Light Intensity Adjustment Or Maintenance Patents (Class 369/116)
  • Patent number: 12026087
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatically testing AI models in connection with enterprise-related properties are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sandeep Hans, Diptikalyan Saha, Aniya Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 11600422
    Abstract: A connection structure of an inductive element includes a circuit substrate, in inductive element, at least one connection wire, a supporting element, a containing element, a positioning element, a connecting element, and a locking element. The circuit substrate has a through hole. Each connection wire has a first end connected to the inductive element, and a fixed terminal is disposed on a second end of the connection wire. The containing element is formed on the supporting element to provide a containing space. The positioning element is contained in the containing space, and provides a positioning part. The connecting element has a first connecting part and a second connecting part. The first connecting part is connected to the positioning part to clip the fixed terminal. The locking element has a locking part. The locking part is connected to the second connecting part to lock on the circuit substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Lei-Ming Lee, Xin-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 11587589
    Abstract: Various circuits, systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed to provide dynamic direct current (DC) level shifting for use with a summing component of a quad channel detector (QCD) of a media scanning system configured to detect carbon voids or other defects on the surface of a magnetic recording medium. In an example, a summing circuit receives separate input signals from four optical sensors of the scanning system and generates a summed output signal with an alternating current (AC) component representative of a defect and a direct current (DC) component representative of a total power of an optical transmitter of the scanning system. A DC level shifting circuit receives a fixed DC offset signal and the same four variable input signals. The DC level shifting circuit provides dynamic level shifting of the DC component of the summed output signal based on the fixed DC offset and the four input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Vishwanath Iyer
  • Patent number: 11543995
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for feedback for multi-level signaling in a memory device are described. A receiver may use a modulation scheme to communicate information with a host device. The receiver may include a first circuit, a second circuit, a third circuit, and a fourth circuit. Each of the first circuit, the second circuit, the third circuit, and the fourth circuit may determine, for a respective clock phase, a voltage level of a signal modulated using the modulation scheme. The receiver may include a first feedback circuit, a second feedback circuit, a third feedback circuit, and a fourth feedback circuit. The first feedback circuit that may use information received from the first circuit at the first clock phase and modify the signal input into the second circuit for the second clock phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: M. Ataul Karim
  • Patent number: 11317031
    Abstract: An imaging system for general illumination and range imaging in strong ambient illumination conditions includes a light source, at least one image sensor with a rolling shutter, a steering device, and a controller. The light source transmits laser pulses with a structured pattern towards a scene. The steering apparatus spatially directs each of the laser pulses towards a different region of interest within the scene. The image sensor receives reflected laser pulses, via the rolling shutter, from the different regions of interest. The controller triggers the image sensor to read each of the pixels in the image sensor with the rolling shutter at a time instance when one of the laser pulses having the structured pattern is reflected onto the pixel from one of the different regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Leo Benedict Baldwin
  • Patent number: 11114124
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a control device to be used for a magnetic disk device includes a power source control section and a control section. The power source control section configured to change an output voltage value of a voltage supplied to the control device from a power source on the basis of a voltage control parameter. The control section configured to, when a magnetic head makes access to a zone set on a magnetic disk, set a voltage control parameter provided in such a manner as to be correspondent to the zone to the power source control section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Takeda
  • Patent number: 10997997
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a recording medium, wherein the head comprises a laser configured to heat the recording medium. A mode hop map is generated for a write power applied to the laser during a write operation. The write power is applied to the laser during the write operation and the write power is adjusted in response to the mode hop map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Shaomin Xiong
  • Patent number: 10845611
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable body on which an optical module is mounted, a fixed body which supports the movable body, and a flexible printed circuit board connected with the movable body. The flexible printed circuit board comprises a fixed part fixed to the movable body and the fixed part is structured by fixing a reinforcing plate to the flexible circuit board. The fixed part comprises two engaging parts to which two protruded parts formed in the movable body are fitted and a hooked part formed of an end part of the reinforcing plate. The hooked part is protruded to an outer side in a width direction of the flexible circuit board. The movable body comprises the two protruded parts which are fitted to the two engaging parts and a first hook part which holds the hooked part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 10759109
