Seagate Assigned Fifteen Patents

Band rewrite optimization
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,762) developed by Qiang, Jian, Xie, Wen Xiang, Cai, Libin, Singapore, Singapore, and Kowles, Andrew, Lyons, CO, for a “band rewrite optimization.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Implementations disclosed herein provide a method comprising comparing high-latency data sectors of a storage band, the high-latency data sectors having latency above a predetermined threshold, with target sectors for storing new data to determine one or more of the high-latency data sectors that may be skipped during retrieval of at-rest data from the storage band.”

The patent application was filed on March 24, 2017 (15/469,185).

HAMR NFT materials with improved thermal stability
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,757) developed by Zhao, Tong, Eden Prairie, MN, Kautzky, Michael Christopher, Eagan, MN, Challener, William Albert, Glenville, NY, and Seigler, Michael Allen, Eden Prairie, MN, for a “HAMR NFT materials with improved thermal stability.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A near field transducer includes gold and at least one dopant. The dopant can include at least one of: Cu, Rh, Ru, Ag, Ta, Cr, Al, Zr, V, Pd, Ir, Co, W, Ti, Mg, Fe, or Mo. The dopant concentration may be in a range from 0.5% and 30%. The dopant can be a nanoparticle oxide of V, Zr, Mg, Ca, Al, Ti, Si, Ce, Y, Ta, W, or Th, or a nitride of Ta, Al, Ti, Si, In, Fe, Zr, Cu, W or B.”

The patent application was filed on April 22, 2013 (13/867,179).

Writer pole formation
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,756) developed by Liu, Yi, Edina, MN, Bowser, Aaron M., St. Paul, MN, Yu, Dan, Shakopee, MN, and Zhang, Xiaohong, Eden Prairie, MN, for a “writer pole formation.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Implementations disclosed herein provide a method of reducing the topography at the alignment and overlay marks area during the writer pole photolithography process in order to reduce the wafer scale variation and reduce the writer pole photolithography process rework rate. In one implementation, an intermediate stage of a wafer for writer pole formation is generated by removing a part of at least one metallic writer pole layer on top of an intermediate stage writer pole wafer to form a recovery trench, depositing an optically transparent material on top of the wafer, wherein the thickness of the optically transparent material is higher than a target recovery trench topography, forming a photoresist pattern on top of the optically transparent material over the recovery trench, etching the optically transparent material, and removing the photoresist pattern and at least part of the remaining optically transparent material.”

The patent application was filed on July 5, 2016 (15/202,373).

Selective write power variability for magnetic recording
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,752) developed by Yoon, Jung Min, Chung, Jae Myung, and Kim, Hwajun, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, for a “selective write power variability for magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage device includes a storage controller that controls a writer to generate a magnetic field at an air-bearing surface, (ABS) of a storage medium and to selectively alter a strength of the magnetic field by a predetermined amount when writing data to select data tracks on the storage medium.”

The patent application was filed on November 11, 2015 (14/938,298).

Data storage loadbeam stiffening feature
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,750) developed by Ramakrishnan, Narayanan, Eden Prairie, MN, and Kumar, Vijay, Edina, MN, for a “data storage loadbeam stiffening feature.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device can have a suspension with a loadbeam. The loadbeam can be configured with one or more a stiffening features. The loadbeam and stiffening feature may be constructed as products of a single piece of material. The stiffening feature can be defined by a varying thickness of the loadbeam.”

The patent application was filed on June 24, 2016 (15/192,407).

Heat-assisted magnetic recording drive
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,749) developed by Lee, Chuen Buan, Singapore, Sinapore, Rausch, Tim, Farmington, MN, Liu, Xiong, and Bi, Qiang, Singapore, Singapore, for a “heat-assisted magnetic recording drive enclosure with arcuate channel for accommodating laser diode unit.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus comprises a heat-assisted magnetic recording drive which includes an enclosure having a base and a cover. The drive includes a magnetic recording disk and a head gimbal assembly proximate one of the base and the cover. The HGA supports a slider assembly comprising a laser diode unit. The LDU projects away from the HGA towards one of the base and the cover. An arcuate channel is provided in one of the base and the cover and dimensioned to receive a distal portion of the LDU. The channel has a length that accommodates the distal portion of the LDU along a stroke of the HGA.”

The patent application was filed on April 8, 2016 (15/094,055).

Dual writer design in interlaced magnetic recording
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,744) developed by Xue, Jianhua, Maple Grove, MN, Zhong, Jian, Lu, Lei, Bloomington, MN, Dong, Yan, Chanhassen, MN, and Rivkin, Kirill, Edina, MN, for a “dual writer design in interlaced magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The disclosed technology includes a storage device including an interlaced magnetic recording, IMR) system, and a transducer head, including two writers, each writer including a write pole, wherein a width of a first write pole in a cross-track direction is substantially greater than a width of a second write pole in the cross-track direction, and wherein a down-track width of a front shield gap of the first write pole is substantially similar to down-track width of a front shield gap of the second write pole. In another implementation, the storage device includes an IMR system, and a transducer head, including two writers, each writer including a write pole, wherein a width of the first write pole in a cross-track direction is substantially greater than a width of a second write pole in a cross-track direction, and wherein a cross-track width of a side shield gap of the first write pole is substantially similar to a cross-track width of a side shield gap of the second write pole.”

The patent application was filed on April 1, 2016 (15/088,752).

