Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a lower shield layer, a sensor stack positioned above the lower shield layer, the sensor stack including a free layer, a layered hard bias magnet positioned above the lower shield layer and on both sides of the sensor stack in a track width direction, and an upper shield layer positioned above the hard bias magnet and the sensor stack. The hard bias magnet includes a perpendicular anisotropy film positioned above the lower shield layer and aligned with both sides of the sensor stack in the track width direction, wherein the perpendicular anisotropy film directs magnetic fields in a direction perpendicular to planes of formation thereof, and an in-plane anisotropy film positioned above the perpendicular anisotropy film, wherein the in-plane anisotropy film directs magnetic fields in a direction of planes of formation thereof.

Abstract: A disc-shaped information recording medium includes a laminate of recording layers on and from which an information signal can be optically recorded and reproduced from one side of the medium. Data areas are provided in the recording layers, respectively. The information signal can be recorded on and reproduced from the data areas while a laser beam emitted from an optical pickup is applied to the data areas. Optical recording test areas are provided in the recording layers, respectively. A test signal can be recorded on and reproduced from the optical recording test areas to decide optimum power values of the laser beam for signal recording. The test areas are out of overlap as viewed in a direction of propagation of the laser beam.

Abstract: A magnetic layer for writing incorporates: a pole layer having an end face located in a medium facing surface and a lower yoke layer. A first magnetic layer for flux concentration is connected to the lower yoke layer at a location away from the medium facing surface, and passes a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a first coil. A second magnetic layer for flux concentration is connected to the pole layer at a location away from the medium facing surface, and passes a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a second coil. A nonmagnetic layer is disposed between the pole layer and the lower yoke layer. The lower yoke layer is connected to the pole layer at a location closer to the medium facing surface than the nonmagnetic layer.

Abstract: A system includes an input circuit, an analog to digital converter, first and second harmonic sensor modules, a head height control module, and a weighting function module. The input circuit receives analog signals from a read/write head. The analog to digital converter generates digital samples in response to the analog signals. The first and second harmonic sensor modules determine, from the digital samples, a first magnitude of a first frequency component and a second magnitude of a second frequency component, respectively. The head height control module estimates a height of the head over a storage medium in response to a comparison of the first magnitude and the second magnitude, and selectively adjusts the height in response to the estimated height. The weighting function module applies a time domain window function to the digital samples to create modified samples on which the first and second harmonic sensor modules operate.

Abstract: Provided are a method, servo channel, and tape drive for determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel. Sequences of servo signal samples are provided from read servo signals read from a servo pattern on a recording medium. A determination is made of a reference waveform based on the sequences of servo signal samples and the reference waveform is forwarded. Interpolated servo signals are generated. The interpolated servo signal samples and the forwarded reference waveform are received to generate correlation output samples. Position and velocity information are calculated from the correlation output samples.

Abstract: Provided are a method, servo channel, and tape drive for determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel. Sequences of servo signal samples are provided from read servo signals read from a servo pattern on a recording medium. A determination is made of a reference waveform based on the sequences of servo signal samples and the reference waveform is forwarded. Interpolated servo signals are generated. The interpolated servo signal samples and the forwarded reference waveform are received to generate correlation output samples. Position and velocity information are calculated from the correlation output samples.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for adjusting a key range of a keycapless keyboard are provided. The apparatus includes a keyboard, a controller, and a manager. The keyboard is comprised of a touch screen. The controller determines whether revision of a user's input value through the keyboard has occurred. The manager adjusts a key range to avoid a user's input error if revisions with a same pattern have occurred as many times as a predefined number.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a read-only storage area and a writable storage area and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor. The optical recording medium is a hybrid disc having both the read-only storage area, which is suitable for mass production of information having the same contents, and the writable storage area on which data can be recorded, updated or added at a user's option.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method is provided for injecting a processing fluid in a device that operably rotates a disc stack. A fluid injector has a nozzle defining an outlet sized to longitudinally span the disc stack to operably direct the processing fluid toward the disc stack. The nozzle also has a flow rate feature that operably directs a first flow rate of the processing fluid from the nozzle into a space adjacent a storage surface of a first disc of the disc stack and that directs a substantially different second flow rate of the processing fluid from the nozzle into another space adjacent a storage surface of a second disc of the disc stack.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for presenting a virtual world to sight-impaired users. In one embodiment, the user may indicate an area of focus within the virtual world. The user may then be provided with audio descriptions of objects or avatars included within the area of focus. The descriptions may be provided at varying levels of detail, enabling the user to “zoom in” on particular items of interest. Further, the user may select an audio description to navigate an avatar to the location of the corresponding object.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a recording device comprises: a recording medium, an arm, a positioning module, a self-servo write clock generator, and an on-track module. The positioning module positions the arm at a position at which the electromagnetic transducer detects a rotational synchronization component of an intermediate pattern comprised in the recording medium. The self-servo write clock generator generates a self-servo write clock based on the detected rotational synchronization component. The on-track module positions the electromagnetic transducer to the intermediate pattern serving as a position for starting self-servo write based on the generated self-servo write clock. Until the on-track module appropriately completes the positioning, the self-servo write clock generator sequentially changes a decoding gate interval corresponding to the intermediate pattern in accordance with the rotational synchronization component, and captures a spiral reproduction waveform.

