← Back to Patent Explorer
US5170382A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Magneto-optical recording apparatus for creating magnetic domains with reduced tails

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1990-11-07
•
Granted: 1992-12-08
•
Expires: 2010-11-07
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A magneto-optical recording apparatus records an information signal on a disk by illuminating a magnetic layer on the disk with a pulsed laser beam having a frequency at least twice the maximum frequency of the information signal, and applying a magnetic field with a polarity switched according to the information signal to the spot illuminated by the laser beam. To ensure erasure of old information, the apparatus can modify the peak power level, bottom power level, duty cycle, or frequency of the pulsed laser beam according to the radial position of the beam on the disk.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kouichi Yamada
  • 👤 Isao Watanabe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 23:09
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/125; G11B7/126; G11B11/00; G11B11/10; G11B11/105; G11B11/10502; G11B11/10504; G11B11/1051; G11B11/10513; G11B11/10517; G11B11/10519; G11B11/10521; G11B11/10528; G11B11/10595; G11B7/24; G11B7/2407; G11B7/24085

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim 155 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a certain maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: pulsed laser means for directing onto said magnetic layer a pulsed laser beam with a waveform having a certain peak power level, bottom power level, and duty cycle and having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; magnetic modulation means for applying to said magnetic layer a magnetic field having a polarity switched according to said information signal; detector means for detecting a radial position of said pulsed laser beam on said disk; and controller means, connected to said pulsed laser means and said detector means, for increasing said peak power level, bottom power level, duty cycle, and frequency of said waveform as said radial position of said pulsed laser beam increases wherein said controller means modifies said duty cycle according to said radial position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 155 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a certain maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: pulsed laser means for directing onto said magnetic layer a pulsed laser beam with a waveform having a certain peak power level, bottom power level, and duty cycle and having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; magnetic modulation means for applying to said magnetic layer a magnetic field having a polarity switched according to said information signal; detector means for detecting a radial position of said pulsed laser beam on said disk; and controller means, connected to said pulsed laser means and said detector means, for increasing said peak power level, bottom power level, duty cycle, and frequency of said waveform as said radial position of said pulsed laser beam increases wherein said controller means modifies said duty cycle according to said radial position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller means increases said duty cycle as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller means modifies said bottom power level, said peak power level, and said frequency F according to said radial position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said controller means increases said bottom power level, said peak power level, and said frequency F as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 154 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a certain maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: pulsed laser means for directing onto said magnetic layer a pulsed laser beam with a waveform having a certain peak power level, bottom power level, and duty cycle and having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; magnetic modulation means for applying to said magnetic layer a magnetic field having a polarity switched according to said information signal; detector means for detecting a radial position of said pulsed laser beam on said disk; and controller means, connected to said pulsed laser means and said detector means, for increasing said peak power level, bottom power level, duty cycle, and frequency of said waveform as said radial position of said pulsed laser beam increases wherein said controller means modifies said frequency according to said radial position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 154 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a certain maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: pulsed laser means for directing onto said magnetic layer a pulsed laser beam with a waveform having a certain peak power level, bottom power level, and duty cycle and having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; magnetic modulation means for applying to said magnetic layer a magnetic field having a polarity switched according to said information signal; detector means for detecting a radial position of said pulsed laser beam on said disk; and controller means, connected to said pulsed laser means and said detector means, for increasing said peak power level, bottom power level, duty cycle, and frequency of said waveform as said radial position of said pulsed laser beam increases wherein said controller means modifies said frequency according to said radial position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said controller means increases said frequency F as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said controller means modifies said bottom power level, said peak power level, and said duty cycle according to said radial position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 33 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said controller means increases said bottom power level, said peak power level, and said duty cycle as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 293 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: a controller for receiving said information signal and a recording gate signal; an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; a pulse generator, connected to said oscillator, for receiving said oscillating signal and generating therefrom a pulse train having said frequency and a certain duty cycle; an AND gate connected to said controller and said pulse generator, for ANDing said pulse train with said recording gate signal, thus generating a gated pulse train; a peak-power reference circuit for generating a peak-power signal; a bottom-power reference circuit for generating a bottom-power signal; a laser driver connected to said AND gate, said peak-power reference circuit, and said bottom-power reference circuit, for receiving said gated pulse train said peak-power signal, and said bottom-power signal and generating therefrom a pulsed current alternating between a peak current level determined by said peak-power signal and a bottom current level determined by said bottom-power signal, with said frequency and said duty cycle; an optical head for receiving said pulsed current, generating therefrom a pulsed laser beam having a peak power level determined by said peak current level and a bottom power level determined by said bottom current level, and focusing said pulsed laser beam onto a spot on said magnetic layer; an electromagnet for applying a magnetic field to said magnetic laser at said spot; and an electromagnet driver connected to said controller and said electromagnet for receiving said information signal from said controller, applying an exciting current to said electromagnetic, and switching a polarity of said exciting current responsive to said information signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 293 words