Selective data writer coil
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,742) developed by Rivkin, Kirill A., Edina, MN, Xue, JianHua, Maple Grove, MN, Tian, Wei, Eden Prairie, MN, Lu, Lei, Bloomington, MN, and Zhong, Jian, Plymouth, MN, for a “selective data writer coil.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data writer may be constructed and operated as part of a data storage device. The data writer can be positioned proximal a data storage medium. The data writer may have a write pole positioned adjacent a writer coil with the writer coil having a plurality of turns. A controller that is connected to each turn can be adapted to selectively activate less than all the coil turns in response to the data writer being positioned over a first portion of a data storage medium and selectively activate all of the coil turns in response to the data writer being positioned over a second portion of the data storage medium.”

The patent application was filed on February 28, 2017 (15/445,267).

Write current parameter selection for magnetic recording
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,805,741) developed by Ma, Minjie, Bloomington, MN, Granz, Steven, Shakopee, MN, and Gao, Kaizhong, North Oaks, MN, for a “write current parameter selection for magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage device includes a storage medium and a storage device controller that selectively varies a value of at least one write current parameter to generate alternating data tracks of variable written track width. According to one implementation, the alternating data tracks of variable written track width are generated with a single writer.”

The patent application was filed on January 27, 2017 (15/417,661).

Providing data redundancy after reducing memory writes
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,804,794) developed by Danilak, Radoslav, Cupertino, CA, for a “techniques for providing data redundancy after reducing memory writes.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure relates to techniques for providing data redundancy after reducing memory writes. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a storage system receives a storage command for providing data redundancy in accordance with a first data redundancy scheme. The storage system then implements a subsequent data redundancy in accordance with a second data redundancy scheme.”

The patent application was filed on November 8, 2016 (15/345,556).

Sector translation layer for hard disk drives
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,804,786) developed by Kadam, Prasad Ramchandra, Thangaraj, KaruppuSwamy, Pune, India, and Mulani, Jameer Babasaheb, Sangli, India, for a “sector translation layer for hard disk drives.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus having a memory and a controller is disclosed. The memory may have a write head and sectors in tracks. The controller may have a sector map and a translation map and may be configured to, (i) receive a write command having a logical block address and a range value, (ii) examine the sector map to find a sector sequence, (a) marked free, (b) about to reach the write head and, (c) at least as long as the range value, (iii) write new data in the sector sequence,(iv) update the translation map to associate the logical block address of the write command with a physical address of the written sectors and, (v) update the sector map according to the sectors written. Each entry in the sector map generally corresponds to a respective sector and indicates whether the respective sector contains valid data or is free.”

The patent application was filed on June 4, 2015 (14/730,472).

Storage media performance management
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,804,781) developed by Kowles, Andrew Michael, Lyons, CO, for a “storage media performance management.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method or system for determining a required certification level of storage area for storing data of a write request based on a characteristic of the data, selecting a target storage area based on a media certification table and the required determined certification level of the media area and storing data at the target storage area.”

The patent application was filed on March 26, 2014 (14/226,265).

Enlarged substrate for magnetic recording medium
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,799,364) developed by Adachi, Koji, San Jose, CA, Beresford, Ian J., Milpitas, CA, Chang, Thomas Y., Menlo Park, CA, Hwang, Kuo Hsing, San Jose, CA, Hennessy, James, Campbell, CA, and Perez, David, E. Palo Alto, CA, for a “enlarged substrate for magnetic recording medium.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An enlarged substrate configuration for magnetic recording media. In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises a disc shaped member of metal or glass configured as a substrate for a magnetic data recording disc for a 21/2 inch form factor data storage device or a 31/2 inch form factor data storage device. The disc shaped member has a top planar surface, an opposing bottom planar surface, an outermost annular sidewall that extends between the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface at an outermost diameter of nominally 67 or 97 millimeters, respectively, and an inner annular sidewall that extends between the top planar surface and the bottom planar surface to define a central aperture.”

The patent application was filed on May 15, 2017 (15/595,514).

Damping controlled composite magnetic media for heat assisted magnetic recording
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,799,363) developed by Chen, Xi, Fremont, CA, Peng, Yingguo, San Ramon, CA, Thiele, Jan-Ulrich, Sunnyvale, CA, Ju, Ganping, Pleasanton, CA, and Roscamp, Thomas, Kihei, Hawaii, for a “damping controlled composite magnetic media for heat assisted magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A magnetic stack includes a substrate and a magnetic recording layer disposed over the substrate. The magnetic recording layer comprises magnetic crystalline grains and a segregant disposed between grain boundaries of the crystalline grains. One or both of the magnetic crystalline grains and the segregant are doped with a rare earth or transition metal dopant in an amount that provides the magnetic recording layer with a magnetic damping value, .alpha., between about 0.1 to about 1.”

The patent application was filed on March 13, 2013 (13/802,354).

Three dimensional data storage medium with tuned recording layer
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (9,799,362) developed by Lee, Kim Yang, Nolan, Thomas P., Fremont, CA, Steiner, Philip L., Los Altos, CA, Chang, Thomas Y., Menlo Park, CA, and Wago, Koichi, Sunnyvale, CA, for a “three dimensional data storage medium with a tuned recording layer.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A three dimensional magnetic recording medium can consist of a first recording layer vertically stacked with a second recording layer. The first stacked recording layer may be tuned with at least one discrete track physically separating multiple data tracks in the first recording layer or tuned by being configured as a bit patterned media.”

The patent application was filed on May 26, 2016 (15/165,615).