To Ampex Investors,
We all know that Ampex's current DST products are considered to be among the fastest at data retrieval and areal storage density capacities in the world.
While I do not wish to resurrect the "keepered media" question pe se, and despite some of the residual "angst" experienced by those of us who weathered that storm, I think another look at the possibilities might be in order.
Some of us are familiar with the untimely shift (from Apex's perspective) from the Thin Film Inductive (TFI) heads, to the magnetoresistive (MR) heads, by the Storage Industry just as Ampex was completing the optimization of KM on platters to be used with TFI heads, and the filing of a patent application for the same.
Patent # 5,861,220 date filed: Aug 6, 1996 date granted Jan 19, 1999
"Method and apparatus for providing a magnetic storage and reproducing media with a keeper layer having a longitudinal anisotropy"
This keepered layer raised expectations for HDDs and increases in share price for Ampex. Unfortunately, due to the above shift by the industry that did not happen.
However, about the same time, Ampex was applying for a patent for KM to be used on flexible media (read tapes). You will note the filing dates on both patents, were only months apart. It appears to be a very forward looking move, to possibly utilize KM on tapes (Ampex's strong suit).
What if the 20 to 30 percent increase in areal density capacity were to be applied the already "King of the Hill" DST systems? An already substantial advantage increases by leagues.
Patent # 5,843,565 date filed: Oct 31,1996; date granted: Dec 1,1998
"Particulate magnetic medium utilizing keepered technology and methods for manufacture"
It appears that what was missing. was the MR head that was optimized for KM platters. While the patent shown below utilizes KM on the MR head itself, it could be possible, that this head could work in conjunction with a KM layered tape on DST and other Ampex based systems.
Patent # 5,830,590 date filed: Jun 28, 1996; date granted Nov 3, 1998
"Magnetic storage and reproducing system with a low permability keeper and self-biased magnetoresistive reproduce head"
Anyway, IMO, it is worth some speculation.
P.S. Please note, that all of the work listed was essentially completed before the curtailing or reducing work on KM.
p.p.s. Also note, all of the dates on the patents are exact (as shown on the patents), however the time sequences pertaining to "shifts in industry" etc...are approximate.
DrD
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