Abstract: A method of managing power used by a recording medium is disclosed. The recording medium receives a maximum current value and limits its operation to consume up to the maximum current value during a given storage operation. The recording medium may comprise a storage module coupled to a controller. The controller in the recording medium may receive the maximum current value and limit the operation of the recording medium to the maximum current value.

Abstract: A type of servo pattern suitable for tracking systems in magnetic recording devices such as floppy disks or linear tape or hard disks or in other machines. The pattern comprises several phase-encoded elements that provide an absolute transverse position coordinate from local data. Computations can be made with channel chips commonly used in magnetic recording disk drives.

Abstract: A tape drive has a front panel with an opening therein for receiving tape cartridges, and contains tape drive electronics. For transferring data into and out the tape drive electronics, the tape drive electronics includes a USB or Firewire serial data port, and the front panel of the tape drive has an access opening therein, behind which the serial port is mounted, so that a serial cable connector can be plugged into the serial port from the front panel of the tape drive. Alternatively, a data transfer cartridge can be inserted into the opening of the tape drive that is normally used for tape cartridges, the data transfer cartridge having a front side that is accessible via the opening in the front panel of the drive, and a USB or Firewire connector is disposed in the front side of the data transfer cartridge.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is made of a thin film medium that includes magnetic grains. At least one of a magnetization density of the magnetic grains, a crystalline anisotropy field of the magnetic grains, a thickness of the recording medium, an average diameter of the magnetic grains, and a surface packing fraction of the recording medium are selected so that resulting magneto-static fields both decrease thermal switching of individual magnetic grains and enhance collective switching of a group of magnetic grains in response to a switching magnetic field.

Abstract: Automatic recognition of the type of memory within a device package by using strap resistors within the device package. Such recognition enables a processor, such as a GPU, to automatically configure itself to work with the memory. A device package includes a strap contact and a bit input that are electrically connected. The device package beneficially contains a processor (such a GPU) that is operatively connected to the bit input, and a memory device that is operatively connected to the processor. By selectively inserting a strap resistor the voltage applied to the bit input changes state. That state can be read and used to set up the system.

Abstract: A portable media device includes a memory, a data interface port communicatively coupled to the memory, and a portable housing encasing the memory and data interface port. The portable housing may include a locking retaining portion such as a carabineer clip or the like that locks the media device to a desired article. In certain example embodiments, the portable media device may be a digital camera, an MP3 player, a pocket flash memory or other similar digital devices.

Abstract: A magnetic recording device including a longitudinal magnetic recording medium. The longitudinal magnetic recording medium includes a magnetically soft underlayer disposed under a longitudinal recording layer. A perpendicular write head is utilized to write data to the longitudinal magnetic recording medium wherein the longitudinal recording layer is disposed within an effective write gap formed by the perpendicular write head and the underlayer. The longitudinal component of the perpendicular write head is sufficient to switch the magnetic grains in the recording layer in the presence of the perpendicular field. The magnetic recording medium can have a high areal density and improved magnetic properties.

Abstract: A recording/playback recording medium comprising an elongated, flexible recording/playback medium having a predetermined width and a predetermined length, together defining a recording/playback area capable of providing a plurality of elongated recording/playback tracks; and information located on at least two tracks, a first track being recorded from the beginning of the first track in a first direction until the track is filled, a second track being recorded in a second opposite direction, the tracks being partitioned to define sectors having identifiable locations, the first, second, and subsequent tracks if necessary being recorded in a serpentine manner, the information recorded on the tracks being recorded by a helical scan.

Abstract: Methods for processing data to be recorded to optical media are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a request to record data to optical media. The method then maps a source path for the data from a root directory through any intervening parent directories to the file location of the data, and saves the source path in a database. When saving the source path to the database, node identifiers are used to represent individual nodes of the source path with corresponding keys to the node identifiers saved in a path table. The method further provides for the complete source path for each file of the data to be recorded to be retrieved in one step when processing and recording the data.

