Method and system for rotational control of data storage devices

• US 7,916,615 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• 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., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): ILUYOMADE, IFEDAYO B
• Application Number:
  US11/150,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.01, 369/52, 369/53
• US Class Current: 369/273
• 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 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

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 limited use memory device comprising:

a substrate;

machine-readable data stored on said substrate; and

a plurality of centrifugally activatable switching mechanisms, said switching mechanisms activatable in sequence over a plurality of uses of the memory device and configured such that activation of said plurality of switching mechanisms renders at least a portion of said machine-readable data inaccessible.

2. The limited use memory device of claim 1, wherein a use of the memory device includes subjecting the memory device to at least one of angular acceleration or deceleration.

3. A limited use memory device comprising:

a substrate;

machine-readable data stored on said substrate; and

at least one centrifugally activatable switching mechanism on said substrate, said switching mechanism configured to produce modification of a feature of the memory device, wherein said memory device is an optically readable disk, and wherein said centrifugally activatable switching mechanism is activatable by spinning said substrate in an optical disk drive at speeds above normal read speeds.

4. A limited use memory device comprising:

a substrate;

machine-readable data stored on said substrate; and

at least one centrifugally activatable switching mechanism on said substrate, said switching mechanism configured to produce modification of a feature of the memory device, wherein said memory device is a magnetically readable disk, and wherein said centrifugally activatable switching mechanism is activatable by spinning said substrate in a magnetic disk drive at speeds above normal read speeds.

5. A disk drive system, comprising:

a receptacle for receiving a substrate configured for rotating access having stored data and a rotation activatable switching 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 electrical circuitry configured to generate a control signal for causing said motor to spin said substrate in a controlled pattern sufficient to produce activation of said rotation activatable switching mechanism wherein said motor is capable of spinning the substrate at a speed higher than the normal read speed for said drive to produce activation of said rotation activatable switching mechanism.

6. The disk drive system of claim 5, further comprising a detector capable of sensing an outcome of activation of said rotation activatable switching mechanism.

7. The disk drive system of claim 6, wherein said read head is configured to function as said detector.

8. The disk drive system of claim 5, wherein said read head includes at least one of an optical read head or a magnetic read head.