Patents Examined by Brian E. Miller
  • Disc storage device and disc archive device
    Patent number: 10734034
    Abstract: Provided is a disc storage device including a casing capable of storing a stacked body including one or a plurality of disc recording media and a spacer interposed between the disc recording media and an inner surface of a bottom plate, a position regulating unit that regulates a storage position of the stacked body inside the casing, and a plurality of through holes formed in an area of the bottom plate of the casing where the spacer is provided, in which the spacer is adsorbed to tips of pins to be inserted through the through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kubo, Naofumi Goto
  • Areal density capability improvement with a main pole skin
    Patent number: 10734014
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The head includes a main pole at a media facing surface (MFS), a trailing shield at the MFS, and a heavy metal layer disposed between the main pole and the trailing shield at the MFS. Spin-orbit torque (SOT) is generated from the heavy metal layer and transferred to a surface of the main pole as a current passes through the heavy metal layer in a cross-track direction. The SOT executes a torque on the surface magnetization of the main pole, which reduces the magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield. With the reduced magnetic flux shunting from the main pole to the trailing shield, write-ability is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Suping Song, Zhanjie Li, Michael Kuok San Ho, Quang Le, Alexander M. Zeltser
  • Smart energy scavenging tag sensor
    Patent number: 10733394
    Abstract: A smart tag reading system is provided that has the ability to query sensor tags that have energy harvesting capability. In one embodiment, an adaptive reader system learns the state of each tag and how long the tag takes to charge. Tags that charge relatively quickly can be accessed more frequently. Others that do not charge as quickly, readings can be performed at much longer intervals allowing the tag a longer time to gather enough energy to complete the transaction. The reader query system can then adapt to the environment and state of the individual tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: INTERMEC IP CORP.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Kelly, Pavel Nikitin
  • Storage device and method for controlling rotation speed of fan of storage device
    Patent number: 10729035
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a storage device and a method of controlling a rotation speed of a fan of the storage device. The storage device comprises: a housing comprising an opening; a fan arranged at an end of the housing opposed to the opening; a tray comprising a plurality of partitions arranged in rows and being operable to be drawn out of or inserted into the housing via the opening in a longitudinal direction of the housing; a plurality of tray position detectors respectively arranged on the plurality of partitions and configured to detect a relative position of the tray with respect to the housing; and a controller adapted to adjust a rotation speed of the fan according to the relative position detected by the tray position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Haifang Zhai, Hendry Xiaoping Wu, Yujie Zhou, David Dong
  • Alternative designs for magnetic recording assisted by two spin hall effect (SHE) layers in the write gap
    Patent number: 10714136
    Abstract: A Spin Hall Effect (SHE) assisted magnetic recording device is disclosed wherein a stack of two SHE layers with an intermediate insulation layer is formed between a main pole (MP) trailing side and trailing shield (TS) bottom surface. Both SHE layers are a Spin Hall Angle (SHA) material with an absolute value for SHA>0.05 and each have front sides at the air bearing surface (ABS) or recessed therefrom. One current (I1) is applied between the MP trailing side and the first SHE layer and is spin polarized to generate spin transfer torque that tilts a local MP magnetization to a direction that enhances a MP write field. Second current (I2) is applied between the second SHE layer and TS and is spin polarized to generate spin transfer torque that tilts a local TS magnetization to a direction that increases the TS return field and improves bit error rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyu Chen, Yan Wu
  • Magnetic recording head and disk device including the same
    Patent number: 10714126
    Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a slider having an air bearing surface, a main magnetic pole including a fore-end portion that extends towards the air bearing surface and configured to generate recording magnetic fields in a first direction, a write shield magnetic pole located across from the fore-end portion to form a write gap that extends therebetween in a second direction and forming a magnetic core in conjunction with the main magnetic pole, a coil configured to excite a magnetic flux in the magnetic core, first and second spin-torque oscillators in the write gap and arranged along a third direction with a spacing therebetween, and a current circuit connected to the first and second spin-torque oscillators via the main magnetic pole and the write shield magnetic pole and configured to supply current to oscillate the first or second spin-torque oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuya Matsumoto
  • Vehicle control device having user authentication unit performing authentication of user of vehicle and vehicle use permission unit permitting use of vehicle by user
    Patent number: 10710553
