Magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect

• US 4,703,378 A
• Filed: 02/26/1985
• Issued: 10/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fukuyama, Munekatsu, Iida, Yasuhiro, Soda, Yutaka, Suyama, Hideo, Imakoshi, Shigeyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Canney, Vincent P.
• Application Number:
  US06/705,706
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 360/113, 360/67, 360/66, 324/249
• US Class Current: 360/66
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2005/0016 of magnetoresistive transducers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/02 Recording, reproducing, or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/3903 using magnetic thin film layers or their effects, the films being part of integrated structures

Abstract

A magnetoresistance effect type magnetic transducer head apparatus comprises a magnetoresistance effect sensing element, means for applying a high-frequency magnetic field to the sensing element, means for taking-out an output signal from the sensing element, a filter for taking-out the high-frequency component of the output, and another filter for rectifying the output and taking-out the low-frequency component. The magnetic head apparatus may be constructed as a digital circuit so that a multi-channel apparatus can be easily implemented.

Claims

1. A magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect, comprising:

a magnetoresistance effect sensing element means for sensing a signal magnetic field on a travelling magnetic recording medium;

means for applying a high frequency magnetic field to said sensing element means;

means for obtaining an output from said sensing element means;

means for rectifying said output to form a rectified signal; and

low pass filter means supplied with said rectified signal for deriving an output corresponding to said signal magnetic field.

2. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 1 wherein said means for applying a high frequency magnetic field comprises a bias conductor having an ac bias current applied thereto.

3. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 2 wherein a dc bias current is combined with the ac bias current through the bias conductor.

4. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 1 wherein a magnetoresistance effect strip-shaped sensing element is positioned adjacent a strip-shaped bias conductor to which a high frequency ac bias current is applied.

5. A magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect, comprising:

a magnetoresistance effect sensing element means for sensing a signal magnetic field on a travelling magnetic recording medium;

means for deriving a high frequency signal;

means for applying a high frequency magnetic field synchronized with said high frequency signal to said sensing element means;

means for obtaining an output from said sensing element means;

means for multiplying said output with said high frequency signal to derive a multiplied signal; and

low pass filter means supplied with said multiplied signal for deriving at an output thereof an output signal corresponding to said signal magnetic field.

6. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 5 wherein a magnetoresistance effect sensing element is positioned adjacent a bias conductor and an ac bias current generator is connected to the bias conductor and also to a first input of a multiplier, the other input of the multiplier connecting to an output of the magnetoresistance effect transducer element, and wherein an output of the multiplier connects to said low pass filter means.

7. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 5 further comprising feed back means connected between said low pass filter means output and said means for applying the high frequency magnetic field to said sensing element.

8. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 5 wherein said means for deriving a high frequency signal comprises a high frequency rectangular wave generator.

9. A magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect, comprising:

first and second magnetoresistance effect sensing element means each for respectively sensing a first and second signal magnetic field;

first means for deriving a first high frequency signal;

second means for deriving a second high frequency signal having a phase difference of π

/4 relative to said first high frequency signal;

means for applying a high frequency magnetic field synchronized with said first and said second high frequency signals to said first and said second sensing element means respectively;

means for obtaining a composite output from said first and said second sensing element means;

first means for multiplying said composite output with said first high frequency signal to derive a first multiplied signal;

first low pass filter means supplied with said first multiplied signal for deriving an output corresponding to said first signal magnetic field;

second means for multiplying said composite output with said second high frequency signal to derive a second multiplied signal; and

second low pass filter means supplied with said second multiplied signal for deriving an output corresponding to said second signal magnetic field.

10. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 9 wherein the first magnetoresistance effect sensing element means is positioned adjacent a first bias conductor to which said first high frequency signal is connected and wherein said second magnetoresistance effect sensing element means is positioned adjacent a second bias conductor to which said second high frequency signal is connected, and wherein outputs of said first and second magnetoresistance effect sensing element means are connected through a common amplifier to said first and second means for multiplying.

11. A magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect, comprising:

a magnetoresistance effect sensing element means for sensing a signal magnetic field on a travelling magnetic recording medium;

means for deriving a high frequency signal;

means for applying a high frequency magnetic field synchronized with said high frequency signal to said sensing element means;

means for deriving an output from said sensing element means;

sample-hold means for sampling and holding said output in synchronization with a sampling pulse having a frequency which is twice a frequency of said high frequency signal and for deriving a series of sampling outputs;

A/D converter means for converting said sampling outputs of said sample-hold means in synchronization with said sampling pulse; and

digital filter means supplied with an output of said A/D converter means for deriving an output signal comprising a series of mean values formed from digitalized sampling outputs.

12. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 11 wherein said means for deriving a high frequency signal is a high frequency rectangular wave generator.

13. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 11 wherein said magnetoresistance effect sensing element means comprises a magnetoresistance sensing element positioned adjacent a bias conductor.

14. A magnetic transducer head according to claim 11 wherein said high frequency magnetic field is generated by a high frequency current flow synchronized with said high frequency signal through a conductor provided adjacent to said sensing means.

15. A magnetic transducer head utilizing magnetoresistance effect, comprising:

a magnetoresistance effect sensing element means for sensing a signal magnetic field on a travelling magnetic recording medium;

means positioned adjacent said sensing element means for applying a high frequency magnetic field to said sensing means, said means connecting to a high frequency signal source;

said magnetoresistance effect sensing element means connecting to a current source and also to a switch means and to an inverter, said switch means being controlled by said high frequency wave generator source so as to selectively switch through the output from the magnetoresistance effect sensing element means in either inverted or non-inverted fashion; and

a low pass filter means connecting to an output of said switch means.