Granted Patent B2

US 8,179,772 · App. 12/663,877 · Granted May 15, 2012

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. Apparatus for storing data in the form of marks, said marks being written and/or read by an array of probes, comprising: a plurality of data fields, each field comprising an area of the storage medium which, in use, is scanned for reading and/or writing by an associated one of the array of probes; wherein the data fields include operational data fields having operational data for operating said scanning stored therein; wherein the operational data fields are arranged in a plurality of clusters, each cluster comprising a plurality of adjacent operational data fields having operational data stored therein, wherein each cluster comprises two timing data fields, having a clock mark pattern and calibration data respectively stored therein, for adjusting a clock used to read/write data, at least one of which comprises a servo data field having servo data stored therein for determining positioning of the probe array during scanning, and at least one of which comprises a timing data field having timing data stored therein for determining timing of read and/or write pulses during scanning wherein the apparatus is a data storage medium.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the clusters is located substantially in the geometric centre of the data storage medium.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the clusters is located at each corner of the data storage medium.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operational data stored in each of the operational data fields in each cluster is different.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storage medium comprises a polymer surface and the marks are indentations.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the reading/writing of the marks is performed thermomechanically.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each probe exclusively scans one data field.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cluster comprises at least three operational data fields.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cluster comprises four different servo mark patterns, each stored in a different operational data field.

10. Apparatus comprising apparatus according to claim 1 and a probe array, wherein each probe in the array is configured to scan an associated one of the data fields for reading/writing data.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising actuators for relatively moving the probe array and the storage medium in an x-y direction to perform scanning and optionally wherein the actuators are configured to move the storage medium relative to the probe array.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to control the scanning operation in response to reading of the operational data and optionally wherein the controller is configured to control movement of the probe array in response to reading the servo data, and to control a clock used for providing a pulsed reading/writing signal in response to reading the timing data.

13. A method of scanning a data storage medium with a probe array comprising:

determining a target data field out of a plurality of data fields on the data storage medium, wherein each data field is an area of the storage medium which is scanned by an associated probe of the probe array;

Selecting from a plurality of operational data clusters, an operational data cluster closest to the target data field, each operational data cluster comprising a plurality of adjacent data fields having operational data stored therein at least one of which comprises a servo data field having servo data stored therein, wherein each cluster comprises two timing data fields, having a clock mark pattern and calibration data respectively stored therein, for adjusting a clock used to read/write data, and at least one of which comprises a timing data field having timing data stored therein;

controlling positioning of die probe array during scanning using the servo data; and controlling timing of read and/or write pulses during scanning using the timing data.

14. Apparatus for storing data in the form of marks, said marks being written and/or read by an array of probes, comprising:

a plurality of data fields, each field comprising an area of the storage medium which, in use, is scanned for reading and/or writing by an associated one of the array of probes,

wherein the data fields include operational data fields having operational data for operating said scanning stored therein;

wherein the operational data fields are arranged in a plurality of clusters, each cluster comprising a plurality of adjacent operational data fields, the operational data fields including a plurality of servo data fields wherein the operational data is servo data, and wherein each servo data field in a cluster comprises a different pattern of servo marks, which can be read simultaneously to perform a tracking operation, wherein the apparatus is a data storage medium.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein each cluster comprises at least four servo data fields, each comprising a different pattern of servo marks, which can be read simultaneously to perform a tracking operation.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein one of the clusters is located substantially in the geometric centre of the data storage medium and one of the clusters is located at each corner of the data storage medium.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the storage medium comprises a polymer surface and the marks are indentations.

18. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the reading/writing of the marks is performed thermomechanically.

19. Apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein each cluster further comprises two timing data fields comprising a clock mark pattern and calibration data respectively for adjusting a clock used to read/write data.

20. A data storage medium for storing data in the form of marks, said marks being written and/or read by an array of probes, comprising: a plurality of data fields, each field comprising an area of the storage medium which, in use, is scanned for reading and/or writing by an associated one of the array of probes; wherein the data fields include operational data fields having operational data for operating said scanning stored therein; wherein the operational data fields are arranged in a plurality of clusters, each cluster comprising a plurality of adjacent operational data fields having operational data stored therein, at least one of which comprises a servo data field having servo data stored therein for determining positioning of the probe array during scanning, and at least one of which comprises a timing data field having timing data stored therein for determining timing of read and/or write pulses during scanning, and wherein each cluster comprises at least four servo data fields.

21. A method of scanning a data storage medium with a probe array comprising:

determining a target data field out of a plurality of data fields on the data storage medium, wherein each data field is an area of the storage medium which is scanned by an associated probe of the probe array;

selecting from a plurality of operational data clusters, an operational data cluster closest to the target data field, each operational data cluster comprising a plurality of adjacent data fields having operational data stored therein at least one of which comprises a servo data field having servo data stored therein, and at least one of which comprises a timing data field having timing data stored therein, and wherein each cluster comprises at least four servo data fields;

controlling positioning of die probe array during scanning using the servo data; and controlling timing of read and/or write pulses during scanning using the timing data.

Assignments (10)