Seagate Assigned Fourteen Patents

Smart storage with VPN and discovery
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,063,520) developed by Virmani, Ashish, Haryana, India, for a “smart storage with VPN and discovery.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for independently secured storage are described. In one embodiment, a storage device includes a network adapter to discover a remote storage device and a virtual private network, (VPN) client to establish a secure connection between the storage device and the remote storage device. In some cases, the secure connection includes a point-to-point connection between the storage device and the remote storage device.”

The patent application was filed on November 11, 2015 (14/938,572).

Near field transducers
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,062,401) developed by Zhao, Tong, Eden Prairie, MN, Brons, Justin, Savage, MN, and Kautzky, Michael, Eagan, MN, for “near field transducers, (NFTS) including a protective layer and methods of forming.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Devices having air bearing surfaces, ABS, the devices include a near field transducer, (NFT) that includes a disc, a peg, the peg including gold, Au, silver, Ag, copper, Cu, aluminum, Al, rhodium, Rh, iridium, Ir, or combinations thereof, and the peg having a front surface at the air bearing surface of the device, an opposing back surface, a top surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface, two side surfaces that extend from the front surface to the back surface and a bottom surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface, and a protective layer disposed on at least one surface of the peg, the protective layer comprising an oxide of a metal that has a higher oxidation tendency than that of the material of the peg.”

The patent application was filed on August 21, 2017 (15/681,808).

Mode splitter between TE and TM polarization for HAMR
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,062,400) developed by Harvey, Christopher Neil, Derry, Great Britain, Goggin, Aidan Dominic, Donegal, Ireland, Hamilton, Kelly Elizabeth, and Mefuz, Reyad, Derry, Great Britain, for a “mode splitter between TE and TM polarization for heat-assisted magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus includes a first waveguide core extending along a light-propagation direction and configured to receive light from a light source at a combined transverse electric, (TE) mode and a transverse magnetic, TM) mode. A second waveguide core is spaced apart from the first waveguide core and is configured to couple light at a TM mode to the second waveguide core. A near-field transducer, NFT) is disposed at a media-facing surface of a write head, the NFT receiving the light from the first waveguide core or the second waveguide core and heating a magnetic recording medium in response thereto.”

The patent application was filed on July 25, 2017 (15/658,636).

Storage of matrix on storage compute device
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,061,747) developed by Li, Peng, Lauderdale, MN, Bohn, Richard Esten, Shakopee, MN, and Tetzlaff, David, Minnetonka, MN, for a “storage of a matrix on a storage compute device.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A compressed format is selected for storage of a matrix based on a computation to be performed using the matrix and architecture of a storage compute device to which the matrix is stored. Data of the matrix is stored on the storage compute device according to the compressed format. The computation is performed using the data via a computation unit that resides within the storage compute device.”

The patent application was filed on May 5, 2015 (14/704,128).

Optical spatial mode filter for removing fundamental mode components in HAMR light path
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,061,088) developed by Peng, Chubing, Eden Prairie, MN, for an “optical spatial mode filter for removing fundamental mode components in a HAMR light path.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A first waveguide portion receives light from an energy source in a fundamental transverse electric, (TE.sub.00) mode. A mode converter converts a portion of the light to higher-order transverse electric, (TE.sub.10) mode. A second waveguide portion receives the light at the TE.sub.10 mode and delivers the light to a near-field transducer that heats a recording medium in response thereto. An optical spatial mode filter prevents remnant light in the TE.sub.00 mode from affecting the recording medium while passing the light at the TE.sub.10 mode.”

The patent application was filed on December 5, 2017 (15/831,722).

Splitter waveguide used to perform active alignment of light source on slider
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,061,082) developed by Peng, Chubing, and Seigler, Michael Allen, Eden Prairie, MN, for a “splitter waveguide used to perform active alignment of light source on slider.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Light is directed from a light source at a coupling surface of a slider into a delivery waveguide of the slider. The delivery waveguide couples a first portion of the light into a near-field transducer at a media-facing surface. A second portion of the light is coupled into a splitter waveguide. The second portion of light is detected to perform an active alignment of the light source on the slider.”

The patent application was filed on June 30, 2017 (15/638,810).

Forming air bearing surface on slider
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,058,890) developed by Buettner, Daniel Richard, Savage, MN, Habermas, Andrew David, Bloomington, MN, Sullivan, Daniel, Carver, MN, and Stephan, Joseph M., Eden Prairie, MN, for “methods of forming an air bearing surface on a slider and related sliders.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure includes methods of forming air bearing surfaces having multi-tier structures using nanoimprint technology and/or 3D printing technology. In some embodiments, a single stage of milling can be used to transfer a multi-tier photoresist pattern into a substrate, (e.g., an AlTiC substrate).”

The patent application was filed on November 17, 2016 (15/354,718).

Electric field storage device
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,056,146) developed by Ahner, Joachim, and Tung, David Marcus, Livermore, CA, for an “electric field storage device.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The system includes a data storage medium comprising cells, an excitation circuit, and an emitter. The cells arranged in a three dimensional space. The excitation circuit excites each cell independently. Exciting a cell changes an optical property of the cell. The emitter emits a first beam onto a first cell during a first excitation period to orient electrical charges within the first cell to a first oriented value and intensity of electric field to a first intensity value. The emitter emits a second beam onto a second cell during a second excitation period to orient electrical charges within the second cell to a second oriented value and intensity of electric field to a second intensity value. The first and second cells maintain the first and the second oriented values and the first and second intensity values after the first and second excitation periods are over, respectively.”

