Western Digital (fremont), Inc.

Qsecure, Inc.

Joyce Thompson

Yingjian Chen

Xizeng Shi

Yugang Wang

Francis H Liu

Matthew R Gibbons

David Pariseau

Kerry Dennis Brown

Hugh Craig Hiner

William D Jensen

Zi-Wen Dong

Chester Xiaowen Chien

Edgar M Williams

Weidong Li

A Q-Chip MEMS magnetic device comprises a thin-film electronic circuit for implantation in the Track-2 area of a magnetic stripe on the back of a credit card. The Q-Chip MEMS magnetic device periodically self-generates new sub-sets of magnetic data that are to be read in combination with other magnetic data that is permanently recorded in the surrounding surface of the magnetic stripe. A collocated battery and microcontroller provide operating power and new data for magnetic bit updates. A swipe sensor triggers such updates by sensing electrical contact with a legacy card reader. Several thin-film coils of wire are wound end-to-end around a common, flat, ferrous core. These are driven by the microcontroller. In one instance, such core comprises 'hard' magnetic material with a coercivity of 200-300 Oersteds. Magnetic data written from the corresponding adjacent coils will persist for later readings by a legacy card reader. In another instance, the core comprises 'soft' magnetic material with a coercivity of about one Oersted. A media stripe of &#x201c;hard&#x201d; magnetic film material overlays respective coils to receive magnetic data transfers. Magnetic data written from the corresponding adjacent coils will persist in the overlaying hard media for later readings by a legacy card reader. In a data input mode, the thin-film coils can be used as readers to provide updates and new programming to the microcontroller.

Magnetic data recording device

An inductive transducer having first and second magnetic pedestals disposed between first and second magnetic pole layers and adjacent to a media-facing surface, the pedestals separated by a submicron, nonmagnetic gap. The first pedestal extends less than the second pedestal from the media-facing surface, defining a short throat height. The second pedestal extends further to provide sufficient area for stitching to the second pole layer. The stitching and the thickness provided by the pedestals allow plural coil layers to be disposed between the pole layers, and the second pedestal, as well as other features, can be defined by high-resolution photolithography. The two coil layers have lower resistance, lower inductance and allow the pole layers to be shorter, improving performance. All or part of either or both of the pedestals may be formed of high magnetic saturation material, further enhancing performance.

Inductive transducer with stitched pole tip and pedestal defining zero throat height

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Joyce Thompson