value (short pulse time) follows thereafter, a current is not passed. This means that fast rotating and slowly rotating places (wow and flutter) appear during one revolution.

[0068] In contrast, in this embodiment which includes a peak filter 122, target value s_n varies so as to compensate for zero-crossing lag, and therefore it is possible to continue to pass a 60 mA spindle current, and steady rotation is achieved.

[0069] The above-described rotation control apparatus calculates the spindle current using the processing procedure shown in FIG. 4 each time a spindle motor 3 output pulse is input. However, after rotation of the spindle motor 3 reaches a steady state, the target times that should be updated converge to a fixed value. Thus, after spindle motor 3 rotation reaches a steady state, instead of the target time being calculated each time, the target time value calculated in the steady state is stored in memory, etc., and rotation control can be performed using the stored target value.

[0070] In the above example, rotation control of a spindle motor 3 used for disk rotation in a hard disk apparatus 1 is described by way of illustration, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be generally used in rotation control for various kinds of motors requiring highly precise rotation, such as CD-ROM drives and so forth. In this case, the above-mentioned higher harmonic frequencies (70 Hz, 140 Hz, and 210 Hz) are values that apply when taking the example of a motor that rotates at 4200 rpm, and in actual systems suitable values will be selected based on the rotation speed and structure of various kinds of motor.

[Advantages of the Invention]

[0071] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to raise controller gain while absorbing magnet position dispersion in a motor, and implement rotation control that is resistant to the influence of disturbance.

[Description of Symbols]

• [0072] 1 . . . Hard disk apparatus
• [0073] 2 . . . Magnetic disk
• [0074] 3 . . . Spindle motor
• [0075] 4 . . . Magnetic head
• [0076] 5 . . . Actuator
• [0077] 6 . . . VCM (voice coil motor)
• [0078] 7 . . . DAC (digital/analog converter)
• [0079] 11 . . . Read/write circuit
• [0080] 12 . . . MPU
• [0081] 13 . . . HDC (hard disk controller)
• [0082] 121 . . . Controller
• [0083] 122 . . . Peak filter