The patent application was filed on January 25, 2017 (15/415,666).

Shingled magnetic recording with operational based track spacing
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,056,109) developed by Liu, Xiong, Li, Quan, and Yang, Kai, Singapore, Singapore, for a “shingled magnetic recording with operational based track spacing.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A data storage device can employ shingled magnetic recording with data tracks oriented in order to optimize operational parameters, such as bit error rate. A data storage device can consist of a plurality of data tracks overlapping in a band on a data storage medium. First, second, and third data tracks of the band can be respectively separated by a uniform first track pitch during testing the band for an operational parameter. The first track pitch may then be adjusted to provide at least two different adjusted track pitches with each track pitch measured between longitudinal centerlines of adjacent data tracks of the band.”

The patent application was filed on December 22, 2016 (15/388,042).

Determining bit aspect ratios for interlaced magnetic recording tracks
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,056,108) developed by Seng, Edmun Chian Song, Wu, Det Hau, Lim, Lin Nah, Toribio, Jose Mari Corral, Lau, Luh Chyuan, Kan, Utt Heng, and Lee, Meng Suan June, Singapore, Singapore, for a “determining bit aspect ratios for interlaced magnetic recording tracks.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method involves determining bit aspect ratios for interlaced tracks written to a magnetic recording medium. The interlaced tracks include top tracks that are written partially overlapping and interlaced with bottom tracks. Isolated test tracks are written at first different bit aspect ratios to determine a top bit aspect ratio that achieves a first target areal density for the isolated test tracks. Interlaced test tracks are written at second different bit aspect ratios to determine a bottom bit aspect ratio that achieves a second target areal density for the interlaced test tracks. Top test tracks of the interlaced test tracks are written at the top bit aspect ratio. The top and bottom bit aspect ratios are selected to subsequently write interlaced tracks on the magnetic recording medium.”

The patent application was filed on July 5, 2017 (15/641,547).

Contact detection and laser power monitoring sensor for HAMR head
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,056,101) developed by Wessel, James Gary, Savage, MN, for “contact detection and laser power monitoring sensor for heat-assisted magnetic recording head.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording comprises a magnetic writer, a near-field transducer, and an optical waveguide coupling the near-field transducer to a light source. The writer is situated proximate the near-field transducer at an air bearing surface of the slider and comprises a first return pole, a second return pole, and a write pole situated between and spaced apart from the first return pole and the second return pole. A structural element is situated at or near the air bearing surface between the write pole and one of the first and second return poles. The structural element comprises a cavity. A thermal sensor is disposed in the cavity. The thermal sensor is configured for sensing contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium, asperities of the medium, and output optical power of the light source.”

The patent application was filed on June 19, 2017 (15/626,468).

Intelligent snapshot tree replication
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,055,149) developed by Dewey, Douglas W., Davies, Ian R., Longmont, CO, and Day, Kenneth F., Tucson, AZ, for an “intelligent snapshot tree replication.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for intelligent replication of a snapshot tree are described. In one embodiment, a first storage system may include a storage controller. In some embodiments, the storage controller may be operable to replicate a first storage volume of a first storage system and a first user snapshot of the first storage volume to a second storage volume of a second storage system and capture a first tree structure block, (TSB) of the first storage system. In some cases, the first user snapshot may include a point in time capture of data on the first storage volume at a first time. In some embodiments, the first TSB captures a hierarchy of each snapshot of the first storage system.”

The patent application was filed on April 14, 2016 (15/099,434).

Fabricating magnetic sensor assembly
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,054,649) developed by Singleton, Eric W., Maple Plain, MN, He, Qing, Plymouth, MN, Yi, Jae-Young, Shakopee, MN, Johnson, Matt, Roseville, MN, Gao, Zheng, Savage, MN, Dimitrov, Dimitar V., and Xue, Song S., Edina, MN, for a “method for fabricating a magnetic sensor assembly.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A magnetic sensor assembly includes first and second shields each comprised of a magnetic material. The first and second shields define a physical shield-to-shield spacing. A sensor stack is disposed between the first and second shields and includes a seed layer adjacent the first shield, a cap layer adjacent the second shield, and a magnetic sensor between the seed layer and the cap layer. At least a portion of the seed layer and/or the cap layer comprises a magnetic material to provide an effective shield-to-shield spacing of the magnetic sensor assembly that is less than the physical shield-to-shield spacing.”

The patent application was filed on August 16, 2016 (15/238,354).

Substrate heat channels for HAMR for reader over writer transducer application
Seagate Technology LLC, Cupertino, CA, has been assigned a patent (10,049,693) developed by Hutchinson, Erik J., Eden Prairie, MN, and Wolf, John, Maple Grove, MN, for a “substrate heat channels for heat assisted magnetic recording for reader over writer transducer application.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus includes an apparatus comprising a slider. The slider comprises a substrate comprising a media-facing surface, a first side surface perpendicular to the media-facing surface, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface. A heat sink layer is formed proximate to and thermally coupled to the first side surface of the substrate. A write transducer comprises a waveguide core that at least partially extends from the top surface to the media-facing surface. The waveguide core is formed proximate to and thermally coupled to the heat sink layer. A read transducer is formed proximate to the write transducer such that the read transducer is closer to a trailing edge of the slider than the write transducer.”

The patent application was filed on August 3, 2016 (15/227,319).