WO2001097224A2

WO2001097224A2 - Method and apparatus for storing data in a removable cartridge

Info

Publication number: WO2001097224A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/017692
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas A. Wilke; Allen T. Bracken; Brent J. Watson; Fred C. Thomas, Iii; Marvin R. Deforest; Dennis D. Ogden; Mark L. Reimann; Theodore J. Smith; Jeffery D. Penman; Todd R. Shelton; Randall C. Bauck; David S. Greenhalgh
Original assignee: Iomega Corporation
Priority date: 2000-06-09
Filing date: 2001-05-31
Publication date: 2001-12-20
Also published as: AU2001275089A1; WO2001097224A3; EP1292949A2

Abstract

An information storage device (10, 510, 610, 710) includes a cradle (12, 512, 612, 712) which can removably receive a cartridge (11, 411, 511, 611, 711). The cartridge contains a rotatably supported disk (91, 326-327), and a pivotal actuator arm (101) which supports a read/write head (107, 331-334) for movement adjacent the disk. A coil (117) on the arm interacts with an external magnetic field to effect pivotal movement of the arm. The cartridge may contain a spin motor (92) for effecting rotation of a disk. A preamplifier (111) and an electrostatic discharge buffer (112) are provided for the head. A connector (71) is provided to electrically couple external circuitry to electrical components within the cartridge.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORING DATA IN A REMOVABLE CARTRIDGE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to techniques for storing data and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for storing data in a removable data storage cartridge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over the past twenty years, computer technology has evolved very rapidly. One aspect of this evolution has been a progressively growing demand for increased storage capacity in memory devices, especially where the information storage medium is disposed in some form of removable cartridge. In this regard, just a little over a decade ago, the typical personal computer had a floppy disk drive which accepted floppy disk cartridges that contained 5.25" disks having a storage capacity up to about 720KB per cartridge. Not long thereafter, these devices gave way to a new generation of floppy disk drives which accepted smaller floppy disk cartridges that contained 3.5" disks having higher storage capacities, up to about 1.44MB per cartridge. Subsequently, as the evolution continued, a further significant increase in storage capacity was realized in the industry by the introduction of a storage system' having removable cartridges containing floppy-type disks with storage capacities on the order of 100MB to 250MB. Systems of this are commercially available under the tradename ZIP from Iomega Corporation of Roy, Utah, which is the Assignee of the present application. Thereafter, another significant increase in storage capacity was realized by the introduction of a system having removable cartridges with storage capacities on the order of 1GB to 2GB. Systems of this type are also available from Iomega Corporation, under the tradename JAZ. The cartridges used in this system had a hard disk in an unsealed housing, with the read/write head in the drive. These two products have each enjoyed immense commercial success. Nevertheless, the demand for still greater storage capacities in removable cartridges continues to progressively increase, such there is a current need for cartridges capable of storing 5GB to 20GB, or even more. The types of removable cartridges discussed above each contain a rotatably supported storage medium within an unsealed housing. The read/write heads, with associated circuitry and support structure, are in the drive rather than in the cartridge. Significantly higher storage capacities exist in hard disk technology of the type used in nonremovable hard disk drives, where the disk and head are both within a sealed housing. However, there are problems involved in attempting to carry use of this technology over to removable cartridges. This is due in part to the fact that a high-capacity hard disk is highly sensitive to environmental factors such as dust and static electricity. Consequently, in order to achieve high storage densities, the sealed housing is needed for the hard disk itself, as well as for some associated components, such as the read/write heads, which must be within the sealed housing and thus within the cartridge. Although some prior attempts have been made to use hard disk technology within a sealed housing in a removable cartridge, these attempts never resulted in a product which has had any significant level of commercial success. Instead, the types of cartridges discussed above continue to dominate the market .

Where a sealed housing has been used, the most typical prior approach was to incorporate the entire structure of a hard disk drive unit into the cartridge, such that the cartridge was not significantly different from a self- contained, standalone hard disk drive unit. In a sense, this was not a true cartridge at all, but simply a complete and self-contained hard disk drive which could be removed more easily than most from the system in which it was installed. One example of such a device is a system which was commercially available as the model P3250AR removable hard disk drive from Kalok Corporation of Sunnyvale, California. Another example of such a system is disclosed in Blackborow et al . U.S. Patent No. 5,041,924. Since each cartridge in this type of system is effectively a standalone, self-contained disk drive, each cartridge is relatively heavy and expensive.

A different prior approach was to split the components of a self-contained hard disk drive into two groups, and to include one group within a sealed housing in each removable cartridge, and the other group in a drive which can removably receive one of the cartridges. Examples of this approach appear in Stollorz U.S. Patent No. 4,359,762, Iftikar et al . U.S. Patent No. 4,965,691, Chan U.S. Patent No. 5,214,550, Kamo et al . U.S. Patent No. 5,235,481, Witt et al . U.S. Patent No. 5,317,464, and Lockhart et al . U.S. Patent No. 5,412,522. While pre-existing products using this approach were adequate for their intended purposes, they were not satisfactory in all respects, and none of them experienced any significant commercial success.

In this regard, one consideration is that this type of removable cartridge has a sealed housing with one or more electrical components therein, such as the read/write head(s) , and also has a connector or some other form of input/output port on the housing, through which external circuitry can interact with the electrical components within the cartridge. The connector or port must be operatively coupled to some or all of the electrical components within the cartridge. In order to achieve the electrical coupling between the connector and components, in a manner which is likely to result in a commercially successful cartridge, it is desirable that all electrical coupling can be effected quickly and easily during cartridge assembly so as to minimize manufacturing labor costs, and that a minimum parts count be involved so as to minimize the number of parts which must be inventoried for purposes of manufacturing and repair. It is also desirable that the weight and cost of the cartridge be minimized, while optimizing reliability.

Another consideration is that a high-capacity hard disk and the associated read/write head are very sensitive to shock. In the case of a removable cartridge, there is a high likelihood of periodic shock, for example when the cartridge is inadvertently dropped onto a table or floor. Shocks of this type can cause the head to strike the disk in a manner which damages either the head or the disk. In order to reduce the^' likelihood of such damage when the system is not in use, it is a common practice to move the head to a park position, where it is beyond a radially inner or outer edge of the portion of the disk which is used to store information. However, while use of the park position is helpful in protecting the portion of the disk that is used to store information, it does not eliminate all possibility of damage to the head and disk. In particular, even when the head is in the park position, damage to the head or possibly the disk can still occur from what is commonly known as "head slap" .

Head slap occurs when a head is moved in a direction away from the disk as the result of a shock, and then travels back toward the disk at a high velocity in an uncontrolled fashion. Damage to the head, or sometimes to the disk, can occur when the head then strikes the disk at this high velocity. In a removable cartridge, which has a relatively high likelihood of being inadvertently subjected to periodic shocks, it is desirable to reduce the likelihood that the occurrence of one of these shocks will result in head slap that could damage the head or possibly the disk.

A further consideration is that, in one possible configuration, the cartridge contains a rotatably supported disk and a pivotal actuator arm, the arm supporting a head adjacent the disk and having a coil at one end. In the receiving unit which can removably receive the cartridge, a magnetic arrangement is provided, and is in proximity to the coil when the cartridge is removably received in the receiving unit. Since a wall of the sealed housing of the cartridge will be disposed between the coil and the magnetic arrangement, the magnetic arrangement needs to generate a stronger magnetic field than would be the case if there was no intervening wall, which is the situation with a standard, self-contained hard disk drive.

Due to the relatively strong magnetic field, the magnetic arrangement will have a strong tendency to attract small pieces of metal when no cartridge is present, such as loose staples or paper clips, or a small screwdriver. If small metal objects of this type are allowed to be drawn to and cling to the magnetic arrangement, these objects might be in the way when a cartridge is subsequently inserted, and would likely result in damage to the cartridge and/or the receiving unit when the cartridge was manually pushed into the receiving unit. These metal objects might also prevent the cartridge from being properly positioned within the receiving unit, resulting in inaccurate operation of the system. Moreover, these metal objects might interact with and change the magnetic field in a manner which interferes with proper and accurate operation of the system. Accordingly, it is desirable to avoid the various problems which could potentially be caused by the attraction of such small metal objects to the magnetic arrangement.

Another consideration relates to the manner in which the hard disk is rotatably supported. In a traditional self- contained hard disk drive, the drive is permanently installed in a computer, and the hard disk is rotated most or all of the time that the computer is on. Consequently, a precision ball bearing is used to rotatably support the hard disk, in order to provide the drive with a long and reliable operational lifetime. However, in the case of a removable cartridge, a given cartridge may be used for an application where it is inserted into the drive only rarely, and only for brief periods of time. For example, the cartridge may be used to store an archive or back-up copy of certain information. Another consideration with any removable cartridge is that, in order to make the product commercially attractive, it is desirable to minimize the cost. With these considerations in mind, and since ball bearings are relatively expensive, it would be desirable to have, in the context of a removable cartridge containing a high-capacity hard disk within a sealed housing, a technique for rotatably supporting the hard disk which is significantly less expensive than would be the case for a ball bearing, but which provides the level of precision necessary to ensure proper and accurate rotation and operation of the high-capacity disk.

A different consideration is that preexisting attempts to provide hard disks in removable cartridges have involved the use of inductive read/write heads. Higher storage densities have been obtained in non-removable units using other types of read/write heads, including magnetoresistive (MR) heads and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads. However, these other types of heads are regarded as being more sensitive than inductive heads to environmental considerations such as static electricity. A related consideration is that MR and GMR heads are normally used with high-capacity hard disks, which are also very sensitive to environmental considerations. Thus, both the heads and the disks need to be provided within a sealed housing, but sealed housings present special design considerations in the context of removable cartridges. Accordingly, while MR and GMR heads have been used in self- contained hard disk drives of the type which are permanently installed in computers, they are not known to have been successfully used in a removable cartridge. However, it would be desirable to be able to provide a removable cartridge which is operationally satisfactory, which has a high-capacity disk in a sealed housing, and which uses an MR or GMR head. Another consideration is that a removable cartridge with a hard disk has a much higher probability of being subjected to shocks than a hard disk drive which is permanently installed in a computer. For example, the cartridge may be inadvertently dropped onto a table or floor. Shocks of this type may be more severe and occur more frequently than the typical shocks imparted to a permanently installed drive. For a number of years, it has been a common practice to build hard disk drives with a head parking arrangement, where the magnetic head is moved to a parked position when it is not in use. In the parked position, the head is aligned with a radially inner or radially outer edge portion of the hard disk, beyond the region of the disk where information is stored. These existing head parking mechanisms often use a magnetic to yieldably resist movement of the head away from the parked position.

