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:
Feb. 21, 2012
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2008
Icko E. Tim Iben, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Icko E. Tim Iben, Santa Clara, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method for detecting a damaged magnetoresistive sensor in one embodiment includes measuring a resistance of a first sensor upon application thereto of a positive bias current; measuring the resistance of the first sensor upon application thereto of a negative bias current; determining a difference in the measured resistances at positive and negative currents of the first sensor; measuring a resistance of a second sensor upon application thereto of a positive bias current; measuring the resistance of the second sensor upon application thereto of a negative bias current; determining a difference in the measured resistances at positive and negative currents of the second sensor; and outputting at least one of the differences, or a derivative of the at least one of the differences. Additional methods are also presented.