Abstract: An apparatus includes a read/write head disposed on a slider, a control circuit disposed on the slider, and an adjustable delay line disposed on the slider. The adjustable delay line delays transmission of aligned write data to the read/write head by an adjustable delay. The adjustable delay is controlled by the control circuit a function of read synchronization data provided by the read/write head.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus and method. The apparatus comprises a mounting structure, a motor mechanically attached to mounting structure, and a data storage platter mechanically attached to the motor. The apparatus additionally comprises a single actuator arm comprising a first and second read/write data head or multiple radial movement mechanisms each comprising a read/write data head. The single actuator arm is configured to move axially along an arc and across a top surface of the data storage platter such that the first read/write data head has access to a first section and a second section of the data storage platter and the second read/write data head only has access to the second section of data storage platter. Each radial movement mechanism moves a different read/write data head radially all along a radius of the data storage platter and over and across different sections of the data storage platter.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a drive signal for a motor-driven mechanical system whose frequency distribution has zero (or near zero) energy at the expected resonant frequency of the mechanical system. The drive signal may be provided as a pair of steps sufficient to activate movement of the mechanical system and then park the mechanical system at a destination position. The steps are spaced in time so as to have substantially zero energy at an expected resonant frequency fR of the mechanical system. The drive signal may be filtered to broaden a zero-energy notch at the expected resonant frequency fR.

Abstract: A drive signal for a motor-driven mechanical system has zero (or near zero) energy at an expected resonant frequency of the mechanical system. The drive signal may be provided in a series of steps according to a selected row of Pascal's triangle, wherein the number of steps equals the number of entries from the selected row of Pascal's triangle, each step has a step size corresponding to a respective entry of the selected row of Pascal's triangle, and the steps are spaced from each other according to a time constant determined by an expected resonant frequency of the mechanical system.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus and method. The apparatus comprises a mounting structure, a motor mechanically attached to mounting structure, and a data storage platter mechanically attached to the motor. The apparatus additionally comprises a single actuator arm comprising a first and second read/write data head or multiple radial movement mechanisms each comprising a read/write data head. The single actuator arm is configured to move axially along an arc and across a top surface of the data storage platter such that the first read/write data head has access to a first section and a second section of the data storage platter and the second read/write data head only has access to the second section of data storage platter. Each radial movement mechanism moves a different read/write data head radially all along a radius of the data storage platter and over and across different sections of the data storage platter.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a disc rotation mechanism 2 for allowing an optical disc 1 having an information recording face to be placed thereon and rotating the optical disc 1; an optical pickup 3 including an engaging section and irradiating the information recording face with a light beam to perform at least one of information recording and information reproduction; a base main body 13 for rotatably supporting the optical pickup and having the disc rotation mechanism; a driving source 5, supported by the base main body, for generating a force for rotating the optical pickup; and a driving force transmission mechanism 610 supported by the base main body, including a worm, and engaged with the engaging section to transmit a driving force of the driving source to the optical pickup, thereby rotating the optical pickup.

Abstract: A small form factor optical disk drive is provided that incorporates a SIL/objective lens assembly. A laser for the small form factor optical disk drive has a coherence function having maxima spaced apart by intervals. The optical disk drive is configured such that a roundtrip optical path through the SIL/objective lens assembly is such that a coherence value for the laser is located in one of the intervals.

Abstract: A small form factor optical disk drive is provided that incorporates a hybrid solid immersion objective lens (SIOL). The SIOL includes a central aspheric lens portion and a surrounding diffractive optical element portion.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optical waveguide, a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, and an optical element for splitting a light beam into a plurality of beams that strike the grating at different angles of incidence.

Abstract: A small-sized optical disc drive includes one voice coil motor magnet within which a tracking coil and two focusing coils are disposed such that the tracking coil straddles the two poles of permanent magnets that are adjacently disposed. The two focusing coils are disposed on either side of the tracking coil, with each of the two focusing coils being only disposed over one of the permanent magnets.

Abstract: A method and miniaturizable device is described to read/write information to an optical storage medium (11). A device comprises one or more light sources (12) bounded up with an access unit (10) which is arranged to be controllable to a position, in which light beams (21, 22) are transmitted transversal towards an optical storage medium, and reflected light beams (33) are analysed by a detector element (18, 26) which further informs the access unit whether to move or stand still to keep light beams in focus and on track. A device according to the invention is possible to implement in a small size and low weight due to reduced component count and thin access unit geometries. A communication device (80) according to the invention may be implemented to fulfil a crucial need for ultraminiature range of communication devices.