Abstract: An information processing assembly includes at least one heater suitable for information processing, and a controller for controlling the at least one heater by at least one of adjusting a power to the at least one heater to match a target power level, and changing a polarity of an electrical current supplied to the heater.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed including a disk having a plurality of tracks, wherein each track comprises a plurality of data sectors. A microprocessor executes a write command associated with a disk command data structure by inserting the disk command data structure into a dirty queue, and then executing the write command using the disk command data structure by writing data blocks to a plurality of target data sectors. The disk command data structure is then inserted into a write verify queue, and the disk command data structure is used to perform a write verify operation. The disk command data structure is inserted into an available queue if the target data sectors pass the write verify operation, and the disk command data structure is inserted back into the dirty queue if at least one of the target data sectors fails the write verify operation.

Abstract: Encoded data read by the various and upgraded encoding methods can be decode easily and inexpensively. A tape reading unit 1 is provided to read encoded A/V data and program data from a magnetic tape. A program data extractor 5 is provided to extract the program data from the data read from the magnetic tape. A controller 4 is provided to install the program data to a DSP 3. The DSP decodes the encoded A/V data based on the program data.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproduction method comprising recording or reproducing a track of a rotating magnetic disk by means of a magnetic head, wherein the magnetic disk comprises a support and a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and a binder; the track has a breadth of 2 ?m or less; and a frictional force between the magnetic layer and the magnetic head at innermost peripheral area of a recording region of the magnetic disk is 30 mN or less, a frictional force between the magnetic layer and a magnetic head at outermost peripheral area of a recording region of the magnetic disk is 20 mN or less, and a ratio of the frictional force at the innermost peripheral area to the frictional force at the outermost peripheral area is from 1.0 to 4.0.

Abstract: A method of longitudinal recording using a medium with a magnetically soft underlayer is described. The method includes lowering the longitudinal coercivity in a magnetic domain in the magnetic recording medium by generating a vertical component of magnetic flux in the magnetic recording medium and writing a longitudinal orientation in the magnetic domain in the magnetic recording medium by generating a larger horizontal component of magnetic flux in the magnetic recording medium using the write head. Optionally the method further includes magnetically saturating the magnetically soft underlayer after lowering the longitudinal coercivity to limit the vertical component of the magnetic flux. The recording medium has a magnetic recording layer, a spacer layer and a soft underlayer. In one embodiment the soft underlayer is an antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic layer stack with two soft magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic spacer layer selected to achieve the antiferromagnetic coupling.

Abstract: A magnetically recorded data reproduction apparatus that reproduces magnetically recorded data using a magnetoresistive head and method thereof. The recorded data are reproduced by a magnetoresistive head and supplied to a reproduction amplifier. A signal from an AGC amplifier is supplied to an A/D converter and a digital PLL circuit. A digitized signal is then supplied to, for example, a Viterbi decoder 13 and the decoded signal is obtained at an output terminal 14. Thus, the effect of noise due to the so-called thermal asperity (TA noise) is removed, thereby preventing increases in the error rate of the reproduction signals due to the effect of TA noise and the occurrence of problems in equipment.

Abstract: To avoid degradation of performance of a storage apparatus even when access biased to writing or reading of data is performed in a buffer memory that adopts a dual ring buffer system as a data structure. A sector buffer for caching an access request is provided in a DRAM of the storage apparatus. The sector buffer has a first ring buffer (BUF_W) that temporarily holds an external write request for a recording medium in advance of its process to the recording medium, and a second ring buffer (BUF_R) that retains data read from the recording medium according to an external read request for the recording medium. An MPU of the storage apparatus shifts a BPAGE of the BUF_R or BUF_W according to external access patterns to the recording medium to thereby change the buffer sizes of the BUF_R and BUF_W.