Since the shock applied to a removable cartridge may be somewhat stronger than the shocks typically applied to a permanently installed drive, it is desirable that a removable cartridge include an arrangement which will reliably hold the magnetic head in the parked position through a relatively strong shock, and yet readily release the head when the cartridge is inserted into a drive for use. Since the cartridge will typically have the magnetic head disposed within a sealed housing, in order to protect the head and disk, it is desirable that the release of the parking mechanism occur without any need for penetration or physical disruption of the seal provided by the housing. Still another consideration is that it is desirable to provide a parking mechanism which has a minimum number of total parts, and a minimum number of movable parts.

A further consideration is that a removable cartridge presents various issues which do not exist in the case of a standard, self-contained hard disk drive that is permanently installed in a computer. For example, it may be necessary to releasably latch the cartridge in the drive, in order to prevent a user from suddenly removing the cartridge while data is being written to the disk. This avoids a situation where the cartridge is unexpectedly withdrawn during a write operation, in a manner that corrupts information in one sector of the track, such that information stored in that sector and possibly other sectors cannot subsequently be read. Another example is that different types of cartridges may exist, for example with different storage capacities. Consequently, a drive which receives a cartridge needs to have some way of learning the characteristics of the particular cartridge which is currently inserted into the drive.

There are existing integrated circuits which implement electronic circuitry capable of controlling a standard, self- contained hard disk drive. It would be desirable to use such an integrated circuit in an information storage device having a hard disk in a removable cartridge. However, these existing circuits are not designed to handle various issues associated with use of a removable cartridge, such as the issues discussed above. Moreover, these circuits normally accept commands in a predetermined communication protocol, which may be different from a communication protocol in which the information storage device receives commands. Nevertheless, use of such an integrated circuit in an information storage device having a hard disk in a removable cartridge would provide efficiencies resulting from reduced size, reduced weight, reduced power consumption, and reduced cost. However, some technique is still needed for handling the additional issues which are present in the case of a removable cartridge, and to handle differences in communication protocols.

A further consideration is that, in a removable cartridge with a hard disk in a sealed housing, there will be components in the cartridge which are susceptible to damage from electrostatic discharge. For example, the cartridge will include a read/write head, and may also include electronic circuitry, such as a preamplifier for the read/write head. A connector will typically be provided on the exterior of the housing, in order to facilitate electrical connections between external circuitry and the components within the housing, while maintaining the integrity of the sealed housing.

Electrostatic energy may be inadvertently applied to a terminal of the connector at a time when the cartridge is removed from the drive, for example because a person holding the cartridge inadvertently touches the terminal after walking across a carpet which generates a static electric charge on the person's body. Application of such an electrostatic charge to the terminal, and thus to electrical components within the cartridge which are coupled to the terminal, can result in permanent damage to those components. Consequently, in order to ensure the integrity and reliability of each cartridge, it is desirable that some provision be made to protect internal components from potential damage due to electrostatic discharge.

A different consideration is that the use of removable cartridges makes it more difficult to identify when a particular cartridge may be approaching the end of its normal operational lifetime. In particular, where an operator is swapping cartridges in and out of a drive, some cartridges may end up with a relatively small number of hours of cumulative use, whereas other cartridges may end up with a relatively large number of hours of cumulative use. But it may be difficult to tell which is which.

With respect to operational lifetime, mechanical structure in each cartridge which supports moving parts such as a disk will have a normal operational lifetime, and failure of this structure following its normal operational lifetime can result in the loss of data on the disk. In existing self- contained disk drives, which are permanently installed in a computer and operate all the time, moving parts are supported with extremely durable and high-precision bearings, in order to ensure a relatively long operational lifetime. However, these durable and high-precision bearings are expensive.

A removable cartridge might use a simpler form of support for moving parts, having a lower cost and shorter operational lifetime, but nevertheless entirely adequate for the intermittent use which is characteristic of at least some removable cartridges. However, this must be weighed against the fact that, given the high storage capacity of the type of removable cartridge contemplated by the present invention, an unexpected mechanical failure could result in loss of a substantial amount of data. In order to reduce or eliminate the likelihood that a substantial amount of data might be lost, it would be desirable to be able to track the use of each cartridge, in order to know when a given cartridge is nearing the end of its normal operational lifetime, so that data can be transferred from that cartridge to a new cartridge before expiration of the normal operational lifetime. Another consideration is that, where circuitry in a drive effects alignment of a read/write head with a disk using feedback servo control, the drive must be aware of certain servo parameters which define appropriate control characteristics that are to be used with that particular type of hard disk. If a given drive was limited to use with only a single type of cartridge, then this information could be permanently stored in the drive. However, where the drive is to be used with various different types of cartridges, some of which may not have been developed at the time the drive is manufactured and sold, it is desirable that the drive be able to automatically determine, in response to insertion of a cartridge, what servo parameters should be used to effect feedback servo control in order to effect successful operation with that cartridge. It would be desirable to achieve this in a manner which uses little or no additional electrical and mechanical structure within the cartridge, and which involves little or no increase to the cost of the cartridge.

A further consideration is that, in order to successfully operate with some new cartridges, a drive may need to know more than just the servo parameters applicable to that cartridge. In particular, it may be necessary to update firmware disposed in the drive in order to make the drive operationally compatible with the new type of cartridge. Existing techniques for upgrading the firmware, such as returning the drive to the factory, or loading and executing a special upgrade program through an associated host system, can be highly inconvenient. Accordingly, it is desirable to have an improved technique for upgrading firmware in a drive so as to render the drive operationally compatible with a new type of cartridge .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in relation to an information storage cartridge of the type which includes a port, an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon, a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to the surface, and an actuator operatively coupled to the head. The method and apparatus involve: supporting the head and the storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move with respect to the surface while remaining adjacent thereto, the actuator controlling at least one component of the movement of the head relative to the surface; using a single flex circuit to electrically couple the port to each of the head and the actuator; and transmitting through the single flex circuit all electrical signals traveling between the port and each of the head and the actuator.

According another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus in the context of an information storage device which includes an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon, and which includes a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to the surface. The method and apparatus involve: supporting the head and storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move relative to the surface while remaining adjacent thereto, the head being movable to a park position relative to the storage medium; and resisting movement of the head in a direction away from the surface when the head and the storage medium are in the park position. According to another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus involve supporting a cover in the receiving unit for movement between first and second positions in which the cover respectively exposes and covers the magnetic arrangement, the cover being in the second position except when a cartridge is disposed in the cartridge receiving portion, and being in the first position when a cartridge is disposed in the cartridge receiving portion.

According to another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus involve: configuring an information storage medium in a cartridge to include a rigid member which has an information storage surface thereon; using a bushing to support the information storage medium for rotation about an axis; supporting the storage medium and a head for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move relative to the surface approximately radially of the axis while remaining adjacent to the surface; and transferring information between a port and the storage medium, including use of the head to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to the storage medium.

According to a further form of the present invention, a method and apparatus involve: providing an information storage cartridge which includes a sealed housing, a port on the sealed housing, an information storage medium within the sealed housing, and structure within the sealed housing to transfer information between the port and storage medium, including a head; supporting the head and the storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move relative to the surface while remaining adjacent thereto; and selecting as the head one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

According to a further from of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure operable to transfer information between the port and the storage medium, the structure including a movably supported member capable of movement to a park position. The method and apparatus involve: generating resistance to movement of the member away from the park position when the member is in the park position; and responding to the presence of an externally induced and magnetically based influence by reducing the resistance to movement of the member.

According to a different form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of a receiving unit which includes a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge, a cartridge port which facilitates information transfer with respect to a cartridge received in the cartridge receiving portion, a host port which facilitates information transfer between the receiving unit and a host system, a first circuit having a first port operatively coupled to the cartridge port, and a second circuit having a first port conforming to a first interface protocol and operatively coupled to a second port of the first circuit, and having a second port conforming to a second interface protocol different from the first interface protocol and operatively coupled to the host port . The method and apparatus include: causing the first circuit to respond to control information conforming to the first interface protocol and received through the second port thereof by effecting cartridge control functionality through the first port thereof; and causing the second circuit to respond to control information conforming to the second interface protocol and received through the second port thereof by effecting control functionality through the first port thereof with respect to the first circuit according to the first interface protocol . According to another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of a receiving unit which includes a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge, a structural portion relating to cartridge removability, a cartridge port which facilitates information transfer between the receiving unit and a cartridge, a first circuit operatively coupled to the cartridge port, and a second circuit operatively coupled between the first circuit and a port for a host system. The method and apparatus include: causing the first circuit to respond to control information received from the second circuit by effecting cartridge control functionality through the cartridge port; and causing the second circuit to respond to control information received from the host port by selectively effecting one of interaction with the structural portion, and control functionality through the first port with respect to the first circuit.

According to a different form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and a head which is electrically coupled to the port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to the storage medium. The method and apparatus involve: supporting the head and the storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move relative to the surface while remaining adjacent thereto; and using an electrostatic protection portion to protect the head from electrostatic energy which originates externally of the cartridge. According to another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure for transferring information between the port and the storage medium. The method and apparatus involve: maintaining time information in the cartridge relating to use of the cartridge; and selectively outputting the time information through the port. According to still another form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided in the context of an information storage cartridge which has a port and an information storage medium with an information storage surface . The method and apparatus involve : storing on the information storage surface information which includes control information; supporting the storage medium and a head for relative movement in a manner causing the head to move relative to the surface while remaining adjacent thereto; transferring information between the port and the storage medium, including use of the head to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to the storage medium; reading the control information from the information storage surface using the head; and thereafter effecting the relative movement of the head and the storage medium as a function of the control information.

According to a different form of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided to meet the need for an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure for transferring information between the port and the information storage medium. The method and apparatus involve: storing a first program in the information storage medium; providing a receiving unit which can removably receive the cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with the port of the cartridge when the cartridge is received in the receiving unit, and which can communicate with the cartridge through the ports when the cartridge is received in the receiving unit; storing a second program in a memory provided in the receiving unit; providing a processor which can execute the program stored in the memory; and effecting an upgrade during an operational mode when the cartridge is removably received in the receiving unit, the upgrade including the operations of reading the first program through the ports from the information storage medium in the cartridge, and storing the first program in the memory in place of the second program.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the present invention will be realized from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an information storage device according to the present invention which includes a cartridge and is coupled to a host computer system, and also showing a plurality of other types of devices into which a cartridge from the information storage device can be removably inserted;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the information storage device of FIGURE 1 ;

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view showing internal structure of the information storage device and host system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a portion of the information storage device of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a further portion of the information storage device of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view similar to a portion of FIGURE 3, showing the cartridge from the information storage device of FIGURES 1 and 3 ;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view of part of an information storage disk assembly, which is an alternative embodiment of an information storage disk assembly provided in the information storage device of FIGURES 1 and 3;

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 6, showing an alternative embodiment of the cartridge of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 3, showing an alternative embodiment of the information storage device of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 3, showing a further alternative embodiment of the information storage device of FIGURE 3 ;

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 10, showing an alternative embodiment of the information storage device of FIGURE 10; and FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic top view showing details of an actuator mechanism which is an alternative embodiment of an actuator mechanism present in the information storage device of FIGURE 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an information storage device 10 which embodies the present invention, which includes an information storage cartridge 11 removably inserted into a receiving unit or cradle 12, and which is coupled by a cable 18 to a host computer system 17. FIGURE 1 also shows a variety of other devices 21-29 into which the cartridge 11 can be removably inserted. Each of the devices 21-29 has, as an integral part thereof, structure which corresponds functionally to the cradle 12. In FIGURE 1, the devices 21-29 are shown only by way of example, to give a sense of the wide variety of types of devices with which the cartridge could be used. In this regard, the device 21 is a digital camera, the device 22 is a portable game device, and the device 23 is a handheld computer. The device 23 might alternatively be a unit of the type commonly known as a personal digital assistant (PDA) . The device 24 is a server which is coupled by a home computer network 36 to several home computers, two of which are shown at 37 and 38. It will be noted that the server 24 has three slots or receiving units 41-43, which can each removably receive a respective different cartridge of the type indicated at 11. The server does not need to have more than one of the receiving units 41-43, but three units are shown in FIGURE 1 in order to emphasize that use of more than one can be advantageous .