Abstract: In an objective lens driving apparatus which includes a lens holder (22) provided with a plurality of coils (23, 24) and swingably supported by a suspension wire (28), and a magnet (27) for supplying a driving force to the lens holder by an electromagnetic action produced between the magnet and the coils, the center (Mc) of the magnet in a height direction is located above the center (Dc) of driving of the lens holder.

Abstract: An optical pickup device of a micro optical disc drive comprises: a tracking actuator hinge-coupled to a deck rotatably in a tracking direction; a tracking arm coupled to the tracking actuator; a focusing arm connected to the tracking arm rotatably in a focusing direction; a connection member for connecting the tracking arm and the focusing arm so as to rotate the focusing arm; and a focusing actuator having a coil and a magnet at oppositely corresponding positions of the tracking arm and the focusing arm, for driving the focusing arm in a focusing direction.

Abstract: There is provided a compact optical disc apparatus having a small footprint actuator. A tracking coil of a swing arm-type actuator is disposed substantially perpendicular to an arm and on the opposite side to an optical disc loading slot with respect to the line connecting the center of rotation of the optical disc to the center of swing movement of the actuator. A pair of permanent magnets are disposed such that they face the tracking coil and they are opposite in polarity. The tracking coil is disposed on both the permanent magnets such that the tracking coil straddles the boundary of the pair of permanent magnets.

Abstract: An optical head of a type useable in a optical disk reader/writer is provided. The optical head has a low profile, e.g., in a vertical direction parallel to the disk spin axis, such as less than about 5 mm preferably less than about 3 mm. Substantially all components of the optical system, including a laser source, objective lens, intervening optics and photo detector are provided in the optical head and mounted in a fixed position with respect to one another. Substantially all optical components of the optical head are moved as a unit, e.g., during tracking and/or focusing. Preferably, the optical head is fabricated using wafer scale and/or stacking technologies, e.g., stacking substantially planar components to achieve the final optical head configuration.

Abstract: An optical reading and writing system including a base; an optical disk rotatably mounted on the base; an optical pickup including an objective lens, focusing a light beam to form a light spot on a recording surface of the optical disk; an actuator arm mounted on the base such that the actuator arm can pivot in the radial direction of the optical disk by a voice coil motor; a load beam supported by the actuator arm, and capable of moving slightly up and down and in the radial direction of the optical disk by an external force; a flexure attached to the load beam, supporting a slider to enable the slider to contact the recording surface; and a driving unit mounted on free ends of the actuator arm and the load beam, providing a driving force in the radial direction to the free end of the load beam.

Abstract: A micro actuator for controlling a focal depth includes: a lens for forming a focal point by focusing light coming from a light source; a lens mounting unit having a lens mounted therein and allowing the lens to move in one axial direction; and an electromagnetic force generator consisting of a constant magnetic field generating member having a magnetic field in a predetermined direction and a variable magnetic field generating member for changing direction and strength of a magnetic field according to direction and amount of a current, installed at and around the lens mounting unit and causing the lens to move in a direction of an electromagnetic force generated by interaction of the two magnetic field generating members. The micro actuator for controlling a focal depth can be fabricated in a ultra-compact size, available for a mass production, and has a fast response speed.

Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus is used for accurately positioning an abject to focus a light spot on an optical recording medium. A lens holder holds the objective lens and has a bearing hole through which a shaft extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis so that the lens holder is rotatably supported on the shaft. Two magnets are supported on the lens holder so that the shaft is between the magnets. A base has two magnetic members disposed such that each of the two magnets exerts an attraction force on a corresponding one of the two magnetic members to urge the lens holder in a direction of the optical axis and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. A first coil set of first focusing and tracking coils and a second coil set of focusing and tracking coils are mounted to the two magnetic members.

Abstract: A system for controlling a distance between an optical head and the surface of a rotating optical disk comprising: an actuator arm having a first and second surface, the first surface facing the optical disk, the second surface facing away from the optical disk; an electromagnetic coil having an inner void, said coil adjacent to the second surface of the arm; and at least one permanent magnet producing a magnetic field that passes through the coil such that when an electric current is applied to the coil, a force is created at two or more segments of the coil.

Abstract: High-capacity pick-up mechanisms operable for selectively reading data from and/or writing data to one or more surfaces of one or more optical storage media are disclosed. These mechanisms comprise a first pivotable structure, a second pivotable structure, a first reflective element, a second reflective element, a light source, and a light receiving device. The light source and the light receiving device are remotely located from the reflective elements via the pivotable structures, and only the reflective elements and a portion of the pivotable structure are positioned adjacent the surface of an optical storage medium. High-capacity optical read/write devices and systems comprising these high-capacity pick-up mechanisms are also disclosed.

