Patents by Inventor Gerald J. Smart, Jr.

Gerald J. Smart, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5121373
    Abstract: Track jumping in the present system is accomplished by using a two step track jump method which accelerates the tracking actuator toward the desired track at maximum acceleration and then decelerates the tracking actuator at a maximum deceleration so that the desired track is reached in a minimum amount of time without the actuator ringing. A matrix containing the times for each jump pulse from track X to track Y is recorded. The matrix table is updated after each jump to compensate for variance factors. The table is stored in memory which allows the system to become more accurate with each jump. If the actuator falls short of the desired position, the jump pulse next applied is lengthened slightly. If the jump pulse causes the actuator to overshoot, the desired position the jump pulse is shortened for the next jump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Barton, Daniel L. Nelson, Gerald J. Smart, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5121374
    Abstract: The present method operates upon an optical disk type servo-system of the type having an optical tracking servo for maintaining a lens centered over a track on a disk and a tracking position servo for moving an optical head's lens to a desired position. Included within such a system is an eccentricity sub-system for providing a compensating sine wave signal for reducing errors in tracking due to disk decentering. The present method automatically adjusts the gain in one of the servos to match the gain appearing in the other servo so as to improve the smoothness of control when switching between the servos.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mark A. Barton, Daniel L. Nelson, Gerald J. Smart, Jr.