Record Copying Patents (Class 360/15)
  • Patent number: 6982845
    Abstract: A magnetic recording apparatus comprises a magnetic field impression unit, a current supplying unit and a controlling unit t. The magnetic field impression unit impresses a magnetic field to a magnetic recording medium. The current supplying unit supplies a current to the magnetic recording medium. The controlling unit makes the current supplying unit supply the current to the magnetic recording medium while making the magnetic field impression unit impress the magnetic field to at least a unit of a magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium. Thus, a information is recorded magnetically by making a direction of a magnetization of the magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tadashi Kai, Masayuki Takagishi, Masashi Sahashi, Junichi Akiyama, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Akira Kikitsu
  • Patent number: 6972915
    Abstract: Information represented by a pattern of a magnetic layer formed on a master information carrier is magnetically transferred to a slave. An initial DC magnetic field is applied to the slave medium with the slave medium supported from one side thereof so that the other side of the slave medium is directly opposed to the magnetic field generator, and a transfer magnetic field is applied to the slave medium and the master information carrier held in close contact with each other by a holder, which covers both the sides of the slave medium/master information carrier assembly, with the magnetic field generator positioned to oppose both the sides of the slave medium/master information carrier assembly so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator is applied to the slave medium and the master information carrier through the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Komatsu, Masashi Aoki
  • Patent number: 6961196
    Abstract: A master information carrier comprises a substrate whose surface has an embossed pattern corresponding to an information signal. At least a surface of the protruding portion of the embossed pattern is made of a ferromagnetic material. A method for writing an information signal into a sheet or disk magnetic record medium with a ferromagnetic thin film or coating is performed by putting the surface of the magnetic record medium into contact with the master information carrier so as to write a magnetized pattern corresponding to the embossed pattern of the master information carrier into the magnetic record medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Ishida, Ryuji Sugita, Kiyokazu Tohma, Kazunari Yoshimoto, Keizou Miyata, Hiroshi Ryonai
  • Patent number: 6957181
    Abstract: A method for transferring real time information on a record carrier, typically bitstream audio on an optical disc, which method comprises encoding consecutive segments of the real time information to compressed real time data in frames, and determining a buffer occupancy for at least one frame, which buffer occupancy is indicative of an amount of compressed real time data to be present in the playback buffer at the start of decoding said frame. A signal is transmitted carrying the compressed real time data and the buffer occupancy, which data are received, stored in a playback buffer and finally decoded. The retrieving and/or the decoding is controlled in dependence on said transferred buffer occupancy. A playback buffer can be used effectively without risk for underflow or overflow. Also a method for recording audio information on a record carrier, a recording device, a record carrier and a playback device are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Johannes M. M. Verbakel, Josephus J. M. M. Geelen
  • Patent number: 6954317
    Abstract: When a master medium and a slave medium are brought into close contact and a transfer magnetic field is applied thereto to perform magnetic transfer, the leakage magnetic field intensity of the transfer magnetic field is regulated to within a permissible range, making possible the transfer of an exact magnetic pattern. After a magnetic field is applied to the slave face in the track direction thereof to initially magnetize the slave medium in the track direction, the master medium and the slave medium are brought into close contact. When applying a transfer magnetic field in the track direction of the slave face to perform a magnetic transfer, the magnetic field intensity component in the direction opposite that in which the transfer magnetic field is to be applied is regulated to less than or equal to ½ the magnetic coercive force Hcs of the slave medium over the entire slave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Aoki, Kazunori Komatsu, Masakazu Nishikawa, Junichi Nakamikawa
  • Patent number: 6950254
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer apparatus is utilized to establish magnetization on the surface of a magnetic disk. A support mechanism supports the magnetic disk in the magnetic transfer apparatus. A magnetizing mechanism is designed to get opposed to the magnetic disk held by the support mechanism. The magnetizing mechanism applies a magnetic field of variable intensity in response to a change of position in the radial direction of the magnetic disk. The magnetic transfer apparatus enables establishment of a magnetic field of an appropriate intensity at any positions in the radial direction of the magnetic disk. Magnetization of a constant intensity can be established over the surface of the magnetic disk irrespective of a position in the radial direction of the magnetic disk. The magnetic transfer apparatus alone serves to establish a servo pattern of a clear magnetization on the magnetic disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Hitoshi Komoriya, Yutaka Nakamura, Takao Hirahara