Abstract: A compact disc handling apparatus comprises a frame body, a fixed board including a through hole and being fixed on the frame body, a sliding board including an inserting hole, a fixed plate being fixed in the inserting hole of the sliding board and having an area smaller than half of the area of the inserting hole, a movable plate movably installed in the inserting hole of the sliding board, a movable unit located between the fixed plate and the movable plate to enable the movement of the movable plate, a drive unit driving the sliding board to move transversely on the fixed board, and a control unit controlling the movement of the movable plate. The sliding board is movably assembled on an upper end surface of the fixed board in such a manner that the inserting hole is in alignment or staggered with the through hole.

Abstract: Provided is an optical pickup device capable of ensuring the compatibility among three types of optical discs, i.e., BDs, DVDs, and CDs, with a common objective lens and, in addition, capable of ensuring a sufficient working distance for CDs, and also provided are an optical information recording and reproducing device and an objective lens suitable for the optical information recording and reproducing device. On the objective lens, there is arranged a first optical path difference providing structure formed such that: the direction of step differences of a basic structure wherein the diffraction order of a blue-violet laser light flux become an odd order faces toward the opposite direction of the optical axis; the direction of step differences of a basic structure wherein the diffraction order of the blue-violet laser light flux become an even order faces toward the optical axis; and both the basic structures are overlapped together.

Abstract: A disk drive suspension circuit has copper signal conductors connected by vias through an insulative layer to respective stainless steel flying leads. The stainless steel flying leads are activated and plated with one or more metals, with a final layer over the flying lead being a layer such as gold, suitable for bonding to form bond pads. The gold bond pads may be attached using thermosonic welding, solder ball bonding, or other suitable methods to an electrical component such as wires or a the disk drive's pre-amp circuit.

Abstract: An optical recording medium provided with one or a plurality of recording layers includes an adjustment data recording area for recording therein adjustment data used for adjusting focus or spherical aberration of laser light used for recording/reproduction, the adjustment data recording area being disposed at a predetermined position on each of the one or plurality of recording layers, and a determination information recording area for recording therein determination information indicating whether or not the adjustment data has been recorded in the adjustment data recording area in each of the one or plurality of recording layers.

Abstract: A data storage circuit includes a hard disk drive (HDD) and a fall sensor. The HDD includes a rotatable media platter operable to receive and store data; a read/write head operable to communicate with the media platter by writing data to the media platter and by reading the data from the media platter; an arm supporting the read/write head; a motor coupled to the arm and operable to move the arm to and from the media platter; a drive controller operable to control the media platter, the read/write head and the servo motor; a general purpose input/output (GPIO) terminal coupled to the drive controller; and a data interface terminal coupled to the drive controller. The fall sensor is communicatively coupled to the drive controller and is configured to send an interrupt trigger signal to the drive controller when the drive is falling.

Abstract: An optical disc has a read-only system lead-in area and a recordable data area. Disc boundary information representing a boundary in a radial direction of an area on which capability of recording at a predetermined recording speed is guaranteed is recorded on the system lead-in area while being related to each tuple speed. An optical disc device, upon user's instruction of tuple-speed recording, compares the boundary information related to the instructed tuple speed with a present recording position, performs recording at the instructed tuple speed if the present recording position is on the outside of the boundary, and performs recording at a tuple speed lower than the instructed tuple speed if the present recording position is on the inside of the boundary.

Abstract: A content transmitting apparatus and the like which execute copy control of content more securely than conventional, and can count copy number correctly according to the situation, even in the case where content transfer is interrupted are provided. The content reproducing apparatus 10 for transmitting content that is digital copyrighted work including a plurality of content blocks comprises: the content reproducing unit 11 which reads out content and the like from the DVD 30; the control unit 12 which repeats, for each of the plurality of content blocks, transmitting in parallel with the content blocks, the copy control information indicating copy permission of the content, the content identification information identifying content, and the content status information indicating status of the content blocks in the overall content; the data building unit 15; the transmission unit 16; and the like.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display including a liquid crystal display panel including a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines intersecting the data lines, and liquid crystal cells respectively formed at intersections of the data lines and the gate lines, and divided into a first area, a second area and a third area, a first data integrated circuit (IC) that drives the first area, a second data IC that drives the second area, a third data IC that drives the third area, and a timing controller that analyzes an input digital video data, generates a first selection signal and a second selection signal for controlling whether charge sharing is used, and independently controls the first, second, and third data ICs using the first and second selection signals, wherein the second area is divided into a first block adjoining the first area, a third block adjoining the third area and a second block located between the first block and the third block; and the first selection signal controls whether the charge sharing

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for efficiently calibrating an optical recording device. The method can include receiving a first signal corresponding to a wobbled track of a memory medium, phase-locking a second signal to the first signal, the second signal being used to extract embedded information in the wobbled track, and determining an optimum setting of the optical recording device based on a locking quality of the first signal and the second signal.