Abstract: High-speed pick-up mechanisms operable for reading data from and/or writing data to an optical storage medium are disclosed. These mechanisms comprise a pivotable structure, a reflective element, a light source, a light receiving device, and an actuation device. The light source and the light receiving device are remotely located from the reflective element via the pivotable structure, and only the reflective element and a portion of the pivotable structure are positioned adjacent the surface of an optical storage medium. High-speed optical read/write devices and systems comprising these high-speed pick-up mechanisms are also disclosed. Additionally, high-speed methods for reading data from and/or writing data to an optical storage medium are disclosed.

Abstract: An optical pickup device of a micro optical disc drive comprises: a tracking actuator hinge-coupled to a deck rotatably in a tracking direction; a tracking arm coupled to the tracking actuator; a focusing arm connected to the tracking arm rotatably in a focusing direction; a connection member for connecting the tracking arm and the focusing arm so as to rotate the focusing arm; and a focusing actuator having a coil and a magnet at oppositely corresponding positions of the tracking arm and the focusing arm, for driving the focusing arm in a focusing direction.

Abstract: The storage media recording/writing system includes a media drive circuit, a head retaining means, a head moving means, a head drive circuit, a signal processing circuit, and a controller to control these. The head drive circuit possesses a first semiconductor integrated circuit having an amplifier that amplifies the read signal from the head, and a second semiconductor integrated circuit placed between the first semiconductor integrated circuit and the signal processing circuit, which has a circuit that receives write data from the signal processing circuit and generates a drive signal to drive a write head. Further, the first semiconductor integrated circuit is mounted on a part near the front of the head retaining means, and the second semiconductor integrated circuit is installed on the side of the moving means.

Abstract: An optical head utilizes a micro-machined element in combination with a light source and a lens to write and read data onto a storage disk. The micro-machined element may include a steerable micro-machined mirror or a micro-actuator. A beam of laser light transmitted from the light source to the optical head and a reflected light from the storage disk is altered by a movement of the micro-machined element. In this manner a focused optical spot is scanned back and forth in a direction which is approximately parallel to the radial direction of the storage disk.

Abstract: It is an optical information recording and reading apparatus for recording and/or reading information at a high density by using a near-field light-generating device as a near-field optical head. The end surface of the core of a flexible optical waveguide is formed in an intermediate position in the optical waveguide and in a portion fixed to the near-field optical head. Light for recording and reading information is spread within the clad. The spread light flux is reflected toward the near-field optical head by a reflective surface formed on the side of one end of the optical waveguide. The reflected light flux is collected by light-collecting structures and then is made to enter an optical minute aperture formed in the near-field optical head. Near-field light is created near the minute aperture. Light scattered by the surface of the recording medium is received. Thus, information on the recording medium can be recorded and read.

Abstract: An optical pickup assembly includes an optical pickup unit (OPU), a thermally conductive plate, and a flex circuit. The flex circuit is mounted atop the plate. The OPU is also mounted atop the plate through a cutout of the flex circuit. Alternatively, the flex circuit is mounted below the plate and the OPU is mounted atop the plate. The optical pickup assembly further includes an actuator arm. The OPU is mounted on the actuator arm with a portion of the plate contacting the actuator arm.

Abstract: An optical assembly including a service loop extended from a focus section of an actuator arm. A portion of the service loop bends when a tracking section of the actuator arm rotates around a tracking axis while a portion of the flex circuit twists when the focus section of the actuator arm rotates around a focus axis.

Abstract: An objective lens driving apparatus is used for accurately positioning an abject to focus a light spot on an optical recording medium. A lens holder holds the objective lens and has a bearing hole through which a shaft extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis so that the lens holder is rotatably supported on the shaft. Two magnets are supported on the lens holder so that the shaft is between the magnets. A base has two magnetic members disposed such that each of the two magnets exerts an attraction force on a corresponding one of the two magnetic members to urge the lens holder in a direction of the optical axis and in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. A first coil set of first focusing and tracking coils and a second coil set of focusing and tracking coils are mounted to the two magnetic members.

Abstract: An optical head includes (1) a stationary optical unit fixed to a body of the optical disk drive, (2) a rotary arm rotatable along a surface of the optical disk, which carries an object lens which converges the light on the optical disk, and (3) a light-introducing system which directs the light from the light source module to the rotary arm so that the light proceeds in the rotary arm to reach the object lens.

Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus for at least one of recording and reproducing information on a recording medium utilizing near-field light has a suspension arm and a near-field light head mounted on the suspension arm. The near-field light head has a minute aperture, an optical waveguide for propagating light from a light source, and a reflection film for reflecting the light propagated by the optical waveguide and for irradiating the reflected light to the minute aperture to generate near-field light at the minute aperture for interaction with a recording medium. A light guiding structure guides light from the light source to the optical waveguide of the near-field light head.