  • Patent number: 6947231
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer holder holds a contact body including superimposed master information carriers bearing transfer information in pattern areas and a slave medium. At least one of the two sides of the contact body is held via an elastic body. A surface of this elastic body that faces the master information carrier is circular. An outer diameter D1 of this elastic body is smaller than an outer diameter D2, which is the smaller one of an outer diameter of the master information carrier and that of the slave medium, and larger than an outer diameter D3 of the pattern area. A diameter d1 of a center hole of the elastic body is larger than an outer diameter d2, which is the larger one of a center hole of the master information carrier and that of the slave medium, and smaller than an inner diameter d3 of the pattern area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akito Kamatani
  • Patent number: 6940667
    Abstract: A plurality of redundant sets of servo data are recorded on a magnetic hard disk. The set meeting a predetermine criteria is employed when the hard disk is assembled into a hard disk drive. The determination of which set has the criteria may be conducted by the disk drive itself. The criteria may include a determination the set of servo data having meeting a minimum quality criteria or the fewest errors. The criteria may include a selection of a set of servo data having a specific pattern where the prerecorded sets may comprise a differing servo patterns that may be used by disk drives requiring specific servo patterns. The servo data are printed onto the hard disk by means of a stamper or mask having all the sets of servo data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: David S. Kuo, Shih-Fu Lee, Neil N. Deeman
  • Patent number: 6940666
    Abstract: There is provided a magnetic tape apparatus which can easily and rapidly restore data and has improved availability. The magnetic tape apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic tape drives, and a control unit for reading and writing information from/in the magnetic tape drives by commands from a host computer. The control unit has a function for storing the same data in the plurality of magnetic tape drives while duplicating the data. The control unit includes a positioning unit for, when the duplicated data is read from one magnetic tape drive to complete the read, performing positioning such that a read position of another magnetic tape drive in which the same data is stored is advanced by a length corresponding to an amount of data read from one magnetic tape drive, and a read continuing unit for continuing read of data from the other magnetic tape drive when data is unsuccessfully read from one magnetic tape drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Hanagata, Yoshiaki Mori
  • Patent number: 6909565
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer method includes a first step (ST103) of preparing a magnetic disk, a second step (ST105) of forming a layer of lubricant on the magnetic disk, a third step (ST108) of bringing a surface of the magnetic layer on the magnetic disk into close contact with a magnetic transfer master having a magnetic film formed on at least one side and magnetically transferring a pattern of the magnetic film on the magnetic transfer master onto the surface of the magnetic disk through application of an external magnetic field, and a fourth step (ST104, ST106) of burnishing at least a surface of the magnetic disk that comes into contact with the magnetic transfer master. The first step, the fourth step, the second step, the fourth step, and the third step are performed in the stated order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Taizou Hamada, Tatsuaki Ishida, Kiyokazu Tohma
  • Patent number: 6909563
    Abstract: A master carrier for magnetic transfer is equipped with a substrate having a land/groove pattern. The land/groove pattern is formed from a magnetic material and corresponds to information that is transferred to a magnetic recording disk. Each land in the land/groove pattern has four round corners whose radius is from 1% through 47% of the width of a data track on the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nishikawa, Tadashi Yasunaga, Kazuhiro Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 6909564
