# US 9,001,462 B2 · Universal magnetic recording head chip > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,001,462 B2 - Document ID: US9001462B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/677,240 - Filed: 2012-11-14 - Published: 2014-05-15 - Granted: 2015-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-14 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Robert G. Biskeborn; Calvin S. Lo; Kevin T. Luong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9001462B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/00826: {comprising a plurality of single poles or gaps or groups thereof operative at the same time} - G11B 5/00821: {using stationary heads} - G11B 5/4893: {relative to moving tape} - G11B 5/49: Fixed mounting {or arrangements, e.g. one head per track} - G11B 5/4976: {Disposition of heads, e.g. matrix arrangement} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A module according to one embodiment includes an array of N piggyback or merged first data transducers positioned towards a media facing surface of the module; and M second data transducers interleaved with the array of piggyback or merged data transducers, wherein the second data transducers are single data transducers, at least some of the data transducers being coupled to pads. A module according to another embodiment includes an array of N first data transducers positioned towards a media facing surface of the module, the first data transducers including at least one of data readers, data writers, and combinations thereof; and M second data transducers interleaved with the array of first data transducers, the second data transducers including at least one of data readers, data writers, and combinations thereof, wherein less than all of the first and/or second data transducers are coupled to pads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A module, comprising: an array of N piggyback or merged first data transducers positioned towards a media facing surface of the module; and M second data transducers interleaved with the array of piggyback or merged data transducers, wherein the second data transducers are single data transducers arranged in an alternating fashion with the first data transducers, at least some of the data transducers being coupled to pads, wherein the module is a single module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein all of the first and/or second data transducers are coupled to the pads, wherein M is greater than two. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein less than all of the first and/or second data transducers are coupled to the pads. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A module as recited in claim 3, wherein the pads are present in a single row. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A module as recited in claim 3, further comprising leads extended from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein only a portion of the leads are in electrical communication with the pads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A module as recited in claim 5, further comprising a plurality of second pads, wherein the second pads are not coupled to any of the data transducers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein the pads are arranged in a single row, and further comprising leads extending from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein leads extending from data readers of the first data transducers are present in a first level of thin films of the module, wherein leads extending from data writers of the first data transducers are present in a second level of thin films of the module, wherein leads extending from the second data transducers are present in a third level of thin films of the module, wherein leads from only two of the levels are coupled to the pads. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein the pads are arranged in first and second rows, and further comprising leads extending from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein the leads extending from the first data transducers are in electrical communication with the pads in the first row, wherein the leads extending from the second transducers are in electrical communication with the pads in the second row, wherein at least some of the leads extending from the second transducers are also in electrical communication with pads in the first row. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data transducers are piggyback data transducers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A module as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data transducers are merged data transducers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A data storage system, comprising: a magnetic head having at least one module as recited in claim 1; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head; a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head; and a cable providing at least a portion of a conductive path between the magnetic head and the controller, wherein all transducers are coupled to pads, wherein the cable is coupled to only some of the pads. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A data storage system, comprising: a magnetic head having at least one module as recited in claim 1; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head; a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head; and a cable providing at least a portion of a conductive path between the magnetic head and the controller, wherein not all transducers are coupled to pads, wherein the cable is coupled to all of the pads. ### Claim 13 A module, comprising: an array of N first data transducers positioned towards a media facing surface of the module, the first data transducers including at least one of data readers, data writers, and combinations thereof; and M second data transducers interleaved with the array of first data transducers, the second data transducers including at least one of data readers, data writers, and combinations thereof arranged in an alternating fashion with the first data transducers, wherein less than all of the first and/or second data transducers are coupled to pads, wherein the module is a single module. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A module as recited in claim 13, wherein the second data transducers are single data transducers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A module as recited in claim 13, wherein the pads are present in a single row, wherein N is greater than 4. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A module as recited in claim 15, further comprising leads extended from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein only a portion of the leads are in electrical communication with the pads. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A module as recited in claim 13, wherein the pads are arranged in a single row, and further comprising leads extending from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein leads extending from data readers of the first data transducers are present in a first level of thin films of the module, wherein leads extending from data writers of the first data transducers are present in a second level of thin films of the module, wherein leads extending from the second data transducers are present in a third level of thin films of the module, wherein leads from only two of the levels are coupled to the pads. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) A module as recited in claim 13, wherein the pads are arranged in first and second rows, and further comprising leads extending from each of the first and second data transducers, wherein the leads extending from the first data transducers are in electrical communication with the pads in the first row, wherein the leads extending from the second transducers are in electrical communication with the pads in the second row, wherein at least some of the leads extending from the second transducers are also in electrical communication with pads in the first row. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) A data storage system, comprising: a magnetic head having at least one module as recited in claim 13; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head; a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head; and a cable providing at least a portion of a conductive path between the magnetic head and the controller, wherein all transducers are coupled to pads, wherein the cable is coupled to only some of the pads. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) A data storage system, comprising: a magnetic head having at least one module as recited in claim 13; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head; a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head; and a cable providing at least a portion of a conductive path between the magnetic head and the controller, wherein not all transducers are coupled to pads, wherein the cable is coupled to all of the pads.