Method and system for fluid mediated disk activation and deactivation

• US 7,778,124 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Jung, Edward K. Y., Goodall, Eleanor V.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, VAN NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US11/906,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 369/44.38
• US Class Current: 369/44.38
• 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. A method of operating a disk drive, comprising:

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

controlling a 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, including producing a pressure differential across a pressure-sensitive fluid barrier sufficient to cause fluid to move through said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier, 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.

2. The method of claim 1, 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 pressure-sensitive fluid barrier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a frangible barrier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a capillary break, hydrophobic break, or hydrophobic valve.

5. The method of claim 1, 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, wherein opening the fluid switch opens an electrical circuit on the disk.

6. The method of claim 1, 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, wherein opening the fluid switch closes an electrical circuit on the disk.

7. The method of claim 1, 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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a capillary break.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a hydrophobic break.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure-sensitive fluid barrier includes a hydrophobic valve.

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

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

controlling a 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, including producing a pressure differential across a pressure-sensitive fluid barrier sufficient to cause fluid to move through said pressure-sensitive fluid barrier, 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.

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

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

controlling a 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, the rotation sensitive structure including a micromechanical valve, 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.

13. The method of claim 12, 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 micromechanical valve.

14. The method of claim 12, 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, wherein opening the fluid switch opens an electrical circuit on the disk.

15. The method of claim 12, 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, wherein opening the fluid switch closes an electrical circuit on the disk.

16. The method of claim 12, 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.

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

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

controlling a 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, the rotation sensitive structure including a micromechanical valve, 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.