Abstract: Demagnetizing magnetic media for recording data in a data storage device includes placing the magnetic media in a magnetic field at a first strength, and gradually reducing the magnetic field to a second strength to essentially eliminate net magnetization in the magnetic media.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has a disk with the magnetizations in the concentric data tracks oriented in the cross-track direction. The concentric data tracks are magnetically separated from each other by guard bands. An inductive write head has its write poles and write gap oriented to generate magnetic fields in the cross-track direction. The guard bands may provide magnetic separation by containing along-the-track magnetizations, in which case the write head also has an erase pole and an erase gap to generate magnetic fields in an along-the-track direction on the sides of the data tracks. A magnetoresistive read head has its free-layer magnetization direction perpendicular to the disk surface and its pinned-layer magnetization direction parallel to the disk surface and orthogonal to the free-layer magnetization direction. The read head may have magnetic side shields spaced from it in the cross-track direction to prevent magnetic flux from adjacent data tracks from reaching the read head.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk having a plurality of tracks each comprising a plurality of data sectors for storing a plurality of data blocks. A microprocessor initializes a write verify counter in a disk command data structure and executes a write command. The microprocessor executes a write verify operation to verify the recoverability of the data written to a plurality of target data sectors. If the write verify operation fails for a target data sector, the microprocessor updates the write verify counter in the disk command data structure and re-executes the write command and the write verify operation. If the write verify operation fails a number of times such that the write verify counter exceeds a threshold, the microprocessor relocates a data block from the failing target data sector to a spare data sector.

Abstract: A dual-stage actuator disk drive uses a secondary-actuator failure-detection and calibration test run by the servo control processor and a relative-position sensor for measuring the position of the secondary actuator relative to its neutral position in response to the calibration test. The secondary-actuator failure detection and calibration test can be performed on a regular schedule or at selected times, such as at disk drive start-up. With the primary actuator biased at a test location, such as a crash stop or a load/unload ramp, the servo control processor generates a test signal to the secondary actuator and receives a relative-position signal (RPS) from the relative-position sensor in response to the test signal. The test comprises two measurements: a measurement of the secondary actuator static characteristics, and a measurement of the secondary actuator dynamic characteristics.

Abstract: Stable writing is performed in a super high density hard disk where writing by magnetic field is difficult. A layered thin film structure including at least a magnetic metallic layer/a non-magnetic metallic layer/a magnetic metallic layer is formed, and a metallic probe is brought close to this multilayer film on the order of nano-meters. A quantum well state created in the multilayer film is changed by applying a voltage between the metallic probe and the multilayer film, resulting in a relative magnetic field between the magnetic metallic layers being changed. At this time, an assistance magnetic field is applied in the writing magnetization direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a signal processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program enabling accurate calculation of a remaining amount of a tape. In a cassette shell 1, a memory 13 for storing information indicative of a total length of a magnetic tape 11 is incorporated. A remaining-tape-amount calculation apparatus 22 calculates a length of the tape as an amount of being wound around a reel 12-1 and a reel 12-2 on an assumption of a thickness of the tape being constant, and, for example, corrects a calculated tape length of the tape being retained wound around the reel 12-1 using a ratio of the total length of the magnetic tape 11, read out from the memory, to a sum of the calculated tape length of the tape being retained wound around the reel 12-1 and the tape length of the tape being put on wound around the reel 12-2 to calculate a remaining amount of the magnetic tape 11, which is recordable or reproducible. Incidentally, it is possible to apply the present invention to a VTR.

Abstract: A single pole perpendicular write head is provided comprising an inductive write head pole structure comprising a layered structure alternating a plurality of ferromagnetic layers with a plurality of antiparallel coupling layers to form an antiparallel coupled ferromagnetic stack. The antiparallel coupling of the ferromagnetic layers when the head is not writing forms a flux closed magnetic configuration of the write pole resulting in reduction or elimination of stray remanence fields at the pole tip region that may cause unwanted data erasure at the disk surface.

Abstract: In the present invention, by making the width of the write element larger than the track pitch and securing a write magnetic field strong enough to reverse the magnetization of the magnetic layer, and further by writing while shifting a write head comprising the write element, a magnetic disk drive, of which the track width is narrower than the write element width, and the storage capacity is large, is realized.

