Method and system for fluid mediated disk activation and deactivation

• US 20060291354A1
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Goodall, Eleanor V., Jung, Edward K.Y., Ferren, Bran
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/52.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00253 wherein the key is stored on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/0035 means incorporated in the disc, e.g. hub, to enable its guiding, loading or driving means for driving the head G11B21/06; guiding the disc for centering or locking G11B17/022; turntables or spindles for driving G11B19/2009
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/282 Limited play
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A disk drive system, comprising:

a receptacle for receiving a substrate configured for rotating access having stored data and a centrifugally activatable control mechanism thereon;

a read head for reading data from the substrate;

a motor capable of spinning the substrate in a controlled pattern in response to a control signal; and

a drive controller including one or more of control hardware, software, or firmware configured to generate a control signal for causing said motor to spin said substrate in a controlled pattern sufficient to produce activation of said centrifugally activatable fluid release mechanism.

33. The drive of claim 32, further comprising a detector capable of sensing an outcome of activation of said centrifugally activatable fluid release mechanism.

34. The drive of claim 33, wherein said read head is configured to function as said detector.

35. The drive of claim 32, wherein said drive controller is configured to drive said motor to spin the substrate at a speed higher than the normal read speed for said drive to produce activation of said centrifugally activatable fluid release mechanism.

36. The drive of claim 32, wherein said read head is an optical read head.

37. The drive of claim 32, wherein said read head is a magnetic read head.

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. A method of operating a disk drive, comprising:

adjusting the radial position of a read head with respect to a disk received in the disk drive;

controlling the rotation of a disk received in the disk drive to permit reading of data from the disk;

reading data from the disk with a sensor; and

controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a centrifugally activatable mechanism.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling an angular acceleration of the disk.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling an angular deceleration of the disk.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a pressure-sensitive fluid barrier.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a frangible barrier.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a capillary break, hydrophobic break, or hydrophobic valve.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a micromechanical valve.

52. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to produce release of a conductive fluid from a fluid release mechanism to open a fluid switch.

53. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to produce release of a conductive fluid from a fluid release mechanism to close a fluid switch.

54. The method of claim 41, wherein controlling rotation of the disk to produce activation of a rotation sensitive structure configured to produce degradation of data on the disk includes controlling rotation of the disk to release a fluid into a region of the disk containing said data, wherein said fluid renders said data unusable or unreadable.

42. A method of configuring a disk drive for use with a rotation-sensitive disk, comprising:

providing read head position instructions, including commands for controlling the position of a read head with respect to a disk received in the disk drive;

providing motor control instructions including commands for controlling rotational movement of a disk received in the disk drive during reading;

providing read instructions for managing reading of data from the disk with a sensor; and

providing data degradation instructions for controlling duration and speed of rotation of the disk at levels sufficient to induce degradation in the rotation-sensitive disk.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein one or more of said read head position instructions, said motor control instructions, said read instructions and said data degradation instructions are provided in the form of software, hardware or firmware.

44. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a system bus;

an input device;

an output device;

an drive capable of reading data from a substrate configured for rotating access; and

instructions stored in one or more of software, hardware or firmware for controlling said drive to produce rotation of the substrate of suffient intensity and duration for the purpose of activating a rotation activatable fluid release mechanism to render at least a portion of machine readable data stored on the substrate inaccessible or unusable.