Patents by Inventor Diane L. Brown

Diane L. Brown has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11862195
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to a tape head and a tape drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises one or more head assemblies, each head assembly comprising a plurality of write heads aligned in a row, at least one writer servo head aligned with the row of write heads, a plurality of read heads aligned in a row, and at least one reader servo head aligned with the row of read heads. The writer servo head and the reader servo head are independently controllable and are configured to operate concurrently. The tape head is able to accurately and independently position the write heads using the writer servo head(s) when writing data to a tape and position the read heads using the reader servo head(s) when reading data from the tape, even if the write heads and read heads are or become mis-aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G Biskeborn, David J. Seagle, Diane L Brown
  • Publication number: 20230253014
    Abstract: The present disclosure is generally related to a tape head and a tape drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises one or more head assemblies, each head assembly comprising a plurality of write heads aligned in a row, at least one writer servo head aligned with the row of write heads, a plurality of read heads aligned in a row, and at least one reader servo head aligned with the row of read heads. The writer servo head and the reader servo head are independently controllable and are configured to operate concurrently. The tape head is able to accurately and independently position the write heads using the writer servo head(s) when writing data to a tape and position the read heads using the reader servo head(s) when reading data from the tape, even if the write heads and read heads are or become mis-aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Robert G. BISKEBORN, David J. SEAGLE, Diane L. BROWN
  • Publication number: 20230238179
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaya NISHIOKA, Diane L. BROWN, Jianhua HU, Cherngye HWANG
  • Patent number: 11657842
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) and a contact plate. By using a support structure or contact plate beneath the tape, read and write heads can be designed to be narrower than the tape. The support structure or contact plate can stretch or relax the tape so that the spacing between servo tracks on the tape corresponds to the servo to servo spacing on the head. HGAs, which are narrower than the tape, can fly over the tape and read data from and write data to the tape. The HGA can have a single head or multiple heads. Additionally, multiple independent head assemblies can also be used for reading from and writing to the same tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Diane L. Brown, Trevor W. Olson
  • Patent number: 11631535
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaya Nishioka, Diane L. Brown, Jianhua Hu, Cherngye Hwang
  • Publication number: 20230111296
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Masaya Nishioka, Diane L. Brown, Jianhua Hu, Cherngye Hwang
  • Publication number: 20220208224
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) and a contact plate. By using a support structure or contact plate beneath the tape, read and write heads can be designed to be narrower than the tape. The support structure or contact plate can stretch or relax the tape so that the spacing between servo tracks on the tape corresponds to the servo to servo spacing on the head. HGAs, which are narrower than the tape, can fly over the tape and read data from and write data to the tape. The HGA can have a single head or multiple heads. Additionally, multiple independent head assemblies can also be used for reading from and writing to the same tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Diane L. BROWN, Trevor W. OLSON
  • Patent number: 11373683
    Abstract: A data storage device configured to access a magnetic tape is disclosed, wherein the data storage device comprises at least one head configured to access the magnetic tape, wherein the head comprises a write element, a first read element substantially aligned with the write element, and a second read element laterally offset from the first read element. Data is written to a data track and read-after-write verify is performed using the write element and the first read element. In response to a read command received from a host, the data track is read using the second read element to compensate for a stretching of the magnetic tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Mark L. Watson, Diane L. Brown, David J. Seagle
  • Patent number: 11315593
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) and a contact plate. By using a support structure or contact plate beneath the tape, read and write heads can be designed to be narrower than the tape. The support structure or contact plate can stretch or relax the tape so that the spacing between servo tracks on the tape corresponds to the servo to servo spacing on the head. HGAs, which are narrower than the tape, can fly over the tape and read data from and write data to the tape. The HGA can have a single head or multiple heads. Additionally, multiple independent head assemblies can also be used for reading from and writing to the same tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Diane L. Brown, Trevor W. Olson
  • Publication number: 20220108725
    Abstract: A data storage device configured to access a magnetic tape is disclosed, wherein the data storage device comprises at least one head configured to access the magnetic tape, wherein the head comprises a write element, a first read element substantially aligned with the write element, and a second read element laterally offset from the first read element. Data is written to a data track and read-after-write verify is performed using the write element and the first read element. In response to a read command received from a host, the data track is read using the second read element to compensate for a stretching of the magnetic tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Mark L. Watson, Diane L. Brown, David J. Seagle
  • Publication number: 20210343311
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) and a contact plate. By using a support structure or contact plate beneath the tape, read and write heads can be designed to be narrower than the tape. The support structure or contact plate can stretch or relax the tape so that the spacing between servo tracks on the tape corresponds to the servo to servo spacing on the head. HGAs, which are narrower than the tape, can fly over the tape and read data from and write data to the tape. The HGA can have a single head or multiple heads. Additionally, multiple independent head assemblies can also be used for reading from and writing to the same tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Diane L. BROWN, Trevor W. OLSON
  • Patent number: 11087782
