DEVICE SELECT SYSTEM FOR MULTI-DEVICE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

• US 20080291566A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Biskeborn, Robert Glenn, Tretter, Larry LeeRoy
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/75
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/06 by sensing auxiliary features on record carriers or containers, e.g. to stop machine near the end of a tape
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1825 driving or moving the head in a direction which cuts across the direction of travel of the tape, e.g. for helicoïdal scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/467 in arrangements for recording or reproducing wherein both record carriers and heads are driven see provisional also G11B15/1808
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/602 for track selection, acquisition or following
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/17 Construction or disposition of windings
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/002 Switching arrangements with several input- or output terminals code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/56 by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices using diodes H03K17/74

Abstract

In one general embodiment, a system includes a first device on a first substrate; a second device on a second substrate; and a device select system coupled to the first and second devices. The device select system includes: a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts; a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second portion being coupled to the first and second devices, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first device on a first substrate;

a second device on a second substrate;

a device select system coupled to the first and second devices, the device select system comprising;

a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts;

a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second portion being coupled to the first and second devices, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and

a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical contacts and select mechanism are formed in a common structure.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the select mechanism includes an array of switches, the array being for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the switches are semiconductor switches.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one third electrical contact being in electrical communication with the select mechanism for passing control signals thereto.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second devices are magnetic transducers coupled to the second electrical contacts, the select mechanism selectively placing the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with the first or second device.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an array of first devices and an array of second devices, the arrays of devices being coupled to the second electrical contacts, the select mechanism selectively placing the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with the array of first devices or the array of second devices.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are coupled together.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are spaced apart.

10. A data storage system, comprising:

a first array of transducers on a first substrate;

a second array of transducers on a second substrate;

a device select system in electrical communication with the first and second arrays, the device select system comprising;

a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts;

a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second electrical contacts being in electrical communication with the first and second arrays, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and

a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith;

a cable electrically coupled to the first portion of the device select system;

a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording medium over the head; and

a controller electrically coupled to the cable.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second electrical contacts and select mechanism are formed in a common structure.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the select mechanism includes an array of switches, the array being for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein the switches are semiconductor switches.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, further comprising at least one third electrical contact on the first portion and being in electrical communication with the select mechanism for passing control signals thereto.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second substrates are coupled together.

16. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second substrates are spaced apart.

17. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the transducers in the first and second arrays are writers, the select mechanism selectively placing the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with the first array of writers or the second array of writers.

18. A method, comprising:

during a first writing or reading operation, causing a device select system to create an electrical coupling between a first array of transducers on a first substrate to a cable, the cable being coupled to a controller;

during a second writing or reading operation, causing a device select system to create an electrical coupling between a second array of transducers on a second substrate to the cable, the first array of transducers not being in electrical communication when the device select system creates the electrical coupling between the second array of transducers and the cable.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the device select system comprises:

a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts;

a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second electrical contacts being in electrical communication with the first and second arrays, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and

a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.

20. A system, comprising:

a first array of devices on a first substrate;

a second array of devices on the first substrate;

a device select system coupled to the first and second arrays of devices, the device select system comprising;

a first portion having an array of first electrical contacts;

a second portion having an array of second electrical contacts, there being more second electrical contacts than first electrical contacts, the second portion being coupled to the first and second arrays of devices, each of the first electrical contacts being associated with at least two of the second electrical contacts; and

a select mechanism for selectively placing each of the first electrical contacts in electrical communication with one of the second electrical contacts associated therewith.