Abstract: A swing arm driving type optical recording/reproducing apparatus includes a base, at least one optical disk rotatably installed on the base, both sides of which are information recording surfaces and a plurality of optical pickups which are equal in number to the information recording surfaces so as to form light spots on the respective information recording surfaces of the optical disk. Each optical pickup includes a light source for irradiating light. The apparatus also includes optical path changing units respectively arranged on optical paths between the light sources and respective ones of the information recording surfaces for changing the traveling paths of the lights and objective lenses arranged between the optical path changing units and the respective information recording surfaces for condensing incident light on the respective information recording surfaces.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus includes a light source, an objective lens, a slider to hold the lens, a suspension to support the slider, a mirror located below the slider, and a seek mechanism to move the mirror and the slider in the tracking direction of an optical disk to be used. The mirror upwardly reflects light traveling in a predetermined horizontal direction, thereby causing the reflected light to enter the objective lens arranged above the mirror. The mirror is rotatable about a prescribed axis for causing the reflected light to shift in the above-mentioned horizontal direction.

Abstract: An optical data storage system includes an optical disc and an armature adjacent the disc. An optical transducer mounted on the arm provides an optical beam output directed parallel to the plane of the disc. An optical actuator mounted on the arm and positioned in the optical beam adjusts the direction of the optical beam and a mirror is positioned to direct the optical beam in a direction perpendicular to the disc and toward the disc. An optical head is positioned at a distal end of the arm and is adapted to couple the optical beam to the optical disc. An arm actuator is coupled to the arm to move the arm relative to the disc and provide coarse positioning of the optical head relative to tracks on the disc. The optical actuator provides fine adjustment of the optical beam between tracks on the disc which are proximate the optical head due to the coarse adjustment by the arm actuator.

Abstract: A system for controlling a distance between an optical head and the surface of a rotating optical disk comprising: an actuator arm having a first and second surface, the first surface facing the optical disk, the second surface facing away from the optical disk; an electromagnetic coil having an inner void, said coil adjacent to the second surface of the arm; and at least one permanent magnet producing a magnetic field that passes through the coil such that when an electric current is applied to the coil, a force is created at two or more segments of the coil.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical system for an optical disc drive. The head is provided with a laser source, an objective optical system, and a deflection mirror provided between the laser source and the objective optical system. As the deflection mirror is rotated, the angle of incidence of the beam incident of the objective optical system changes so that a fine tracking is performed. When the deflection mirror is rotated, based on the rotation amount and a distance between the deflection mirror and the objective optical system, the deflection mirror is moved in a direction along which the laser beam is incident so that the laser beam deflected by the deflection mirror is incident on the objective optical system substantially at the same position regardless of rotation amount of the deflection mirror.

Abstract: A galvano mirror unit includes a galvano mirror, a rotor to which the galvano mirror is mounted, a stator that rotatably supports the rotor about a rotation axis, a pair of center pins provided to the stator, and a pair of receive members provided to the rotor. The receive members respectively receive the center pins. The rotor is pivoted by the engagement of the center pin and the receive member.

Abstract: A slider assembly for an optical disc drive includes a flyable slider supporting a pad with a pair of piezoelectric beams mounted to the pad to extend in spaced relation over the slider. An objective lens is mounted to the beams as to be cantilevered over the slider body. The beams are operable to deflect along the yawl axis of the slider to thereby move the objective lens and alter the position of the focal point. When operated independently, the beams rotate the objective lens about the roll axis of the slider to alter the radial position of the focal point. When operated together, the beams move the objective lens to focus the focal point relative to the recording medium. The beams are optionally operable to deflect along the pitch axis of the slider to thereby radially move the objective lens and alter the position of the focal point.

Abstract: An off-axis optical pickup mechanism for dual-sided optical storage discs comprises an optical pickup unit (OPU) connected to an optical pipe. A baffle is provided which surrounds the OPU and a cover is provided which is placed on top of the baffle. To be able to controllably rotate the optical pipe, a first gear is attached to the pipe. The first gear is meshed with the second gear which is connected to the motor. The optical pipe comprises a top hollow tube having a top channel and a bottom tube having a bottom channel, and a main body having a main channel. Each channel terminates to a lens element. The optical pickup mechanism should be positioned in an optical storage drive such that an optical storage disc can be placed in between the two lens element of the optical pipe.

Abstract: An optical head is provided for transmission of light between a source of light and a storage location along an optical path that includes at least one offset optical element.