JPH09245303A - Magnetic storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive magnetic recorder improving track density and recording density by arranging a plurality of magnetic storage detection elements in the advancing direction of a magnetic recording medium or in the direction vertical to the moving direction of the magnetic storage detection element when recording information is read. SOLUTION: Plural magnetic storage detection elements 1 are arranged parallel so as to cover specified one track or plural adjacent tracks width to be read out from the tracks 2 arranged parallel. Further, a mechanism moving the detection element 1 is set on the specified track. By such a manner, since the matter that at least any detection element detects any track 2 is enabled, a due of positioning is obtained always, and precise positioning is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic storage device, and more particularly to a device for reading the storage of information stored in a magnetic storage medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a magnetic recording device, improvement of magnetic recording density has been a problem. In order to improve the recording density, it is necessary to improve the linear density or the track density of the magnetic recording medium. Among them, the linear density of the magnetic recording medium mainly depends on the distance between the head and the recording medium during recording. On the other hand, the track density depends on the mechanical accuracy. Therefore, the track density is considerably lower than the linear density.

In a magnetic storage device using a magnetic tape, a plurality of recording elements or detection elements have been used to simultaneously record or reproduce on a plurality of tracks at the same time. In this case, the entire tape is divided into about 2 to 8 tracks, and the entire tape or 1 /
2 are recorded and reproduced at the same time. Then, in this case, the recording element and the detection element are arranged at substantially the same place, and they always correspond one to one.

On the other hand, although some magnetic storage devices such as a floppy disk and a hard disk are capable of simultaneously recording and reproducing with a plurality of heads, each operates independently and only one head records and reproduces on one track. Is.

Although there are magnetic recording devices that aim to improve the recording density by stabilizing the recording position by using the guide track, even in this case, the information recording track and the guide track usually correspond one to one. are doing. In addition, recently
The giant magnetoresistive effect was discovered, making it possible to detect even extremely small magnetic signals.

[0006]

As described above, in order to improve the recording density in magnetic recording, it is necessary to improve the recording linear density or the track density. The track density depends on the mechanical accuracy of the device. Since it depends on the line density, it is considerably lower than the linear density.

In order to improve the track density to the same level as the linear density, in a hard disk or the like, the mechanical accuracy is improved and the track density is improved. However, this raises a problem of high cost.

There is also a method of providing a guide track for a removable disk or the like so as to improve the track density. However, in this case as well, the cost becomes high, and since the servo is applied to the tracking, compared with the conventional mechanism. It requires an extra mechanism such as an optical pickup,
It has the drawback of slowing down access to the track.

Further, each of the above-mentioned methods has a drawback in that the size and weight of the apparatus are increased. In order to reduce the cost and reduce the weight of the device, it is not possible to increase the mechanical accuracy, and it is not preferable to provide an additional mechanism such as a tracking servo.Therefore, in the past, it was forced to use in a state of low recording density. Was there.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic recording device having an improved track density and an improved recording density at a low price. Further, the size and weight of the recording apparatus will not be increased as the recording density is improved, and the recording apparatus will be as compact and lightweight as possible. Furthermore, high-speed reading is also an issue. Another object is to realize high-density recording even in a low-cost recording / reproducing device such as a magnetic card or a medium.

[0011]

To achieve the above object, the present invention has a magnetic storage detecting element for detecting recorded information magnetically recorded on a magnetic recording medium, and the magnetic recording medium In a magnetic storage device for recording information on the magnetic recording medium and for reading the information recorded on the magnetic recording medium, the magnetic recording medium is perpendicular to the traveling direction of the magnetic recording medium or the traveling direction of the magnetic memory detection element at the time of reading recorded information. A plurality of the magnetic memory detection elements are arranged in a direction.

Here, the width p of the mutual arrangement of the magnetic memory detection elements is set to p <w / 2 with respect to the width w of the information recorded on the magnetic recording medium.
Further, a giant magnetoresistive material is used for the magnetic memory detection element.

Here, there is provided detection element selection means for comparing the output signal intensities of the plurality of magnetic storage detection elements arranged to select a specific magnetic storage detection element and read a signal from the specific magnetic storage detection element. It is characterized by having.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that signals are simultaneously read from the plurality of magnetic memory detection elements arranged.

Further, there is provided output signal selecting means for comparing the output signal intensities of the output signals simultaneously read out from the plurality of arranged magnetic memory detection elements and selecting a specific output signal as a reproduction signal. Is characterized by.

Here, the magnetic recording medium is characterized in that one guide track is provided for each track on which a plurality of information is recorded.

Further, there is provided a detection element position control means for controlling the position of the magnetic memory detection element according to the position information of the guide track.