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects are disclosed. Two or more materials are extruded simultaneously as a composite, with at least one material in liquid form and at least one material in a solid continuous strand completely encased within the liquid material. A means of curing the liquid material after extrusion hardens the composite. A part is constructed using a series of extruded composite paths. The strand material within the composite contains specific chemical, mechanical, or electrical characteristics that instill the object with enhanced capabilities not possible with only one material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Continuous Composites Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Lyle Tyler
  • Patent number: 10717312
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a data carrier comprising an opaque layer and a method for making the data carrier. During personalization phase, the ablation of the opaque layer by laser through the data carrier allows to define a see-through portion of the data carrier carrying opaque security, said see-through portion having an improved security corresponding to opaque embossing pattern overlapping at least partially the opaque security partially destroyed. Said defined see-through portion carrying opaque security partially destroyed with opaque embossing pattern on its surface is even more difficult to reproduce by forger, even more difficult to remove, replace or exchange and easy to check.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Thales Dis France SA
    Inventors: Teemu Pohjola, Kristian Lappalainen
  • Patent number: 10511139
    Abstract: Method and apparatuses are described herein for providing laser safety in semiconductor laser modules. For example, a semiconductor laser module may comprise a semiconductor laser and an optical element. The optical element that is operatively coupled with the semiconductor laser may disperse the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser. The optical element may be coated with a transparent conductive material that serves as an interlock on the semiconductor laser. The transparent conductive material may be placed in the shape of a trace on the optical element where the trace is electrically in series with the semiconductor laser. On a condition that the trace is damaged, the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser may be interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventor: Charles André Schrama
  • Patent number: 10446182
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). In some embodiments, a write element has a magnetic write coil that writes a magnetic pattern to a recording layer of a data recording surface. A light delivery mechanism imparts heat in the form of electromagnetic energy to the data recording layer during operation of the write element. A radiation detector detects radiation power emitting from the recording layer responsive to the operation of the light delivery mechanism. A control circuit determines a direct temperature of the recording layer responsive to the detected radiation power, and as necessary, adjusts a power input to the light delivery mechanism responsive to the determined temperature. The radiation detector may be an infrared photodetector with a graphene-based detection layer. The photodetector may be disposed between a write pole and a return pole of the write element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Lihong Zhang, Xiong Liu, Samuel Swee Chuan Gan
  • Patent number: 10447696
    Abstract: A method for proving retrievability (POR) of information is performed in a memory available to one or more computation devices, wherein credentials between a user device, a storing device and an auditing device between each pair of said devices are exchanged and used for communication between them. The method includes encoding information to be stored on the storing device by the user device or the auditing device, storing the encoded information on the storing device, verifying the correctness of the stored information by the auditing device using unpredictable random information, transmitting correctness information to the user device, the correctness information being secure and being generated based on the result of the verification by the auditing device, and validating the correctness information by the user device for proving retrievability of the stored information and the unpredictable random information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederik Armknecht, Jens-Matthias Bohli, Ghassan Karame, Christian Gorke
  • Patent number: 10387071
    Abstract: A method for a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins by receiving a data retrieval request for data stored as a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in a set of DS memory units. The method continues by selecting a read threshold number of DS units of the set of DS units. The method continues by facilitating sending read requests to the read threshold number of DS units. The method continues by receiving a decode threshold number of favorable read responses from a decode threshold number of DS units of the read threshold number of DS units. The method continues by facilitating canceling any pending read requests associated with other DS units of the read threshold number of DS units. The method continues by identifying any non-responding DS units of the other DS units to produce identified DS units and facilitating sending the identified DS units a read cancellation request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: PURE STORAGE, INC.