The device 25 is a cellular telephone, and the device 26 is a video recording unit which is capable of reading digital video information from the cartridge 11, and/or storing digital video information on the cartridge 11. The device 26 may, for example, be a video recording device similar to the device which is commercially available under the tradename TiVo. The device 27 is a portable "notebook" computer, and the device 28 is a global positioning satellite (GPS) device. The device 28 is responsive to radio signals from not- illustrated satellites for using known techniques to make a precise determination of the current location of the device 28 on the surface of the earth. The cartridge 11 may contain map information for the region in which the GPS device 28 is currently located, so that the device 28 can display a map on its liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, and then indicate on that map the current location of the device 28. The device 29 is an electronic book. As mentioned above, the various devices 21-29 shown in FIGURE 1 are merely exemplary, and it will be recognized that the cartridge 11 could also be used with other types of devices, including variations and modifications of the specific devices shown in FIGURE 1. For example, it would be possible for the cartridge 11 to be removably inserted into a compact disk player, a music synthesizer, or an Internet access device designed for use with a television, such as a device of the type commercially available under the tradename WebTV. It will also be recognized from FIGURE 1 that the digital information stored in the cartridge 11 can represent a variety of different things, including but not limited to data, photographs, video images, sounds such as music, and so forth.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the information storage device 10 of FIGURE 1. The overall appearance of the device 10 in FIGURE 2 represents one possible appearance. It will be recognized that the external appearance of the device could take a variety of other forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. In FIGURE 2, the cartridge 11 is shown with two labels 51 and 52, one of which may contain user-supplied information regarding the type of information which is currently stored in the cartridge 11. The other label may provide information which is not subject to change, such as the name of the manufacturer, the capacity of the cartridge, and so forth.

According to a feature of the present invention, the cradle 12 is capable of working with several different versions of the cartridge 11. For example, there might be four versions of the cartridge 11 which have respective storage capacities of 5GB, 10GB, 15GB and 20GB. Further, there may be different versions of the cartridge 11 which have the same storage capacity. For example, one version of a 10GB cartridge may have certain moving parts supported by high- quality bearings, whereas another version of the 10GB cartridge may have equivalent moving parts which are supported by less expensive bushings. The latter version would thus be less expensive, but would also have a shorter expected operational lifetime.

As discussed in more detail later, when the cartridge 11 has been inserted into the cradle 12, it is releasably latched in the cradle 12 in order to preclude its inadvertent withdrawal while the device 10 is in use. The cradle 12 has a release button 53 which, as discussed later, causes the device 10 to bring to a conclusion any operations which may be in progress, and to then release the cartridge 11 for withdrawal. The cartridge 11 is inserted into and removed from the cradle 12 in directions which are indicated in FIGURE 2 by the double-headed arrow 56. In the disclosed embodiment, the cartridge 11 contains a hard disk which is not visible in FIGURE 2, but which is illustrated and described in more detail later. Due to the fact that a hard disk and the associated read/write heads are highly sensitive to factors such as dust and static, the cartridge 11 has a sealed housing 59. The information storage device 10 of FIGURE 2 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGURE 3. More specifically, FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of the information storage device 10 and the host computer system 17 of FIGURE 1, and diagrammatically depicts various components which make up each of the cartridge 11, cradle 12 and host system 17. The cartridge 11 includes a connector 12 which matingly engages a connector 72 of the cradle 12 when the cartridge is inserted in the cradle, the connectors 71 and 72 serving as communication ports that allow the cartridge and cradle to exchange electrical signals.

Associated with each of the connectors 71 and 72 is a respective cover 73 or 74. Each cover has on one side thereof a respective optional conductive layer 76 or 77. When the cartridge 11 is removably received within the cradle 12, the covers 73 and 74 are in open positions shown in FIGURE 3, in which the pins of the connectors 71 and 72 are exposed, so that the connectors can mate. On the other hand, when the cartridge 11 has been withdrawn from the cradle 12, the covers 73 and 74 are each in a position in which they cover the pins of the associated connector, with the conductive layers 76 and 77 engaging the outer ends of the pins, in order to prevent the buildup of electrostatic potential in the circuitry or wiring of either the cartridge 11 or the cradle 12.

The covers 73 and 74 may each be moved manually between their open and closed positions. Alternatively, a mechanism may be provided to automatically move one or both of the covers 73 and 74 between their open and closed positions as the cartridge 11 is inserted or withdrawn, for example in a manner analogous to the manner in which the cover on a standard 3.5" floppy disk is automatically opened and closed as the floppy disk is inserted into and removed from a standard floppy disk drive.

In order to ensure a proper mating of the connectors 71 and 72 as the cartridge 11 is inserted into the cradle 12, the cartridge must be in accurate alignment with respect to the cradle 12 as its insertion movement reaches completion. In the disclosed embodiment, a recess 79 is provided in the cradle 12 and receives at least a portion of the cartridge 11, so as to ensure that the cartridge 11 and cradle 12 are very accurately aligned as the connectors 71 and 72 approach each other. In addition to the recess 79, or in place thereof, there may be physical guide structure which is not illustrated in FIGURE 3 , such as cooperating guide slots and guide projections on the cartridge 11 and cradle 12. Within the housing 59 of the cartridge 11, a hard disk 91 is mounted on a spindle 93, which can be rotatably driven by a spin motor 92. The disk 91 and spindle 93 together form a disk assembly. The spin motor 92 is controlled by electrical signals received at 96 through the connector 71. The hard disk 91 has a substrate made of a known material such as aluminum, glass, plastic, or embossed plastic. On the side of the disk 91 which is visible in FIGURE 3, the disk 91 has a layer of a known magnetic material, where digital information can be magnetically stored. An actuator arm 101 is supported for pivotal movement on the housing 59 by a bearing or bushing at 102. At one end, the actuator arm has a suspension 106 which supports a read/write head 107, so that the head is closely adjacent the surface of the disk 91. The suspension 106 is of a known type, and is therefore not described here in detail. In the disclosed embodiment, the head 107 is of a known type, such as an inductive head, a magnetoresistive (MR) head, or a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head. For convenience and clarity in describing the present invention, the cartridge 11 in the embodiment of FIGURE 3 is described as having only a single hard disk 91 with a magnetic surface on only one side thereof, and as having only a single read/write head 107. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that it would be possible to also use the opposite side of the disk 91, in which case a second head would be provided. Further, it would be possible to provide one or more additional disks on the spindle 93, each having one or more additional heads associated therewith. The present invention is compatible with all such configurations.

The head 107 is electrically coupled at 108 to inputs of a preamplifier 111, and the outputs of the preamplifier 111 are coupled to the connector 71 through an electrostatic discharge buffer (EDB) 112. The buffer 112 is a commercially available device, and therefore not described here in detail. Alternatively, however, ^' the buffer 112 could be a custom device of comparable function. The buffer 112 receives control signals at 113 through the connector 71. When the cartridge 11 is withdrawn from the cradle 12, the buffer 112 is disabled, and electrically isolates the preamplifier 111 and the head 107 from the pins of connector 71, in order to protect the preamplifier 111 and head 107 from electrostatic energy. When the cartridge 11 is received in the cradle 12, the buffer 112 receives control signals at 113 which cause it to electrically couple the preamplifier 111 to the connector 71, in order to facilitate system operation. Although the disclosed embodiment of FIGURE 3 provides both the buffer 112 and the conductive layer 76 of cover 73 for the purpose of protecting the cartridge 11 from electrostatic energy, it will be recognized that it would be possible to omit one of the buffer 112 and conductive layer 76.

The end of the actuator arm 101 remote from the head 107 is bifurcated to define two legs, one of which has a magnetically permeable part 116 at the outer end thereof, and the other of which has a coil 117 at the outer end thereof. The coil 117 is electrically coupled at 118 to pins of the connector 71. The coil 117 is physically located very close to a wall of the housing 59 of the cartridge 11. Closely adjacent this wall of the housing 59, on the opposite side thereof from the coil 117, the cradle 12 has a stationary magnet 121. The electrical signals supplied at 118 to the coil 117 cause the coil to create an electromagnetic field, which interacts with the magnetic field of magnet 121 so as to effect rotational movement of the actuator arm 101 about the pivot 102. The arm 101, head support 106, head 107, pivot 102, and coil 117 may be referred to as an actuator.

In the disclosed embodiment, in order to increase the interaction between the magnetic fields of the coil 117 and the magnet 121, the portion of the cartridge housing 59 between the coil 117 and the magnet 121 has a thickness which is less than the thickness of other portions of the housing. Consequently, a cover 122 is provided to cover this thin wall portion of the housing 59 when the cartridge 11 is removed from the cradle 12, in order to reduce the possibility of damage to this thin wall portion. The cover 122 can be moved between an open position shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 3, in which the thin wall portion is exposed, and a closed position in which the thin wall portion is covered. The movement of the cover 122 can be effected manually, or can alternatively be effected automatically during cartridge insertion and withdrawal, by an appropriate mechanism of a type which is known in the art and not shown here.

