438results about "Filamentary/web carriers operation control" patented technology

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. A plurality of refresh zones are defined, wherein each refresh zone corresponds to a plurality of the tracks. Data is written to a first refresh zone, and a first zone counter is updated for a second refresh zone at a first rate. Data is written to a third refresh zone, and the first zone counter is updated for the second refresh zone at a second rate different than the first rate.

Television program schedule information is recorded, and a plurality of television program recording reservations previously input by a viewer are registered in a reservation storing unit as a plurality of registered television program recording reservations. When an input television program recording reservation for a desired television program newly input by the viewer overlaps with a specific registered television program recording reservation for a specific television program, the television program schedule information is searched for a rebroadcast television program having the same contents as those of the desired television program, and a rebroadcast television program recording reservation for the rebroadcast television program is produced on condition that the rebroadcast television program recording reservation does not overlap with any of the registered television program recording reservations, and the rebroadcast television program recording reservation is registered. Accordingly, the same contents as those of the desired television program and the contents of the specific television program can be reliably recorded according to the rebroadcast television program recording reservation and the specific registered television program recording reservation, so that the viewer can entertain the desired television program and the specific registered television program played-back.

A disk drive with switchable power levels for the heaters in the sliders is disclosed. The invention includes a switch for the electrical circuit of each heater which selects between two or more voltages to apply to the power control element and the heater with at least a high and a low voltage option. The heater power control circuit dissipates a certain amount of heat as a part of the control process. By having a low voltage option the disk drive can save power and reduce the amount of heat dissipated by the heater control circuit when high power is not required. The programmable switch is controlled by the drive control system. The high power setting can be used during manufacturing testing or otherwise if higher heater power is needed. The low power setting is used for normal operation or to save power.

According to one aspect, an exemplary multi-format magneto resistive recording head is provided. The magnetic head includes a first set of data transducers configured transversely across a direction of tape transport, the first set of data transducers associated with a first data format, and a second set of data transducers configured transversely across the direction of tape transport, the second set of data transducers associated with a second data format, wherein the first set of data transducers and the second set of data transducers are separated by a distance along the direction of tape transport. In one example, the magnetic head includes a first raised elongated island positioned transversely across the direction of tape transport, the first island including the first set of data transducers, and a second raised elongated island positioned transversely across the direction of tape transport, the second island including the second set of data transducers.

An adaptive equalizer comprising a variable filter which equalizes a digital input signal which is input in a time sequential order, an adaptive controller unit which updates a filter coefficient of the variable filter based on an output signal of the variable filter and the input signal and according to an equalization algorithm, and a coefficient resetting unit which resets a filter coefficient of the variable filter at a predetermined timing.

An information processing apparatus capable of accurately detecting commercials included in a television broadcast. A commercial candidate section detector detects a commercial candidate section based on the characteristics of transitions between a program and a commercial and based on the characteristics of commercials. Transitional criteria include quiet sections, scene change points and changes in the audio multiplex mode. A commercial block detector detects a commercial block, which is composed of a plurality of commercial sections and is interposed between program portions, in conformity with the number of frames of the individual commercial candidate sections detected by the commercial candidate section detector, and then outputs to a switch a control signal based on the result of such commercial block detection.

Compressed codes of as few as 1 to 8 digits, which are decoded by a decoder to convert the compressed code into channel, date, time and length information, identify single TV programs or a category of programs and are stored at a central location accessible over telephone lines through pay-per-use, toll free or regular toll numbers from remote locations. The channel, date, time and length information is used to select channels, start recording, and stop recording at the appropriate time or to control viewing on a TV.