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. 02, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2011
Methods and systems for utilizing sensor resistance for detecting damage to magnetoresistive sensors
Applicant:
Icko E. Tim Iben, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Inventor:
Icko E. Tim Iben, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 35/00 (2006.01); G11B 5/008 (2006.01); G11B 5/455 (2006.01); G11B 5/39 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G11B 5/00826 (2013.01); G11B 5/455 (2013.01); G11B 5/3948 (2013.01);
Abstract
Methods and systems for detecting a damaged magnetoresistive sensor are disclosed. In one embodiment, resistances of a plurality of sensors are measured at at least a first bias current level. Further, it is determined whether one of the sensors has a resistance that is at least a predetermined amount higher or lower than the resistances of the other sensors. Moreover, output indicates that the one of the sensors has a resistance that is at least a predetermined amount higher than the resistances of the other sensors.