Due to the fact that a wall portion of the housing is between the coil 117 and the magnet 121, the magnet 121 in the disclosed embodiment is somewhat stronger than would be the case if it were disposed within the housing 59, as part of the cartridge 11. Consequently, when the cartridge 11 has been withdrawn from the cradle 12, the magnet 121 will exert a strong attractive force with respect to small pieces of loose metal such as paper clips and staples. In order to reduce the extent to which such stray pieces of metal may be drawn to the magnet 121 when the cartridge 11 is not present, a cover 123 is provided for the magnet. The cover 123 is preferably made of a material which is not magnetically permeable and which will help to prevent pieces of metal from being drawn into engagement with the magnet 121 when the cover 123 is covering the magnet 121. The cover 123 can be moved between an open position shown in FIGURE 3, in which the magnet 121 is exposed, and a closed position in which it covers the magnet 121. The movement of the cover 123. can be effected manually, or can alternatively be effected automatically during cartridge insertion and withdrawal by an appropriate mechanism of a type which is known in the art and not shown here. FIGURE 4 shows in more detail the actual structural configuration of the coil 117 and the magnet 121 which are used in the disclosed embodiment of FIGURE 3. More specifically, FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view, in which it can be seen that the magnet 121 is an assembly which includes a U-shaped element 131, and two permanent magnets 132 and 133 that are each mounted on the inner side of a respective leg of the element 131, adjacent the outer end thereof. An assembly of this type is sometimes referred to as a magnetic circuit. The element 131 is made of a metal material which conducts a magnetic field. The thin wall portion of the housing 59 is indicated at 136, and forms an edge portion of the housing which has a reduced height. When the cartridge 11 is received within the cradle 12, the portion of reduced height, which is defined by the thin wall portion 136, is received physically between the magnets 132 and 133. As shown in FIGURE 4, the coil 117 on the actuator arm 101 is disposed within this reduced height portion of the housing 59, so that the coil 117 is also disposed physically between the magnets 132 and 133 when the cartridge is in the cradle 12.

When the disk 91 is rotating at a normal operational speed, the rotation of the disk induces the formation between the disk surface and head 107 of an air cushion which is known commonly known as an air bearing. Consequently, the head 107 floats on the air bearing while reading and writing information to and from the disk, without direct physical contact with the disk. As the arm 101 is pivoted due to interaction between the coil 117 and the magnet 121, the head 107 moves approximately radially with respect to the disk. Thus, through relative movement of head 107 and disk 91 resulting from rotation of the disk 91 and also pivotal movement of the arm 101, the head 107 can be moved to a position aligned with any specific location on the operational portion of the surface of the disk 91.

When the disk 91 is at rest, the air cushion will not exist. Therefore, the head 107 is moved to a special region of the disk at a radially inner portion thereof, adjacent the spindle 93. This is commonly known as the park position of the head. Since the cartridge 11 may be subjected to significant shocks during time periods when it is not received within the cradle 12, a special parking arrangement is provided to help maintain the arm 101 and head 107 in the park position. In this regard, and as previously mentioned, the arm 101 has a magnetically permeable part 116 thereon. As shown in FIGURE 3, a head park magnet 141 is provided closely adjacent the wall of housing 59, the magnetically permeable part 116 being in close proximity to the head park magnet 141 when the arm 101 and head 107 are in the park position.

The cradle 12 includes a shunt 142 which, when the cartridge 11 is received in the cradle 12, is disposed closely adjacent the wall of housing 59 on the opposite side thereof from the head park magnet 141. The shunt 142 serves to reduce the magnetic force exerted by the head park magnet 141 on the magnetically permeable part 116 and thus on the arm 101. In contrast, when the cartridge 11 is withdrawn from the cradle 12 and the shunt 142 is not interacting with the head park magnet 141, the head park magnet 141 will exert a stronger force on the magnetically permeable part 116, in order to more strongly resist movement of the arm 101 away from the park position. This interaction will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGURE 5. More specifically, as shown in FIGURE 5, the head park magnet 141 is an assembly which includes two elongate spaced elements 151 and 152, and a permanent magnet 153 which is disposed between the elements 151 and 152 adjacent one end of each. The end portions of the elements 151 and 152 which have the magnet 153 therebetween are disposed closely adjacent the wall 59 of the cartridge 11. The portion of the housing 59 adjacent the head park magnet 141 may optionally have a reduced thickness, and the covers 122 and 123 of FIGURE 3 may optionally be of a size which is sufficiently large so that the cover 122 covers the thin wall portions for both the coil 117 and the head park magnet 141, and the cover 123 covers both the magnet 121 and the shunt 142, to limit the extent to which small pieces of metal such as staples and paper clips can be drawn to magnetic parts.

The elongate elements 151 and 152 are made of a material which will conduct a magnetic field, such as a metal. Consequently, the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 153 is conducted through the elements 151 and 152, so that the elements 151-152 and the magnet 153 cooperate to set up a magnetic field having lines of flux 156 that extend between the end portions of the elements 151-152 that are remote from the magnet 153. When the actuator arm 101 is in its park position, the magnetically permeable part 116 thereon is disposed between these end portions of the elements 151- 152, as shown in FIGURE 5, so as to be subject to the lines of flux 156. As a result, there is a strong magnetic resistance to the movement of magnetically permeable part 116 away from the position shown in FIGURE 5. Consequently, the arm 101 is urged to remain in its park position.

When the cartridge 11 is inserted in the cradle 12, the shunt 142 ends up being positioned closely adjacent the ends of the elements 151-152 which have the magnet 153 therebetween, as shown in FIGURE 5. In the disclosed embodiment, the shunt 142 is made of a magnetically permeable material, although it could alternatively be a permanent magnet. The magnetically permeable shunt 142 interacts with the head park magnet 141 in a manner which shunts a part of the magnetic field generated by the magnet 153 away from the higher reluctance path indicated at 156, and along a lower reluctance path having lines of flux 157 which extend through the shunt 142. This reduces the strength of the magnetic field 156 which interacts with the magnetically permeable part 116, so that it is much easier for the part 116 to move away from the head park magnet 141. That is, the arm 101 with the part 116 and head 107 thereon can more easily move away from its park position. When the cartridge 11 is subsequently withdrawn from the cradle 12, the shunt 142 will no longer be adjacent the head park magnet 141, as a result of which the magnetic field at 156 will increase again, thereby again increasing the force which tends to retain the magnetically permeable part 116 and thus the actuator arm 101 and head 107 in the park position.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, and as mentioned above in association with FIGURE 2, a latching mechanism is provided to releasably hold the cartridge 11 in the cradle 12. This avoids an unexpected withdrawal of the cartridge while a read or write operation to the disk 91 is in progress, to thereby avoid corruption of the data on the disk 91, and/or the application of a mechanical shock while a read or write is in progress, which might damage the head 107 or the disk 91. This latching mechanism is shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 3 at 171-172, where 171 is a portion of the latching mechanism that is part of the cartridge 11, and 172 is a portion of the latching mechanism that is part of the cradle 12. When the cartridge 11 is inserted into the cradle 12, the portions 171 and 172 mechanically engage each other, and cooperate in a manner which automatically latches the cartridge 11 in the cradle 12. For example, a not-illustrated pawl on the cradle 12 could engage a not-illustrated detent on the cartridge 11, and could be releasably held in place by a solenoid. The latching effect between the latch portions 171-172 is indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 3 by the broken line at 174. The latch portion 172 disposed in the cradle 12 can be electrically released by a signal supplied on a line 175, as discussed later.

The cartridge 11 may have some form of detectable identification thereon, for example to permit the cradle 12 to distinguish different versions of the cartridge 11 from each other. This identification portion is represented diagrammatically in FIGURE 3 at 181. The identification portion 181 is optional, and is therefore shown in broken lines in FIGURE 3. The cradle 12 has a detect portion 182, which is aligned with the identification portion 181 when the cartridge 11 is inserted in the cradle 12. The detect portion 182 is capable of reading the identification portion 181. For example, one known technique which can be used here is to provide a reflective arrangement on the exterior of the cartridge 11 to serve as the identification portion 181. The detector portion 182 can include a not-illustrated light emitting diode (LED) which transmits light toward the identification portion 181, and can also include a not- illustrated sensor which can detect the amount of light reflected by the identification portion 181. The identification portions 181 on different types of cartridges would reflect light differently, so that the detect portion 182 could tell the difference between them.

An alternative technique, which is also known, is to provide a phosphor material on the exterior of the cartridge 11, to serve as the identification portion 181. The detect portion 182 would expose the phosphor identification portion 181 to light, and then use a sensor to monitor the rate of decay of the emission of radiation by the phosphor. Different types of cartridges would have different phosphor materials which would have different decay rates, so that the detect portion 182 could tell the different types of cartridges from each other. Other techniques could also be used to permit the detect portion 182 to interact with the identification portion 181 in order to identify the type of cartridge 11 which is currently in the cradle 12.

The cartridge 11 includes a read-only memory (ROM) 186 which is coupled by lines 187 to the connector 71. In the disclosed embodiment, the ROM 186 is a serial type of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) , so that information can be read out from the ROM 186 through the connector 71 on a single serial data line, thereby reducing the number of connector pins associated with the ROM 186. The ROM 186 contains information about the cartridge 111, such as the storage capacity of disk 91, the number of concentric tracks on disk 91, the number of disks, the type of read/write head 107, the number of read/write heads, the format used for storing information on the disk 91, the information transfer rate for the head 107, information regarding the pivot 102 (such as whether it uses a bearing or bushing) , information regarding the coil 117 (such as its inductance) , information regarding the motor 92 (such as motor constants and inductances) , servo information used to control tracking of the head 107 relative to the disk 91, blocks of firmware that can be used in the cradle, and so forth. When the cartridge 11 is first plugged into the cradle 12, the cradle 12 can read this information from the ROM 186, so that the cradle 12 has all the information it needs about operational characteristics of the specific cartridge 11 which has been inserted, and thus can smoothly and successfully interact with that particular cartridge 11. Although the disclosed embodiment uses a ROM 186, it will be recognized that there are alternatives, such as the use of jumpers or microswitches in place of the ROM 186, or use of an encryption chip containing nonvolatile memory in place of the ROM 186.

The cartridge 11 also includes an hour meter 191, which is coupled by lines 192 to the connector 71. The hour meter 191 is a circuit which keeps track of information such as the cumulative amount of time that power has been applied to the cartridge 11, and/or the cumulative amount of time that the spin motor 92 has spent rotating the disk 91. The cradle 12 can read this type of information out of the hour meter 191 through the connector 71, so that it knows how much use the particular cartridge 11 has had. As a result, if the cartridge 11 is of a type which has an expected operational lifetime of 5,000 hours, and if the hour meter 191 indicates that the cartridge 11 is approaching this amount of cumulative operational use, the cradle 12 can cooperate with the host system 17 to provide a user warning, so that the user can move the information on the cartridge to .a different cartridge before any catastrophic failure occurs . Although the disclosed embodiment maintains time information in the hour meter 191, it will be recognized that there are alternative way to maintain such time information in the cartridge, ■including storing such information on the disk 91 rather than in a separate circuit such as the hour meter 191. The cradle 12 includes a drive electronics circuit 201, which in general corresponds to certain electronics that would be found in a standard hard disk drive, and which handles control of functions in the cartridge 11 that are involved with reading data from and writing data to the disk 91. The drive electronics circuit 201 may optionally be implemented with an existing integrated circuit of the type commonly used in existing hard disk drives. The drive electronics circuit 201 includes a drive control circuit 202, which in turn includes a microprocessor 206 and memory 207. The memory 207 is a diagrammatic representation of multiple types of memory, including some ROM and also some random access memory (RAM) . The ROM in the memory 207 may be implemented in the form of flash memory, in order to allow it to be updated. The drive electronics circuit 201 includes a motor driver circuit 211 of standard configuration, which is controlled by the drive control circuit 202, and which outputs control signals to the spin motor 92 in the cartridge 11 through the connectors 72 and 71.

