Partial Response Maximum Likelihood


Partial Response Maximum Likelihood

(storage)(PRML) A method for converting the weak analogsignal from the head of a magnetic disk drive into a digitalsignal. PRML attempts to correctly interpret even smallchanges in the analog signal, whereas peak detection relieson fixed thresholds. Because PRML can correctly decode aweaker signal it allows higher density recording.

For example, PRML would read the magnetic flux density pattern70, 60, 55, 60, 70 as binary "101", and the same for 45, 40,30, 40, 45. A peak detector would decode everything above,say, 50 as high, and below 50 as low, so the first patternwould read "111" and the second as "000".