Patent US5289455A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5289455A
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US
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Information recording and/or reproducing apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-07-23
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Granted: 1994-02-22
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Expires: 2011-07-23
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for recording and/or reproducing information onto/from a medium through a probe electrode. A voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode and a distance between the medium and the probe electrode is adjusted in such a manner that current becomes a predetermined current value, the current flowing to the probe when the voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode. The predetermined current value is changed in accordance with the voltage being applied.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryo Kuroda
- 👤 Akihiko Yamano
- 👤 Hiroyasu Nose
- 👤 Toshihiko Miyazaki
- 👤 Takahiro Oguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:31
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B9/00; G11B9/12; G11B9/14; G11B9/1418; G11B9/1427; G11B9/1436; G11B9/1445; G11B9/1454; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/85; Y10S977/851; Y10S977/86; Y10S977/861; Y10S977/88; Y10S977/881
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information onto/from a medium through a probe electrode, said apparatus comprising: voltage applying means for applying a voltage between the medium and the probe electrode; distance adjusting means for adjusting a distance between the medium and the probe electrode in such a manner that current becomes a predetermined current value, the current flowing between the medium and the probe electrode when the voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode; and current value changing means for changing the predetermined current value in accordance with the voltage applied by the voltage applying means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information onto/from a medium through a probe electrode, said apparatus comprising: voltage applying means for applying a voltage between the medium and the probe electrode; distance adjusting means for adjusting a distance between the medium and the probe electrode in such a manner that current becomes a predetermined current value, the current flowing between the medium and the probe electrode when the voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode; and current value changing means for changing the predetermined current value in accordance with the voltage applied by the voltage applying means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage applying means applies between the medium and the probe electrode a constant voltage causing characteristics of the medium not to change, when information is reproduced.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the voltage applying means applies between the medium and the probe electrode a voltage causing characteristics of the medium to change, when information is recorded.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
127 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance adjusting means comprises: probe current detecting means for detecting current value flowing between the medium and the probe electrode; first function conversion means for logarithmically converting the current value detected by said probe current detecting means to output a first logarithmic conversion signal; second function conversion means for logarithmically converting the predetermined current value to output a second logarithm conversion signal; subtraction means for taking a difference between the first and second logarithm conversion signal to output a difference signal; amplifying means for amplifying the difference signal at a predetermined amplification factor; and changing means for changing the distance between the medium and the probe electrode on the basis of the difference signal amplified by said amplifying means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current value changing means changes the predetermined current value, by taking into consideration a desired distance between the medium and a tip of the probe electrode and the voltage value applied between the medium and the probe electrode by the voltage applying means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current value changing means changes the predetermined current value in such manner that a ratio of the voltage applied between the probe electrode and the medium and the predetermined current value becomes always constant.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current flowing between the medium and the probe electrode is a tunnel current.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the current flowing to the probe electrode is a field emission current.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage applying means comprises: a bias electric source to generate a bias voltage to detect the information from the medium; signal generating means for generating a signal to record or erase the information onto/from the medium through the probe electrode; and adding means for adding an output of the bias electric source and an output of the signal generating means and for applying between the medium and the probe electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage applying means comprises: a reproducing bias electric source to generate a bias voltage to reproduce the information; a tracking bias electric source to generate a bias voltage for tracking; and switching means for switching the bias voltage for reproducing and the bias voltage for tracking and for applying between the medium and the probe electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said voltage applying means comprises: a DC bias electric source; and bias modulating means for modulating a DC bias voltage generated from the DC bias electric source and for applying between the medium and the probe electrode.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of recording and/or reproducing information onto/from a medium through a probe electrode, comprising the steps of: applying a voltage between the medium and the probe electrode; adjusting a distance between the medium and the probe electrode in such a manner that current becomes a predetermined current value, the current flowing to the probe electrode when the voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode; and changing the predetermined current value in accordance with the voltage applied in the voltage applying step.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of recording and/or reproducing information onto/from a medium through a probe electrode, comprising the steps of: applying a voltage between the medium and the probe electrode; adjusting a distance between the medium and the probe electrode in such a manner that current becomes a predetermined current value, the current flowing to the probe electrode when the voltage is applied between the medium and the probe electrode; and changing the predetermined current value in accordance with the voltage applied in the voltage applying step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein a constant voltage causing characteristics of the medium not to change is applied between the medium and the probe electrode in the voltage applying step, when information is reproduced.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein a voltage causing characteristics of the medium to change is applied between the medium and the probe electrode in the voltage applying step, when information is recorded.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
96 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the distance adjusting step includes the steps of: detecting current value flowing between the medium and the probe electrode; logarithmically converting the current value detected to output a first logarithm conversion signal; logarithmically converting the predetermined current value to output a second logarithm conversion signal; detecting a difference between the first and second logarithm conversion signals to output a difference signal; amplifying the difference signal at a predetermined amplification factor; and changing the distance between the medium and the probe electrode on the basis of the difference signal amplified.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined current value is changed in said current value changing step, taking into consideration a desired distance between the medium and a tip of the probe electrode and the voltage value applied between the medium and the probe electrode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined current value is changed in said current value changing step in such a manner that a ratio of the voltage applied between the probe electrode and the medium and the predetermined current value becomes always constant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the current flowing between the medium and the probe electrode is a tunnel current.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the current flowing to the probe electrode is a field emission current.
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