EP0197256A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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System and method for recording digital information
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-02-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-02-06
Abstract
Abstract A digital recording medium formed of a thermoplastic substrate having a regular array of microscopic optically-alterable mirrors each supported by a mesa projecting from one surface. The parallel rows of the mirrors are the same distance apart as the mirrors in each row. A layer of transparent plastic over the mirrors provides dust protection. The medium can be formed from a single transparent thermoplastic substrate with an array of indentations in a first surface. The bottom of each indentation is coated with a reflective material. When viewed from the opposite surface of the substrate, the indentations become mesas. Recording is by exposure to a laser beam that reduces the reflectivity of selected mirrors. After exposure to the recording laser beam, the mirrors retain enough reflectivity to be distinguishable from the intervening valleys. The mirrors serve as timing and tracking markers prior to and during recording, and during read-out. The area and location of each information bit is determined prior to recording: not as a result of the recording process. The mirrors are scanned diagonally across the rows that make up the array. Scanning is accomplished by reciprocating movement of the medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur M. Gerber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:49
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/24; G11B7/26; G11B7/004; G11B7/0045; G11B7/00455; G11B7/2407; G11B7/24085; G11B7/08; G11B7/09; G11B7/0901; G11B7/0904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 53
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A system for recording digital information comprising a recording medium having a substrate, and a substantially regular array of spaced, discrete, immediately detectable alterable storage elements, each capable of recording at least one bit of digital information, a laser beam source capable of sufficient intensity to immediately alter a storage element of said medium exposed to said beam, scanning means arranged to focus said laser beam on individual storage elements of said medium, and modulation means arranged to modulate said beam in accordance with the digital information to be recorded.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
90 words
A system for recording digital information comprising a recording medium having a substrate, and a substantially regular array of spaced, discrete, immediately detectable alterable storage elements, each capable of recording at least one bit of digital information, a laser beam source capable of sufficient intensity to immediately alter a storage element of said medium exposed to said beam, scanning means arranged to focus said laser beam on individual storage elements of said medium, and modulation means arranged to modulate said beam in accordance with the digital information to be recorded.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
110 words
The system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said scanning means is arranqed to focus said beam successively on the individual storage elements, and said modulation means is arranged to change the intensity of said beam between two levels of intensity in accordance with the information to be recorded, one of said levels being of sufficient intensity to produce an immediately detectable alteration of one of said storage elements as a result of exposure to scanning by said scanning beam, and the other of said levels being of an intensity that causes no significant alteration in a storage element as a result of exposure to said laser beam during scanning.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said laser beam source is a diode laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each of said storage elements is a flat micromirror.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said substrate is a sheet of transparent thermoplastic having in a first surface thereof a reaular array of spaced indentations, and wherein each of said storage elements is on the bottom of one of said indentations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each of said storage elements is a micromirror supported by thermoplastic material and in which said alteration is the result of heat deformation of said thermoplastic material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 including a plurality of spaced, discrete projections extending from one surface of said thermoplastic material and each supporting one of said micromirrors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein each of said micromirrors has a maximum surface dimension between about one and 2.5 micrometers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the reflectivity of each of said micromirrors in the unaltered state is at least 20 percent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein each of said micromirrors comprises a metal-containing film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said medium comprises a sheet of plastic having formed inteqrally therewith a regular array of spaced mesas each supporting one of said micromirrors, each of said micromirrors being capable of being destroyed by a single pulse of focused energy less than 200 nanojoules per sauare micrometer thereby to become a depository for one bit of digital information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein in the unaltered state each of said micromirrors has a reflectivity between 20 and 55 percent, and in the altered state has a reflectivity substantially less than in the unaltered state, the number and location of said micromirrors having a reduced reflectivity beinq a function of the digital information recorded on the medium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said micromirrors are arranged in parallel rows forming a regular array, and said scanning means is arranged to scan said rows successively in opposite directions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as claimed in Claim 13 wherein said scanning means is arranged to scan along parallel paths diagonal to said rows.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system as claimed in Claim 13 wherein each of said micromirrors is a metal-containing film having a reflectivity of at least 20 percent and a maximum surface dimension between about one and 2.5 micrometers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system as claimed in Claim 15 wherein said substrate has a reference surface, and a regular array of spaced mesas extending from said surface, each supporting one of said micromirrors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as claimed in Claim 16 wherein said medium includes a transparent layer overlying and in intimate contact with said micromirrors.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