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to tape drives used for magnetic recording on tapes. Tape drives use tape heads that comprise a read head, a write head, and an additional head that may be a write head or a read head. The tape head is fabricated over a common substrate with the first head being formed first, followed by a shield layer, followed by the second head, followed by another shield layer, and finally followed by the third head. Fabricating the tape head over a common substrate is cost effective. The tape head can be wired such that fewer parallel connections between the heads and bond pads are present. As such, cross-talk between the wires and noise is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Diane L. Brown, Edward Hin Pong Lee
  • Patent number: 11087786
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) and a contact plate. By using a support structure or contact plate beneath the tape, read and write heads can be designed to be narrower than the tape. The support structure or contact plate can stretch or relax the tape so that the spacing between servo tracks on the tape corresponds to the servo to servo spacing on the head. HGAs, which are narrower than the tape, can fly over the tape and read data from and write data to the tape. The HGA can have a single head or multiple heads. Additionally, multiple independent head assemblies can also be used for reading from and writing to the same tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Diane L. Brown, Trevor W. Olson
  • Patent number: 10783924
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to tape drives used for magnetic recording on tapes, and more specifically to tape heads including servo and data head structures. A tape head includes a plurality of servo head structures and one or more piezoelectric devices. The one or more piezoelectric devices are utilized to control the spacing and dimensions between the plurality of servo head and data head structures. The one or more piezoelectric devices further allow the tape head to receive active feedback from the tape drive, allowing the one or more piezoelectric devices to correct any errors during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Trevor Olson, Diane L. Brown, Cherngye Hwang
  • Publication number: 20190333536
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to tape drives used for magnetic recording on tapes, and more specifically to tape heads including servo and data head structures. A tape head includes a plurality of servo head structures and one or more piezoelectric devices. The one or more piezoelectric devices are utilized to control the spacing and dimensions between the plurality of servo head and data head structures. The one or more piezoelectric devices further allow the tape head to receive active feedback from the tape drive, allowing the one or more piezoelectric devices to correct any errors during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Trevor OLSON, Diane L. BROWN, Cherngye HWANG
  • Patent number: 10297278
    Abstract: Structures and methods for fabrication servo and data heads of tape modules are provided. The servo head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. Similarly, the data head may have two shield layers spaced apart by a plurality of gap layers and a sensor. The distance between the shield layers of the servo head may be greater than the distance between the shield layers of the data head. The material of the gap layers may include tantalum or an alloy of nickel and chromium. The material for the gap layers permits deposition of gap layers with sufficiently small surface roughness to prevent distortion of the tape module and increase the stability of the tape module operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Satoru Araki, Diane L. Brown, Hiroaki Chihaya, Dustin W. Erickson, David J. Seagle
  • Patent number: 10199057
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to tape heads used for magnetic recording on tapes, and more specifically to tape heads including servo and data head structures. In one embodiment, a tape head includes two servo head structures and a plurality of data head structures. Each servo head structure includes a sensor, and each sensor is electrically coupled to two bonding pads. Each data head structure includes a sensor, and each sensor is electrically coupled to two bonding pads. A resistive shunt is disposed between the two bonding pads electrically coupled to the sensor of each data head structure. The resistive shunt decreases the electrical resistance of the sensor of the data head structure to a target resistance that is similar to the resistance of the sensor of the servo head structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Seagle, Diane L. Brown
  • Patent number: 9865286
    Abstract: A magnetic tape recording module having electrical lapping guides located within and adjacent to an array of magnetic read/write elements. Electrical leads connected with the electrical lapping guides are buried deep within the head build, close to the substrate so that they can pass beneath the electrical leads of the read/write elements without any capacitive coupling between the electrical lapping guide leads and the read/write element leads. The presence of the electrical lapping guides within and adjacent to the read/write element leads provides much more accurate control of read/write element stripe height during lapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Cherngye Hwang, David John Seagle, Diane L. Brown
  • Publication number: 20170345451
    Abstract: A magnetic tape recording module having electrical lapping guides located within and adjacent to an array of magnetic read/write elements. Electrical leads connected with the electrical lapping guides are buried deep within the head build, close to the substrate so that they can pass beneath the electrical leads of the read/write elements without any capacitive coupling between the electrical lapping guide leads and the read/write element leads. The presence of the electrical lapping guides within and adjacent to the read/write element leads provides much more accurate control of read/write element stripe height during lapping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Cherngye Hwang, David John Seagle, Diane L. Brown
  • Publication number: 20170294197
    Abstract: A tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read head for magnetic tape has a tape-bearing surface (TBS) and includes a first magnetic shield, a first gap layer on the first shield, a TMR sensor on the first gap layer and recessed from the TBS, a second gap layer on the TMR sensor, a second magnetic shield on the second gap layer, and a magnetic flux guide between the first and second gap layers between the TBS and the recessed TMR sensor. The first gap layer has an insulating portion with an edge at the TBS and a non-magnetic electrically-conducting portion recessed from the TBS, with the TMR sensor located on the conductive portion. The sense current is between the two shields. An insulating isolation layer may be located between the first gap layer and the first shield layer with the sense current being between the second shield and the first gap layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Diane L. Brown, Cherngye Hwang, David John Seagle