    Inventor: Greg R. Dhuse
  • Patent number: 10333625
    Abstract: A system for controlling an optical data transmitter includes control circuitry comprising a voltage controlled current source configured to generate a reference current configured to generate at least two output currents whose magnitudes are in a fixed ratio wherein at least one of said output currents is used by said control circuitry to control current driver circuitry, a first plurality of serially coupled resistors, a first plurality of switches, a second plurality of serially coupled resistors, a second plurality of switches, and a look-up-table configured to control the first plurality of switches and the second plurality of switches based on an input to control a ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HILIGHT SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
    Inventors: Dominique Coue, William Redman-White
  • Patent number: 10319155
    Abstract: A tracking system having a website connected to a electronic device over an electronic network. Identification information associated with participant information related to an identification chip worn by a participant and stored in the electronic device. The website displays the present position of a selected participant, a live continuous video feed from selected check points, the pace of the selected participant and the estimated time of arrival for the participant at a selected check point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Inventor: Ravi Vemulapalli
  • Patent number: 10238297
    Abstract: The present invention uses an object information acquiring apparatus having: an optical transmitter that transmits light and emits the light to an object; a first optical meter disposed at the incidence side of the optical transmitter; a second optical meter disposed at the emission side of the optical transmitter; a calculator that calculates an equation that indicates the relationship between the fluence of light measured by the first optical meter and the fluence of light measured by the second optical meter; a probe that receives an acoustic wave that is generated from the object due to the light emitted by the optical transmitter and converts the acoustic wave; and a processor that acquires specific information about the inside of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yukio Furukawa
  • Patent number: 10121581
    Abstract: An article having a multiple magnetic polarities and a method for making the article are disclosed. The article can be a monolithic substrate form from a metallic material or materials. The article may include a first magnetic polarity and a second magnetic polarity opposite the first magnetic polarity. Methods for making the article include provide either providing a monolithic substrate having a first magnetic polarity, or applying a first magnetic field to the monolithic substrate to impart a first magnetic polarity. The method may also include raising the temperature of the monolithic substrate in order to reduce the coercivity of the monolithic substrate. The temperature of the monolithic substrate may also be selectively raised to lower the coercivity of the monolithic substrate in associated areas. By lowering the coercivity, the second magnetic polarity may be imparted on the monolithic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Zhu, John C. DiFonzo, Sean S. Corbin
  • Patent number: 10122248
    Abstract: Electric drive device for an electric power steering system that includes an electric motor with a motor case, and a motor shaft with a drive end, an electronic control unit that controls the drive of the motor, According to one embodiment the electronic control unit includes a power board and a heat sink. A connector coupled to a side of the electric drive device is at least partially maintained in its position with the use of one or more projections projecting from a first area of the connector that reside within one or more corresponding housings located in a peripheral region of the heatsink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FAGOR, S. COOP
    Inventors: Francisco Javier Acinas Lope, Fernando Martinez Areal, Javier Gomez De Segura Ipacua, Jose Sanchez Luaces
  • Patent number: 10056106
    Abstract: A circuit includes a light source, a sensor, and a switch. The sensor measures output of the light source and provides an electrical signal to a feedback loop that is indicative of the measured output of the light source. The switch is positioned in the feedback loop and is movable between a first position and a second position depending upon whether the feedback loop is operating in a first mode of operation or a second mode of operation. During the first mode of operation the output of the feedback loop adjusts at least one operating parameter of the light source responsive to the electrical signal. During the second mode of operation the output of the feedback loop does not adjust the at least one operating parameter of the light source responsive to the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Scott O'Brien
  • Patent number: 10026443
    Abstract: An error is determined in a target track of a heat-assisted recording medium. The error triggers an error recovery procedure. The error recovery procedure involves storing data from at least part of an adjacent track that is immediately proximate the target track to another data storage location. The error recovery procedure also involves, for two or more iterations in which a laser power is incrementally changed from a lower power to a higher power, erasing at least part of the adjacent track at the laser power and attempting to recover the target track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Wenzhong Zhu, Jason Charles Jury, Pu-Ling Lu, Edward Charles Gage
  • Patent number: 9993658