    Abstract: By bring a master carrier and a slave medium into close contact with uniform force when executing magnetic transfer by applying transfer magnetic field in the state that the master carrier and slave medium is in confronted close contact and received within a holder, inferiority of transfer such as omission of signals is prevented and quality of transfer signals is enhanced. The magnetic transfer apparatus executes magnetic transfer by applying transfer magnetic field by means of a magnetic field applying apparatus 5 after a master carrier 3, 4 bearing transfer information and a slave medium 2 to be transferred are brought into confronted close contact and received within a holder 10, wherein said holder 10 has a substantially circular shape and in particular, the circularity of holder is not less than 98%, wherein the flexural rigidity=Ed3/12 determined by Young's modulus E and thickness d of the holder is in the range of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nishikawa, Kazuhiro Niitsuma, Akito Kamatani
  • Patent number: 6906877
    Abstract: A method of performing an accurate magnetic transfer to a high-density slave medium having two magnetic layers and utilizing antiferromagnetic coupling. The magnetic layer, which has been initially magnetized in advance, of a magnetic recording medium is conjoined with the data bearing surface of a master medium. A transfer magnetic field is applied to the conjoined body in the circumferential direction of the track of the first magnetic layer in the direction opposite the initial magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer. At this time, the thickness of the magnetic layer of the master medium, the permeability (material) of the magnetic layer, the form of the patterned magnetic layer, the separation distance between the master medium and the magnetic recording medium, etc., may be controlled so that the magnetic field of the transfer magnetic field does not effect the magnetization state of the first magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nishikawa, Tadashi Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 6906875
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer device for bringing a master carrier with information and a slave medium into intimate contact with each other and then applying a transfer field to transfer the information to the slave medium. The master carrier has an inclined face on its radially outer end. After the magnetic transfer of the information, claws are inserted in the gas formed by the inclined face of the master carrier and the slave medium. The slave medium held in intimate contact with the master carrier is separated from the master carrier by lifting the slave medium with the claws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akito Kamatani, Masakazu Nishikawa, Makoto Nagao, Kazunori Komatsu, Tsuneo Inui, Kazuhiro Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 6906874
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer wherein the exchange of master mediums is made easy to perform is provided, whereby the operational efficiency and transfer efficiency are improved, leading to an overall improvement in productivity in the manufacture of preformatted slave mediums. A master fixing base for determining and supporting the position of a master medium, which bears transfer data, and a conjoining apparatus for conjoining the master medium and the slave medium that is to receive the transfer therefrom are provided. The master medium is exchanged along with the master fixing base. It is preferable that a cleaning means be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akito Kamatani, Tsuneo Inui, Masashi Aoki, Masakazu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6906876
    Abstract: A favorable magnetic transfer is performed on a perpendicular magnetic recording medium. A permanent magnet apparatus provided with two permanent magnets, each having a width extending the length of the radial direction of a discoid magnetic recording medium, is used as a transfer magnetic field generating means. A conjoined body formed of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium, which has been initially magnetized unidirectionally in the direction perpendicular to the track surface thereof, and two master mediums, disposed on respective surfaces of the slave medium, is inserted between the permanent magnets. A rotating means rotates the conjoined body, in the direction along the tracks of the slave medium, while a transfer magnetic field is applied to the conjoined body in the direction substantially opposite that in which the initial magnetization of the magnetic layer of magnetic recording medium has been performed, so as to perform the magnetic transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Komatsu, Masakazu Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6903886
    Abstract: Within a casing accommodating members for performing magnetic transfer of signals from one medium to another, a plurality of suction ports are fixedly disposed at various locations. Resin tubes connect the suction ports to respective particle counters for the measurement of particles at each location, whereby the source of particles is locatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhide Matsuda, Taizou Hamada, Hideyuki Hashi, Hiroshi Hashida, Eiichi Fujisawa, Shoichi Seki
  • Patent number: 6898031