    Abstract: In a vehicle control device, an authentication success information storage unit stores, when authentication of a user by a user authentication unit is successful, authentication success information in a memory. A vehicle use permission unit permits, in a situation, the use of a vehicle by the user on condition that the authentication success information is stored in the memory; the situation is such that after authentication of the user by the user authentication unit is successful, authentication of the user by the user authentication unit is impossible when second authentication information is obtained by a second authentication information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Mori, Atsuyuki Suzuki, Hiroyuki Adachi, Takahiro Komabayashi
  • Permanent magnet assisted magnetic recording
    Patent number: 10699731
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording writer is disclosed with a permanent magnet (PM) formed within a write gap (WG) that is between a main pole (MP) trailing side and a trailing shield. The PM has a magnetization that is anti-parallel to a WG field (HWG) when a transition is written thereby enhancing the MP field on a magnetic bit, and generates a PM field that assists the MP field. When HWG becomes saturated after the transition is written and exceeds PM coercivity that is from 500 Oe to 8000 Oe, PM magnetization flips to an opposite direction and reduces the MP field thereby improving adjacent track erasure. The PM may be at the air bearing surface (ABS) or recessed up to 50 nm from the ABS, and has a down-track thickness less than the WG thickness, and a cross-track width?to the track width of the MP trailing side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yan Wu
  • Dual symmetrical actuator hard disk drive
    Patent number: 10699730
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dual actuator magnetic storage device that comprises a housing, magnetic disks in the housing, an interface connector located proximate a first corner of the housing formed by a first short side and a first long side, a first voice coil motor proximate a second corner of the first short side and a second long side, a first carriage arm positioned near the first short side to move the first carriage arm relative to the magnetic disks, a second voice coil motor positioned proximate a second short side along the first long side, a second carriage arm positioned near the second short side and coupled to the second voice coil motor to move the second carriage arm. The interface connector is recessed into a base of the housing along the first short side to be near the first long side to provide electrical communication through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kouki Uefune, Toshifumi Kumano, Toshio Takahashi
  • Multichannel tape head module having thermal device for controlling span between transducers
    Patent number: 10692520
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a module having an array of transducers, and a heating element having multiple parts positioned proximate to the array of transducers. The multiple parts of the heating element are distinct from each other, where the multiple parts include a first part, a second part, and a third part. In addition, the first part includes a center portion and the second and third parts include a second portion and a third portion, respectively, and are positioned on opposite ends and a center portion positioned therebetween. The heating element is configured to produce more heat per unit length along the second and third portions at the opposite ends than in the center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn, Hugo E. Rothuizen
  • Actuator tip calibration for robotic optical storage system
    Patent number: 10692526
    Abstract: A calibration system includes a moveable arm configured for movement within an optical disc storage system. A disc kicker device includes a stop portion, an actuator and an actuator tip that contacts an optical disc. The disc kicker device is connected to the moveable arm. The calibration system: determines an operation state based on a stop position for the actuator tip in response to an applied torque to the disc kicker device, and performs alignment of the actuator tip with the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel F. Smith, David Jame Altknecht
  • Disc grabbing apparatus with different states for carrying and releasing disc
    Patent number: 10685677
    Abstract: A disc grabbing apparatus includes a body, a first rod and a second rod. The body includes a central shaft. The first rod includes a pushing portion and a first supporting portion sequentially disposed from top to bottom. The second rod includes a first groove and a second supporting portion sequentially disposed from top to bottom. The first and second rods define a disc region with respect to the central shaft. When the first rod and the second rod are in a first state, the pushing portion is located outside the disc region and the groove faces away from the disc region; when the first rod and the second rod rotate to a second state from the first state in a first rotation direction, the pushing portion is located within the disc region and the first groove faces the disc region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignees: LITE ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Chao Lee, Dong-Lin Jhong, Chien-Hsun Chen, Ming-Chun Tsao
  • Tape drive bearing temperature control
    Patent number: 10679662
    Abstract: A determination is made whether read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that read/write is enabled, a determination is made whether a temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value. In response to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, a determination is made of a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that the direction of travel is a forward direction, a first cooling device is powered on. The first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nhan X. Bui, Kevin B. Judd, Randy C. Inch, Mark A. Lantz, David H. F. Harper
  • Electronic lock with selectable power off function
    Patent number: 10676963
