Patents Examined by Brian E. Miller
  • Patent number: 11900972
    Abstract: A flexure is described herein. The flexure includes a slider tongue with a proximal end and a distal end. The sliding tongue including a leading edge at the proximal end prone to contact an undersurface of a load beam attached to the flexure. The flexure also includes a magnetic read/write head slider attached to the slider tongue at the distal end, at least one PZT microactuator affixed to the slider tongue, between the proximal end and the distal end, and at least one dampening device at the leading edge of the slider tongue configured to reduce an impulse during a non-operational shock event and reduce stress on the at least one PZT microactuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: Kuen Chee Ee, David Glaess
  • Patent number: 11900974
    Abstract: A flexure is described, which includes conductive traces extending from a proximal end of the flexure to a distal end of the flexure. The flexure also includes a plurality of outer gimbal struts configured to define an opening at the proximal end of the flexure. The flexure also includes an oblong feature extending into the opening, the oblong feature defines an aperture. The conductive traces include a first semi-circular conductive trace portion overlapping a first section of the oblong feature at a proximal end of the aperture extending to a distal end of the aperture. The conductive traces include a second semi-circular conductive trace portion overlapping a second section of the oblong feature at a proximal end of the aperture extending to the distal end of the aperture. The first and second semi-circular conductive trace portions define the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: Treesoon Kotchaplayuk, Johnathan Hy-tho Phu, Kuen Chee Ee, David Glaess, Rakkiet Warinsirirux
  • Patent number: 11894028
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to data storage devices, and more specifically, to a magnetic media drive employing a magnetic recording head. The magnetic recording head comprises a main pole and a trailing shield disposed adjacent to the main pole. A recessed edge of the trailing shield has throat heights varying in the cross-track direction. In one embodiment, the central portion of the trailing shield has a first throat height greater than a second throat height of outer portions of the trailing shield. The trailing shield having varying throat heights in the cross-track direction strengthens the writing capability or improves the XTI of the magnetic recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quan-Chiu Harry Lam, Mark H. Burkhardt, El-Amine Salhi
  • Patent number: 11881235
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a magnetic recording head having an exchange biased leading shield or leading edge shield (LES). The LES is a bilayer structure. One or more layers are coupled below the LES such that the LES is disposed between the main pole and the one or more layers. The one or more layers exchange bias the LES such that the upper layer of the LES has a magnetization parallel to the magnetization of the trailing shield. The lower layer of the LES has a magnetization that is antiparallel to the magnetization of the upper layer of the LES. The one or more layers set the preferred direction for the lower layer of the LES and sets the LES as a two-domain state without relying upon the anisotropy field (Hk) of either the upper or lower layers of the LES.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Goncharov, Zhanjie Li, Terence T. Lam, Suping Song
  • Patent number: 11880736
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure identify radio frequency identification tag(s) and/or location(s) thereof. Embodiments may perform such identification utilizing any number of antennas configured at various power levels and/or frequency channels, such as by incrementing and/or decrementing the power level of each antenna and measuring a number of tag reads at interval for each antenna. Confidence scores for each antenna may be generated and compared. Some example embodiments initiate an interrogation command associated with a RFID tag, cause activation of a plurality of antennas at a plurality of transmit power levels, identify a count of tag reads associated with each antenna, and determine a tag location associated with the RFID tag based on the count of tag reads for each antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation
    Inventors: James Peternel, Shashidhar Ramamurthy
  • Patent number: 11869549
    Abstract: A suspension for a disk drive includes a plate member having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first penetration portion penetrating the first surface and the second surface, and a second penetration portion spaced from the first penetration portion and penetrating the first surface and the second surface, an actuator provided on the second surface and having an electrode located in the first penetration portion, and a flexure having an electrode connection portion connected to the electrode. The electrode connection portion includes a first region and a second region having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the first region, and the second region overlaps the second penetration portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Sugiyama, Naoki Tanaka, Kazuhiro Sugiyama, Shuntaro Numata
  • Patent number: 11862209
    Abstract: An improved load beam is described herein. In some embodiments, the load beam comprises a major surface including a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end including a tip weld, a dustpan, and a lift tab; side rails extending from the major surface and the dustpan; and a slit disposed on the major surface about the tip weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: Kuen Chee Ee, Long Zhang, David Glaess
  • Patent number: 11862210
    Abstract: A sag bend portion is formed in a longitudinal part of the load beam and bent in a thickness direction. The load beam includes a first portion and a second portion bordering the sag bend portion. Roots of outrigger portions are secured to the load beam by weld portions. A slit portion is formed around each of the weld portions. The slit portion includes an arc-shaped slit and a pair of extension slits. An outrigger support portion is formed inside the slit portion. The outrigger support portion extends in a direction different from that of the second portion of the load beam with respect to a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the load beam in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Takikawa, Toshiki Ando
  • Patent number: 11852699
    Abstract: In one aspect, a linear sensor includes at least one magnetoresistance element that includes a first spin valve and a second spin valve positioned on the first spin valve. The first spin valve includes a first set of reference layers having a magnetization direction in a first direction and a first set of free layers having a magnetization direction in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second spin valve includes a second set of reference layers having a magnetization direction in the first direction and a second set of free layers having a magnetization direction in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and antiparallel to the second direction. The first direction is neither parallel nor antiparallel to a direction of an expected magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Rémy Lassalle-Balier, Maxime Rioult
  • Patent number: 11853410
    Abstract: A control device and control method prevent an unnecessary authentication process from being executed. The control device includes a control section configured to perform an authentication process of authenticating another device by using information obtained through communication with the other device. In the case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the control section performs control in such a manner that the authentication process is not performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Yosuke Ohashi, Masateru Furuta, Yuki Kono, Shigenori Nitta
  • Patent number: 11854582