    Abstract: A system and method for replicating magnetic patterns on hard disk media includes a mask located over or above a magnetic recording layer. The recording layer may include a single, dual, or multi-layer recording layer. A pattern is or has been formed in the mask, where the pattern defines the recordable regions and the non-recordable regions to be created in one or more layers within the recording layer. Portions of the recording layer are then exposed. An etch may then be performed to create grooves within one or more layers in the exposed regions of the recording layer. The magnetic properties of at least one layer in the exposed portions of the recording layer are then altered in order to create recordable or non-recordable regions. The mask is then removed from the recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Karl A. Belser, Neil Deeman, Ga-Lane Chen
  • Patent number: 6898038
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method and apparatus to write and read copy protected data on a disc drive storage system by encoding and decoding data to be copy protected using servo wedge data as the encoding element. In one aspect, the drive is marked by a number generated from the servo wedge data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alan A. Fennema, Gayle L. Noble
  • Patent number: 6887593
    Abstract: A master information carrier for magnetic transfer includes a substrate having an irregularity pattern representing information to be transferred to a slave medium and a magnetic layer formed on the irregularity pattern on the substrate. The depth d of the recessed portions of the irregularity pattern and the thickness t of the magnetic layer formed on the recessed portions satisfy formula ?0.004?(t?d)/d?0.1. At the same time, the magnetic layer formed on the protruding portion of the irregularity pattern and the magnetic layer formed on the recessed portions of the irregularity pattern are connected with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Sugita, Masakazu Nishikawa, Tadashi Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 6885513
    Abstract: A system and method for incrementally recording blocks of data such as servo information on magnetic media such as hard disks, flexible disks or tapes. The system comprises a master element with permeable features configured according to the block of data and corresponding to a small fraction of the area of the medium. A predetermined portion of the medium is advanced and brought in proximity to the master element. An electromagnet applies a localized field to copy the data to the selected portion of the medium. The field of the electromagnet is decreased before the next predetermined portion of the medium is advanced thereby avoiding damage to previously recorded data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Bill Richard Baker
  • Patent number: 6882490
    Abstract: An audio or other program signal is modified to provide protection against copying on a magnetic tape recorder. The signal from a source (10) is amplified (16) and then subjected to Fourier analysis (11) to determine the signal amplitude in a plurality of subbands across the audible range. The subband containing the component of greatest magnitude is selected on an adaptive basis and applied to a stored psycho-sensorial model (12), which determines the maximum amplitude of interference which can be masked by the selected subband. An anti-copy signal is generated (14) by complex division of the desired interference by a stored representation of the response of a tape recorder (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Dwight Cavendish Systems Limited
    Inventors: Baolin Tan, Abdul-Hamed Mazen Abdin
  • Patent number: 6862400
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling copying of a video signal are provided for detecting a copy preventing signal, and for stopping recording and informing the user that a video signal to be recorded is protected against copying when a video signal having a copy-preventing signal is detected. In the apparatus and method, a copying (or recording) mode is stopped, and the user is informed that a recording medium to be copied is protected against illegal copying when a copy-preventing signal is detected from a video signal reproduced from the recording medium to be copied, thereby allowing the user to quickly recognize that the recording medium to be copied includes a copy-preventing signal before completing the copying. In addition, when the apparatus and method are applied to a dual deck VCR, FM copying can be controlled depending on whether a macrovision signal exists on the basis of the beginning date on which the aggressive protection of copyright becomes effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventors: Chang-rok Lee, Chul-min Kim
  • Patent number: 6859339
    Abstract: The master information recording apparatus 100 includes a master information carrier, a master information carrier facing member, and a magnetic field applying member. A ferromagnetic thin film pattern formed on the surface of the master information carrier includes not less than two kinds of different patterns each having a different pattern angle showing an angle with respect to the direction of the relative movement between a magnetic head and a rotating magnetic recording medium. The magnetic field applying unit applies a magnetic field along the direction, which is perpendicular to the direction shown by an angle that is smaller than the pattern angle of the maximum pattern and larger than the minimum pattern angle of the pattern among the not less than two kinds of patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Ban, Keizo Miyata, Taizou Hamada, Kouji Taniguchi, Masaya Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 6853727
    Abstract: Copy protection is provided at a mass storage device provided in or connected to a decoder for receiving digital transmissions of audio and video program material by virtual scrambling of blocks of data. Non-sequential storage locations for blocks of data are defined in accordance with a key and the file allocation table is encrypted and stored. Thus blocks of data remain intact and need not be decrypted upon playback, reducing processing time, while the program is effectively protected from reassembly without decryption of the file allocation table. The key(s) may be maintained internally within the decoder and need not be shared, thus avoiding a need for user identification and/or authentication. Software for encryption, including keys may be downloaded to the decoder through the same transmission link used for transmission of data files that may be encrypted in response to control signals or flags transmitted with data files to be protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric M. Foster, Dennis E. Franklin, Wai Man Lam, Raymond E. Losinger, Chuck H. Ngai
  • Patent number: 6850377
    Abstract: Instead of directly performing defect inspection using a master information carrier, an inspection substrate is prepared to then bring the master information carrier in close contact therewith, to thereby transfer a defect on the master information carrier to the inspection substrate, thus indirectly inspecting any defect of the master information carrier on the inspection substrate. Defect inspection is performed on the first-state inspection substrate before close contacting, so that a defect inspection result on the second-state inspection substrate after close contacting and that on the first-state inspection substrate are compared to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Taizou Hamada, Tatsuaki Ishida
  • Patent number: 6839192
    Abstract: A holder for magnetic transfer is formed by a chamber base and a chamber body which are moved toward and away from each other and form therebetween an inner space in which a master information carrier and a slave medium are accommodated and held in close contact with each other. The holder is provided at different parts with a first sealing portion for sealing the inner space between the chamber base and the chamber body and a second sealing portion allowing the pressing faces of the chamber base and the chamber body to move toward each other to press the master information carrier and the slave medium against each other with the inner space kept sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akito Kamatani
  • Publication number: 20040264019
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a patterned data/information storage and retrieval medium in the form of an annular disk having an outer diameter, a central opening defining an inner diameter, and opposed first and second major surfaces, the method comprising inserting a smaller diameter cylindrical shaft of a stamping/imprinting tool in the central opening and biasing the inner diameter of the disk into contact with the cylindrical shaft at a pre-selected location along the inner diameter of said disk during stamping/imprinting of a pre-selected pattern such as a servo pattern in at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the disk, the biasing creating a space between the inner diameter of the disk and the surface of the cylindrical shaft which has a maximum width at a location diametrically opposite said pre-selected location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Donald Everett Curtiss, Koichi Wago
  • Publication number: 20040264338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a duplicator for recording medium and a method for duplicating recording medium, wherein a fast duplicating effect is achieved by FIFO buffers and direct memory access controllers (DMACs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventor: Yu-Sheng Chou
  • Patent number: 6836385
    Abstract: Partial information such as the beginning data of each of chapters is read from a CD and written in a HDD 10 at a higher speed than that in a normal reproduction while the normal reproduction is carried out using a buffer memory 8. After the chapters relative to all CDs have been written in the HDD 10, reproduction is carried out in switching between the information remaining in the HDD 10 and the information included in the CD. This configuration makes it unnecessary to record the information beforehand, and permits an unreproduciable blank in reproduction to be filled with audio information during track search or CD change while the reproduction is carried out normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Naohara, Yasutaka Suzuki, Kazunori Matsuo, Tomomichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 6833969
