IBM Works on Holographic Storage

Three patents on holographic storage, on both drive and media, have been recently published by IBM, and signed by U.S. employees. Big Blue is looking at this technology since many years in its Almaden, CA, lab, but nothing has never been launched.

APPARATUS AND METHOD TO STORE INFORMATION
IN A HOLOGRAPHIC DATA STORAGE MEDIUM 
Publication number: US2009010089 (A1)
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Inventors: BATES ALLEN KEITH [US]; HAUSTEIN NILS [DE]; KLEIN CRAIG ANTHONY [US]; WINARSKI DANIEL JAMES [US]
Applicant: IBM [US]
Abstract: A method is disclosed to store information in a holographic data storage medium. The method supplies a holographic data storage medium and provides information. The method defines an Active storage portion for the holographic data storage medium and establishes a threshold access interval. The method determines if the information was last accessed within the threshold access interval. If the information was last accessed within said threshold access interval, the method then stores that information as one or more holograms encoded in said Active storage portion of the holographic data storage medium.

APPARATUS AND METHOD TO MANAGE INFORMATION USING
AN OPTICAL AND HOLOGRAPHIC DATA STORAGE MEDIUM
Publication number: CN101261846 (A)
Publication date: 2008-09-10
Inventor: KEITH BATES ALLEN [US]; JAMES WINARSKI DANIEL [US]
Applicant: IBM [US]
Abstract: A method is disclosed to store information in a holographic data storage medium. The method supplies a holographic data storage medium comprising an encoded focusing hologram and one or more encoded data holograms. The method disposes the holographic data storage medium in a holographic data storage system such that a moveable imaging lens is disposed at an (i)th position. The method illuminates the encoded focusing hologram to generate an (i)th reconstructed focusing image, projects that (i)th reconstructed focusing image through the moveable imaging lens, and onto said optical detector. The method then calculates an (i)th measured focusing metric, and determines if the (i)th measured focusing metric is greater than or equal to the threshold focusing metric.; If the (i)th measured focusing metric is greater than or equal to the threshold focusing metric, then the method decodes the one or more encoded data holograms.

METHOD USING HOLOGRAPHIC DATA STORAGE TO STORE INFORMATION AND OPTICAL DETECTOR ARRANGING
IN HOLOGRAPHIC DATA READING SYSTEM
Publication number: CN101231853 (A) Also published as US2008181082 (A1)
Publication date: 2008-07-30
Inventor: KEITH BATES ALLEN [US]; JAMES WINARSKI DANIEL [US]
Applicant: IBM [US]  

Abstract of corresponding document US 2008181082 (A1): A method for holographic information storage and retrieval is disclosed. The method supplies a holographic data storage system comprising a light source and a holographic data storage medium and provides information to the holographic data storage system. The method generates a reference beam using the light source, forms a data beam comprising a data image and an orientation image, wherein the data image comprises all or a portion of the information. The method then generates a hologram using the data beam and the write reference beam, and encodes the hologram in the holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium.