Mark A Watson

US Patent:

6477009, Nov 5, 2002

Filed:

Jul 29, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/354764

Inventors:

Mark L. Watson - Louisville CO
Richard W. Crowell - Broomfield CO

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 510

US Classification:

360128

Abstract:

A multi-track read module including a hybrid thin film and mechanically closed shield includes a bottom shield layer onto which read elements are formed. A top shield is deposited over each read element. Each top shield is magnetically isolated from any other top shield and from the bottom shield layer. An insulative spacer layer is deposited between the plurality of top shields. A mechanical closure is affixed to the spacer layer.

US Patent:

6744594, Jun 1, 2004

Filed:

Dec 28, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/034567

Inventors:

Edward V. Denison - Erie CO
Mark Hennecken - Parker CO
Mark L. Watson - Louisville CO
Steven G. Trabert - Boulder CO

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 5265

US Classification:

360121, 360 7712

Abstract:

A servo track write head writes low frequency transitions for fine transverse positioning and high frequency fields providing additional information. The servo track write head includes a first write gap with at least one gap section at a first angle relative to a tape direction. A second write gap has at least one gap section at a second angle, not equal to the first angle. The first and second write gaps write low frequency transitions in each servo frame. A third write gap writes high frequency transitions in each servo frame.

US Patent:

6826020, Nov 30, 2004

Filed:

Aug 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/933996

Inventors:

Larry E. Daby - Erie CO
Mark Lee Watson - Louisville CO

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 539

US Classification:

360317, 360316

Abstract:

A two bump magnetic head for writing and reading information to a tape includes a merged-pole read/write element structure with inverted write elements. Each inverted write element includes top and bottom write poles. The write poles are fabricated such that the longitudinal dimension of the bottom write pole is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the top write pole in a zero throat region. This results in an âinvertedâ structure. An upper portion of the bottom write pole is milled in at least the zero throat region early in fabrication to produce a precise width adjoining a write gap. The trimmed upper portion of bottom write pole results in an improved write geometry that produces tightly defined tracks.

US Patent:

6970314, Nov 29, 2005

Filed:

Jun 5, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/163988

Inventors:

Mark Watson - Louisville CO, US
Herman C. Kluge - Erie CO, US
Joseph M. Schmalhorst - Broomfield CO, US

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B005/09

US Classification:

360 53

Abstract:

The present invention divides the recording head into multiple sections, each section accessing a subset of the total number of channels arranged such that one section reads and writes only a subset of the data channels. The sections may be either independently actuated for both coarse (data band) and fine (track-following) positioning, or linked by a common actuator for data band positioning with independent fine position actuators for fine track following.

US Patent:

6985430, Jan 10, 2006

Filed:

Nov 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/715677

Inventors:

Jeffrey G. Villiard - Broomfield CO, US
Mark L. Watson - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 5/56
G11B 5/55

US Classification:

369291, 3602611

Abstract:

A transducer positioning apparatus includes a frame, a first carriage movably associated with the frame and having a guide member, a second carriage that is movable with respect to the guide member between multiple positions relative to the guide member, and a transducer mounted on the second carriage. An anti-rotation member is associated with the second carriage for inhibiting rotational movement of the second carriage as the second carriage moves with respect to the guide member. The apparatus further includes an actuator associated with the second carriage. The actuator is operative to move the second carriage with respect to the guide member to a selected position of the multiple positions and to move the first carriage and the second carriage relative to the frame to locate the transducer in a desired position.

US Patent:

7123450, Oct 17, 2006

Filed:

Nov 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/716895

Inventors:

Jeffrey G. Villiard - Broomfield CO, US
Mark L. Watson - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 5/55

US Classification:

3602611

Abstract:

A transducer positioning apparatus includes a frame, a flexible member attached to the frame, and a guide member suspended from the frame by the flexible member. A carriage with a transducer mounted thereon is movable with respect to the guide member between multiple positions relative to the guide member. The apparatus further includes an actuator associated with the carriage. The actuator is operative to move the carriage with respect to the guide member to a selected position of the multiple positions and to move the carriage and the guide member relative to the frame to locate the transducer in a desired position. Furthermore, the flexible member is configured to allow axial movement of the guide member while inhibiting rotational movement of the guide member.

US Patent:

7239465, Jul 3, 2007

Filed:

Jun 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/609514

Inventors:

Mark L. Watson - Louisville CO, US
Anand V. Lakshmikumaran - Denver CO, US
Jeffrey G. Villiard - Broomfield CO, US

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 5/02

US Classification:

360 55

Abstract:

A magnetic head assembly for writing multiple tracks to a tape that travels in a first direction is provided. The assembly includes a first head section for writing a first subset of the tracks, and a second head section for writing a second subset of the tracks. Furthermore, one head section is canted with respect to a plane that is transverse to the first direction, such that the head sections write two adjacent tracks at different angles with respect to the plane.

US Patent:

7256969, Aug 14, 2007

Filed:

Jun 7, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/862287

Inventors:

Carl Stephen Arnold - Golden CO, US
Edward Virgil Denison - Erie CO, US
Carl Anthony Helms - Lafayette CO, US
Stein Klevdal - Niwot CO, US
Kevin D. McKinstry - Arvada CO, US
Mark Lee Watson - Louisville CO, US

Assignee:

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

International Classification:

G11B 5/127

US Classification:

360313

Abstract:

A method and system are provided for implementing discrete step stabilization of AMR read sensors in tape or disk drives. In one implementation, a plurality of discrete step stabilizers and AMR read sensor elements are arranged with a rotational symmetry coupled with a plane inversion for an odd number of steps, and no inversion for an even number of steps. Preferably, the steps are oriented at 45 degrees, or approximately parallel to the desired bias direction. For relatively narrow track widths (e. g. , approximately 5 microns), the edges of the sensor element nearest the permanent magnets are especially important to stabilize. Therefore, in one implementation, an edge of a stabilizer preferably intersects the edge of the sensor element at one half of the stripe height. Also, the rising and falling edges of the stabilizers do not always have the same slope. In order to compensate for the different slopes of a stabilizer's edges, the rising and falling edges of a stabilizer's pattern are interchanged by a “stabilizer phase” transformation to produce the complement (phase conjugate) of the stabilizer pattern.