    Abstract: The present invention relates to light applicators, systems comprising light applicators, and methods for their use. One aspect of the invention provides a light applicator configured for contacting a portion of a subject's body surface and controllably applying light irradiation thereto. The light applicator comprises a housing, the housing comprising a treatment plate for contacting the portion of the subject's body surface and having one or more windows. One or more light emitters are disposed inside the light applicator and projecting toward the corresponding one or more windows of the treatment plate. A heat spreader plate is disposed inside the light applicator. One or more heat conducting members thermally connect the treatment plate to the heat spreader plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: YOLO Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Vincent Browne, James Elliott Cameron, Trevor Pleydell-Bouverie Malcolm Moat, Christian Terry Proch McMechan
  • Patent number: 9972344
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first head actuated over a first disk surface, wherein the first head comprises a laser configured to heat the first disk surface while writing data to the first disk surface. A write power is applied to the laser and a first write operation is executed to write first data to the first disk surface during a first revolution of the first disk surface. A first transient decrease in an output power of the laser is detected during the first write operation, and when the first transient decrease in the output power of the laser is detected during the first write operation, a write-verify of the first data is executed during a second revolution of the first disk surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huanxiang Ruan, Galvin Chia, Prakash Balasubramaniam, Phillip S. Haralson, Dennis W. Hogg
  • Patent number: 9842619
    Abstract: A set of consecutive user data wedges are each located between consecutive servo wedges of a heat-assisted recording medium. Test data is written at least every other one of the consecutive data wedges using different laser power values. Based on reading the test data, a nominal laser power is selected for use by the read/write head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Alfredo Sam Chu, Wenzhong Zhu, Tim Rausch
  • Patent number: 9646420
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to: control an imaging device to stop a first focus adjustment when a specific object is detected from a first image captured by the imaging device while the first focus adjustment is in execution, the first focus adjustment being performed at each first time interval by the imaging device, and control the imaging device to start a second focus adjustment when the specific object is not detected from a second image captured by the imaging device after the imaging device is controlled to stop the first focus adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Kyosuke Imamura
  • Patent number: 9581685
    Abstract: There are provided a transducer that irradiates an ultrasonic wave, a transmitter that drives the transducer, and a plurality of power sources that supply a plurality of positive voltages and negative voltages to the transmitter. The transmitter includes a plurality of switches (SW1 to SW4) that connect the power sources selectively, and a timing controller that controls a plurality of the switches. A driving pulse is generated through a selection of the switches. A plurality of the positive voltages and a plurality of the negative voltages have absolute values different from each other. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that allows the amplitude of the driving pulse to be varied in multiple stages, is low in cost, and requires small amounts of both material and control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Morio Nishigaki
  • Patent number: 9553537
    Abstract: A de-glitch circuit, a de-glitch method and a short circuit protection device are provided. In a period during which a first flag signal is in a first logic state, the de-glitch circuit increases a counting result with a rising rate. In a period during which the first flag signal is in a second logic state, the de-glitch circuit decreases the counting result with a falling rate, wherein the rising rate is greater than the falling rate. The de-glitch circuit sets a logic state of a second flag signal according to a relationship between the counting result and a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ACTRON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chih-Chun Lu
  • Patent number: 9520943
    Abstract: An example embodiment includes a system for communicating an optical signal. The system includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The optical transmitter includes one or more lasers configured to produce a light signal and a transmitter optical sub assembly (TOSA) receptacle. The TOSA receptacle optically couples the lasers to an optical fiber and launches a quasi-multimode optical signal (quasi-MM signal) that includes at least one lower order mode optical signal and at least one higher order mode optical signal onto the optical fiber. The optical receiver is connected to the optical fiber via a receiver optical sub assembly (ROSA) receptacle. The optical receiver is configured to receive the quasi-MM signal and to substantially block the at least one higher order mode optical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: FINISAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Samir Sheth, Jonathan P. King, T.H. Ola Sjolund, Xiaojie Xu, Tengda Du, Steffen Koehler
  • Patent number: 9502068
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a laser configured to heat the disk while writing data to the disk. While writing data to the disk, an updated power setting for the laser is stored in a staging register, and during a non-write mode, the updated power setting is transferred from the staging register to an operating register in order to update an operating power for the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Phillip S. Haralson