    Abstract: A master information carrier for magnetic transfer has a concentric irregularity pattern representing information to be transferred to a disc-like magnetic recording medium. The top surface of the protruding portions of the irregularity pattern is formed of magnetic material. The irregularity pattern is formed so that the width L [nm] in a circumferential direction of a protruding portion at a distance R [nm] from the center satisfies the condition L=&agr;(&ohgr;·&Dgr;T·R), 0.8≦&agr;≦1.4, wherein &ohgr; represents in [rad/sec] the angular velocity of the magnetic recording medium when a signal is read out from the magnetic recording medium after the magnetic transfer and &Dgr;T represents in [sec] a desired signal time width of a reproduction signal waveform in a magnetization transition region corresponding to an interval between the ends of the protruding portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Usa, Kazunori Komatsu
  • Patent number: 6831795
    Abstract: A data recording system for providing tamper proof recording has a housing; means to receive power to the system; an input port; at least one recording device; at least one storage device; a single cover with a locking means; a handling means to receive the storage devices following recording, stamp protective bags with indicia, seal the storage devices in the bags, and dispense the bags containing the storage devices through an output receptacle; an open button to unlock the cover only when no storage devices are in the system; input code keys and display for stamping indicia on the bags; a start key to lock the cover and activate recording; an off/eject key to stop the recording process and transfer the storage devices to the handling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Inventor: Timothy D. Burns
  • Publication number: 20040223244
    Abstract: To enable alignment of a magnetic pattern of a pair of master disks and a magnetic recording medium, each of the master disks has at least a pair of alignment marks disposed outside the region of the magnetic pattern. The master disks can be optically transparent or semi-transparent. The master disks can be aligned while the alignment marks are externally observed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC DEVICE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yoshimura, Kiminori Sato
  • Publication number: 20040223245
    Abstract: This invention relates to a communication system including a first apparatus having a first storage medium, and a second apparatus for transmitting data to the first apparatus, the second apparatus comprising: a second storage medium for storing management information of data to be transferred to the first storage medium; communication means for communicating data with the first apparatus; edit means capable of editing the management information; and control means for making a control to transfer data stored in the second storage medium to the first storage medium by way of the communication means on the basis of the management information edited by the edit means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Morohashi
  • Patent number: 6816327
    Abstract: A master information carrier for magnetic transfer to an in-plane magnetic recording medium includes a base sheet having an irregularity pattern representing information to be transferred to an in-plane magnetic recording medium and a magnetic layer formed along the irregularity pattern. The thickness da1 of the magnetic layer on the upper surface of a protruding portion of the irregularity pattern and the thickness da2 of the magnetic layer on each of the side surfaces of the protruding portion satisfy the following condition, 0.05<da2/da1≦1.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nishikawa, Kazuhiro Niitsuma, Tadashi Yasunaga, Toshihiro Usa, Kazunori Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20040218299
    Abstract: Rotary positioners integrally and pivotally stack a read magnetic head for reading a master disk and servo heads for writing to each surface of magnetic disks, the master disk and magnetic disks being stacked on a shaft of a spindle motor. Every surface of every magnetic disk is written by the servo heads in parallel while sharing a range of tracks. Simultaneously with the writing, checking magnetic heads stacked on a checking-dedicated rotary positioner read written data on the master disk and on each surface of the magnetic disks. A comparison logic circuit compares the read data from the magnetic disk surfaces with the data from the master disk. If an inconsistency is found, the contents of the master disk are overwritten on the corresponding magnetic disk surface through a correction servo pattern generator by the checking magnetic head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Narumi Sato, Kiminori Sato
  • Patent number: 6807023
    Abstract: Each of slave recorders includes a rotary drum, heads mounted on the rotary drum at positions spaced from a phase reference position on the rotary drum by different angular intervals respectively, and an arrangement for selecting at least one from the heads as an active head in accordance with a designated recording mode. Non-delayed stream data are delayed by a delay time interval to form delayed stream data. A distributor operates for distributing the delayed stream data to the slave recorders. Each of the slave recorders records the delayed stream data on a slave recording medium by the active head. The delay time interval corresponds to the angular interval between the phase reference position and the position of the active head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Satoh, Noriyuki Nakazawa, Hiroshi Takaku