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for electronic locks with a selectable power off function. The electronic lock includes an electronic controller disposed within a lock housing and operable to control a state of the lock between locked and unlocked positions. An electronic actuator electrically coupled to the controller is movable between first and second positions corresponding to a locked position and an unlocked position of the lock, respectively. The electronic lock further includes at least one electrical energy storage device and a selector switch coupled to the controller to define a desired state of the lock between one of an electrically locked (EL) and an electrically unlocked (EU) state in an electric power off condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Sundar Raj Dore Vasudevan, Dilip Bangaru, Adam M. Litwinski, William B. Ainley, Russell L. Steiner, Michelle Vickrey
  • Disk drive with base and cover
    Patent number: 10672424
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a disk-shaped recording medium, a base accommodating the recording medium, the base including a bottom wall, a sidewall on a peripheral portion of the bottom wall, and a rib on a part of an upper surface of the sidewall, a first cover on a part of the upper surface of the sidewall, and a second cover on a first surface of the rib and above the first cover. The rib includes a first region with a first width, a second region with a second width less than the first width, and the first surface with a fixed width around an entire circumference of the rib. The first region and the second region are located corresponding to a side portion of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kato
  • Method and system for selecting and moving a single disc in an optical disc library
    Patent number: 10658001
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system comprising a motor and a disc selector mechanism. The disc selector mechanism is coupled to a bottom of a guide cage and maintained in a space below the cage. The disc selector mechanism comprises a shaft, transmission components, and a slide assembly that is laterally slidable along the shaft in response to the motor driving the transmission components. The slide assembly comprises a slide coupled to the shaft, a pivot bar coupled to the slide, and pick blades pivotally coupled to the pivot bar. A linear motion of the slide assembly along the shaft drives a linear translation of the pivot bar. The linear translation drives a pick blade of the slide assembly to move towards a side of the cage and out of the space and to pivot to a raised position to contact and lift a disc upwards into a disc gripper device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer
  • Disk device with dual actuator configuration
    Patent number: 10657993
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device comprises a plurality of rotatable magnetic disks, a first actuator assembly, and a second actuator assembly. A slit provided in each of arms of the first actuator assembly is provided to be offset in a direction spaced away from a border plane between actuator assemblies with respect to a center of the arm in its thickness direction. A connection end portion of a wiring member is partially located in the slit, such as to be offset in a direction spaced away from the border plane, and disposed on a wiring board, and joined to the wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Uehara, Yasutaka Sasaki
  • Ultimate double yoke (uDY) combined with one turn coil designs for perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR)
    Patent number: 10643640
    Abstract: A PMR writer is disclosed wherein a top yoke (TY) is extended toward the air bearing surface (ABS) and below a top coil for faster saturation speed and better frequency extendibility without wide adjacent track erasure trade-off. The TY extension has a front side recessed 0.9-1.3 microns from the ABS, and has a backside below an inner corner of a PP3 trailing shield that is 2-2.6 microns from the ABS. TY thickness is from 0.3-0.8 micron and the TY is preferably used with a 1+1T coil design, and a PP3 trailing shield apex angle of 60° to 80° for better high data rate performance. Magnetic modeling shows rise time is shorter than for a conventional TY. The top yoke design is compatible with various base writer structures. When used in selectable double writers or selectable triple writers, each writer has a separate TY, main pole, and bottom yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Liu, Ying Liu, Yuhui Tang, Jiun-Ting Lee
  • Controlled environment facility visitation system using personal devices
    Patent number: 10643416
    Abstract: A visitation system provides visitation sessions between a resident of a controlled-environment facility and a nonresident, where the nonresident utilizes a personal wireless devices that connects to a wireless access point that may be accessible from a designated visitation area of the facility. A connection request from a personal wireless device of a nonresident is evaluated to determine the personal wireless device is authorized to interface with the visitation system, and whether the nonresident is authorized to communicate with the resident. If authorized, a visitation session between the resident and the nonresident is initiated with the nonresident participating via the personal wireless device. The visitation system may respond to a visitation session request from a registered personal wireless device by sending an access code to the personal wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Securus Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew R. Smith
  • Slider with bondable surface opposite suspension trace
    Patent number: 10643645
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider which includes a slider body with a leading edge and a trailing edge and a plurality of slider bond pads disposed at the trailing edge. The slider bond pads are configured to align opposite to suspension trace bond pads on a suspension to form a solderable gap between the slider bond pads and the suspension trace bond pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Paul Davidson, Scott Damon Matzke, Christopher Unger, Aaron Collins