  • Patent number: 9494626
    Abstract: A constant period signal monitoring circuit for monitoring a constant period signal that is output periodically when a control processor operating according to a program is normal, includes a signal input terminal that receives the constant period signal, an edge detection section that detects a change of the constant period signal appearing at the signal input terminal from a low level to a high level or from a high level to a low level as an edge of the constant period signal, and a time measuring section that measures a length of the time during which a state of not detecting the edge continues on the basis of an output of the edge detection section and outputs an abnormality detection signal in a case that the measured time exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Wataru
  • Patent number: 9432058
    Abstract: An error correction apparatus for a digital signal received by a signal reception terminal includes two error correction modules. The first error correction module performs first error correction on an input signal to generate an intermediate signal satisfying a termination condition. The second error correction module receives and selectively performs second error correction on the intermediate signal to generate a corrected signal. The termination condition is associated with a maximum error correction capability of the second error correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Hsien Ku, Tung-Sheng Lin, Yi-Ying Liao
  • Patent number: 9336813
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a magnetic disk device including a light irradiation element and a control unit. The light irradiation element is configured to irradiate a magnetic disk with light according to a driving signal. The control unit is configured to lower, in multistep manner, active level of the driving signal contributing intensity of the light when a low frequency pattern of write data is recorded into the magnetic disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Naoki Tagami
  • Patent number: 9333787
    Abstract: An optical device projecting one or more synthetically magnified images that has been laser marked with one or more static two dimensional (2D) images is provided. The static 2D image(s) laser marked on or within this device and the synthetically magnified image(s) projected by this device help determine the authenticity of a document (e.g., passport data page) or product that employs it. Several embodiments of the inventive device also offer increased resistance to tampering or alteration and wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: Visual Physics, LLC, Crane & Co., Inc., Crane AB
    Inventors: Samuel M. Cape, Jonathan D. Gosnell, Kaj Markkus Helminen, Gregory R. Jordan, Scott K. Palm, Giles D. Prett, Timothy W. Schneider, Anthony J. Zucchero
  • Patent number: 9307602
    Abstract: An illumination system for a projection apparatus includes a light source module, an integrating rod and an optical detecting module. The light source module is capable of emitting an illuminating light beam. The integrating rod has a light entrance surface facing toward the light source module. The optical detecting module includes a light guiding device and an optical detecting device. The light guiding device has a first end surface and a second end surface. The first end surface is farther away from the light entrance surface of the integrating rod than the second end surface. The optical detecting device is disposed adjacent to the first end surface of the light guiding device and electrically connected to the light source module. The light source module is capable of adjusting intensity of the illuminating light beam according to randomly emitted light detected by the optical detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: CORETRONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wen-Chih Yang, Yung-Ta Chen, Sheng-Yu Chiu, Fan-Chieh Chang
  • Patent number: 9123370
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk, a head comprising a laser, and a fly height actuator (FHA) configured to actuate the head vertically over the disk based on an FHA setting. A first fly height of the head is measured at a first laser power setting, and a second fly height of the head is measured at a second laser power. A FHA write setting is generated based on a calibrated write laser power, the first and second fly height measurements, and a first function representing a nominal FHA delta setting between a read touchdown FHA setting and a write touchdown FHA setting relative to a delta in a fly height of the head due to a corresponding change in laser power applied to the laser, where the FHA write setting is applied to the FHA during the write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Huanxiang Ruan, Galvin T. Chia
  • Patent number: 9099144
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk and a head comprising a laser configured to heat the disk while writing to the disk. Data is written to the disk using an operating laser power applied to the laser, and then the data is read from the disk to generate a read signal. A ramp interval is measured for an amplitude of the first read signal to ramp up to a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Galvin T. Chia, Prakash Balasubramaniam
  • Patent number: 9081364
