Abstract: A method of operating a light source (100) including a ballast (110) in electrical communication with a lamp (120). The method includes operating the ballast (110) to determine (920) an average lamp power to be applied to the lamp (120) during a data period. The method further includes operating the ballast (110) to generate and communicate (930) a pulse width modulated drive signal to the lamp (120) during the data period, the pulse width modulated drive signal having one of a first waveform and a second waveform for applying the average lamp power to the lamp (120), the first waveform including at least one pulse representative of a first data bit, the second waveform including at least one pulse representative of a second data bit.

Abstract: An actuator assembly is provided comprising a data transfer head moved by an actuator arm in a data storing and retrieving relationship with a data storage medium. Streamwise arranged aerodynamic fluid re-directing and drag-reducing features on a surface of the actuator arm modify frictional forces acting on the arm from a fluid flow created by moving the medium. A method is provided for improving nonrepeatable runnout disturbances in a data storage device by aligning the drag-reducing features of the actuator assembly with a direction of a mean flow direction of the fluid at an outer diameter of the storage medium to divert the fluid flow away from the head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to attenuating excitation energy of a rotatable storage medium using one or more plates each having a plurality of parallel channels to buffer fluid flow across an associated medium surface. A preferred embodiment includes a plurality of channels in facing relation to a common surface of a rotatable storage medium. Further included in a preferred embodiment, the plurality of channels are sequentially arranged into a first, second, and third channels with differing sidewall characterizations. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of storage mediums which are axially aligned have a plurality of channels in facing relation to either a top or bottom surface of a rotatable storage medium.

Abstract: A solid-state laser emitting material for use in conjunction with a light source includes a polymer matrix functioning as host materials, containing laser dye of rhodamine 590 or rhodamine 610 as gain materials and nano-submicron particles as scatters therein. The lowest lasing threshold of the laser emitting material is approximately 5 mJ/cm2 for 585 nm emission and 2 mJ/cm2 for 630 nm emission.

Abstract: A method of operating a light source (100) including a ballast (110) in electrical communication with a lamp (120). The method includes operating the ballast (110) to determine (920) an average lamp power to be applied to the lamp (120) during a data period. The method further includes operating the ballast (110) to generate and communicate (930) a pulse width modulated drive signal to the lamp (120) during the data period, the pulse width modulated drive signal having one of a first waveform and a second waveform for applying the average lamp power to the lamp (120), the first waveform including at least one pulse representative of a first data bit, the second waveform including at least one pulse representative of a second data bit.

Abstract: An actuator assembly is provided comprising a data transfer head moved by an actuator arm in a data storing and retrieving relationship with a data storage medium. Streamwise arranged aerodynamic fluid re-directing and drag-reducing features on a surface of the actuator arm modify frictional forces acting on the arm from a fluid flow created by moving the medium. A method is provided for improving nonrepeatable runnout disturbances in a data storage device by aligning the drag-reducing features of the actuator assembly with a direction of a mean flow direction of the fluid at an outer diameter of the storage medium to divert the fluid flow away from the head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: A LED system (100) for illumination and data transmission employs a LED driver (110), an electronic switch (130), and an illumination unit (150). In a first illumination state, illumination unit (150) receives LED current(s) from LED driver (110) to emit a first light output. In a second illumination state, the illumination unit (150) receives additional LED current(s) from LED driver 110 via the electronic switch as controlled by the LED driver where the illumination unit (150) additionally emits a second light output. LED system (100) optically communicates a data bit with each transition of the illumination unit (150) from the first illumination state to the second illumination state, and vice-versa.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including a body portion having at least one actuator arm extending therefrom is disclosed. The body portion includes a body damping assembly to control vibration modes of the actuator body. The damping assembly is coupled to the actuator body of a head actuator assembly to control vibration modes of the actuator body to reduce head positioning errors.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for damping operational vibration modes of an actuator assembly. The actuator assembly preferably supports a data transducing head adjacent a storage medium in a servo track writing environment. The actuator assembly further supports a circuit assembly comprising circuit board, card or other circuit portion to facilitate electrical communication with the data transducing head. A damping assembly is interposed between the circuit assembly and the actuator assembly to mechanically decouple the circuit assembly from the actuator assembly. Preferably, the damper assembly comprises one or more rigid damper plates and one or more viscoelastic layers therebetween to provide constrain layer damping. As desired, the plates can be provided with progressively larger thickness dimensions in a direction away from the actuator assembly.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a housing surrounding a voice coil in a voice coil cavity, and a disc in a disc cavity. The disc has data tracks and an outer diameter. The disc rotates to induce an airflow along the outer diameter. The voice coil actuates an actuator arm in the disc cavity to access the data tracks. An air dam is in the disc cavity upstream of the actuator arm. The airflow includes a straight line tangent airflow portion along a straight edge of a shroud that is free of obstructions and upstream of the air dam. The straight line airflow portion extends from an arc airflow portion around the outer diameter to the voice coil cavity along a straight line path tangent to the outer diameter.

Abstract: A windage management arrangement for attenuating fluid flow disturbances on an actuator and a moving disc, comprising in combination a fluid flow stripper upstream of the actuator and a disc edge damper downstream of the actuator. A method for managing fluid flow created by a rotating disc that is operably disposed adjacent to an actuator, comprising diverting an upstream portion of the fluid flow, with respect to the actuator, away from the actuator; and diverting a downstream portion of the fluid flow, with respect to the actuator, away from a disc edge.

Abstract: A fluid flow stripper for attenuating excitation energy in a data writing device comprising a first zone defining opposing spatially disposed planar surfaces substantially parallel to the disc and comprising a second zone comprising a protuberant surface defining a radially disposed channel. A method for equalizing a static pressure of a fluid flow created by the rotating disc, comprising admitting the fluid flow to an inlet of the fluid stripper, and passing the fluid in the stripper past the radially extending baffle.

Abstract: An endcap for use on an actuator arm carrying a single head gimbal assembly, the endcap comprising a body, and a shielding feature extending from the body for reducing windage excitation of the head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including a body portion having at least one actuator arm extending therefrom is disclosed. The body portion includes a body damping assembly to control vibration modes of the actuator body. The damping assembly is coupled to the actuator body of a head actuator assembly to control vibration modes of the actuator body to reduce head positioning errors.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including a damping assembly between a circuit board or circuit portion and actuator block or body is disclosed. The damping assembly is designed to control vibration modes of the actuator block excited via vibration of the circuit board or interface therefor.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a housing surrounding a voice coil in a voice coil cavity, and a disc in a disc cavity. The disc has data tracks and an outer diameter. The disc rotates to induce an airflow along the outer diameter. The voice coil actuates an actuator arm in the disc cavity to access the data tracks. An air dam is in the disc cavity upstream of the actuator arm. The airflow includes a straight line tangent airflow portion along a straight edge of a shroud that is free of obstructions and upstream of the air dam. The straight line airflow portion extends from an arc airflow portion around the outer diameter to the voice coil cavity along a straight line path tangent to the outer diameter.

Abstract: The first difference signal between the current and previous frame signals is obtained by the subtracter pixel by pixel and supplied to both the line memory and the average value calculation circuit. The average value calculation circuit calculates the average value for at least one line of the first difference signal which relates to only pixels with smaller absolute of the difference value than the present threshold. If the pixels which have absolute values smaller than the threshold, are less than the present number, the average value is set 0. Large values of the first difference caused by motion of the target are excluded and not treated as the flicker noise. The second difference signal is transformed by the non-linear circuit according to predetermined characteristics and supplied to the adder. The previous frame signal is supplied to the adder at the same time by delaying the signal through the line memory.