Method and apparatus for magnetic recording of data with a recording head having a plurality of physically parallel, serially connectable conductors

Claim 2

Apparatus for recording data on a cooperating magnetic recording medium comprising: a plurality of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of the conductors mounted in parallel positional relationship to corresponding segments of the other conductors with each segment in proximity to the magnetic recording medium; switching means for connecting selected conductors in a single series circuit; and means for energizing the segments of the selected conductors and thereby recording data on the magnetic medium by passing current in the form of a single short duration, high peak current pulse through the selected conductors in series; said energizing means comprises a capacitor and means for rapidly discharging said capacitor.

Claim 3

Apparatus for recording data on magnetic tape comprising: a plurality of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of the conductors mounted in parallel positional relationship to corresponding segments of the other conductors with each segment in proximity to the magnetic tape; switching means for selectively connecting each of the conductors into a single series circuit or bypassing it through an alternative resistance having substantially the same resistance as the conductor with which it is associated; and

Claim 4

Apparatus for recording data on magnetic tape comprising: a plurality of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of the conductors mounted in parallel positional relationship to corresponding segments of the other conductors with each segment in proximity to the magnetic tape; switching means for selectively connecting each of the conductors into a single series circuit or bypassing it through an alternative resistance having substantially the same resistance as the conductor with which it is associated; and

Claim 5

capacitor discharge means for energizing the segments of the conductors connected in the series circuit and thereby recording data on the magnetic tape by passing current in the form of a short duration, high peak current pulse through said series circuit.

Claim 6

capacitor discharge means for energizing the segments of the conductors connected in the series circuit and thereby recording data on the magnetic tape by passing current in the form of a short duration, high peak current pulse through said series circuit.

Claim 7

Apparatus for recording data on a cooperating magnetic recording medium comprising: a non-conductive, non-magnetic unitary conductor mounting member; a plurality of electrical conductors each having a single segment affixed to said mounting member and arrayed along a line; and means for selectively energizing the conductor segments by supplying a single short duration high peak current pulse to selected conductors to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the selected conductor segments, said means comprising switching means for selectively connecting conductors in a series circuit to which said pulse is applied; in which the magnetic medium and the array of conductor segments are relatively movable along said line; the single segment of each of the conductors is in proximity to the magnetic medium; and there is only one conductor segment for each of the data bits in said group.

Claim 8

Apparatus for recording data on a cooperating magnetic recording medium comprising: a non-conductive, non-magnetic unitary conductor mounting member; a plurality of electrical conductors each having a single segment affixed to said mounting member and arrayed along a line; and means for selectively energizing the conductor segments by supplying a single short duration high peak current pulse to selected conductors to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the selected conductor segments, said means comprising switching means for selectively connecting conductors in a series circuit to which said pulse is applied; in which the magnetic medium and the array of conductor segments are relatively movable along said line; the single segment of each of the conductors is in proximity to the magnetic medium; and there is only one conductor segment for each of the data bits in said group.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said conductor segments extend in a direction substantially transverse to said line.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein there are no magnetic pole pieces adjacent said conductors.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of the switching means includes a resistor which may be connected in the series circuit to bypass a conductor, the resistor having substantially the same resistance as the conductor with which it is associated.

Claim 12

Apparatus for recording data on a cooperating magnetic recording medium comprising: a non-conductive,, non-magnetic, unitary conductor mounting member; a plurality of electrical conductors each having a single segment affixed to said mounting member and arrayed along a line; and means for selectively energizing the conductors segments by supplying a short duration high peak current pulse to selected conductors to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the selected conductor segments, said means comprising a capacitor, means for rapidly discharging said capacitor, and a circuit for directing said pulse through two or more conductors in series, said circuit including at least one resistor arranged to provide substantially constant circuit resistance regardless of which combination of conductors is selected; in which the magnetic medium and the array of conductor segments are relatively movealbe along said line; the single segment of each of the conductors is in proximity to the magnetic medium; and there is only one conductor segment for each of the data bits in said group.