    Abstract: In an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus using holography, there are provided the optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, method thereof, and optical information recording medium which correct a zero point and variation of unit quantity of a reference beam angle between apparatus and perform recording or reproducing operation with high compatibility between apparatus. The optical information recording/reproducing apparatus detects a reference beam angle suitable to reproduce angle correction data recorded on the optical information recording medium and corrects a zero point and unit quantity of the reference beam angle at the time of recording or reproducing operation based on the detection angle information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Makoto Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9030922
    Abstract: The invention relates to recording on a medium, and in particular, to laser control during recording data on an optical medium. A laser control method for dynamically adjusting laser power during recording data onto an optical disc comprises: recording normal data onto the optical disc according to an initial laser power; stopping recording when a trigger is generated; reading back the recorded normal data and generating a first recording quality index; recording a test pattern at a test pattern starting point according to a selected laser power; reading back the test pattern and generating a second recording quality index; and determining an adaptive laser power to continually record the normal data according to the first recording quality index and the second recording quality index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Ching Yu, Hung-Hsiang Chang, Ping-Tsai Tsai
  • Patent number: 9001632
    Abstract: The present application discloses an information device for performing optical information processes for a recording medium including a phase-change recording layer which becomes amorphous under irradiation with pulsed amorphization light that has prescribed amorphization energy Ew. The information device includes an irradiator configured to irradiate a prescribed region of the phase-change recording layer with pulsed light and an energy setting portion which sets crystallization energy Ee for the pulsed light to crystallize the prescribed region. The crystallization energy Ee per the pulsed light, which is set by the energy setting portion, is greater than the amorphization energy Ew per the pulsed amorphization light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Mihara, Shigeru Furumiya
  • Patent number: 8986123
    Abstract: An information provision apparatus includes a storage section that stores item data, an update section that updates the item data when an item quantity change event has occurred during a first game that is executed by a first terminal, and a control section that causes a communication section to transmit item information to a second terminal when a purchase request operation has been performed by using a second terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Satake, Masahiro Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 8953429
    Abstract: An optical disc device includes an optical pickup unit including a semiconductor laser that shines a laser light, a light-receiving unit that receives the return light of the laser light, a high-frequency generating circuit that generates high-frequency signals, a pickup driver that generates a drive signal that drives the semiconductor laser based on the high-frequency signal, a control unit that controls the high-frequency generating circuit such that, in states in which playback of the optical disc is halted while irradiation with the laser light is being performed, the signal level of the high-frequency signal to be superimposed is set at a first signal level other than zero so as to be smaller than in states in which the playback is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Fujita
  • Patent number: 8934324
    Abstract: There is provided a light source including a mode-lock laser unit that includes a semiconductor laser and an external resonator unit and emits a laser beam having a predetermined frequency, the semiconductor laser including a saturable absorber unit that applies a reverse bias voltage and a gain unit that applies a gain current, a semiconductor optical amplifier that performs amplification modulation on the laser beam emitted from the mode-lock laser unit, a laser clock generating unit that generates a laser clock synchronized with the laser beam based on a signal detected from the saturable absorber unit when the laser beam oscillates in the mode-lock laser unit, and a modulating unit that generates a driving current synchronized with the laser clock and applies the driving current to the semiconductor optical amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Maruyama, Goro Fujita
  • Patent number: 8929185
    Abstract: Provided is an optical disc apparatus and an optical disc recording method, in which it is decided whether or not an optical disc recording medium is one of DVD-RW and DVD+RW when data is recorded in the medium. If it is decided that the medium is one of DVD-RW and DVD+RW, maximum length information is read out from a storage portion. The maximum length information contains a previously set maximum data length of data recorded to the medium by an optical pick-up portion in one recording operation. Data to be recorded is split into split data having a data length of the maximum data length or smaller. Further, an electric power value of a base electric power for controlling the semiconductor laser element to emit a laser beam with a bottom power is reset every recording operation of the split data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8913469