The drive electronics circuit 201 also includes a read channel circuit 212 of standard configuration, which receives signals from the head 107 that have propagated through preamplifier 111, buffer 112, and connectors 71-72. The output of the read channel circuit 212 is supplied to the drive control circuit 202. The drive electronics circuit 201 also includes a voice coil motor (VCM) driver circuit 213 of standard configuration, which is controlled by the drive control circuit 202, and which has its outputs coupled through the connectors 71 and 72 to the lines 118 for the coil 117 in the cartridge 11. The drive control circuit 202 also outputs control signals on lines 216, which are coupled through connectors 71 and 72 to the lines 113 which serve as control inputs for the buffer 112. The cradle 12 further includes a bridge circuit 231, which communicates with the drive electronics circuit 201 through an interface 232. In the disclosed embodiment, the interface 232 conforms to an industry standard interface protocol commonly known as the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol . The ATA protocol has several versions, and the one used here is the intelligent drive electronics (IDE) version. This existing protocol was specifically developed to facilitate communication with the drive electronics for a disk drive. The bridge circuit 231 includes a microprocessor 236, and a memory 237. The memory 237 includes both RAM and ROM, where the ROM is flash memory that can be selectively electrically reprogrammed when necessary. The bridge circuit 231 also includes a power management circuit 241, which permits the bridge circuit 231 to control a power management function with respect to the drive electronics circuit 201. In the disclosed embodiment of FIGURE 3, the power management circuit 241 has an output 242 which provides operating power to the drive electronics circuit 201. When the line 242 is activated, the drive electronic circuit 201 has power, whereas when the line 242 is deactivated, the circuit 201 does not have power. It will be recognized that the power management circuit 241 could provide a more sophisticated level of power management, for example by independently controlling the power to each of the control circuit 202, motor driver circuit 211, read channel circuit 212 and VCM driver circuit 213, so that they can be powered up or down in a predetermined sequence.

The bridge circuit 231 is coupled through lines 246 and the connectors 71-72 to the lines 187 for the ROM 186. This permits the bridge circuit 231 to read out the information which is stored in the ROM 186. The bridge circuit 231 is also coupled through lines 247 and connectors 71-72 to the lines 192 for the hour meter 191. This permits the bridge circuit 231 to read the information which is present in the hour meter 191. The output of the detect portion 182 is coupled through a line 251 to the bridge circuit 231, so that the bridge circuit has access to the information represented by the identification portion 181 of the cartridge 11. The bridge circuit 231 is coupled through the line 175 to the portion 172 of the latch mechanism, and can selectively produce a signal on line 175 which releases the portion 172 of the latch mechanism, so as to eliminate the latching effect 174 and permit the cartridge to be withdrawn from the cradle 12. As discussed above in association with FIGURE 2, the cradle 12 has a manually operable release button 53, which is a momentary switch, and which is coupled at 252 to an input of the bridge circuit 231.

The bridge circuit 231 has a further interface 256, through which the bridge circuit can communicate with the host system 17. The interface 256 conforms to an industry standard protocol which, in the disclosed embodiment, is different from the protocol used for interface 232. In particular, the interface 256 uses a protocol commonly known in the industry as the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) protocol.

One function of the bridge circuit 231 is to take commands received through the interface 256, which conform to the ATAPI protocol and relate to operation of the drive electronics circuit 201, and to convert these commands to commands which conform to the ATA protocol . The converted commands are then passed through the interface 232 to the drive electronics circuit 201. A further function of a bridge circuit 231 is to handle local functions which relate to the removability of the cartridge 11, and which thus would not be present in a pre-existing self-contained disk drive where the disk and the read/write head are permanently coupled to the drive electronics. Thus, for example, information about the cartridge 11 obtained from the ROM 186 and/or the identification portion 181 are supplied to the bridge circuit 231. Further, the bridge circuit 231 is responsive to the release button 53, and also controls the latch mechanism 171- 172. The bridge circuit 231 coordinates the operation of the cradle 12 with the operation of host system 17. For example, if a large block of data is being written to the disk 91 when the user happens to press the release button 53, the bridge circuit 231 would notify the host system 17 that the release button 53 had been pressed, and then the host system 17 and bridge circuit 231 would cooperate to either interrupt the data transfer or permit it to finish, after which the bridge circuit 231 would use line 175 to release the latch mechanism 171-172 in order to permit the cartridge 11 to be withdrawn.

The cradle 12 may optionally include an interface circuit 261, which is coupled between the bridge circuit 231 and the host system 17. Since the interface circuit 261 is optional, it is shown in broken lines in FIGURE 3. The interface circuit 261 includes a microprocessor 262, and a memory 263 which includes both ROM and RAM. Interface circuit 261 has the interface 256 on one side thereof, and a further interface 266 on the opposite thereof. If the host system 17 is configured to communicate with the cradle 12 using the above-mentioned ATAPI protocol, then the interface circuit 261 is omitted, and the interfaces 256 and 266 are effectively coupled directly to each other so as to form a single interface through which the host system 17 and the bridge circuit 231 communicate with each other. On the other hand, if the host system 17 is configured to communicate with the cradle 12 using a protocol other than ATAPI, then the interface circuit 261 is provided in the cradle 12 to provide the necessary conversion between the host system protocol and the ATAPI protocol . For example, the host system 17 and interface circuit 261 may communicate with each other through the cable 18 using a selected one of several different protocols, which in the disclosed embodiment include the industry standard Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol, the industry standard Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, the industry standard IEEE 1394 protocol promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) , or the industry standard Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) protocol, which is also known as the PC Card protocol. Other protocols could alternatively be used for communication between the host system 17 and the interface circuit 261. The cradle 12 can thus be adapted for use with any of several different host systems, by either omitting the interface circuit 261, or by including one of several different interface circuits 261 which each implement a respective different protocol with respect to the host system 17. If the host system 17 communicates with the cradle using one of the USB, PCMCIA or IEEE 1394 protocols, the host system 17 will provide power through the cable 18, and the cradle 12 and cartridge 11 can operate from this power, unless they need more power than that permitted by the specification for the respective protocol. If they need more power than permitted by the specification, a not-illustrated external power source would have to be provided for the cradle 12, such as a converter which plugs into a standard 110 volt wall socket and provides direct current operating power to the cradle 12. On the other hand, if the host system communicates with the cradle using either the ATAPI or SCSI protocol, power would not be provided through the cable 18, and another power source such as a converter would be needed.

The foregoing discussion mentions the specific protocols of ATA, ATAPI, USB, SCSI, PCMCIA, and IEEE 1394. This is because these currently are common protocols in the industry.

However, it will be recognized that the invention is entirely suitable for use with other existing or future protocols.

Although the bridge circuit 231 and interface circuit 261 are physically separate circuits in the embodiment of FIGURE

3, it will be recognized that it would alternatively be possible to integrate them into a single circuit having a single processor. In this regard, one possible option would be to provide several versions of this circuit which each communicate with the drive electronics circuit 201 according to the ATA protocol, and each communicate with the host system 17 using a respective one of the ATAPI, USB, SCSI, PCMCIA, and IEEE 1394 protocols, as appropriate. Alternatively, a single version of the combined circuit could be provided, with a processor that had sufficient intelligence to communicate with the drive electronics circuit 201 according to the ATA protocol, and to communicate with the host system 17 using any of the ATAPI, USB, SCSI, PCMCIA, and IEEE 1394 protocols, as appropriate. In each case, it would not be necessary to translate commands into the ATAPI protocol unless that was the protocol being used by the host system 17 for communication with the cradle 12. In a similar manner, although the embodiment of FIGURE 3 shows the drive electronics circuit 201 as being separate from each of the bridge circuit 231 and the interface circuit 261, the drive electronics circuit 201 could optionally be combined with the bridge circuit 231, or with both the bridge circuit 231 and the interface circuit 261. In each case, it would not be necessary to translate commands into the ATA protocol. Further, if the interface circuit 261 was part of the combination, it would not be necessary to translate commands into the ATAPI protocol unless that was the protocol being used by the host system 17 for communication with the cradle 12.

In the disclosed embodiment, the cradle 12 has a connector 276 which is releasably coupled to a connector 277 at the end of cable 18. The connectors 276 and 277 are of an industry standard type. The hardware of the host system 17 is a standard computer, for example a commercially available computer of the type commonly known as a personal computer or a workstation. The host system 17 includes a microprocessor 281 and a memory 282, where the memory 282 includes RAM, ROM and a hard disk drive. The host system 17 also includes a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive 286, which can removably receive a compact disk 287. The system 17 further includes a standard floppy disk drive 288, which can removably receive a floppy disk 289.

The system 17 has an interface 292 such as a modem, through which it can be coupled to the Internet. Further, the system 17 has an interface 296, which permits it to communicate with the cradle 12 through cable 18. In the disclosed embodiment, and as discussed above, the interface 296 conforms to one of several industry standard protocols such as the ATAPI protocol, the SCSI protocol, the PCMCIA protocol, the USB protocol, or the IEEE 1394 protocol. FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic view of the cartridge 11, showing the same basic internal structure as FIGURE 3. According to a feature of the present invention, the connector 71 is electrically coupled to all components within the cartridge 11 by a single flex circuit, which is indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 6 by a broken line 311. In the disclosed embodiment, this flex circuit 311 has mounted on it the integrated circuits for the preamplifier 111, the buffer 112, the ROM 186, and the hour meter 191. The flex circuit 311 is coupled at one end to the connector 71, and at its other end to the spin motor 92, the head 107, and the coil 117. The end of the flex circuit remote from the connector 71 may be bifurcated in order to facilitate the connections to each of the motor 92, head 107, and coil 117, provided the bifurcations are integral parts of the flex circuit. Although use of a single flex circuit is one significant feature of the invention, it will be recognized that there are other features of the invention which can be used in cartridges that have the single flex circuit, as well as cartridges that use other techniques to effect the needed electrical coupling between components .

As discussed above, it is customary to move each head of a disk drive in a radial direction to a radially inner or outer edge portion of the disk when the disk drive is not in use, so that an unexpected shock or jolt does not cause damage to the disk or head due to engagement therebetween. In this regard, a significant concern is possible damage to the layer of magnetic recording material on the surface of the disk, since such damage may render that portion of the disk incapable of being properly read or written, with a loss of any data that is already stored there. Consequently, in a standard park position, the head is not radially aligned with the portion of the magnetic surface layer used to store information, thereby minimizing the likelihood that a shock or jolt will produce damage to that portion of the layer.