Claim 13

Apparatus for recording data on a cooperating magnetic recording medium comprising: a non-conductive,, non-magnetic, unitary conductor mounting member; a plurality of electrical conductors each having a single segment affixed to said mounting member and arrayed along a line; and means for selectively energizing the conductors segments by supplying a short duration high peak current pulse to selected conductors to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the selected conductor segments, said means comprising a capacitor, means for rapidly discharging said capacitor, and a circuit for directing said pulse through two or more conductors in series, said circuit including at least one resistor arranged to provide substantially constant circuit resistance regardless of which combination of conductors is selected; in which the magnetic medium and the array of conductor segments are relatively movealbe along said line; the single segment of each of the conductors is in proximity to the magnetic medium; and there is only one conductor segment for each of the data bits in said group.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said condutors has substantially the same cross-section and the spacings between adjacent conductors of a group of at least three conductors is substantially equal.

Claim 15

Method for recording data on a magnetic recording medium comprising the steps of: positioning an array of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of said conductors in a line which is parallel and adjacent to the surface of the magnetic medium, the segments extending in a direction substantially transverse to said line;

Claim 16

Method for recording data on a magnetic recording medium comprising the steps of: positioning an array of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of said conductors in a line which is parallel and adjacent to the surface of the magnetic medium, the segments extending in a direction substantially transverse to said line;

Claim 17

selectively energizing the conductor segments by causing a single short duration high peak current pulse to pass from a capacitor through a series circuit comprising selected conductors and alternate conducting means bypassing non-selected conductors, to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the conductor segments; and relatively moving the magnetic medium and the conductor array along said line.

Claim 18

selectively energizing the conductor segments by causing a single short duration high peak current pulse to pass from a capacitor through a series circuit comprising selected conductors and alternate conducting means bypassing non-selected conductors, to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the conductor segments; and relatively moving the magnetic medium and the conductor array along said line.

Claim 19

The method of claim 9 including the step of pre-recording a periodic waveform on the magnetic medium.

Claim 20

Method for recording data on a magnetic recording medium comprising the steps of: positioning an array of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of said conductors in a line which is parallel and adjacent to the surface of the magnetic medium, the segments extending in a direction substantially transverse to said line, wherein said array comprises at least three substantially equally spaced conductors; selectively energizing the conductor segments by causing a single short duration high peak current pulse to pass from a capacitor through a series circuit comprising selected conductors and alternate conducting means bypassing non-selected conductors, to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the conductor segments, wherein the current used to energize said array is sufficient to cause substantial saturation of the region of the magnetic medium proximate and between two adjacent conductors when said two conductors have been energized but not sufficient to cause saturation of a region proximate an unenergized conductor in the midst of the three conductors when the conductors on either side of said unenergized conductor have been energized; and relatively moving the magnetic medium and the conductor array along said line.

Claim 21

Method for recording data on a magnetic recording medium comprising the steps of: positioning an array of electrical conductors with a single segment of each of said conductors in a line which is parallel and adjacent to the surface of the magnetic medium, the segments extending in a direction substantially transverse to said line, wherein said array comprises at least three substantially equally spaced conductors; selectively energizing the conductor segments by causing a single short duration high peak current pulse to pass from a capacitor through a series circuit comprising selected conductors and alternate conducting means bypassing non-selected conductors, to substantially simultaneously record a pattern representative of a group of data bits onto the magnetic medium upon passage of the pulse through the conductor segments, wherein the current used to energize said array is sufficient to cause substantial saturation of the region of the magnetic medium proximate and between two adjacent conductors when said two conductors have been energized but not sufficient to cause saturation of a region proximate an unenergized conductor in the midst of the three conductors when the conductors on either side of said unenergized conductor have been energized; and relatively moving the magnetic medium and the conductor array along said line.