Here, the output signal selecting means selects an output signal from the plurality of magnetic memory detecting elements arranged in accordance with the position information of the guide track and makes it a reproduction signal.

Further, a plurality of information recording tracks are used by using one guide track when recording on the magnetic recording medium in which one guide track is provided with respect to the plurality of information recording tracks. Is recorded simultaneously.

Further, when information is recorded on the magnetic recording medium, the same information is simultaneously recorded on tracks adjacent to the tracks on which the plurality of information recordings are performed.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a magnetic recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a magnetic recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of tracks are arranged so as to cover a specific track to be read out from parallel tracks 2 or a width of a plurality of adjacent tracks. The magnetic memory detection elements 1 are arranged in parallel. Further, a mechanism for moving the detection element 1 on a specific track is provided.

In this way, at least one of the detection elements 1 can detect any one of the tracks 2, so that a clue for positioning can be obtained without fail and accurate positioning can be performed.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the track 2 and the magnetic memory detection element 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the relationship between the track width w and the interval p between the detection elements 1 is p <w / 2. There is.
In this way, two or more detecting elements 1 are always arranged on one track 2. Therefore, one of the detection elements 1 enters the width of the target track 2, and the target track can be always caught and the position control becomes possible.

A giant magnetoresistive effect material can be used for the magnetic memory detection element 1 described above. Giant magnetoresistive material is NiFe, NiCo, FeCo, FeMn,
This is a stack of thin films of NiMn, Co, Cu, NiO, CoO, MnO, etc. The resistance value is changed by a slight change in the magnetic field, and the magnetic recording content can be read with high sensitivity.

FIG. 3 shows a mechanism for selecting a specific one from the outputs of the plurality of magnetic memory detecting elements 1 as shown in FIG. 2 according to the signal strength and reading the signal. 3 in FIG.
The configuration is shown in which any one of the outputs of the individual magnetic memory detection elements 1 is selected as a track output.

FIG. 4 shows a structure in which one guide track 3 is provided for each track 2 on which a plurality of information is recorded in the magnetic recording medium. When a plurality of guide tracks 3 are provided as shown in FIG. 4, the distance between the guide tracks 3 is made smaller than the distance between the elements at both ends of the plurality of detection elements 1. Thereby, when scanning is performed by the plurality of detection elements 1 to detect one of the tracks 2 on which a plurality of information recordings are performed, any element can always detect the guide track 3 and the accuracy can be improved. Good and high-speed positioning is possible.

In the above description, it was considered that a specific signal was magnetically recorded as the guide track 3 similarly to the recording information, but an optically readable one such as a change in reflectance and the like, a dielectric constant It is conceivable to detect a change in the recording medium, a method for detecting irregularities of the recording medium, and the like, and similar positioning control can be performed by providing a detecting means for the guide track corresponding to each.

At this time, recording is performed by controlling the position of the recording element 4 according to the position information of the guide track 3 of the recording medium, and the recorded information is also detected by the detecting element 1 according to the position information of the guide track 3. The position of is controlled to read the reproduction signal.

Further, at the time of recording, a specific signal is recorded on a specific track 2 of the recording tracks 2 and used as a guide track 3, the position of the track 2 is detected, and a detection element is detected according to the position information. The position of 1 is controlled so that the reproduction signal is read out. As a result, positioning can be performed accurately and at high speed.

It goes without saying that the same position control method can be used during recording. By using the plurality of recording elements 4 and the detection element 1 for detecting the positions of the guide tracks 3, a plurality of tracks 2 can be simultaneously and accurately recorded as shown in FIG. As described above, at the time of recording, a part of the recording tracks 2 may be used as the guide tracks 3 to simultaneously record a specific signal.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of magnetic memory detecting elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the magnetic recording medium or the moving direction of the magnetic memory detecting elements when reading recorded information. I did it. Accordingly, at least one of the detection elements can detect any one of the tracks, so that a clue for the alignment can be obtained without fail and the alignment can be performed accurately.

For this reason, it is usually necessary to control the position of the detection element with an accuracy of a fraction of the track width. However, in the present invention, the accuracy of the width of a plurality of detection elements as a whole is sufficient, and the cost of the apparatus is reduced. Down, downsizing and weight reduction can be achieved. The effect is particularly great when the track width is narrowed. Further, even if the track width is narrowed and the deviation of the track position with respect to the track width becomes large, normal reading can be performed without providing an additional mechanism such as a servo. Can be achieved. In addition, if a plurality of tracks are read at the same time, high speed reading (improvement of data transfer speed) becomes possible.