    Abstract: An optical information storage medium system is provided. The optical information storage medium system includes an optical pickup, which comprises a photo-detector configured to control light power detected by receiving a portion of light emitted from a light source and obtains an output signal proportional to output light power of the light source from a signal detected by the photo-detector, and a signal processor configured to signal-process the output signal input from the optical pickup. The signal processor includes a sensitivity acquisition unit configured to acquire a sensitivity value of the photo-detector, a gain calculator configured to calculate a target gain value to be used in comparing the sensitivity value of the photo-detector, which is acquired by the sensitivity acquisition unit, with a target sensitivity value to be used by the optical information storage medium system, and a gain adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Corporation
    Inventors: Hong-kuk Kim, Jong-hwa Yu
  • Patent number: 8861124
    Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The HAMR transducer includes a waveguide optically coupled with the laser and an optical power monitor optically coupled with the waveguide. The waveguide directs energy from the laser toward the media. The optical power monitor is optically coupled with the waveguide. The optical power monitor for captures a portion of the energy, converts the portion of the energy to heat and measures a local temperature proximate to the optical power monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Marc A. Finot, Matthew R. Gibbons, William J. Kozlovsky, Hongxing Yuan
  • Patent number: 8861323
    Abstract: The present invention optimizes recording power based on correct ? value. Whether an average of modulation values between the 2-4th AUNs is equal to or less than 65% of an average of modulation values between the 5-7th AUNs or not is judged. Otherwise, the gradual emission is performed, the ? value is measured, and then the following requirement is judged: (average of ? values between 5-7th AUNs)?(average of ? values between 2-4th AUNs)?0.18 If each requirement is satisfied, track shift is judged to occur. The recording area of high output is compared with the recording area of lower output to judge whether or not magnitude relation matches the correct magnitude relation. Also, whether the difference between the ? value of high output and the ? value of lower output is equal to or more than the predetermined value (0.18) or not is judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Shimizu, Hiroshi Mitsuda
  • Patent number: 8854936
    Abstract: Embodiments of optical disc drives are described that perform automatic forward sense calibration of write laser power using a sample and hold sampling strategy that is automatically determined based on an automatically selected write strategy. Embodiments of the described optical disc drive may be dynamically configured to support any optical disc media, any write mode, and any write strategy. The write strategies supported may include dynamically changing write speeds and/or write power levels across the respective optical media tracks. As the optical drive is automatically configured for a selected write media/write mode/write strategy, the sample and hold sampling delays used to control the sampling of a forward sense feedback signal are also automatically configured, thereby allowing each forward sense sampling point to be aligned with an area of the forward sense feedback signal that corresponds to a power level of interest and that avoids distortion in the feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Christopher Maul, Tom Geukens
  • Patent number: 8854939
    Abstract: An optical disk apparatus has: a laser (14) that outputs light; an optical system that includes an SIL (2) for forming a predetermined sized beam spot on an optical disk (1) using the light from the laser; a detector (26) that detects output power of the laser and generates a laser power detection signal; a laser power control circuit (27) that controls the output power of the laser using the laser power detection signal; a detector (10) that detects a gap length between the optical disk and the SIL and generates a gap detection signal; and a gap control circuit (15) that controls the gap length between the optical disk and the SIL using the gap detection signal. The power control circuit has a gain crossover frequency greater than a gain crossover frequency of the gap control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ryutaro Futakuchi, Shigeru Furumiya
  • Patent number: 8842507
    Abstract: A thermally-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) disk drive uses a thermal sensor to accurately monitor laser power during writing. The disk drive controller, or a separate processor, computes a prediction of the laser power from a history of laser power settings. This predicted value is compared with the measured value from the thermal sensor. If the difference is too large or too small, indicating that the laser power is too high or too low, an error signal is sent to the disk drive controller. The disk drive controller may adjust the laser power setting and initiate a re-write of the data. The predicted laser power is calculated from a convolution of a sequence of current and prior laser power settings with a sequence of coefficients. A calibration process generates the sequence of coefficients when the disk drive is idle or just after it is powered on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Toshiki Hirano, Lidu Huang, Tetsuo Semba, Barry Cushing Stipe
  • Patent number: 8824263
    Abstract: When the power of the write pulse is taken as the peak power and the power of the bottom pulse is taken as the bottom power, the power setting device (114) sets the power of each pulse in the recording pulse train such that the peak power PwN of the Nth information layer which is closest to the light entry surface of the optical recording medium (11), the bottom power PbN of the Nth information layer, the peak power PwM of the Mth information layer (where M is an integer such that N>M?1), and the bottom power PbM of the Mth information layer satisfy the following formula: PbN/PwN>PbM/PwM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Takaoka, Atsushi Nakamura, Tetsuya Akiyama, Naoyasu Miyagawa