Abstract: A miniaturized library device is provided. The library device employs small-sized magazine having no flag used to detect positions of cells and the magazine is set so that a plurality of cells are arranged in one direction. An accessor mechanism having a picker mechanism to extract a cartridge from an arbitrary cell in the magazine is so mounted as to be movable along a guide rail and is positioned to a position of each of flags, which are arranged to correspond to positions of the cells in the magazine, and of a sensor flag section in a pendulum mechanism. The flags and a sensor flag section each are detected by a common X position sensor fixed to a base. Detection of presence or absence of the magazine is performed by detecting a position of the sensor flag section being displaced due to direct contact of a directly-contacted portion to the magazine.

Abstract: In a magnetic storage apparatus having a magnetic recording medium, a drive unit for driving this medium in a prespecified recording direction, a magnetic head assembly including a recorder section and reproduction section, means for causing the magnetic head to move relatively with respect to the magnetic record medium, and a record/playback signal processor means for performing signal inputting to the magnetic head and for effecting reproduction of an output signal from the magnetic head, the reproduction section of said magnetic head is composed of a magnetic head of the magnetoresistance effect type, while said magnetic record medium is structured including a substrate and a magnetic layer formed thereover with one or several underlayers being sandwiched therebetween, wherein at least one of the underlayers is a specific layer that is made of amorphous or microcrystalline materials containing therein Ni as the principal or main component thereof and further containing at least one kind of element as selec

Abstract: A disk erase apparatus for erasing information on one or more disks in a disk drive uses a high strength magnetic field to erase the disks while the disks are in the HDD assembly. The design of the head disk enclosure provides a reduced thickness in a localized region over the disks. This allows a narrower working magnetic gap of the HDD level disk erase apparatus. The localized region of the HDD may be a formed indentation on the top cover, elimination of flange, and reduced floor thickness of the HDD base.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disk drive that provides for internal disk drive temperature estimation. The disk drive includes an actuator, a head attached to the actuator, a disk to store data, a preamplifier connected to the head to amplify read and write signals, and a processor for controlling operations in the disk drive including moving the actuator such that the head is moved to read data from and write data to the disk. The processor under the control of a program is further utilized to calculate a junction temperature (JTemp) based on a breakthrough voltage of the preamplifier, apply a filter to the calculated JTemp to compensate for temperature noise, and to estimate an internal disk drive temperature based upon the filtered JTemp.

Abstract: The invention is directed to patterned magnetic media for use in magnetic recording and data storage, and various encoding techniques that can be used to magnetically encode data on the patterned media. For example, a patterned magnetic recording medium can include a first set of surface variations and a second set of surface variations. The medium can be conditioned to magnetically expose the surface variations relative to areas between the respective surface variations. Detection of the surface variations in the first set can allow for synchronization of a magnetic drive to the medium. Following such synchronization, the magnetic drive can selectively apply magnetic fields to a second set of surface variations of the patterned magnetic medium to encode data on the patterned magnetic medium.

Abstract: An information storage device having a hard disk has a metal probe that is brought closely to the surface of a multilayer film that includes a magnetic metal layer, a non-magnetic metal layer, and a magnetic metal layer up to a nano-meter order distance from the surface. The distance between the metal probe and the surface of the multilayer film, as well as the voltage to be applied are changed to change the state of the quantum well generated in the multilayer film, thereby changing the magnetizing direction relatively between the two magnetic metal layers. To read magnetization information from the hard disk, a change of an optically induced tunnel current is used. The change of the tunnel current is caused by a change of a plasmon resonance energy according to a relative change of the magnetizing direction between the magnetic metal layers.

