Patents Examined by Brian Butcher
  • Patent number: 9911463
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a controller-implemented method collecting data relating to operation of a tape drive, storing the collected data in wrap sections of a tape map, where the wrap sections of the tape map correlate to physical lengths of tape. The method also includes and storing a subset of the collected data in a slice region upon at least one of experiencing a first trigger condition and reaching a predefined location on a tape. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Pamela R. Nylander-Hill
  • Patent number: 9899051
    Abstract: An information recording and playback device includes a recording and playback unit, and a controller. The controller divides a recording area of an optical disk into a first recording area which is at an inner circumference side, and a second recording area which is at an outer circumference side. The controller controls the recording and playback unit such that the unit records or plays back data in the first recording area at a first speed, and records or plays back data in the second recording area at a second speed slower than the first speed. The predetermined radius is set to a boundary between an area in which a control residual exceeds a predetermined reference value when servo control related to focusing and tracking is performed on the recording area of the optical disk, and an area in which the control residual does not exceed the predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Harumitsu Miyashita, Akihito Yoshimi, Yoshihisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9842622
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving read failure tolerance during read-modify-write operations of data storage systems accommodating a host that uses a logical sector of a size smaller than the physical sector size of the data storage system. In one embodiment, the data storage system can perform sector indirection in response to a read error during a read-modify-write command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Monroe, Scott E. Burton
  • Patent number: 9818436
    Abstract: A thermal assisted magnetic recording head that performs magnetic recording while locally heating a magnetic recording medium includes: a plasmon generator that generates a surface plasmon and that generates near-field light from the surface plasmon on a front end surface positioned on an air bearing surface opposing the magnetic recording medium; a dielectric body layer positioned around the plasmon generator; and an adhesion layer positioned between the plasmon generator and the dielectric body layer. The adhesion layer is made from at least one of IrOx, RuOx, NiOx and CoOx.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shimazawa, Shuji Okame, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Takafumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9818439
    Abstract: A change in servo active gain control values is determined from a beginning of a writing of a test region of a recording medium to an end of the writing of the test region. The servo active gain control values are read from servo marks by a read transducer of a read/write head during the writing. After writing of the test region, the test region is read by the read transducer to determine a change in recorded amplitude from the beginning of the writing to the end of the writing. A gamma value of the read/write head is determined based on the change in servo active gain control values and the change in recorded amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Jason Riddering, Huazhou Lou
  • Patent number: 9812156
    Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a main pole and a plasmon generator. The main pole has a front end face located in the medium facing surface. The plasmon generator has a near-field light generating surface located in the medium facing surface. The front end face of the main pole includes a first end face portion and a second end face portion. The second end face portion is located farther from the near-field light generating surface than is the first end face portion, and is greater than the first end face portion in width in the track width direction. The first end face portion and the near-field light generating surface are equal in width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Ito, Shigeki Tanemura, Hideo Mamiya, Hironori Araki, Seiichiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 9786312
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hologram reproducing apparatus and a hologram reproducing method, which are suitable for reproducing hologram. The purpose can be achieved by means of a hologram reproducing apparatus, which reproduces information signals by irradiating an optical information recording medium with reference light, and a hologram reproducing method for the hologram reproducing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Yamazaki, Tatsuro Ide
  • Patent number: 9786320
    Abstract: A system includes a first sync mark detector circuit operable to apply a first sync mark detection algorithm to search a received media sector and overhead for a second sync mark after a failure to identify a first sync mark. A second sync mark detector circuit operable to apply a second sync mark detection algorithm to search the received media sector and overhead for the second sync mark. An anchor point identification circuit identifies an anchor point in the received media sector. A retry controller circuit causes a re-read of the received media sector and overhead when the first sync mark detector circuit fails to identify the first sync mark, and aligns the received media sector to yield an aligned media sector. A data processing circuit recovers an original user data set from the aligned media sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Yuqing Yang, Shaohua Yang
  • Patent number: 9786313
    Abstract: An optical-information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention is capable of carrying out position detection of a reproduction image even if reproduction image data with incomplete alignment marks (markers) is obtained. A relative correlation value is calculated from a first correlation value retained by a first correlation-value retaining unit and a second correlation value retained by a second correlation-value retaining unit, and pass/fail of a position detection result of the marker is judged according to the relative correlation value. The pass/fail of the position detection result is judged by mutually comparing the detection positions of the markers judged as passes by the relative correlation-value judgement, the positions of the markers judged as fail by the relative correlation-value judgement or the mutual position judgement is complemented, and the position of two-dimensional data is detected based on the pass-judged markers and the complemented markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hiatchi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Neo, Nobutaka Amada
  • Patent number: 9773521
    Abstract: In recording technologies for batch formation of a plurality of recording bits in a recording medium by forming a plurality of optical spots using an ultrashort pulse laser and a spatial optical modulator, the batch recordable bit number has an upper limit, resulting in restricted recording speed. The intensity of the optical spot is corrected to increase the batch recordable bit number for increasing the recording speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Imai, Koichi Watanabe, Manabu Shiozawa
  • Patent number: 9761264