When the head is in the park position, a severe jolt or shock can produce damage to the head or disk as a result of what is known as head slap, and a significant concern here is damage to the head itself. Head slap occurs when the head is moved away from the disk due to a shock or jolt, and then moves back toward the disk and strikes the disk at a high velocity. In a cartridge of the type involved in the present invention, the potential for head slap is reasonably high, because the cartridge is highly portable. For example, there is a relatively high risk that the cartridge may be inadvertently dropped on the floor, or otherwise subjected to a relatively severe shock of jolt. Consequently, the present invention provides a technique for reducing the potential for head slap to occur. This is described in more detail with reference to FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional side view of a disk assembly 321, which is an alternative embodiment of the disk assembly discussed above in association with the cartridge 11. In particular, the cartridge 11 has only a single disk 91 and a single head 107, whereas the disk assembly 322 has two disks 326-327 mounted on a hub 322, and four heads 331-334 which are each associated with a respective side of a respective disk. The disk assembly 321 is rotated about an axis 336 by a spin motor, which is shown diagrammatically at 337. The hub 322 includes three disk clamps 341-343, which are fixedly secured to each other. The disk 326 has a radially inner edge portion fixedly clamped between the disk clamps 341 and 342, and the disk 327 has a radially inner edge portion fixedly clamped between the disk clamps 342 and 343.

Each of the disk clamps 341-343 has a respective radially outwardly projecting annular flange or projection 346-348. The flange 346 has on the lower side thereof an annular limit surface 351 which is spaced from and faces the upper side of disk 326. Similarly, the flange 347 has annular limit surfaces 352 and 353 on opposite sides thereof which respectively face a lower surface of disk 326 and an upper surface of disk 327. The flange 348 has an annular limit surface 354 which is spaced from and faces the lower surface of disk 327. The heads 331-334 are shown in their park positions in FIGURE 7, in which they are each disposed between the associated disk surface and a respective one of the limit surfaces 351-354. It will be recognized from FIGURE 7 that the limit surfaces 351-354 serve to limit the extent to which any of the heads 331-334 can move away from the associated disk surface. The limit surfaces may engage the heads directly, or indirectly through engagement with the support structure for the heads.

Since the heads 331-334 in FIGURE 7 are each prevented from moving a substantial distance away from the associated disk surface, they are also each prevented from moving back toward the disk surface at a relatively high velocity, which in turn substantially reduces or eliminates the possibility for the occurrence of head slap, which in turn reduces the potential for damage to the heads 331-334 as a result of head slap. It is known in the art that disk clamps need to be fabricated with a high degree of precision, in order to maintain proper disk spacing. Accordingly, adding the annular flanges 346-348 with limit surfaces 351-354 to the disk clamps 341-343 does not involve any significant increase to the fabrication cost of the disk clamps 341-343.

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of a cartridge 411 which is generally similar to the cartridge 11 of FIGURE 6, except for differences which are described below. In the cartridge 411, the park position of the arm 101 and the head 107 is at the radially outer portion of the disk 91, rather than the radially inner portion thereof. In the cartridge 11 of FIGURE 6, information about characteristics of the cartridge may be obtained from the ROM 186 and/or information portion 181. The cartridge 411 takes an alternative approach. In particular, the disk 91 of cartridge 411 has at a radially inner portion thereof a single track which is indicated diagrammatically at 414, which is relatively wide in comparison to other tracks, and which stores information about characteristics of the cartridge 411, including information of the type discussed above in association with the ROM 186. This track may optionally be implemented using a non-magnetic pattern, such as a disk indelible utility mark (DIUM) . This non-modifiable mark can provide identification information, and is implemented in the form of an abated pattern on a portion of the track 414. The DIUM may extend across multiple tracks and can prevent accidental modification of the identification information. The cartridge 411 has a hard mechanical stop 417 positioned so that, when the arm 101 is rotated counterclockwise until it engages the stop 417, the head 107 will be aligned with the track 414. Because of the provision of the stop 417, data can be read from the track 414 without carrying out track following using a servo system. Consequently, information read from the track 414 can include the information necessary to initialize the servo system. Since the provision of the track 414 and the stop 417 could permit the ROM 186 to be optionally omitted, the ROM 186 is shown in broken lines in FIGURE 8. It will be recognized that it would be alternatively possible to provide the track 414 near the radially outer edge of the disk 91.

In an alternative embodiment of the cartridge 411 of FIGURE 8, the stop 417 could be omitted, and the special track 414 could be wide enough to permit information to be reliably read from it using default servo parameters. In still another alternative embodiment of the cartridge 411, the stop 417 could be omitted, and characteristic information about the cartridge could be split between the ROM 186 and the special track 414. The ROM 186 would be initially read in order to obtain some initial parameters, such as initial servo settings and other information needed to accurately read the special track 414, and then the special track 414 could be read in order to obtain a larger amount of information, possibly including blocks of firmware or the like.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, still another technique by which the cradle 12 could determine characteristic information about a particular cartridge 11 would be to investigate the number of heads 107 which are present in the cartridge. One way to achieve this would be to electrically evaluate certain characteristics of the preamplifier 111, which will vary in dependence on the number of heads 107. FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing an information storage device 510 which is an alternative embodiment of the information storage device 10 of FIGURE 3, and which includes a cartridge 511 and cradle 512. Device 510 of FIGURE 9 is generally similar to device 10 of FIGURE 3, except as described below. More specifically, in FIGURE 3, the magnet 121 is disposed in the cradle 12, whereas in the device 510 of FIGURE 9, the magnet 121 is disposed in the cartridge 511. As a result, the wall of the cartridge does not extend between the coil 117 and the magnet 121, but aside from this the configuration of the coil 117 and magnet 121 is generally similar to that shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing an information storage device 610 which is an alternative embodiment of the device 10 of FIGURE 3, and which includes a cartridge 611 and a cradle 612. The device 610 of FIGURE 10 is generally similar to the device 10 of FIGURE 3, except for differences which are described below. More specifically, in the device 610, the spin motor 92 for the disk 91 is located in the cradle 612 rather than in the cartridge 611. The spin motor 92 drives a magnetic disk 631, which is provided in the cradle 612 at a location adjacent the cartridge 611. The cartridge 611 has a further magnetic disk 632, which is rotatably driving coupled to the information storage disk 91. When the cartridge 611 is removably disposed in the cradle 612, the magnetic disks 631 and 632 are magnetically drivingly coupled to each other, as indicated diagrammatically at 633, so that rotation of the spin motor 92 effects rotation of the disk 91. The magnetic disk 632 is disposed within the sealed housing of the cartridge 611, and a wall portion of the cartridge 611 disposed between the disks 631 and 632 is relatively thin in order to facilitate the effect of the magnetic coupling effect 633. Consequently, the cartridge 611 includes a cover 646 which may be moved between an open position shown in FIGURE 10 and a closed position in which it covers the thin wall portion of the cartridge housing associated with the disk 632. The cover 646 may be moved manually, or may be moved automatically by a not-illustrated mechanism of a type which is known in the art.

The magnetic disk 631 in the cradle 612 may be disposed either inside or outside of a wall of the cradle 612. In either case, a cover 647 is provided to cover either the disk 631 or the associated thin wall portion of the cradle when the cartridge 611 is not present. The cover 647 may be moved manually between the open position of FIGURE 10 and a closed position covering either the disk 631 or an associated thin wall portion, but could alternatively be moved automatically between these positions by a not-illustrated mechanism of a known type .

In an alternative embodiment of the device 610 of FIGURE 10, the two magnetic disks 631 and 632 would be omitted. The spin motor 92 would be split so as to separate the stator and rotor, with the stator being provided in the cradle in approximately the location occupied by the disk 631 in FIGURE 10. The rotor would be provided within the cartridge 611, in approximately the location occupied by the disk 632 in FIGURE 10, and would be drivingly coupled to the disk 91. The magnetic field generated by the stator would act on the rotor through the wall of the cartridge housing, so as to effect rotation of the rotor and thus the disk 91.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic view similar to FIGURE 10, showing an information storage device 710 which is an alternative embodiment of the information storage device 610 of FIGURE 10. The device 710 is generally similar to the device 610, except as described below. One similarity, which has already been described above in association with device 610, is that the spin motor 92 is in the cradle 712 and is magnetically coupled by the disks 631 and 632 to the information storage disk 91 in the cartridge 711. The basic difference between the device 710 and the device 610 is that the preamplifier 111 has been moved from the cartridge 711 to the cradle 712, such that it is coupled between the connector 72 and the inputs to the read channel circuit 212. The output lines 108 from the head 107 are coupled directly to inputs of the buffer 112. Output signals from the head 107 thus flow through the buffer 112, the connectors 71-72, and the preamplifier 111 to the read channel circuit 212. It is expected that implementation of the embodiment of FIGURE 11 may be facilitated through the use of a known technique which relates to the operation of the read channel 212, and which is commonly referred in the industry to as Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) technology. PRML technology can also be used in other embodiments disclosed herein.

Referring again to FIGURE 3, and as mentioned above, the memories 207, 237 and 263 each include ROM, at least some of which is preferably implemented with flash memory in order to permit selective electrical reprogramming thereof when an update is needed. For purposes of convenience, the following discussion of reprogramming is presented in the context of the memory 237, but similar considerations would apply in the case of the memories 207 and 263.

