Abstract: Composite magnetic recording media are described. A composite structure is a structure that is formed of multiple components. For example, a composite magnetic recording medium may include a substrate, an underlayer formed over the substrate, the underlayer defining a coating surface, and a magnetic layer formed over the coating surface of the underlayer. Composite magnetic recording media constructed according to the materials and techniques disclosed may provide dimensional flexibility while exhibiting improved physical or electromagnetic characteristics. In some examples, dimensional flexibility may be achieved by pairing a substrate greater than or equal to approximately 4000 nanometers thick with an underlayer less than or equal to approximately 890 nanometers thick.

Abstract: A data storage master disk and method of making a data storage master disk. The data storage disk master is for use in a data storage disk replication process. The data storage disk molding processes produces replica disks having a surface relief pattern with replica lands and replica grooves. The method includes providing a master substrate. The master substrate is at least partially covered with a layer of photosensitive material. A surface relief pattern having master lands and master grooves is recorded in the data storage disk master, including the steps of exposing and developing the photosensitive material is controlled to form master grooves extending down to a substrate interface between the master substrate and the layer of photosensitive material, such that the width of the master grooves at the substrate interface corresponds to a desired width of the replica lands.

Abstract: A mobile reader configured to compile a list of data storage devices for transport includes an interface electrically coupled to circuitry modules including RFID scanning circuitry configured to read a unique storage device identifier from each of the data storage devices, and barcode scanning circuitry configured to read the unique storage device identifier from each of the data storage devices. The barcode scanning circuitry communicates with the RFID scanning circuitry. The interface includes a user operable function that enables selectively reading the unique storage device identifier with one of the RFID scanning circuitry or the barcode scanning circuitry to compile a scan list of in-transit data storage devices.

Abstract: This disclosure describes thin optical media that may be compliant with conventional DVD drives. Unlike conventional DVDs, however, the described media does not include the non-information bearing “dummy” substrate. Instead, the described media may comprise a single substrate having a thickness of approximately 0.6 millimeters. Depending on the format, reflective layers, information layers, dyes, phase change materials, or other materials may be deposited over the replicated side of the substrates. Furthermore, in accordance with this disclosure, a hard coat layer is also formed over the replicated side of the media in order to provide mechanical integrity to the media. Printable layers, printed layers, lacquer, or other materials may also be added. The elimination of the non-information bearing “dummy” substrate can reduce raw materials, thereby reducing costs and providing a more environmentally friendly optical disk. The hard coat can provide the mechanical protection to the replicated side of the 0.

Abstract: A cartridge reader device includes an RFID unit that reads cartridge memory (CM) data from an RFID tag of a data cartridge, a bar code unit that reads a bar code of the data cartridge, and a housing that encloses the RFID unit and the bar code unit. The housing encloses the RFID unit and the bar code unit and defines at least one receiving area configured to accept the data cartridge and enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge. The reader device further includes a pair of mirrors positioned within the housing that direct light emitted by the bar code reader to the bar code of the data cartridge along a u-shaped path.

Abstract: In an example, a solid-state data storage system comprises a housing forming an enclosure; a plurality of trays within the enclosure of the housing; a plurality of non-volatile, rewriteable solid-state memory chips mounted to flexible circuit substrates within each of the trays; and a controller configured to apply a power-sequencing scheme that supplies power to active flexible memory strands.

Abstract: A cartridge reader device includes an RFID unit that reads cartridge memory (CM) data from an RFID tag of a data cartridge, a bar code unit that reads a bar code of the data cartridge, and a housing that encloses the RFID unit and the bar code unit. The housing defines a first receiving area configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in a case, which enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in the case, and a second receiving area configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case, which enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case.

Abstract: A data storage master disk and method of making a data storage master disk. The data storage disk master is for use in a data storage disk replication process. The data storage disk molding processes produces replica disks having a surface relief pattern with replica lands and replica grooves. The method includes providing a master substrate. The master substrate is at least partially covered with a layer of photosensitive material. A surface relief pattern having master lands and master grooves is recorded in the data storage disk master, including the steps of exposing and developing the photosensitive material is controlled to form master grooves extending down to a substrate interface between the master substrate and the layer of photosensitive material, such that the width of the master grooves at the substrate interface corresponds to a desired width of the replica lands.

Abstract: A data storage device tracing system includes at least one container configured to maintain at least one electronic data storage device, a two-way radio coupled to each of the container(s), and a network including a network coordinator configured to transmit to and receive data from the two-way radio. In this regard, the two-way radio communicates real-time container location data to the network coordinator to enable real-time tracing of the container(s) and the electronic data storage device(s).