    Abstract: A light information recording/reproducing apparatus can improve the optical efficiency of an optical system at the time of reproduction to thereby improve the reproduction transfer rate. An optical element (for example, an optical isolator), which removes a return light beam of a light beam, is arranged such that the light beam passes through the optical element at the time of recording information in an optical information recording medium and such that the light beam does not pass through the optical element at the time of reproducing information from the optical information recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nagasawa, Kazuyoshi Yamazaki, Kenichi Shimada
  • Patent number: 9754619
    Abstract: In an optical disc apparatus for reproducing information recorded on a track of an optical disc, an optical head irradiates a light beam onto the track, detects a reflected light reflected by the track, and generates a reproduction signal based on the reflected light. A decoder circuit decodes the reproduction signal, and generates a decoded signal including information recorded on the track. A correlation detector circuit calculates a cross-correlation value between the reproduction signal and the decoded signal. A servo circuit detects a deviation amount of an irradiation position of the light beam onto the track, from the reproduction signal, and controls the irradiation position of the optical head based on the cross-correlation value and the deviation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohei Nakata
  • Patent number: 9747942
    Abstract: A storage device controller is configured to select one of multiple written track widths for a storage location based on a write attribute of data to be recorded at the storage location. According to one implementation, the storage device controller is further configured to select a power level for a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) device based on the write attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Wenzhong Zhu, Tim Rausch, Edward Gage
  • Patent number: 9741383
    Abstract: A track of an optical disk is formed by wobbling and divided into zones, a clock ratio of a recording clock to a wobble clock is preset for each zone, a wobble signal is detected from the optical disk, the wobble clock is generated from the wobble signal, a present position is identified by reproducing ADIP indicating a position of the track from the wobble signal and the wobble clock, the recording clock is generated with respect to the wobble clock, a data address present position is identified from the present position, a start end position of the ADIP in a recording target zone, a start end position of the data address in the recording target zone, and the clock ratio, a recording start position is identified based on the data address present position; and the data is recorded from the recording start position of the recording target zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Nakata, Yasumori Hino, Harumitsu Miyashita, Junichi Minamino, Yoshihisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9741364
    Abstract: A storage device disclosed herein stores data on a storage media using interlaced magnetic recording (IMR) and it includes a storage controller configured to determine power levels applied to the power source such that power levels applied to heat various tracks can be different from each other. An implementation of the storage device determines the track density, linear densities and power levels for even and odd tracks in IMR HAMR for the storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Tim Rausch, Minjie Ma, Kaizhong Gao, Edward Gage
  • Patent number: 9741363
    Abstract: A storage device disclosed herein stores data on a storage media using interlaced magnetic recording (IMR) and it includes a storage controller configured to determine power levels applied to the power source such that power levels applied to heat various tracks can be different from each other. An implementation of the storage device determines the track density, linear densities and power levels for even and odd tracks in IMR HAMR for the storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Minjie Ma, Kaizhong Gao, Edward Gage, Tim Rausch
  • Patent number: 9734848
    Abstract: A method for writing data onto a medium on which data are stored in tracks includes encoding the data into at least one codeword, and writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different tracks on the medium. The writing may include writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different adjacent tracks on the medium. Another method for reading data includes positioning a plurality of read heads to read codewords that have been written across multiple tracks of a medium. Each read head in the plurality of read heads reads a different portion of the first group of the multiple tracks, and where each different portion of the multiple tracks overlaps at least one other different portion of the multiple tracks. Signals are detected from the plurality of read heads, and the detected signals are decoded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Nedeljko Varnica, Panu Chaichanavong, Gregory Burd
  • Patent number: 9728219
    Abstract: An optical information recording/reproduction device is capable of appropriately correcting the angle of a reference beam during data reproduction even when a wavelength deviation or an angle deviation in multiplexing and vertical directions of the reference beam occurs in a holographic memory recording medium. The optical information reproduction device has a laser light source that generates a reference beam; an image-capturing unit that detects a diffraction ray to be reproduced from the optical information recoding medium; and an optical detection unit that has at least two light-receiving surfaces and is used for detecting a diffraction ray reproduced by irradiating the reference beam on the optical information recording medium. The device also has a light-shielding unit that shields part of the diffraction ray detected by the optical detection unit; and an error signal calculation unit that generates an error signal from a detection signal outputted by the optical detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9720622
    Abstract: An apparatus for reading out information from an information carrier includes a reading unit for reading out user information and access information from the information carrier. The user information are stored in a first region of the information carrier and the access information are stored in a second region of the information carrier. The apparatus further includes an access controller for providing access to the user information in dependence on the access information. The access information are stored in a first portion of the second region, and the dummy information are stored in a second portion of the second region according to a similar format as used for storing the access information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Aalbert Stek, Martinus W. Blum, Bart Van Rompaey
  • Patent number: 9679595
    Abstract: A method comprises sensing for thermal asperities while sequentially scanning a plurality of tracks of a magnetic recording medium in a first direction relative to an inner or outer diameter of the medium. The method comprises halting the scanning at a first track in response to detecting a thermal asperity at the first track, and skipping a predetermined number of tracks in the first direction to a second track. The method also comprises sensing for the thermal asperity while sequentially scanning the plurality of tracks beginning with the second track in a second direction opposite the first direction. The method further comprises halting the scanning at a third track in response to detecting the thermal asperity at the third track, and logging the first and third tracks as tracks between which the thermal asperity is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Lihong Zhang, Xiong Liu, Samuel Gan