    Abstract: A suspension includes a load beam, a flexure and a dimple portion. The flexure includes a tongue. The dimple portion swingably supports the tongue at least over a first position and a second position. In the tongue, first pillow portions supporting a slider and an adhesive portion fixing the slider are provided. In the load beam, a second pillow portion protruding towards the slider is provided. The second pillow portion is in contact with the slider when the tongue is located at the first position, and separates from the slider when the tongue has moved to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Nishida, Akira Nojima
  • Patent number: 11845380
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for detecting whether an object is approaching an autonomous vehicle when a passenger is about to exit the autonomous vehicle, determining a speed and type of the object that is approaching the autonomous vehicle, determining whether the object will enter an exit zone when the passenger enters the exit zone based on the speed and the type of the object that is approaching the autonomous vehicle, and preventing the passenger from exiting the autonomous vehicle based on the determining of whether the object will enter the exit zone when the passenger enters the exit zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Mohamed Mostafa ElShenawy, Nathan Mandi
  • Patent number: 11848035
    Abstract: A flexure of a disk drive suspension includes a metal base, and a wiring portion provided along the metal base. The wiring portion includes a base insulating layer, a conductor layer overlapping with the base insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer overlapping with the conductor layer, and the metal base includes a pair of first portions having side surfaces opposed to each other. At least one of the base insulating layer and the cover insulating layer is in contact with the side surfaces between the pair of first portions, and the conductor layer does not overlap with the metal base in a direction of stacking the wiring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukie Yamada
  • Patent number: 11842754
    Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes an enclosure base, a first cover coupled to the base, and two separate gasket seals composed of different materials and configured to seal the interface between the first cover and the base. One gasket seal is composed of a material having a low permeability to helium or another lighter-than-air gas contained within the HDD, and the other gasket seal is composed of material having a low water vapor or moisture transmission. By using two separate independent gaskets which have different attributes, the lighter-than-air gas concentration is kept high and humidity is kept low during manufacturing testing, prior to affixing a hermetic second cover over the first cover, and degradation of HDD performance due to change of flying height is ultimately avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
  • Patent number: 11843450
    Abstract: Systems and methods for a full-duplex backscatter system. An example method includes outputting, via a transmitter of the backscatter system, a single tone carrier for transmission via an antenna of the backscatter system. A tunable impedance network is tuned via a microcontroller to reduce self-interference associated with the signal tone carrier by at least a threshold level, with the tunable impedance network including passive elements which are configured to be tuned, and with the self-interference reduction by the threshold level being in the analog domain. Backscatter data packets are received via a receiver from backscatter tags, with the backscatter data packets being associated with an offset frequency and are decoded by the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Jeeva Wireless Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsi Talla, Mohamad Katanbaf, Anthony Weinand, Jonathan Hamberg
  • Patent number: 11837095
    Abstract: The alarm device includes an acquisition part, an alarm judging part, a notification part, a static extraction part, a shielding boundary setting part, and a suppression part. The acquisition part acquires reflection point information and object information. The alarm judging part determines whether the object is an alarm candidate for each of the objects. The notification part issues a notification regarding the alarm candidates. The static extraction part extracts static reflection points. The shielding boundary setting part sets an approximate straight line as a shielding boundary by robust estimation. The suppression part suppresses notification of alarm candidates that are on the opposite side of the shielding boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mai Sakamoto, Hiroki Hori
  • Patent number: 11827177
    Abstract: A method is proposed for calibrating a position detection of a portable key element by an access control system for a motor vehicle. The access control system comprises a detection device which is configured to detect a position of the key element relative to the motor vehicle by means of radio. The method comprises generating a first trigger signal when the key element is located in a first position relative to the motor vehicle and detecting a first signal strength in response to the first trigger signal. The method determines a correlation of signal strength and distance of the key element relative to the motor vehicle depending on the first signal strength at the first position. Furthermore, an access control system for a motor vehicle is proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: U-Shin Deutschland Zugangssysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Marc-Tell Lammich
  • Patent number: 11830530
    Abstract: A slider for use in a disk drive includes a substrate surface to be spaced from recording media surface within the disk drive, at least one read/write transducer having a transducer end surface adjacent and proximate to the substrate surface, a protrusion controller associated with the at least one read/write transducer. The transducer end surface includes a preformed protrusion extending generally in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, the protrusion is substantially centered along the transducer end surface, and the protrusion formed to passively provide a consistently-positioned close-point to the recording media surface when the protrusion controller is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Lihong Zhang, Xiong Liu, Yanming Tan
  • Patent number: 11823712
    Abstract: A PMR (perpendicular magnetic recording) write head is configured for measurements at the slider level and wafer-level processing stages that will allow a determination of the pole width at a position A (PWA) using the results of a resistance measurement between a main pole (MP) and surrounding write shields (WS) with a layer of conductor in the write gap and a layer of insulating material replacing the side gaps. Knowledge of an accurate value of PWA allows adjustments to be made in the processing of sliders on each rowbar which, in turn improves the capability of delivering the desired statistical variation (sigma) in the distribution of erasure widths for AC signals (EWACS) in a given design which, in turn, gives better overall performance in hard disk drive (HDD) applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yan Wu
  • Patent number: 11808823
    Abstract: An indication from a body-worn device may be received at a user device, in which the indication notifies the user device that the body-worn device has detached from a mounting position. The user device may be a body-worn hub or another body-worn device. A command is then generated at the user device to trigger the body-worn device or another body-worn device to perform an action based at least on the indication. In some instances, the user device may send an event notification for the indication to an event handler on a hub or a server for the event handler to determine whether to perform an action based at least on the event notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: Getac Technology Corporation, WHP Workflow Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Guzik, Muhammad Adeel