At this time, the mutual arrangement width p of the magnetic memory detecting elements is set to p <w / 2 with respect to the width (track width) w of the information recorded on the magnetic recording medium. Therefore, one of the detection elements is always within the width of the target track, and the detection reliability is improved.

By the way, as the density of the magnetic memory detecting elements is increased as described above, the area of one detecting element becomes smaller, so that the amplitude of the output reproduction signal also becomes smaller. If a giant magnetoresistive material is used for the element, even a slight change in the magnetic field can be reproduced with good S / N, and reliability and recording density can be further improved.

Further, since the output signal intensities of the magnetic memory detecting elements arranged in plural are compared and the magnetic memory detecting element having a high output signal intensity is selected and the output signal is read out, the optimum state is obtained. It can be read and reliability is improved.

Further, by using one positioning guide track 3 for storing a plurality of information tracks, the recording density can be improved, and the cost is lower than that of one guide track for one information track. You can

Further, if the guide track 2 is used for selecting the reproduction signal, the reliability and the access speed can be improved. The accuracy of the guide track 2 is not required so much as compared with the conventional one information track as compared with the one guide track, and high accuracy, high speed response and cost reduction can be achieved.

Of course, if servo is applied based on the position information of the guide track 2, high density can be achieved, and high precision, high speed response and cost reduction can be achieved as compared with the conventional one information track with one guide track. Can be achieved. Furthermore, if it is used for selecting a reproduction signal based on the position information of the guide track 2, the reliability can be further improved and the access speed can be increased.

In the conventional one that records one track at a time, it is necessary to increase the track-to-track distance in accordance with the mechanical accuracy,
The recording density (track density) is largely determined by the cost required to improve the mechanical accuracy.
In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of recording elements 4 are used to simultaneously record on a plurality of information tracks. As a result, the distance between tracks that are simultaneously recorded is determined by the arrangement of the recording elements 4, and the factor that is determined by the mechanical accuracy is the plurality of tracks that are simultaneously recorded.
It only benefits the distance accuracy between different tracks that are simultaneously recorded, which is a fraction of the conventional one. Therefore, high density can be achieved with the same machine accuracy and the same cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a storage track and a plurality of magnetic storage detection elements in an embodiment of a magnetic recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the spacing between storage tracks and the spacing between magnetic storage detection elements in another embodiment of the magnetic recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of output signal selection means for selecting outputs of a plurality of magnetic memory detection elements in the embodiment of the magnetic recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between guide tracks and information tracks in the embodiment of the magnetic recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of simultaneous recording by a plurality of recording elements in the embodiment of the magnetic recording apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 magnetic memory detection element 2 information recording track 3 guide track 4 recording element

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic memory detecting element for detecting recorded information magnetically recorded on a magnetic recording medium, wherein information recorded on the magnetic recording medium is recorded using the magnetic memory detecting element. In a magnetic storage device for reading, in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the magnetic recording medium or the moving direction of the magnetic storage detection element at the time of reading recorded information,
A magnetic recording device comprising a plurality of the magnetic memory detection elements arranged. 2. The width p of the mutual arrangement of the magnetic memory detection elements is set to have a relationship of p <w / 2 with respect to the width w of information recorded on the magnetic recording medium. 1
The magnetic recording device described. 3. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a giant magnetoresistive effect material is used for the magnetic memory detection element. 4. A detection element selection means for comparing the output signal intensities of the magnetic storage detection elements arranged in a plurality to select a specific magnetic storage detection element and reading a signal from the specific magnetic storage detection element. The magnetic recording device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein 5. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signals are read out simultaneously from the magnetic memory detecting elements arranged in plural. 6. An output signal selection means for comparing output signal intensities of output signals simultaneously read from the plurality of arranged magnetic memory detection elements and selecting a specific output signal as a reproduction signal. The magnetic recording device according to claim 5, wherein 7. The magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a guide track is provided at a ratio of one track to a plurality of tracks on which information is recorded. The magnetic recording device described. 8. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising detection element position control means for controlling the position of the magnetic storage detection element in accordance with the position information of the guide track. 9. The output signal selecting means selects an output signal from the plurality of magnetic memory detection elements arranged in accordance with position information of the guide track and sets it as a reproduction signal. 8. The magnetic recording device according to 8. 10. A magnetic storage device having a function of recording information on a magnetic recording medium, wherein recording is performed on a magnetic recording medium provided with a guide track at a ratio of one track for recording a plurality of information. In recording, a plurality of information recording tracks are simultaneously recorded by using one guide track. 11. The magnetic recording apparatus according to claim 10, wherein when recording information on the magnetic recording medium, the same information is simultaneously recorded on adjacent tracks of tracks on which the plurality of information recordings are performed. .