81 words
A medium for recordinq digital information comprisina a substrate having an array of spaced discrete storage elements, each of said storage elements being individually capable of immediately detectable alteration by exposure to a single pulse of focused enerqy of less than 200 nanojoules per square micrometer thereby to become a depository for one bit of digital information, the specific area of each storaae element subject to such alteration by said focused energy beinq pre-defined prior to the exposure to such energy.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
81 words
A medium for recordinq digital information comprisina a substrate having an array of spaced discrete storage elements, each of said storage elements being individually capable of immediately detectable alteration by exposure to a single pulse of focused enerqy of less than 200 nanojoules per square micrometer thereby to become a depository for one bit of digital information, the specific area of each storaae element subject to such alteration by said focused energy beinq pre-defined prior to the exposure to such energy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 18 wherein said substrate is formed of transparent material having therein a regular array of spaced depressions of uniform depths extending inwardly from one plane thereof, and each of said storage elements comprises a micromirror covering the bottom of one of said depressions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 18 wherein each of said elements is a micromirror, and said micromirrors are arranged in a regular array.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein the minimum distance between said micromirrors is not significantly less than the maximum surface dimension of said micromirrors.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein each of said micromirrors has an area between about 0.7 and four square micrometers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein substantially all of said micromirrors in its original unaltered state has a reflectivity of at least 20% at 830nm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein said substrate comprises a flexible thermoplastic and including a plurality of mesas formed integrally with said substrate and each supporting one of said micromirrors, said mesas defining a plurality of valleys therebetween.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein each of said micromirrors is formed of a metal-containing film.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 25 wherein said film is a composite of a metal and a silicate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 26 wherein said film is a composite of gold and silicon dioxide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 including a plurality of spaced discrete mesas extending from said reference surface, each supporting one of said micromirrors, and wherein .each of said micromirrors is formed of a metal-containing film.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 20 wherein each of said micromirrors has a maximum dimension no greater than about one micrometer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 24 wherein the reflectivity of said micromirrors in both the altered and unaltered state is greater then the reflectivity from said valleys.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 29 wherein each of said micromirrors has an area no greater than about five square micrometers.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
92 words
the method of recording diqital information comprising the steps of providing a substrate, supporting from said substrate, discrete, spaced storage elements, each of said storage elements beinq capable of immediately detectable alteration by exposure to focused energy, and exposing, in accordance with digital information to be recorded, selected storage elements to a source of focused energy of sufficient intensity to produce an immediately detectable alteration in each of said selected storage elements, each of said storage elements defining, prior to exposure to said focused energy, a specific area subject to alteration thereby.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
92 words
the method of recording diqital information comprising the steps of providing a substrate, supporting from said substrate, discrete, spaced storage elements, each of said storage elements beinq capable of immediately detectable alteration by exposure to focused energy, and exposing, in accordance with digital information to be recorded, selected storage elements to a source of focused energy of sufficient intensity to produce an immediately detectable alteration in each of said selected storage elements, each of said storage elements defining, prior to exposure to said focused energy, a specific area subject to alteration thereby.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in Claim 31 wherein each of said storage elements is a micromirror and including the step of arranging said micromirrors in a plurality of spaced parallel rows.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as claimed in Claim 33 wherein said selected micromirrors are exoosed to said focused energy successively along each of said rows, the direction of movement of said exoosure being reversed on successive rows.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as claimed in Claim 33 wherein said micromirrors are arranged in a substantially re q ular array.