  • Patent number: 6807362
    Abstract: A heuristically derived unsuitability score is computed and used as an input for metaphorical springs in which each selected video segment from recorded video of a video camera is associated with a metaphorical spring that maintains the selected segment at an optimal length while being responsive to a global system spring whose spring strength determines a final length of a final edited output video. Accordingly, user-specified changes to the final length of the final output video automatically lengthen or shorten the lengths of individual segments in such a way that high quality video segments having low unsuitability scores are emphasized over low quality video segments having high unsuitability scores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Andreas Girgensohn, John S. Boreczky, John J. Doherty, Patrick Chiu, Lynn D. Wilcox
  • Publication number: 20040201912
    Abstract: Positioning portions are provided on part of respective center holes of master carriers on the front and back sides of a magnetic disk medium. At the time of magnetic transfer, the master carriers are superimposed on the magnetic disk medium such that the master carriers sandwich the magnetic disk medium by matching the positioning portions to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hisashi Tsubata
  • Patent number: 6804781
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for securing confidential information. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises a memory configured to save the confidential information, a decryption key, and a processor configured to encrypt the confidential information when received, configured to store the encrypted confidential information in the memory, configured to decrypt the confidential information when the confidential information is accessed by another component, and further configured to erase the decryption key after a component has accessed the confidential information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Eugene Villa Castro
  • Patent number: 6797072
    Abstract: A process for restoring magnetic recording tape damaged by “Sticky Shed” syndrome cleans magnetic tapes of the Backcoating which is causing their eventual degradation and destruction. The Backcoating is first removed in a multi-step process. A liquid cleaner, such as isopropyl alcohol, is applied to the Backcoating to dissolve it from and clean it off the Mylar Base. Before the liquid cleaner is applied, steps are taken to prevent the cleaner fluid from getting onto the Oxide side of the tape. The chemical cleaning is done as quickly as possible. The second step is to dry clean the Base surface of the tape to remove the remaining solvent and the debris of any remaining Backcoating. Then, the Oxide side of the tape is given a dry, non-chemical cleaning to remove the residue of contamination of the Backcoating which was deposited on the Oxide side of the tape as the result of physical contact with the Backcoating from the storage on the reel of tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Inventor: Charles A. Richardson
  • Patent number: 6798590
    Abstract: A contact magnetic transfer method for forming a pattern of magnetized servo regions in the magnetic recording layer of a rigid magnetic recording disk uses a flexible master disk and a differential gas pressure to press the patterns of the master disk against the slave disk. The master disk is a flexible plastic film with islands of magnetic shielding material extending above the film surface, the islands forming a pattern representative of the servo pattern to be formed in the recording layer of the disk. The plastic film is sealed at the outer periphery of the opening of a pressure chamber with the islands located outside the chamber. The previously DC-magnetized slave disk is brought into gentle contact with the islands and gas pressure inside the chamber is increased to slightly above atmospheric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Albrecht, Zvonimir Z. Bandic
  • Patent number: 6794062
    Abstract: In the performance of a magnetic transfer utilizing a magnetic transfer master medium, the occurrence of signal omissions in the magnetic data transferred to the slave medium is prevented. By forming the protrusion portions of the uneven pattern formed on the surface of the master medium so that the width thereof in the direction of the track pitch is narrower than said track width, no depression portions that are surrounded on all four sides by protrusion portions are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Tsubata, Makoto Nagao
  • Patent number: 6785070
    Abstract: A magnetic transcription device for transcribing information signals of a master information carrier in a magnetic recording medium by applying a magnetic field generated by magnetic field generating means to a contact body obtained by contacting the master information carrier having a base on which ferromagnetic bodies corresponding to the information signals are formed with a magnetic recording medium having a ferromagnetic layer, wherein the magnetic recording medium includes driving means for adjusting a distance between the magnetic field generating means and the contact body while rotating the magnetic field generating means relative to the contact body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Taniguchi, Kaoru Matsuoka, Taizou Hamada, Hideyuki Hashi, Yasuaki Ban, Tatsuaki Ishida