Abstract: The present invention is a disc drive storage unit incorporating novel apparatus, data structure and method for uniquely identifying data written during each write command operation of the disc drive storage unit. The disc drive storage unit attaches unique write identification data (sequence data, time data, or both) to host computer data written during each sector write operation. The unique write identification data is attached through independent action of the disc drive storage unit. The unique write identification data is attached to the host computer data in such a way that the unique write identification data is transparent to the host computer. The data structure relates the host computer data to the unique write identification data. The method documents the manner in which unique identification data is attached to, and detached from, the host computer data.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk drive, a writing element and its surrounding area thermally expand due to the heat generated by a write head coil. The transient phenomenon of such thermal expansion may invoke the transient phenomenon of inadequate writing capacity, thereby causing a writing error at an early stage of a write operation. Control is provided which increases/decreases either or both the write current to be applied to a write head and the amount of its overshoot on an individual sector basis during a writing sequence.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus capable of switching over among a plurality of heads with high precision, wherein the apparatus is provided with: a recording/reproducing unit for recording/reproducing signals onto/from a recording medium with a plurality of heads; a generating unit for generating control data for controlling the recording/reproducing unit; and a transmitting unit for transmitting control data generated by the generating unit to the recording/reproducing unit, wherein priority is given in transmission to data for controlling the switching of the plurality of heads over other data.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mass storage devices and, more particularly, to transferring data between mass storage devices.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording type of disk drive having function of removing a component of a shift in a base line of a reproducing signal is to be disclosed. The disk drive has a read channel including an extracting unit which extracts the component of the shift in the base line of the reproducing signal. The extracting unit includes low-pass filters, and parameters of a lower cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter are adjusted in read operation.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording and reproducing device having a 1ch head and a 2ch head, an azimuth recording operation is carried out on an obliquely evaporated magnetic tape. Angles ?1 and ?2 formed by a direction of a head azimuth of the 1ch head and the 2ch head and a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape are respectively set to angles at which an output difference between a reproducing signal of a track recorded by the 1ch head and a reproducing signal of a track recorded by the 2ch head is located within three decibels. Thus, an output difference between the two magnetic heads is reduced while the loss of electromagnetic conversion is reduced.

Abstract: Methods are provided for improving servo-demodulation robustness. A SAM pattern is searched for in a servo wedge. If the SAM pattern is detected in the first servo wedge, a determination is made whether to characterize the detection of the SAM pattern as either a good SAM detection or a bad SAM detection. If the detection of the SAM pattern is characterized as a good SAM detection, at least one channel control value (e.g., servo AGC and/or PLL values) associated with the first servo wedge is used as a starting channel control value (or to predict a starting channel control value) when beginning to read a next servo wedge. However, if the SAM pattern is not detected, or a SAM detection is characterized as bad, at least one previously stored channel control value is used as a starting channel control value (or to predict a starting channel control value) when beginning to read the next servo wedge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of reading and writing data from and to a data storage device is provided. One method of practicing the present invention comprises placing, or leaving an unused track, row or column adjacent to a medium track containing apparatus information. Another method of practicing the present invention comprises placing, or leaving an unused track, row or column adjacent to both sides of the medium track containing the apparatus information.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly having a magnetic head, an arm which is supported so as to rotate, a suspension having one end which is fixed to an end of the arm and an other end which mounts the magnetic head, a nonvolatile memory which is mounted on the suspension assembly, and stores control parameters of the magnetic head, a connecting terminal which is mounted to the arm, and a signal transmission line which electrically connects the connecting terminal to the nonvolatile memory and the magnetic head. The connecting terminal enables transmission of signals at least one of to and from the head suspension assembly, the nonvolatile memory and the magnetic head.