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in Claim 33 wherein said exposure to said focused energy is successively along parallel paths diagonal to said rows.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as claimed in Claim 36 including the step of supporting each of said micromirrors on a discrete mesa extending from said reference surface, each of said mesas being separated by intervening valleys from adjacent mesas.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as claimed in Claim 37 wherein said medium is formed predominately of thermoplastic material.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as claimed in Claim 38 wherein said focused energy is a laser beam, and said exposure comprises the step of focusing said laser beam on said selected micromirrors thereby to destroy the micromirror and thereby record one bit of digital information.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of making and pretesting a digital recording medium comprising the steps of forming a substrate of thermoplastic material having thereon a regular array of spaced, separate predefined information storage areas, coating each of said areas with a reflective coating thereby to form a regular array of optically alterable micromirrors, successively scanning each of said micromirrors with a laser beam having an intensity less than that which will significantly reduce the reflectivity of said micromirrors, and measuring the light reflected from each micromirror and comparing it with a predetermined level of reflectivity thereby to detect defects in the reflectivity of said micromirrors.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of making and pretesting a digital recording medium comprising the steps of forming a substrate of thermoplastic material having thereon a regular array of spaced, separate predefined information storage areas, coating each of said areas with a reflective coating thereby to form a regular array of optically alterable micromirrors, successively scanning each of said micromirrors with a laser beam having an intensity less than that which will significantly reduce the reflectivity of said micromirrors, and measuring the light reflected from each micromirror and comparing it with a predetermined level of reflectivity thereby to detect defects in the reflectivity of said micromirrors.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of recording digital information comprising the steps of providing a substrate of thermoplastic material, depositing on said substrate a plurality of parallel rows of spaced, discrete, optically-alterable micromirrors, and scanning along paths diagonal to said rows with a laser beam modulated, in accordance with digital information to be recorded, between two levels of intensity, the higher of said intensities being great enough to destroy the reflectivity of one of said micromirrors by exposure thereto during the scanning.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
79 words
The method of recording digital information comprising the steps of providing a substrate of thermoplastic material, depositing on said substrate a plurality of parallel rows of spaced, discrete, optically-alterable micromirrors, and scanning along paths diagonal to said rows with a laser beam modulated, in accordance with digital information to be recorded, between two levels of intensity, the higher of said intensities being great enough to destroy the reflectivity of one of said micromirrors by exposure thereto during the scanning.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
74 words
The method of making a medium for the storage of digital data comprising the steps of providing a substrate of transparent thermoplastic material having first and second opposinq surfaces, forming in said first surface a substantially regular array of spaced depressions, depositing a reflecting coating on said first surface and on the bottom of each of said depressions, and removing said reflective coating from the exposed areas of said first surface between said depressions.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
74 words
The method of making a medium for the storage of digital data comprising the steps of providing a substrate of transparent thermoplastic material having first and second opposinq surfaces, forming in said first surface a substantially regular array of spaced depressions, depositing a reflecting coating on said first surface and on the bottom of each of said depressions, and removing said reflective coating from the exposed areas of said first surface between said depressions.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as claimed in Claim 42 wherein said coating on said first surface is removed by abrasion.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as claimed in Claim 42 incuding the step of applying a non-reflecting layer to said areas of said first surface between said depressions.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
67 words
A digital recording medium comprising a transoarent thermoplastic substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, said first surface having therein a substantially regular array of spaced depressions, a plurality of optically-alterable micromirrors each formed on the bottom of one of said depressions, each of said micromirrors being capable of reflecting at least 20 percent of laser light focused upon it throuqh said second surface of said substrate.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
67 words
A digital recording medium comprising a transoarent thermoplastic substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, said first surface having therein a substantially regular array of spaced depressions, a plurality of optically-alterable micromirrors each formed on the bottom of one of said depressions, each of said micromirrors being capable of reflecting at least 20 percent of laser light focused upon it throuqh said second surface of said substrate.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
28 words
The medium as claimed in Claim 45 wherein each of said micromirrors is capable of being destroyed by laser beam having an energy level less than 200 nanojoules.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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