Mass-storage applications of local probe arrays
US5835477A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/947
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention concerns a storage device comprising a local probe array (72) and a storage medium (70) with an array of storage fields (71). The local probe array (72) is situated opposite to the storage medium (70) such that each local probes (73) of the local probe array can be scanned over the corresponding storage field (71). The storage device further comprises circuit for distinguishing between information to be erased from a first section of the storage medium and information in this section which is not to be erased, circuit for selectively copying the information which is not to be erased into a memory, preferably another section of said medium, and circuit for erasing the whole first section.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.