Storage device having a probe and a storage cell with moveable parts

• US 20050038950A1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Adelmann, Todd C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,173,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/007 with reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as defined in G11B9/14 details of heads G11B9/1409; disposition or mounting of heads G11B9/1418
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/16 using recording by mechanical cutting, deforming or pressing G11B11/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0021 Thermally assisted recording using an auxiliary energy source for heating the recording layer locally to assist the magnetization reversal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/062 characterised by the form, e.g. comprising mechanical protection elements
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/14 using microscopic probe means , i.e. recording or reproducing by means directly associated with the tip of a microscopic electrical probe as used in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy [STM] or Atomic Force Microscopy [AFM] for inducing physical or electrical perturbations in a recording medium; Record carriers or media specially adapted for such transducing of information marking using electrical current B41M5/20; measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces G01B7/34; details of scanning-probe microscopes G01Q
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1445 switching at least one head in operating function; Controlling the relative spacing to keep the head operative, e.g. for allowing a tunnel current flow
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 9/1472 characterised by the form
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/06 Arrangements for interconnecting storage elements electrically, e.g. by wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/0047 operable only by mechanical latching

Abstract

A storage device comprises a probe and storage cell having moveable parts that are actuatable to plural positions to represent respective different data states. The probe interacts with the moveable parts to selectively actuate the moveable parts to the plural positions.

Claims

1. A storage device comprising:

a probe; and

a storage cell having moveable parts actuatable to plural positions to represent respective data states,

the probe adapted to interact with the moveable parts to selectively actuate the moveable parts to the plural positions.

2. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the moveable parts are mechanically latched at one of the plural positions until actuated to another position by the probe.

3. The storage device of claim 2, wherein the storage cell provides non-volatile storage of data.

4. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the probe has a deflectable cantilever and a tip attached to the cantilever.

5. The storage device of claim 4, wherein the tip is adapted to move at least one of the moveable parts.

6. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the moveable parts comprise deflectable members engageable with each other.

7. The storage device of claim 6, wherein the storage cell further comprises support members attached to the respective deflectable members, the storage device further comprising a storage medium on which the support members are mounted.

8. The storage device of claim 1, further comprising additional storage cells, each storage cell comprising moveable parts actuatable to plural positions to represent different data states.

9. The storage device of claim 8, further comprising a storage medium on which the storage cells are mounted, wherein the probe and the storage medium are translatable with respect to each other to enable the probe to engage different storage cells.

10. The storage device of claim 9, further comprising additional probes to enable concurrent access of plural storage cells.

11. A system comprising:

a processor, and

a storage device comprising;

a probe; and

a storage cell having a first deflectable member and a second deflectable member, the first and second deflectable members engageable at plural positions to represent respective data states,

the probe to selectively deflect the first and second deflectable members to the plural positions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the probe has a cantilever and a tip attached to the cantilever,

the tip engageable with at least one of the first and second deflectable members.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the probe is adapted to apply a force to deflect at least one of the first and second deflectable members.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the probe is adapted to contact at least one of the first and second deflectable members to apply the force.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the probe is adapted to apply an electrostatic force.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the probe is adapted to apply a magnetic force.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the storage cell and probe are movable with respect to each other to detect the position of the first and second deflectable members.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tip is adapted to be scanned across surfaces of the first and second deflectable members, the scanning to cause the cantilever to be deflected in different ways in response to the first and second deflectable members being at respective first and second positions.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of storage cells each comprising first and second deflectable members engageable at plural positions to represent respective data states.

20. The storage device of claim 19, further comprising an array of probes to read the storage cells.

21. A method of storing data in a storage device, comprising:

providing a probe;

providing a storage cell having moveable parts actuatable to plural positions to represent different data states; and

selectively actuating the moveable parts with the probe to the plural positions during a write operation.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing plural probes and plural storage cells, each storage cell having moveable parts actuatable to different positions to represent different states; and

accessing the storage cells concurrently with the probes.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising scanning the probe across the moveable parts to read a data state of the storage cell.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein actuating the moveable parts comprises applying force to at least one of the moveable parts.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein applying the force comprises contacting the probe to the at least one of the moveable parts to apply the force.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein applying the force comprises applying one of an electrostatic force and magnetic force.