Patent · US Expired

Data storage apparatus using optical servo tracks

US4843494A · kind A · utility

37Cited by
5References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 1987
Grant dateJun 27, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 15, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B21/08
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A magnetic data storage system for use with a double sided disk in which a prerecorded pattern of opaque optical lines is used to define the tracks in which magnetic data is to be stored. A separate optical system including an illumination source and a photosensitive detector is provided on a read/write assembly for each side of the disk. Each detector is designed also to serve as a reference grating. The illumination source is designed to image the prerecorded pattern of optical lines on the reference grating as an indication of the alignment of the read/write head of the assembly and a desired data rack and any misalignment of the head and track generates a servo signal. The detector uses four separate photocells interleaved in a prescribed fashion to form a quadrature detector that is adjustable to compensate for various non-uniformities. One form of illumination source uses a surface-emitting light emitting diode and optics for forming a multiple beam source.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.