From time to time, it may be desirable to update the program in memory 237. For example, some time after the cradle 12 of FIGURE 3 has been sold to a customer, a new version of the cartridge 11 may be developed, in which information is stored on the disk 91 in a format different from the formats used for prior versions of the cartridge 11. Consequently, in order for the cradle 12 to operate satisfactorily with the new version of the cartridge, the program stored in memory 237 would need to be updated, in order to make the bridge circuit 231 familiar with the new format used to store data in the new version of the cartridge. There are several ways in which this update could be effected. As one example, updated firmware for the memory 237 could be downloaded into the host system 17 from the Internet 293, or could be supplied to the host system 17 from a compact disk 287 or a floppy disk 289. Still another alternative is to store the new firmware on the disk 91 of a preexisting version of the cartridge 11, insert that cartridge into the cradle 12, and then transfer the new firmware from the disk 91 in that cartridge to the host system 17. In each of these situations, once the new firmware is temporarily resident in the host system 17, the host system 17 can send commands to the cradle 12 which place the cradle 12 in a mode where it will update an internal memory, such as the flash memory within memory 237, by writing into that flash memory the new firmware received from the host system 17 through the cable 18. Alternatively, in the situation where the new firmware is provided on the disk 91 of an existing version of the cartridge 11, and where that cartridge has been plugged into the cradle 12, the host system 17 could instruct the cradle 12 to enter a mode where the cradle extracts that firmware from the disk 91 and writes it directly to the flash memory within memory 237, without the intermediate step of transferring the new firmware to and from the host system 17 through the cable 18. As yet another alternative, there are situations in which it would be possible for a new version of the cartridge 11 to be inserted into the cradle 12, even though the cradle 12 is not yet fully compatible with it, and for the cradle 12 to download the new firmware directly from the disk 91 on that new version of the cartridge. For example, and as discussed above in association with FIGURE 8, every version of the cartridge might be required to have a special track such as that shown at 414 in FIGURE 8, which would store certain information such as firmware, and which could be read without servo tracking through use of the stop 417. After being read out in this manner, the new firmware would be written directly to the flash memory within memory 237. The cradle could then switch to operation using this new firmware, and this new firmware would give the cradle the capability to properly interact in a normal operational manner with the remainder of the tracks on that new version of the cartridge 11, using normal servo tracking.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic top view showing an actuator mechanism which is an alternative embodiment of the actuator mechanism in information storage device 10 of FIGURE 2. Similar parts are identified by similar reference numerals, and are not described again in detail here. One difference is that , in the embodiment of FIGURE 12, the end of the arm 101 remote from the head 107 is not physically bifurcated. The magnetically permeable part 116 is mounted on or close to the coil 117. When the arm 101 and head 107 is in the park position, the magnetically permeable part 116 is disposed adjacent the head park magnet 141. The head park magnet 141 is mounted stationarily within the cartridge, and generates a magnetic field that yieldably resists movement of the arm 101 away from its park position when the cartridge is not within the cradle. When the cartridge is in the cradle, the shunt 142 in the cradle is disposed adjacent the head park magnet 141, as shown diagrammatically by broken lines in FIGURE 12, and affects the magnetic flux produced by the head park magnetic 141 so as to reduce the attractive force exerted on the magnetically permeable part 116, in the manner already described in detail above. The present invention has various different forms and aspects, with various technical advantages. The following technical advantage each apply to at least some of the disclosed embodiments. One technical advantage is that, in a removable cartridge for an information storage device, a connector or port of the cartridge is operatively coupled to one of more components in a sealed housing of the cartridge using only a single flex circuit, which minimizes cost and facilitates assembly. A related advantage is that the number of parts which must be inventoried for purposes of production and maintenance is minimized. Still another advantage is that reliability is increased. In addition, in an embodiment where one or more electrical components are mounted directly on the flex circuit, no separate mechanical support is required for those components, which results in a simpler and lighter cartridge having a low cost .

Another advantage is that the possibility of damage to a magnetic head and/or disk as a result of head slap is substantially eliminated. A further advantage of the invention is that this can be achieved through the provision of a limit surface on a disk clamp. Disk clamps inherently need to be fabricated with a high degree of precision, for example to maintain proper disk spacing. Thus, providing a limit surface on a disk clamp can be achieved without any significant increase to the overall fabrication cost of the disk clamp, and thus the overall cost of the cartridge.

A further technical advantage is that metallic objects are prevented from being magnetically drawn to and held by the magnetic arrangement in the cradle, thereby avoiding damage to the magnetic arrangement, cradle and/or cartridge when a cartridge is manually inserted into the receiving unit . A related advantage is that, by keeping the magnetic arrangement free of such small metallic objects, the magnetic field generated by the magnetic arrangement will not be affected by such objects. By avoiding such physical damage and/or interference with the magnetic field, reliable and accurate operation of the information storage device is assured, while avoiding erroneous operation and/or the need for repairs, and associated user dissatisfaction.

A further advantage is that, where movement of the cover for the magnetic arrangement is effected automatically in response to insertion and removal of the cartridge, the cover will always be moved in an appropriate manner when a cartridge is inserted or removed, thereby ensuring that the cover is properly in place when no cartridge is present, but that the cover does not serve as an obstruction during cartridge insertion. Still another advantage is that, when a mechanical interlock is provided to hold the cover over the magnetic arrangement when no cartridge is inserted, the operation of the cover cannot be intentionally or inadvertently defeated by a user.

Yet another technical advantage relates to the provision of a removable cartridge having a sealed housing containing a high-capacity hard disk which is rotatably supported by structure other than a ball bearing, and in particular by structure such as a bushing. This reduces the cost of the cartridge, which is an important consideration for commercial acceptance. Further, it provides a cartridge which is highly suitable for applications in which the cartridge needs to be used only rarely, for example where the cartridge will be used to store an archive or back-up copy of certain information.

A different technical advantage relates to the provision of a removable cartridge having a sealed housing which contains a hard disk and a MR or GMR read/write head. For a removable cartridge containing a disk of a given physical size, this provides a relatively higher storage capacity than would typically be the case for use of an inductive head with a disk of that size. Consequently, the overall storage cost per bit of information is reduced, which in turn makes the „ cartridge more commercially attractive. Another technical advantage results from the provision of a parking mechanism which maintains a magnetic head in a parked position with a relatively large magnetic force. This ensures that, particularly in the context of a removable cartridge, the magnetic head will not move away from its parked position even in response to some relatively severe shocks. A further advantage is that a simple and efficient technique is provided for reducing the magnetic force which acts to hold the head in its parked position, so that the magnetic head can easily move away from its parked position when appropriate for normal system operation.

Still another advantage is that the reduction in the magnetic parking force is effected using a magnetically-based influence which acts through a wall of a sealed housing of the cartridge, which avoids the need for any penetration of the housing and thus ensures the integrity of the seal. Still another advantage is that, aside from necessary movement of the magnetic head itself, the head parking mechanism has no internal moving parts. Instead, it has respective portions which do not have moving parts but are each stationarily supported on a respective one of the cartridge and cradle. Insertion of the cartridge into the cradle moves these portions of the mechanism into proximity with each other, thus avoiding the need for moving parts within the mechanism itself. Another technical advantage is the capability to use, in a drive which removably receives a cartridge containing a hard disk, an integrated circuit containing electronic circuitry that can control a hard disk and head, and while also providing a bridge .circuit to handle issues which the existing circuit cannot handle, including issues relating to the removability of the cartridge, and including differences in communication protocols. Use of the existing integrated circuit avoids the need to incur the expense of designing a new circuit to implement the known function and also other functions, while also obtaining the advantages resulting from reduced cost, reduced weight, reduced size, and reduced power consumption. By supplementing the integrated circuit with a bridge circuit that handles other issues, such as issues relating to communication protocols and cartridge removability, design efforts can be focused primarily on resolution of these other issues, thereby reducing the length of the design cycle, as well as the size, complexity and cost of the circuitry which needs to be built, tested and installed in each production unit .

Still another advantage is that, in a removable cartridge containing a hard disk, components such as a read/write head and associated circuitry within the cartridge are protected from damage due to electrostatic discharge. A further advantage is realized in embodiments where the protection is always automatically enabled when the cartridge is not inserted in the drive, so as to avoid a situation in which damage occurs because a user forgets to manually enable the protection scheme. A further advantage is that the present invention provides multiple different techniques for implementing such protection, which may be used separately or in combination. Still another advantage is that the techniques provided by the invention each involve minimal increase to the complexity and cost of the cartridge, while providing very effective protection against damage due to electrostatic discharge. Another technical advantage is the capability to maintain in each removable cartridge some information regarding the use of that cartridge, such as the cumulative number of hours that the cartridge has been operated. This makes it possible to determine when the cartridge is approaching the end of its normal operational lifetime, which in turn makes it possible to warn a user to transfer information from the cartridge to a different cartridge prior to expiration of the normal operational lifetime. This gives the user the opportunity to avoid potential loss of data as a result of failure of mechanical components after their normal operational lifetimes have been exceeded.

A further advantage is that, if a cartridge is returned as defective, useful quality control information is available. For example, it can be determined whether a mechanical failure was due to use of the cartridge beyond its expected operational lifetime, or due to some manufacturing problem or defective group of parts. Further, the invention makes it easier to provide two cartridges which have comparable storage capacity but different prices, through the use of mechanical components with different expected operational lifetimes. The ability to track cumulative use of each cartridge permits the actual use of the cartridge to be correlated to the expected operational lifetime for that particular type of cartridge. Still another advantage is that the present invention provides different ways for maintaining, within the cartridge itself, information regarding use of the cartridge. For example, one approach provides a separate integrated circuit which maintain the information, whereas another approach stores this information on the hard disk.

Another technical advantage relates to the fact that various different techniques are provided for ensuring that a drive is operationally compatible with a cartridge removably inserted into it . One such technique involves storing on a disk of the cartridge the servo parameters which are needed by the drive to effect feedback servo tracking of the read/write head relative to the disk. An advantage to this approach is that it is not necessary to provide a separate memory within each cartridge to store this information, thereby avoiding associated increases to the weight and cost of the cartridge, as well as an increase in the number of pins which must be provided at a connector through which the drive would access such a memory.

Another advantage is that, where the information on the disk is in a special track that can be read with default parameters, there is virtually no increase to the cost of the cartridge, aside from the provision of the special track which contains the servo information. Still another advantages is that, to the extent this information is stored in identical manner on every cartridge, the drive can obtain this information from and then operate successfully with cartridge types which did not yet exist when the drive was manufactured and sold.

A different approach according to the invention is to provide, on the disk within the cartridge, updated firmware which can be loaded into the drive in order to permit the drive to operate successfully with the cartridge. This approach avoids the need for a separate storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, which contains the new firmware, which must be in the possession of the user in order to make the upgrade, and which may require execution of a separate upgrade program in an associated host system in order to effect the upgrade to the drive .

According to a specific form of the invention, it is advantageous if the drive is capable of reading the updated firmware from the cartridge and installing it in the drive without interaction with an external device such as a host system. This permits the drive to automatically detect the need for the upgrade and to implement that upgrade, and it can be done in a manner which avoids any need to advise the user that any upgrade has occurred. In the case of a new type of cartridge which did not exist when the drive was manufactured and sold, the drive could automatically upgrade its firmware to render the drive compatible with the new type of cartridge, without the knowledge or interaction of the user. Although several exemplary embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that various substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes : a port; an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon; and structure operable to transfer information between said port and said surface, including a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move with respect to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said structure including an actuator which controls at least one component of said movement of said head relative to said surface, and a single flex circuit which effects all electrical coupling between said port and each of said head and said actuator.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said structure includes a motor drivingly coupled to said storage medium for effecting a further component of movement of said storage medium relative to said head, said single flex circuit effecting all electrical coupling between said port and said motor.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said structure includes an electrostatic protection buffer supported on said single flex circuit, said electrical coupling of said head to said port being effected through said buffer.

4. An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said structure includes a preamplifier supported on said single flex circuit, said electrical coupling of said head to said port being effected in sequence through said preamplifier and said buffer.