Abstract: A magnetic recording process generally including the steps of determining an initial magnetization direction of a magnetic recording medium, and selectively applying a magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium along an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of the initial magnetization direction of the recording medium. The magnetic field is selectively applied for a period of time sufficient to switch the magnetization of the magnetic recording medium from its initial magnetization direction to a final magnetization direction substantially anti-parallel to the initial magnetization direction. Typically, the initial and final magnetization directions will be along an easy axis of magnetization of the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic recording apparatus comprises a magnetic field impression unit, a current supplying unit and a controlling unit t. The magnetic field impression unit impresses a magnetic field to a magnetic recording medium. The current supplying unit supplies a current to the magnetic recording medium. The controlling unit makes the current supplying unit supply the current to the magnetic recording medium while making the magnetic field impression unit impress the magnetic field to at least a unit of a magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium. Thus, a information is recorded magnetically by making a direction of a magnetization of the magnetic recording unit of the magnetic recording medium in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnetic transition pattern in a longitudinal magnetic recording medium, comprising steps of: (a) providing a magnetic recording medium including a layer of a magnetic material having a surface comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending magnetic domains; (b) contacting the surface of the layer of magnetic material with a topographically patterned imprinting surface of a stamper/imprinter formed of at least one high saturation magnetization, high permeability magnetic material; and (c) applying a unidirectional magnetic field perpendicular to the imprinting surface of the stamper/imprinter, the perpendicular magnetic field creating a longitudinal magnetic field component of sufficient strength to effect selective alignment of the magnetic domains of those portions of the layer of magnetic material which face the depressions of the imprinting surface while retaining the alignment of the magnetic domains of those portions of the layer of magnetic material which face the project

Abstract: A head with a heating element and control regime therefor is disclosed. In embodiments described, the control regime or controller energizes the heater or heating element to provide intermittent heating between read or write operations to optimize transducer temperature and operating characteristics or parameters of a data storage device. In particular, in one embodiment described, the controller provides a low amplitude signal or current to provide low grade thermal heating. In another embodiment, the controller provides a high amplitude signal or current to preheat the transducer portion for write operations.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed which has a facility to perform a pinning reset operation on a GMR read element included in a head if a read retry operation fails to achieve recovery from a read error. When a bias and write currents are supplied to the head, a CPU of the disk drive determines an optimum bias and write currents on the basis of a temperature measured value of the GMR read element.

Abstract: A video tape recorder includes a rotary cylinder of double-azimuth four-head structure having a pair of main heads and a pair of subheads. When it is detected base on an envelop signal that clogging or the like occurs in the pair of main heads, a controller performs a head change so as to record a video signal by using the pair of subheads, and changes a phase of a control signal that is to be recorded on a magnetic tape by 180 degrees.

Abstract: Data is written to a hard disk drive using shingled writing principles, i.e., each data track is partially overwritten when an immediately contiguous data track is written. Two or more contiguous data tracks establish a band, and a band may store data from an AV file. Tracks may be written in sequence toward or away from the inside diameter (ID) of the disk, depending on their radial location on the disk and the skew of the write element.

Abstract: There is disclosed a disk drive which can appropriately execute a gain control of an AGC amplifier included in a read channel for each zone on a disk. A CPU refers to table information stored in a memory, and reads initial gain data corresponding to the zone during switching of the zone as a read object. The CPU sets the read initial gain data into the AGC amplifier.

Abstract: A master information carrier comprises a substrate whose surface has an embossed pattern corresponding to an information signal. At least a surface of the protruding portion of the embossed pattern is made of a ferromagnetic material. A method for writing an information signal into a sheet or disk magnetic record medium with a ferromagnetic thin film or coating is performed by putting the surface of the magnetic record medium into contact with the master information carrier so as to write a magnetized pattern corresponding to the embossed pattern of the master information carrier into the magnetic record medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling data read/write between a hard disk and a hard disk controller is disclosed. The hard disk includes a disk for storing data, multiple read/write heads for reading or writing data onto the disk in accordance with a read request or write request from a requesting device, a non-volatile memory for storing control data in relation to reading data from the disk or writing data to the disk, and a controller for sending the control data to the requesting device in response to a read request or a write request from the requesting device before reading data or writing data.

Abstract: A patterned perpendicular magnetic recording medium has magnetic islands that contain stacks of individual magnetic cells to provide multilevel recording. Each cell in an island is formed of a material or set of materials to provide the cell with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and is a single magnetic domain. Each cell is magnetically decoupled from the other cells in its island by nonmagnetic spacer layers. Thus each cell can have a magnetization (magnetic moment) in one of two directions (into or out of the plane of the layer making up the cell), and this magnetization is independent of the magnetization of the other cells in its island. This permits multiple magnetic levels or states to be recorded in each magnetic island.