JP2002150510A - Magnetic recording / reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] When a read error occurs in a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, a read error is avoided by unloading a magnetic head and magnetizing the magnetic head. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus includes means for applying a magnetic field when unloading a magnetic head in which a read error has occurred.
The reliability of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can be improved, and the yield of the magnetic head can be improved, and a low-cost magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, and more particularly, to a write / read head, particularly a write / read head.
It belongs to a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus equipped with a read / separate magnetic head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus is disclosed in
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 253802, the magnetic head 1 is loaded on the recording medium 2 during the operation of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus by the operation of the positioning mechanism 4 in FIG. The positioning mechanism 4 and the load / unload mechanism 11 operate according to the instruction of the function 25,
Unloading. During operation, the recording medium 2 is driven by the spindle 3, and the write / read separation type magnetic head 1 is positioned on a predetermined track 10 by the positioning mechanism 4 on the recording medium 2. When writing a signal, the recording / reproducing amplifying circuit 22 converts a signal transmitted through a disk controller (hereinafter abbreviated as DKC) 21 into a current signal in accordance with a command from the CPU 20 and converts the signal into a current signal.
Is applied to the write element section. The magnetic field of the magnetic head 1 generated by this current application is written on the medium 2 as magnetization information. The signal is read by converting the magnetization information recorded on the medium 2 into an electric signal by applying a current to a read element portion of the magnetic head 1 formed of a magnetoresistive element, and detecting the signal as a signal through the recording / reproducing amplifier circuit 22. I do.

[0003] Barkhausen noise (hereinafter referred to as BH
N), a read error occurs in the device. At this time, the device performs a predetermined write operation as described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-253802, and the magnetic head 1 generates a BHN. The read error is avoided.

[0004]

However, with the recent increase in performance of magnetic recording / reproducing devices, a magnetic recording / reproducing separation type magnetic head used in the device is required to have higher performance. As a result, BHN has not been sufficiently suppressed by the error avoidance means.

In other words, in the above-mentioned prior art, a problem has arisen that the recovery of the read error based on the BHN phenomenon peculiar to the magnetoresistive element which is the read element portion of the magnetic head is not sufficient.

[0006] Currently used in magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus,
As the recording / reproducing separated magnetic head, a magnetoresistive head (hereinafter abbreviated as MR head) is mainly used. The MR
In simple terms, the head is composed of a magnetic sensing unit that converts magnetization information into an electric signal, and a magnetic domain control unit that controls the magnetic sensing unit so as not to emit signals (noise) other than the magnetization information.
It is a well-known fact that BHN is generated due to insufficient magnetic domain control film and insufficient influence of the magnetic domain control film on the magnetic sensing portion.

The magnetic head mounted on the magnetic recording device is
A head that has undergone a sufficient inspection in advance and does not cause a problem such as BHN is selected. However, even if the selected magnetic head is mounted on the magnetic recording device and operated for a long time, for example, by operating the magnetic recording device in a high-low temperature environment, or in the write element section, It is said that the magnetic domain control film is degraded due to the influence of the write magnetic field applied to the repetitive read element portion or the like, which causes BHN.

[0008]

Means for solving the above problem are a read / write device and a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus having a load / unload function for recording and reproducing data on and from a recording medium by using a separate write / read magnetic head. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: means for detecting an error; means for instructing unloading based on a detected read error; and means for applying a magnetic field to a magnetic head during unloading. Is done. That is, by applying a magnetic field to the magnetic head, the deterioration of the magnetic domain control film is recovered, so that the BHN generated in the magnetic head is eliminated and the read error is recovered.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

1 and 2, a recording medium 2 is driven by a spindle 3, and a write / read separation type magnetic head 1 is positioned on a predetermined track 10 by a positioning mechanism 4 on the recording medium 2. When writing a signal, the recording / reproducing amplifying circuit 22 converts a signal transmitted through a disk controller (hereinafter abbreviated as DKC) 21 into a current signal and applies the current signal to a write element unit of the magnetic head 1 in accordance with a command from the CPU 20. . The magnetic field of the magnetic head 1 generated by this current application is written on the medium 2 as magnetization information. The signal is read by converting the magnetization information recorded on the medium 2 into an electric signal by applying a current to a read element portion of the magnetic head 1 formed of a magnetoresistive element, and detecting the signal as a signal through the recording / reproducing amplifier circuit 22. I do. At this time, when a read error occurs, a predetermined write operation is first performed to recover the read error. However, if the read error is not recovered by the operation, the error detection function 26 sets the load / unload function 25
To operate the positioning mechanism 4 to unload the magnetic head 1 using the load / unload mechanism 11.
A magnetic field is applied to the unloaded magnetic head 1 by a magnetic field applying mechanism 41. The magnetic field applying mechanism 41 has a structure that sandwiches the magnetic head 1, and is provided with a magnet so that a magnetic field can be applied. The magnetic field applying mechanism 41 needs to operate in accordance with the movement of the magnetic head 1. The polarity, the strength of the magnetic field, and the application time should be selected according to the characteristics of each magnetic head.

When the application of the magnetic field is completed, the load / unload function 25 operates the positioning mechanism 4 again, loads the recording medium 2 on the recording medium 2, and is positioned on a predetermined track to detect a signal.

According to this embodiment, the BH unique to the MR head is used.
It is possible to recover a read error due to the N phenomenon.

[0013]

According to the present invention, a read error which has not been sufficiently recovered by the conventional read error recovery function can be recovered, so that the reliability of the magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can be improved. In addition, since a magnetic head which has conventionally been inferior in performance due to occurrence of a read error can be used, the yield of the magnetic head is improved, and a low-cost magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example (unloaded state) of a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an example (load state) of a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Magnetic head, 2 ... Magnetic recording medium, 3 ... Spindle,
4 positioning mechanism, 10 track, 11 load / unload mechanism, 20 CPU, 21 disk controller, 22 read / write amplifier circuit, 25 load / unload function, 26 error detection function, 41 magnetic field Application mechanism.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus with a load / unload function for recording / reproducing data on / from a recording medium by a write / read head, wherein a magnetic field in a track width direction of the magnetic head during unloading is provided in the apparatus. A magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus, characterized in that a means for applying voltage is provided. 2. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying a magnetic field is a permanent magnet. 3. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying a magnetic field is an electromagnet. 4. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a direction in which the magnetic field is applied is perpendicular to a track width direction. 5. The magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying a magnetic field operates in accordance with loading / unloading of the magnetic head.