  • Patent number: 6778344
    Abstract: Copying, dubbing or reproducing copyrighted digital data can be inhibited or restricted to properly protect a copyright. AV data recorded on a pre-recorded tape is output from a reproducing unit of a first digital VCR with protective information indicating whether the copy of the AV data is inhibited or not. The protective information is input with the A/V data to a second digital VCR. Copy permission information of a blank tape loaded in the second digital VCR is discriminated and the second digital VCR records the AV data supplied from the first digital VCR based on the protective information and the copy permission information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Sugiyama, Etsurou Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6778265
    Abstract: A method for copying a recorded series of bits from a first location to a second location on a rewritable disc media. The method includes the steps of selectively marking a beginning point and an end point of a segment of the recorded series of bits, and a location to which said segment is to be copied prior tp said reading step. Subsequently, video data comprising at least a portion of the segment of the recorded series of bits to be copied is read from the disk and stored in a track buffer of a DVD device. At least part of the video data from the track buffer is subsequently transferred directly from the track buffer to the record buffer by a control processor of the DVD device. Finally, the portion of the video data stored in the track buffer is written to the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Shu Lin, Mark Alan Schultz
  • Publication number: 20040141246
    Abstract: A hard disk drive is duplicated by copying a data area of a source hard disk drive to a target hard disk drive. A host protected area (HPA) of a source hard disk drive is detected if the source hard disk drive has a host protected area, and the host protected area of the source hard disk drive is copied to the target hard disk drive if a host protected area was detected on the source hard disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Gateway, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Kroening
  • Patent number: 6762892
    Abstract: A master information carrier is made to overlap with a magnetic recording medium being a magnetic recording medium in an adhering state, and a pattern corresponding to information signals on the master information carrier is transferred to the magnetic recording medium, thereby magnetically transferring a magnetized pattern of information signals to the magnetic recording medium. Thereafter, an urging force to the magnetic recording medium side is applied to the master information carrier, and in the urging force applied state, a gas under pressure is supplied on the adhering/joining surfaces of the master information carrier and the magnetic recording medium, thereby releasing the adhering state of the master information carrier and the magnetic recording medium. Then, the application of the urging force is released to continue the supply of the gas under pressure, thereby pulling away the master information carrier from the magnetic recording medium and moving them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taizou Hamada, Hideyuki Hashi
  • Publication number: 20040130814
    Abstract: A real-time reproduction determination unit determines whether or not AV data recorded in recording areas on an optical disc can be reproduced in a real-time manner. If the AV data recorded on the optical disc cannot be reproduced in a real-time manner, a compile simulation unit and a compile execution unit respectively select extents from the AV data recorded on the optical disc and relocate the extents to a relocation area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Shiro Hagihara, Hisao Tanaka, Hideki Ando, Masaki Hirose, Satoshi Katsuo, Takashi Furukawa, Takayoshi Kawamura, Motohiro Terao
  • Patent number: 6757116
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a patterned data/information storage and retrieval medium in the form of an annular disk having an outer diameter, a central opening defining an inner diameter, and opposed first and second major surfaces, the method including inserting a smaller diameter cylindrical shaft of a stamping/imprinting tool in the central opening and biasing the inner diameter of the disk into contact with the cylindrical shaft at a pre-selected location along the inner diameter of the disk during stamping/imprinting of a pre-selected pattern such as a servo pattern in at least one of the first and second major surfaces of the disk, the biasing creating a space between the inner diameter of the disk and the surface of the cylindrical shaft which has a maximum width at a location diametrically opposite the pre-selected location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Donald Everett Curtiss, Koichi Wago