A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording an information signal having a maximum frequency on a disk having a magnetic layer, comprising: a controller for receiving said information signal and a recording gate signal; an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal having a frequency at least twice as high as said maximum frequency of said information signal; a pulse generator, connected to said oscillator, for receiving said oscillating signal and generating therefrom a pulse train having said frequency and a certain duty cycle; an AND gate connected to said controller and said pulse generator, for ANDing said pulse train with said recording gate signal, thus generating a gated pulse train; a peak-power reference circuit for generating a peak-power signal; a bottom-power reference circuit for generating a bottom-power signal; a laser driver connected to said AND gate, said peak-power reference circuit, and said bottom-power reference circuit, for receiving said gated pulse train said peak-power signal, and said bottom-power signal and generating therefrom a pulsed current alternating between a peak current level determined by said peak-power signal and a bottom current level determined by said bottom-power signal, with said frequency and said duty cycle; an optical head for receiving said pulsed current, generating therefrom a pulsed laser beam having a peak power level determined by said peak current level and a bottom power level determined by said bottom current level, and focusing said pulsed laser beam onto a spot on said magnetic layer; an electromagnet for applying a magnetic field to said magnetic laser at said spot; and an electromagnet driver connected to said controller and said electromagnet for receiving said information signal from said controller, applying an exciting current to said electromagnetic, and switching a polarity of said exciting current responsive to said information signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said duty cycle is substantially 50 percent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 68 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said optical head comprises: a laser diode connected to said laser driver, for receiving said pulsed current and generating said pulsed laser beam; a collimator lens disposed between said laser diode and said disk, for collimating said pulsed laser beam; and a focusing lens disposed between said collimating lens and said disk, for focusing said pulsed laser beam onto said magnetic layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 50 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said optical head further comprises; a beam splitter, disposed between said collimator lens and said focusing lens, for diverting light reflected from said disk; and a photodector for receiving light diverted by said beam splitter and converting the received light to an electrical signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said optical head is movable with respect to said disk in a radial direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 60 words
The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a preamplifier for receiving and amplifying said electrical signal, thus generating an amplified electrical signal; and an address detector connected to said preamplifier and said controller, for receiving said amplified electrical signal, detecting a radial position of said pulsed laser beam on said disk, and sending a radial position signal to said controller.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said peak-power reference circuit and modifies said peak-power signal according to said radial position signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said peak-power signal is increased in power as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said bottom-power reference circuit and modifies said bottom-power signal according to said radial position signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said bottom-power signal is increased in power as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 25 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said pulse generator and modifies said duty cycle according to said radial position signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said duty cycle is increased as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said oscillator and modifies said frequency according to said radial position signal.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said frequency is increased as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said bottom-power reference circuit and said peak-power reference circuit and modifies both said bottom-power signal and said peak-power signal according to said radial position signal.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said peak-power signal and said bottom-power signal are both increased in power as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 41 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said peak-power reference circuit, said bottom-power reference circuit, and said pulse generator, and modifies said peak-power signal, said bottom-power signal, and said duty cycle according to said radial position signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said peak-power signal, bottom-power signal, and said duty cycle are increased as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 39 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said peak-power reference circuit, said bottom-power reference circuit, and said oscillator, and modifies said peak-power signal, said bottom-power signal, and said frequency according to said radial position signal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said peak-power signal, bottom-power signal, and said frequency F are increased as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 45 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is connected to said peak-power reference circuit, said bottom-power reference circuit, said pulse generator, and said oscillator, and modifies said peak-power signal, said bottom-power signal, said duty cycle, and said frequency according to said radial position signal.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 30 words
The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said peak-power signal, bottom-power signal, said duty cycle, and said frequency are increased as said pulsed laser beam moves radially outward on said disk.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4426693A Cited
JPS61190741A Cited
US4949329A Cited
US4807210A Cited
JPS63171456A Cited
JPH01248341A Cited
US5014254A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-12-08 1996-06-08 1996-12-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-12-08 2000-06-08 2000-12-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-12-08 2004-06-08 2004-12-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag