US Patent 11417362 Data storage device eliminating preamble from servo sectors

A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of servo sectors defining a plurality of data tracks, wherein each servo sector comprises a track ID followed by a sync mark followed by at least one servo burst, and a first servo sector does not include a preamble. During a read operation, a servo gate is opened in order to read the track ID, the sync mark, and the servo burst of the first servo sector. During a write operation, the servo gate is opened in order to miss reading at least part of the track ID of the first servo sector so as to reduce a write gap preceding the first servo sector.