Abstract:
A magnetic disk apparatus using a magnetic disk in which recording and/or reproduction of information is carried out by a magnetic head which receives a floating force by an air current occurring when the magnetic disk is rotated. In this apparatus, a first disk cartridge holding a first magnetic disk which is provided with a planar recording track on a disk substrate molded out of a synthetic resin, and a magnetic layer covering the recording track, and a second disk cartridge holding a second magnetic disk which is provided with recessed and projecting information bit arrays on a disk substrate molded out of a synthetic resin, and a magnetic layer on bottom and top surfaces of these bit arrays, and in which the magnetic layer to the bottom and top surfaces of the bit arrays are magnetized in different directions to store information such as computer-controlling program are selectively mounted. This enables a new program to be installed in a computer only by replacing the disk cartridge.
Abstract:
A low profile information storage system including a low profile information storage cartridge (11) having a housing consisting of a base (13) and a cover (14) defining a sealed chamber with one or more disks (16), transducers (17) for the writing and reading of information, a portion of a drive motor stator (37), a drive motor rotor for rotating the disk(s), and a transducer actuator for positioning the transducers (17) at selected locations over the disk(s) (16) sealed in the chamber to maintain the disk(s) (16) and transducers (17) in a clean controlled environment, and a cartridge receiving assembly (12), a coil portion (21) of the drive motor stator (37) and mechanical means (71, 72, 73) for accurately positioning and maintaining alignment of an inserted portable low profile information storage cartridge (11).
Abstract:
A 10 millimeter z-height form factor is disclosed having a base plate (24) with a spin motor boss (26) for holding a spin motor (14) and an actuator bearing assembly boss for coupling an actuator bearing assembly. A circuit board (38) positioned below the base plate has a hole for receiving the spin motor boss (26) and a hole for receiving the actuator bearing assembly boss.
Abstract:
The use of a dynamically mapped virtual memory system (100) permits the storage of data so that each data record occupies only the physical space required for the data. Furthermore, the data storage subsystem (100) manages the allocation of physical space on the disk drives (122-125) and does not rely on the file extend defined in the count key data format. Data compaction apparatus is provided to remove the gaps contained in the stream of count key data records received from the host processor (11, 12). A data compression algorithm (203-0) is then used to compress the received data into a compressed format for storage on the disk drives (122-125). It is the compacted, compressed data that is finally stored on the disk drives (122-125). Furthermore, any data record received from the host processor (11, 12) absent data in the user data field therein is simply listed in the virtual memory map as a null field occupying no physical space on the disk drives (122-125). The data storage control (101), through its mapping capability, stores the actual data in the minimum physical space required by overcoming the limitations imposed on large form factor disk drives by the use of count key data format data records. However, the data storage subsystem (100) returns this stored data to the host processor (11, 12) in count key data format through a data record reformatting process once the stored compacted compressed data is staged to the cache memory (113) for access by the host processor (11, 12). The data storage subsystem (100) is operationally independent of the host processor (11, 12), yet performs as if it were a standard operationally dependent large form factor disk subsystem.
Abstract:
A hard disk drive includes a housing (11) having a wall (31) contourned to fit vertically flush against the rear wall of a cabinet (13) of a display screen for a personal computer. A hard disk drive unit (32) is mounted within the housing such that the storage disk within the drive unit is oriented generally parallel to the contoured wall. Vents (51, 52) are formed through the housing to permit air to circulate past the drive unit.
Abstract:
A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus in which a PG yoke (4) that serves as a rotational position detector marking on a magnetic disc (1) is detected by a PG coil (5) that serves as pulse detector means thereby to take out pulses responsive to the turn of the disc (1), the erasing operation and recording/reproducing operation are controlled by a control circuit (17) which constitutes erase/record/reproduction control means that work responsive to the pulses, and the data is erased from the disc (1) or is recorded onto or reproduced from the disc (1) by a composite magnetic head (6) controlled by said erase/record/reproduction control means, the composite magnetic head (6) having an erasing gap (E1, E2) and a recording/reproducing gap (R/W-1, R/W-2) that are constructed as a unitary structure being separated apart in the lengthwise direction of the recording track.
Abstract:
A frequency multiplying circuit for a disc controller includes a first time counting unit (21) responsive to input pulse signals (S(CLK)) for producing a first detection signal when a HIGH level period of the input pulse signals (S(CLK)) is longer than a predetermined length, a second time counting unit (22) responsive to the input pulse signals (S(CLK)) for producing a second detection signal when a LOW level period of the input pulse signals (S(CLK)) is longer than a predetermined length, and a pulse generation determining unit (3) responsive to the produced first and second detection signals for realizing a SET state by the produced first detection signal and realizing a RESET state by the produced second detection signal to generate gate signals (Q, Q). First and a second pulses are generated in gates (41, 42) responsive to the gate signals (Q, Q ), and a rising or falling edge of the input pulse signals (S(CLK)) to deliver frequency multiplication of the input pulse signals (S(CLK)) is prohibited when the frequency of the input pulse signals is higher than a predetermined frequency to prevent unacceptably short LOW level periods of the frequency multiplied signals.
Abstract:
A method for re-formatting a magnetic data storage disk utilizing a Hall-effect sensor associated with the spindle motor to generate signals at least twice per revolution. In the re-formatting operation, sector location information is read from a track on the disk, and re-formatting is initiated following a Hall-effect signal only if the sector is identified as the first sector on the track. Accordingly, synchronization of a re-formatting operation is obtained using information provided from a first formatting operation.
Abstract:
A disc (14) is provided with equal-interval pits (141) along tracks, at which digital signals are recorded bit by bit. Such a disc (14) is rotated with constant angular velocity. A signal processing apparatus according to the present invention detects the linear velocity of the track which is at present followed by a pickup. A filter (302) filtering a source signal to be recorded and an A/D converter (304) carrying out analog-to-digital conversion of the filtered signal, in the signal processing for recording, are controlled and timed in accordance with the detected linear velocity. Further, an D/A converter (604) carrying out digital-to-analog conversion of a signal read out from the disc and a filter (606) filtering the converted signal, in the signal processing for reproducing, are also timed and controlled in response to the detected linear velocity. Thereby, a disc memory device having a large storage capacity and suited for the random access memory can be realized.
Abstract:
57 A method for time axis control in which both coarse and fine time axis adjustment are performed in accordance with the relative speeds of a recording disk (1) and a playback unit during recording or reproduction in which repetitive track jumping operations are effected over successive tracks by moving the pickup unit. During the track jumping operations, a time constant circuit (R1, C2) within a circuit (9) which performs the fine time axis adjustment is reset during each track jumping operation. This enables a colour image to be displayed during a scanning operation which is natural in appearance by preventing a build-up of time axis errors caused by the track jumping operation.