Read/write head with integrated switch network
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsTim Rausch, Jon D. Trantham, Jason Bryce Gadbois
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A read/write head has a set of components that at least include: at least one clearance actuator; at least one read transducer configured to read from a magnetic recording medium; and at least one write transducer configured to write to the magnetic recording medium. A switch network is coupled to the set of components and configured to, in response to a control signal, couple a selected sub-combination of the components to a common set of signal lines. The coupling of the selected sub-combination facilitates operation in a selected mode of the read/write head.
Claims20
A read/write head, comprising:
- a set of components that includes:
- at least one clearance actuator;
- at least one read transducer configured to read from a magnetic recording medium and at least one write transducer configured write to the magnetic recording medium;
- and
- a switch network coupled to the set of components and configured to, in response to a control signal, coupling a selected sub-combination of the components to a common set of signal lines, the coupling of the selected sub-combination facilitating operation in a selected mode of the read/write head.
An apparatus comprising:
- control circuitry configured provide a control signal to select between two or more operational modes;
- and
- a read/write head coupled to the control circuitry via a flex circuit, the flex circuitry comprising a common set of signal lines, the read/write head comprising:
- a set of components that includes:
- at least one read transducer and at least one write transducer configured to respectively read from and write to a magnetic recording medium;
- and at least one clearance actuator;
- and
- a switch network coupled to the set of components and configured to, in response to the control signal, coupling a selected sub-combination of the components to the common set of signal lines, the coupling of the sub-combination facilitating operation in a selected one of the two or more operational modes.
A method comprising:
- selecting from one of a plurality of modes of a read/write head;
- sending a control signal to the read/write head, the control signal corresponding to the selected mode;
- in response to the control signal, coupling a selected sub-combination of a set of components of the read/write head to a common set of signal lines via a switch network integrated with the read/write head, the set of components including:
- a read transducer and a write transducer configured to respectively read from and write to a magnetic recording medium;
- and at least one clearance actuator;
- and
- utilizing the read/write head in the selected mode via the common set of signal lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.