Abstract: A magnetic recording tape includes an elongated substrate and a magnetic side. The magnetic side includes a support layer formed over the substrate and a magnetic recording layer formed over the support layer to define a magnetic recording surface opposite the substrate. The magnetic recording layer includes magnetic particles and a lubricant and supports a net uncompressed density of at least 30 MB/in2. The magnetic side has an extracted BET surface area of greater than 1.0 m2/g.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a data storage medium that includes a plurality of servo bands distributed across the data storage medium and a plurality of data tracks positioned between each of the plurality of distributed servo bands. The data storage medium comprises a servo band pitch of less than 200 micrometers. The large number of servo bands distributed across the data storage medium with a relatively small servo band pitch reduces the influence of media dimensional instability. In this way, the invention may substantially increase data read head positioning accuracy, especially in the case of narrow track widths. A read head array arranged in a two-dimensional matrix that includes a first servo read head, a second servo read head, and a plurality of data read heads positioned between the first and second servo read heads may be applied to a data storage medium as described herein.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to optical disks with a microstructured surface formed on a surface of the optical disk. The microstructured surface may be created to promote the adhesion and prevent the migration of a print material applied to the surface of the optical disk. The microstructured surface may be in the form of a plurality of wells or a plurality of discontinuous raised features in the surface. By forming a microstructured surface on the surface of the disk, the optical disk may not need an additional coating to receive the print material while also retaining the print material at a precise location on the surface. In addition, a plurality of standoff features may be formed in an outer surface of the optical disk to help prevent damage to the surface of the optical disk.

Abstract: A data storage master disk and method of making a data storage master disk. The data storage disk master is for use in a data storage disk replication process. The data storage disk molding processes produces replica disks having a surface relief pattern with replica lands and replica grooves. The method includes providing a master substrate. The master substrate is at least partially covered with a layer of photosensitive material. A surface relief pattern having master lands and master grooves is recorded in the data storage disk master, including the steps of exposing and developing the photosensitive material is controlled to form master grooves extending down to a substrate interface between the master substrate and the layer of photosensitive material, such that the width of the master grooves at the substrate interface corresponds to a desired width of the replica lands.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for erasing data storage tape for reuse. In an embodiment, an erase head module for erasing data storage tape comprises a set of erase gaps and one or more servo read elements. The set of erase gaps is configured to coincide with data bands of the data storage tape to allow erasure of only the data bands of the data storage tape while not erasing servo bands of the data storage tape. The one or more servo read elements detect one of the servo bands of the data storage tape when the set of erase gaps are proximate the data bands of the data storage tape to allow the erase head module to accurately track the data bands with the set of erase gaps.

Abstract: A magnetic recording tape includes an elongated substrate and a magnetic film coated over the elongated substrate, where the magnetic film includes a first magnetic recording layer. The first magnetic recording layer includes particles having a diameter that is between a factor from about 2 to 5 greater than a thickness of the first magnetic recording layer.

Abstract: A data storage master disk and method of making a data storage master disk. The data storage disk master is for use in a data storage disk replication process. The data storage disk molding processes produces replica disks having a surface relief pattern with replica lands and replica grooves. The method includes providing a master substrate. The master substrate is at least partially covered with a layer of photosensitive material. A surface relief pattern having master lands and master grooves is recorded in the data storage disk master, including the steps of exposing and developing the photosensitive material is controlled to form master grooves extending down to a substrate interface between the master substrate and the layer of photosensitive material, such that the width of the master grooves at the substrate interface corresponds to a desired width of the replica lands.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge includes a housing, a non-tape storage medium contained within the housing, and a stacking feature provided on a top surface of the housing and on a bottom surface of the housing opposite the top surface. The stacking feature is asymmetrical about a first median axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the top surface and the bottom surface of the housing, and asymmetrical about a second median axis oriented substantially perpendicular to a first end of the housing and a second end of the housing opposite the first end. The stacking feature is configured to facilitate positioning of and maintaining a stacked configuration of the data storage cartridge with another data storage cartridge.

Abstract: The invention provides for modifications to conventional optical data storage media to reduce the amount of raw material necessary in the media construction. More particularly, a portion of a thermoplastic substrate is modified to create one or more substantial void areas compared to a conventional substrate that defines flat parallel surfaces without void areas. The configuration, number, and size of the voids may be modified in order to substantially reduce inherent raw material cost while maintaining the specified physical thickness, clamping area, and mechanical stability of the medium.

Abstract: A dual-layer magnetic recording tape having a non-magnetic substrate with a front side and a back side, a lower support layer formed over the front side and a magnetic recording layer formed over the lower support layer. The magnetic recording layer includes magnetic metallic pigment particles having an average particle length up to about 35 nm, and a coercivity of at least about 2,000 Oersteds. The magnetic tape has a BB noise less than about ?91 dB at about 93 kfci.

Abstract: A portable memory housing includes a first housing section and a second housing section that couples to the first housing section to define an enclosure for portable memory components. At least one of the housing sections includes a prong extending from an edge of the housing section and an other of the housing sections defines a slot configured to receive the prong. The prong includes at least one flat that is parallel and at least one flat that is perpendicular to the edge of its respective housing section. The slot is defined by a parallel wall configured to abut the parallel flat of the prong and limit relative lateral movement of the first and second housing sections, and a perpendicular wall configured to abut the perpendicular flat of the prong to impede separation of the first housing section from the second housing section.