US 5,216,631 AGranted

Microvibratory memory device

OwnerJohn W. Sliwa, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A memory device whose media scanning is vibrationally (cyclic harmonic vibration) or inertially (one-time pulsed read/write) driven is provided, comprising a plurality of cantilevers (7, 7', 7"), attached at one end and capable of vibrating. On the opposite end of each cantilever is disposed an array of storage bits (26). Opposite the surface of each cantilever having such a bit array is a read/-write head (27) which is similar in nature to a scanning tunneling microscopy or atomic force microscopy scanning-tip. Electronic support circuitry is provided to implement the memory device of the invention. Such circuitry includes a microprocessor (67), a multiplexer/demultiplexer (70), a group of circuits (66) comprising power supplies, sensing circuits and digital/analog and analog/digital conversion circuits,and switching means (65) to permit all of the previous functions to be properly addressed to/from the correct bit/array(s) and mating subdevice(s).

Claims100

Dependent claims

A memory device comprising:

(a) at least one member having at least one surface connected to a support means and at least one surface movable by controlled distortion means, said at least one movable surface movable relative to a disposed opposite plane;
(b) a plurality of read/write tips;
(c) a plurality of bit-arrays;
(d) with said read/write tips disposed either on said movable surface or on said opposite plane and said bit-arrays disposed on the other so as to provide motion of said tips relative to said bit-arrays, each of said read/write tips and said bit-arrays separated by a gap;
(e) housing means for hermetically sealing groups comprising at least one of said movable members, at least one of said read/write tips, and at least one of said bitarrays from other such groups and from the external environment;
(f) said means of controlled structural distortion of said at least one movable member permitting physical addressing by each said read/write tip of its mating bits in its mating bit-array;
(g) means for electrically addressing each read/write tip and its mating bit-array for routing incoming bit-streams to at least one of said bit-arrays or for sensing bit-streams being read from at least one of said bit-arrays through at least one of said read/write tips;
and
(h) means for coarse presetting, fine-controlling, and monitoring said gap between said mating tips and bit-arrays via movement of said tip toward or away from its mating bit-array.

6 more elements

A memory device comprising:

(a) at least one member having at least one surface connected to a support means and at least one surface movable by controlled distortion means, said movable surface disposed opposite a stationary plane;
(b) a plurality of read/write tips disposed on said stationary plane;
(c) a plurality of bit-arrays disposed on said movable ends, thereby providing motion of said tips relative to said bit-arrays, each of said read/write tips and said bit-arrays separated by a gap;
(d) housing means for hermetically sealing groups comprising at least one of said members, at least one of said read/write tips, and at least one of said bit-arrays from other such groups and from the external environment;
(e) said means of controlled structural distortion of said at least one movable member permitting physical addressing by each said read/write tip of its mating bits in its mating bit-array;
(f) means for electrically addressing each read/write tip and its mating bit-array for routing incoming bit-streams to at least one of said bit-arrays or for sensing bit-streams being read from at least one of said bitarrays through at least one of said read/write tips;
and
(g) means for coarse presetting, fine-controlling, and monitoring said gap between said mating tips and bit-arrays via movement of said tip toward or away from its mating bit-array.

5 more elements

A memory device comprising:

(a) a plurality of single crystal silicon movable members comprising flexurally distortable cantilevers attached to a support means on one end, the free end movable by controlled distortion means, said movable end disposed opposite a stationary plane;
(b) a plurality of read/write tips disposed on said stationary plane;
(c) a bit media layer provided on said movable surface of each said movable member capable of having bits written therein or erased therefrom to support a plurality of bit-arrays disposed on said movable ends, thereby providing motion of said tips relative to said bit-arrays, each of said read/write tips and said bit-arrays separated by a gap;
(d) housing means for hermetically sealing groups comprising at least one of said members, at least one of said read/write tips, and at least one of said bit-arrays from other such groups and from the external environment;
(e) said means of controlled structural distortion of said at least one movable member permitting physical addressing by each said read/write tip of its mating bits in its mating bit-array;
(f) means for electrically addressing each read/-write tip and its mating bit-array for routing incoming bit-streams to at least one of said bit-arrays or for sensing bit-streams being read from at least one of said bit-arrays through at least one of said read/write tips;
and
(g) means for coarse presetting, fine-controlling, and monitoring said gap between said mating tips and bit-arrays via movement of said tip toward or away from its mating bit-array.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/608,335Filed 2 Nov 1990
Granted: 1 Jun 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G11B 33/121
Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules: the apparatus comprising a single recording/reproducing device
G11B 5/35
Structure or manufacture of flux-sensitive heads, i.e. for reproduction only; Combination of such heads with means for recording or erasing only:…
G11B 9/14
Using near-field interactions; Record carriers therefor: using microscopic probe means , i.e. recording or reproducing by means directly…
G11B 9/1418
Using microscopic probe means , i.e. recording or reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as…