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:
Mar. 30, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2001
Taras Grigorievich Pokhil, Arden Hills, MN (US);
Andrzej A. Stankiewicz, Edina, MN (US);
Janusz J. Nowak, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Seagate Technology LLC, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
A magnetoresistive sensor for sensing a magnetic storage medium includes a free layer that has a magnetic anisotropy that supports stable magnetic states. A magnetic field generator biases the stable states of the free layer. The magnetic field generator may permanently bias the free layer through the use of permanent magnets or may intermittently bias the free layer with a magnetic field generated by an alternating current. A magnetic storage medium is located proximate to the magnetoresistive sensor. The magnetoresistive sensor switches between stable magnetic states in response to the data on the magnetic storage medium. The magnetoresistive sensor senses the data stored in sectors on a magnetic medium by magnetically biasing the free layer, positioning the sensor proximate to a sector of the magnetic medium to be sensed, removing the magnetic bias and then sensing the magnetic state of the free layer while the magnetic bias is removed.