Abstract: A method and system of sample aliquot storage for automated immunochemistry or chemistry instruments are provided. The method and system provide a sample aliquot storage unit having a sample storage wheel for storing sample vessels containing sample aliquots in a chilled enclosed environment, which are accessible by both a sample pipettor of a sample aliquoting station and a pick-and-place gripper. The pick-and-place gripper transports the sample vessels containing sample aliquots to multiple independent reagent pipetting stations respectively for sample aspiration of subsequent assay, and thereafter transports the sample vessels containing remaining sample aliquots back to the sample storage wheel to be stored in the chilled environment for reflex testing. When all the tests are completed, the pick-and-place gripper transports the sample vessels to a waste storage area.

Abstract: A method and system for picking and placing vessels are provided. The system includes a gripper assembly mounted on a positioning mechanism. The gripper assembly includes a cylinder, a plurality of flexible gripping members extending from the cylinder in a spaced-apart relationship for receiving therebetween a vessel and holding it by friction, a piston slideably inserted inside the cylinder, and a plunger connected to and movable with the piston and extending between the gripping members for engaging the vessel. The method includes the steps of positioning the gripper assembly, picking up and transferring a vessel, and placing, seating and releasing the vessel. The contents of the vessel may also be mixed simultaneously during the transferring of the vessel.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disk drive which includes a disk having first and second magnetic surfaces and first and second read/write transducers for writing information on and reading information from the magnetic surfaces. The method includes determining a track width performance characteristic to be measured for the read/write transducers, establishing ranges of values for the performance characteristic to define a plurality of performance groups. The performance characteristic is measured for a plurality of read/write transducers from which the first and second read/write transducers for the disk drive are to be selected and the read/write transducers are segregated into groups based on the performance characteristic value falling within the range of the group. The disk drive is assembled using read/write transducers from only one of the groups. The measurement of the performance characteristic is accomplished either electrically or optically.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on performance characteristics of the read/write transducer associated with the surface. The performance of the read/write transducer from the aspects of the width of the track written by the transducers as well as the recording performance at the expected recording frequency, are both utilized in building disk drives. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each transducer, rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surface in advance based on assumed performance characteristics of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on performance characteristics of the read/write transducer associated with the surface. The performance of the read/write transducer from the aspects of the width of the track written by the transducers as well as the recording performance at the expected recording frequency, are both utilized in building disk drives. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each transducer, rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surfaces in advance based on assumed performance characteristics of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on performance characteristics of the read/write transducer associated with the surface. The performance of the read/write transducer from the aspects of the width of the track written by the transducers as well as the recording performance at the expected recording frequency, are both utilized in building disk drives. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each transducer, rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surfaces in advance based on assumed performance characteristics of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned.

Abstract: The text is generated from voice input that divides the processing of each spoken word into a dictation event and a text event. Each dictation event handles the processing of data relating to the input into the system, and each text event deals with the generation of text from the inputted voice signals. In order to easily distinguish the dictation events from each other and text events from each other the system and method creates a data structure for storing certain information relating to each individual event. Such data structures enable the system and method to process both simple spoken words as well as spoken commands and to provide the necessary text generation in response to the spoken words or to execute an appropriate function in response to a command.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a magnetic recording disk. In some embodiments, one magnetic surface is utilized with an associated read/write transducer supported by a load beam. In other embodiments, the disk has a plurality of magnetic surfaces, each having an associated read/write transducer for reading and writing data in tracks in a plurality of zones and an associated load beam for supporting and positioning the respective read/write transducer at a plurality of locations above the respective surface. In one embodiment, the radial boundaries of the zones and read/write frequency for each zone are defined as a function of the number of available tracks on the recording surface. In another embodiment, the radial boundaries of the zones and read/write frequency for the zones are defined as a function of the read/write performance of the read/write transducer with respect to its associated magnetic surface.

Abstract: A method of recovering a read/write head in a metastable state employs a retry algorithm which uses a combinatorial approach, i.e., parameters are altered step-by-step, and the retry algorithm is operational for a predetermined time. The method also employs an auxiliary write operation that utilizes a predetermined spare data sector on a track, another sector of which includes data. In this spare data sector, the corrective write/cycling operation can occur without requiring any seek operations and without overwriting of prerecorded data. In addition, the present method may include the step of moving the arm on which the head is mounted to a remote or crash position relative to a magnetic medium such as a disk, and, if so chosen, forcing a write operation with the head in that position.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on the performance characteristic of the read/write head associated with the surface. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each head rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surfaces in advance based on an assumed performance characteristic of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned. Improved utilization of the available stroke on the disk drive permits further improvement in recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic recording system utilizing a plurality of surfaces on a magnetic recording disk with recording zone boundaries established on the respective surfaces of the disk based on the performance characteristic of the read/write head associated with the surface. Since the zone boundaries are established uniquely for the performance of each head rather than by defining the boundaries of all zones for all surfaces in advance based on an assumed performance characteristic of the heads, the zone boundaries on one surface of the disk will not necessarily align with the zone boundaries on another surface of the disk. Similarly, when a plurality of disks are utilized, the zone boundaries will not necessarily be aligned. Improved utilization of the available stroke on the disk drive permits further improvement in recording density.

Abstract: A novel method is used to remap tracks on a disk that contain a defect in a servo field so that a large seek discontinuity is not encountered. The method is applicable to both Class 2 and Class 3 defects. When a track with a Class 2 defect or adjacent tracks with a Class 3 defect are encountered, the tracks are skipped over in assigning physical track numbers to absolute track numbers. When a first defective track is encountered, the next track without a defect is assigned the physical track number that would have been assigned to the first defective track. As the remapping operation continues, each subsequent track with a Class 2 defect or adjacent tracks with a Class 3 defect is handled in a similar manner. The remapping operation is terminated when the number of mapped tracks is equal to the desired number of physical tracks n.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for generating text from a voice input that divides the processing of each speech event into a dictation event and a text event. Each dictation event handles the processing of data relating to the input into the system, and each text event deals with the generation of text from the inputted voice signals. In order to easily distinguish the dictation events from each other and text events from each other the system and method creates a data structure for storing certain information relating to each individual event. Such data structures enable the system and method to process both simple spoken words as well as spoken commands and to provide the necessary text generation in response to the spoken words or to execute an appropriate function in response to a command. Speech recognition includes the ability to distinguish between dictation text and commands.