Herman A Ferrier

US Patent:

6574174, Jun 3, 2003

Filed:

Apr 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/549075

Inventors:

James R. Amble - Redwood City CA
Mark E. McDonald - Milpitas CA
Michael V. Morelli - San Jose CA
Andrew J. Daiber - Palo Alto CA
Herman A. Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA
Sanjoy Ghose - Scotts Valley CA
Thomas A. Kridl - Los Altos CA
Matthew Lipson - Sunnyvale CA
Shunichi Nishimura - Tokyo, JP
Sergei Sochava - Sunnyvale CA
LeRoy A. Volz - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Siros Technologies, Inc. - Davis CA

International Classification:

G11B 700

US Classification:

369 4426, 369 4437, 369 94

Abstract:

An optical information storage system using optical storage media including multiple data layers or stacks wherein each of the multiple data stacks has a storage density comparable to a conventional single layer optical disk. The optical data storage system comprises an optical medium having a single dedicated servo layer and multiple data stacks which each contain an embedded servo format, a servo laser beam positioned to maintain a first focus point on the dedicated servo reference layer, a read-write laser beam positioned to maintain a second focus point on one of the data stacks, a first, dedicated servo system which provides focus and tracking error correction according to error signals generated from the dedicated servo layer, and a second, embedded servo system which provides focus and tracking error correction according to error signals generated from the data stacks. The dedicated servo layer, in different embodiments of the invention, may be positioned either below or above the data stacks in the optical medium, or interposed between data stacks. The data stacks may comprise discrete physical data layers or âvirtualâ data layers defined by a format hologram.

US Patent:

7131346, Nov 7, 2006

Filed:

Oct 15, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/966543

Inventors:

Jagdeep S. Buttar - Fremont CA, US
David Terrill - Walnut Creek CA, US
Kenneth R. Davies - Gilroy CA, US
Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US
Xiaodong Che - Saratoga CA, US

Assignee:

Western Digital (Fremont), Inc. - Fremont CA

International Classification:

G11B 5/56
G01R 33/12

US Classification:

738659, 324212, 3602944

Abstract:

Head stack fixtures for securing head stack assemblies to spin stand testing systems, and spin stand testing systems incorporating such fixtures, are disclosed. Exemplary head stack fixtures comprise a base supporting a piezoelectric actuator. The base includes an attachment mechanism for securing the HSA in such a way that the HSA will pivot relative to the base. When the HSA is secured to the base, the piezoelectric actuator engages the HSA. The piezoelectric actuator is therefore able to pivot the HSA relative to the base for fine positioning of a head of the HSA.

US Patent:

7986107, Jul 26, 2011

Filed:

Feb 12, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/370545

Inventors:

Matthew Weaver - Aptos CA, US
Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Lumenetix, Inc. - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

H05B 37/02

US Classification:

315291, 315294, 315295, 315185 R, 315121

Abstract:

An electrical circuit is disclosed for driving color strings that have at least one lamp, preferably a light emitting diode (LED). The color strings can be different lengths. In some embodiments, a switch is coupled in parallel to one of the LED strings to shunt power away from the LED string to a power supply or to one or more other LED strings. In some embodiments, a current injector is configured to remove current from or inject current into a node adjacent to an LED string. Methods are disclosed for producing a desired light output utilizing color strings that may be of dissimilar length and that may contain light emitting diodes of different colors.

US Patent:

8531128, Sep 10, 2013

Filed:

Jun 16, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/162501

Inventors:

Matthew D. Weaver - Aptos CA, US
Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Lumenetix, Inc. - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

H05B 37/02

US Classification:

315291, 315294, 315121, 315295, 315185 R

Abstract:

An electrical circuit is disclosed. The electrical circuit comprises a plurality of color strings coupled in series, where each color string has at least one lamp, preferably a light emitting diode. The color strings may be of dissimilar length and may contain light emitting diodes of different colors. In one embodiment, a switch coupled in parallel with one of the color strings is configured to shunt power away from the color string to a power supply. In another embodiment, a switch coupled in parallel with one of the color strings is configured to shunt power away from the color string to one or more other color strings. In several embodiments, passive storage elements are utilized to store shunted power. In another embodiment, a current injector is configured to inject or remove current from a node adjacent to a color string. In several embodiments the invention is implemented as a light emitting diode driver integrated circuit or chip.

US Patent:

20040001400, Jan 1, 2004

Filed:

Mar 27, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/109431

Inventors:

James Amble - Milpitas CA, US
Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US
LeRoy Volz - San Jose CA, US
Andrew Diaber - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

Siros Technologies, Inc., a California Corporation

International Classification:

G11B007/095

US Classification:

369/044260, 369/044290, 369/103000

Abstract:

The disclosed device is directed towards an optical data storage system. The optical data storage system comprises an optical medium including a servo plane and at least one data plane. A first laser is positioned to generate a servo laser beam and address the servo plane with a first servo focus spot. A second laser is positioned to generate a read-write laser beam and address the data plane with a second read-write focus spot. A first servo system is associated with the first laser and is configured to provide focus and tracking error correction according to servo information associated with the servo plane. A second servo system is associated with the second laser and is configured to provide focus and tracking error correction according to servo information associated with the data plane.

US Patent:

20130207559, Aug 15, 2013

Filed:

Dec 17, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/717594

Inventors:

Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US

Assignee:

Lumenetix, Inc. - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

H05B 33/08

US Classification:

315192

Abstract:

An electrical circuit is described that comprises a first string and second LED string coupled in parallel, a first and second transistor, at least one bypass transistor, and a controller. The first transistor is coupled to the first LED string at a first terminal of the first transistor. The second LED string includes multiple LED color strings coupled in series. The second transistor is coupled to the second LED string at a first terminal of the second transistor. The bypass transistor is coupled to one of the color strings. A first terminal of the bypass transistor is coupled to a first terminal of the color string. The second terminal of the bypass transistor is coupled to a second terminal of the color string. The controller controls a gate voltage of the first and second transistors and the bypass transistor to operate all transistors in linear modes.

US Patent:

46397949, Jan 27, 1987

Filed:

Jun 19, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/622333

Inventors:

Herman Ferrier - Los Gatos CA

Assignee:

Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.

International Classification:

G11B 509
G11B 502

US Classification:

360 46

Abstract:

A current driver for magnetic recording comprising a current source, a current steering bridge for directing the current in one of two directions through a magnetic recording head during the length of a data pulse and a head select switch which allows current to flow through the head only for several short pulses occurring during the data pulse such that the magnetic regions impressed by the short pulses form a nearly continuous magnetic region on the recording medium.

US Patent:

20170181238, Jun 22, 2017

Filed:

Dec 19, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/383402

Inventors:

- Scotts Valley CA, US
Herman Ferrier - Scotts Valley CA, US

International Classification:

H05B 33/08

Abstract:

Various embodiments are described herein that relate to systems and methods for selectively providing current to power LEDs. The techniques introduced here can enable smooth dimming of the LEDs from maximum brightness down to “actual extinction” or “pseudo-extinction.” More specifically, the LEDs can be dimmed to extinction without any significant gaps in the levels of brightness (i.e., a noticeable drop rather than a smooth transition between brightness levels). Various pulse width modulation (PWM) and shunting techniques may be used to control the power provided to each color channel of an LED board. Conventionally, PWM often causes LEDs to produce an undesirable acoustic effect. However, by dithering the PWM signals between multiple predetermined positions once the frequency enters the audible range (e.g., below 25 kHz), the cumulative acoustic effect instead becomes white noise.