Ultra-high density storage device
US5557596A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 12, 1995 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/943
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A storage device including many field emitters in close proximity to a storage medium, and a micromover, all in a partial vacuum. Each field emitter can generate an electron beam current. The storage medium has many storage areas on it, with each field emitter responsible for a number of storage areas. Also, each storage area can be in a number of different states to represent the information stored in that area. In storing information to the storage device, the power density of an electron beam current is increased to change the state of the storage area bombarded by the electron beam current. In reading information from the device, the power density of the electron beam current is reduced to generate a signal current from the storage area bombarded by the electron beam current. During reading, the power density is selected to be low enough so that no writing occurs. The magnitude of the signal current depends on the states of the storage area. The information stored in the storage area is read by measuring the magnitudes of the signal current. Finally, the micromover can scan the storage medium with respect to the field emitters so that each field emitter can access many storage …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.