The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 22, 1995
Allen Thomas Bracken, Layton, UT (US);
Edward L Rich, Ogden, UT (US);
Harold Lin Woods, Ogden, UT (US);
Hong Tan, Layton, UT (US);
Iomega Corporation, Roy, UT (US);
Abstract
A data storage device for reading and writing information to and from a storage medium and having an actuator for moving a read/write head over a surface of the storage medium comprises an optical sensor mounted on either a surface of the data storage device or a surface of the actuator, and a gray-scale pattern provided on the other of these surfaces, opposite the optical sensor. The gray scale pattern provides an amount of reflected light at the optical sensor that varies with the position of the actuator. The optical sensor receives the reflected light and generates therefrom an output signal indicative of the position of the actuator. A control system processes the position signal output from the optical sensor for controlling the velocity of the actuator.