5. An apparatus according to Claim 1, including an integrated circuit supported on said single flex circuit with said single flex circuit effecting all electrical coupling between said integrated -circuit and said port, said integrated circuit having information therein which can be read out through said flex circuit and said port .

6. An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said integrated circuit is a read only memory containing information about characteristics of said cartridge.

7. An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said integrated circuit is an hour meter which maintains a value representing the cumulative hours of previous operation of said cartridge.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 1, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge and which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, wherein all electrical signals exchanged between said receiving unit and each of said head, said actuator and said motor travel through said single flex circuit and said ports.

9. A method for operating an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon, a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, an actuator operatively coupled to said head, and a single flex circuit which electrically couples said port to each of said head and said actuator, said method comprising the steps of: supporting said head and said storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move with respect to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said actuator controlling at least one component of said movement of said head relative to said surface; and transmitting through said single flex circuit all electrical signals traveling between said port and each of said head and said actuator.

10. A method according to Claim 9, wherein said supporting step includes the step of drivingly coupling a motor to said storage medium for effecting a further component of movement of said storage medium relative to said head; and wherein said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting through said single flex circuit all electrical signals traveling between said port and said motor.

11. A method according to Claim 9, including the step of providing an electrostatic protection buffer on said single flex circuit; and wherein said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting through said flex circuit and said buffer all electrical signals traveling between said head and said port.

12. A method according to Claim 11, including the step of providing a preamplifier on said single flex circuit; and wherein said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting through said flex circuit, said preamplifier and said buffer all electrical signals traveling between said head and said port .

13. A method according to Claim 9, including the step of providing an integrated circuit on said single flex circuit; and wherein said transmitting step includes the step of transmitting through said single flex circuit all electrical signals traveling between said integrated circuit and said port .

14. A method according to Claim 13, including the step of selecting as said integrated circuit a read only memory containing information about characteristics of said cartridge.

15. A method according to Claim 13, including the step of selecting as said integrated circuit an hour meter which maintains a value representing the cumulative hours of previous operation of said cartridge.

16. An apparatus comprising an information storage device which includes: an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon; first structure operable to effect an information transfer with respect to said surface of said storage medium, including a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move with respect to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said head being movable to a park position relative to said storage medium; and second structure which resists movement of said head in a direction away from said surface when said head and said storage medium are in said park position.

17. An apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said second structure includes a structural portion which, when said head is in said park position, is engageable with said head on a side of said head opposite from said surface in order to limit movement of said head away from said surface.

18. An apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein said structural portion is operatively coupled to said storage medium and moves therewith relative to said head.

19. An apparatus according to Claim 17, wherein said information storage device is a cartridge which has a port, said first structure transferring information between said port and said surface of said storage medium.

20. An apparatus according to Claim 19, wherein said head is one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

21. An apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said first structure includes a hub which is supported for rotation about an axis; wherein said third structure includes a radially outwardly projecting annular part on said hub; wherein said storage medium includes a disk which has said surface on one side thereof and which is supported on said hub coaxial with said axis and spaced axially from said annular part of said hub, said surface on said disk facing toward said annular part; and wherein said head is disposed radially adjacent said hub and axially between said surface and said annular part when said head is in said park position.

22. An apparatus according to Claim 21, wherein said hub includes first and second clamp parts which are fixedly coupled to each other and which have a portion of said disk fixedly clamped therebetween.

23. An apparatus according to Claim 21, wherein said information storage device includes a cartridge which has a port, said first structure transferring information between said port and said surface of said storage medium.

24. An apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said information storage device includes third structure which, when said head is in said park position, resists relative movement of said head away from said park position with respect to said storage medium in a direction along said surface .

25. A method for operating an information storage device which includes an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon, and which includes a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, said method comprising the steps of : supporting said head and storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said head being movable to a park position relative to said storage medium; and resisting movement of said head in a direction away from said surface when said head and said storage medium are in said park position.

26. A method according to Claim 25, wherein said resisting step is carried out by providing a structural portion which, when said head is in said park position, is engageable with said head on a side of said head opposite from said surface in order to effect said resisting of movement of said head away from said surface .

27. A method according to Claim 26, including the step of operatively coupling said structural portion to said storage medium for movement therewith relative to said head.

28. A method according to Claim 25, including the step of selecting as said head one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

29. A method according to Claim 25, wherein said step of supporting said head and storage medium for relative movement includes the steps of : supporting a hub for rotation about an axis; providing on said hub a radially outwardly projecting annular part and a disk which has said surface on one side thereof and which is supported on said hub coaxial with said axis and spaced axially from said annular part, said surface on said disk facing toward said annular part; and positioning said head radially adjacent said hub and axially between said surface and said annular part when said head is in said park position.

30. A method according to Claim 25, including the further step of resisting relative movement of said head with respect to said storage medium away from said park position in a direction along said surface when said head and said storage medium are in said park position.

31. An apparatus comprising a receiving unit which includes : a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive a cartridge; a magnetic arrangement which generates a magnetic field, wherein when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, a predetermined portion of the cartridge is disposed within said magnetic field; and a cover supported for movement between first and second positions in which said cover respectively exposes and covers said magnetic arrangement, said cover being in said second position except when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, and being in said first position when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion.

32. An apparatus according to Claim 31, wherein said magnetic arrangement includes first and second magnetic portions which are spaced from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of a cartridge into said cartridge receiving portion, so that when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, the predetermined portion thereof is disposed between said first and second magnetic portions of said magnetic arrangement.

33. An apparatus according to Claim 32, wherein said magnetic arrangement includes a U-shaped element made of a material which conducts a magnetic field, and wherein said first and second magnetic portions are each a permanent magnet supported adjacent an outer end of a respective leg of said U- shaped element.

34. An apparatus according to Claim 31, wherein said cartridge receiving portion includes a first port; and including a cartridge removably received in said cartridge receiving portion, said cartridge including: a second port operatively cooperable with said first port ; an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon; and structure operable to transfer information between said second port and said surface, including a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, and a movably supported member having a coil and said head thereon, said head moving relative to and adjacent said surface in response to movement of said member, said coil being operatively coupled to said second port, and said coil being physically located in said predetermined portion of said cartridge.

35. An apparatus according to Claim 34, wherein said cartridge includes a housing which has said second port disposed thereon, and which has said storage medium, said head, said member and said coil disposed therein.

36. An apparatus according to Claim 35, wherein said magnetic arrangement includes first and second magnetic portions which are spaced from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of a cartridge into said cartridge receiving portion, and wherein when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, the predetermined portion thereof is disposed between said first and second magnetic portions of said magnetic arrangement, so that said coil is disposed between said first and second magnetic portions.

37. An apparatus according to Claim 36, wherein said housing has a thickness in the region of said predetermined portion of said cartridge which is thinner than other portions of said housing.

38. An apparatus according to Claim 37, wherein said cartridge includes a further cover supported on an outer side of said housing for movement between two positions in which said thinner portion of said housing is respectively covered and exposed.

39. An apparatus according to Claim 36, wherein said magnetic arrangement includes a U-shaped element made of a material that conducts a magnetic field, and wherein said first and second magnetic portions are each a permanent magnet supported adjacent an outer end of a respective leg of said U- shaped element .

40. A method of operating a receiving unit which includes a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive a cartridge, comprising the steps of: causing a magnetic arrangement in said receiving unit to generate a magnetic field in a manner so that, when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, a predetermined portion of the cartridge is disposed within said magnetic field; and supporting a cover in said receiving unit for movement between first and second positions in which said cover respectively exposes and covers said magnetic arrangement, said cover being in said second position except when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion, and being in said first position when a cartridge is disposed in said cartridge receiving portion.

41. A method according to Claim 40, including the steps of: configuring said magnetic arrangement to include first and second magnetic portions which are spaced from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of a cartridge into said cartridge receiving portion, and causing a cartridge disposed in said cartridge receiving portion to have the predetermined portion thereof disposed between said first and second magnetic portions of said magnetic arrangement.

42. A method according to Claim 41, wherein said configuring step includes the further steps of : providing in said magnetic arrangement a U-shaped element made of a material which conducts a magnetic field, and selecting as said first and second magnetic portions respective permanent magnets which are each supported adjacent an outer end of a respective leg of said U-shaped element.

43. A method according to Claim 40, including the steps of providing a first port in said receiving portion, and providing a cartridge which is removably received in said cartridge receiving portion and which includes : a second port operatively cooperable with said first port ; an information storage medium having an information storage surface thereon; and structure operable to transfer information between said second port and said surface, including a head operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface, and a movably supported member having a coil and said head thereon, said head moving relative to and adjacent said surface in response to movement of said member, said coil being operatively coupled to said second port, and said coil being physically located in said predetermined portion of said cartridge.

44. A method according to Claim 43, including the step of configuring said cartridge to include a housing which has said second port disposed thereon, and which has said storage medium, said head, said member and said coil disposed therein.

45. A method according to Claim 44, including the steps of: configuring said magnetic arrangement to include first and second magnetic portions which are spaced from each other in a direction transverse to a direction of insertion of a cartridge into said cartridge receiving portion, and causing said cartridge disposed in said cartridge receiving portion to have the predetermined portion thereof disposed between said first and second magnetic portions of said magnetic arrangement, said coil of said cartridge being disposed between said first and second magnetic portions.

46. A method according to Claim 45, including the step of configuring said housing to have a reduced wall thickness in the region of said predetermined portion of said cartridge.

47. A method according to Claim 46, including the step of providing a further cover which is supported on an outer side of said housing for movement between two positions in which said reduced thickness portion of said housing is respectively covered and exposed.

48. A method according to Claim 45, including the step of configuring said magnetic arrangement to include a U-shaped element made of a material which conducts a magnetic field, and selecting as said first and second magnetic portions respective permanent magnets which are each supported adjacent an outer end of a respective leg of said U-shaped element.

49. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes: a port; an information storage medium that includes a rigid member having an information storage surface thereon; a bushing which supports said information storage medium for rotation about an axis; and structure operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, including a head electrically coupled to said port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface approximately radially of said axis while remaining adjacent to said surface.

50. An apparatus according to Claim 49, wherein said rigid member is a platelike disk.

51. An apparatus according to Claim 49, wherein said cartridge has stored therein at least one parameter which may be read out through said port, and which has a value that depends at least in part on the fact that the rotatable support of said information storage medium is effected by said bearing.

52. An apparatus according to Claim 51, wherein said parameter is stored on said information storage surface of said rigid member.

53. An apparatus according to Claim 51, wherein said cartridge has therein a memory which is separate from said information storage medium, which is electrically coupled to said port, and which has said parameter stored therein.

54. An apparatus according to Claim 51, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, said receiving unit being responsive to insertion of said cartridge into said receiving unit for reading said parameter from said cartridge and thereafter effecting said communication with said structure in said cartridge as a function of said parameter.

55. An apparatus according to Claim 54, wherein said receiving unit is capable of removably receiving either of first and second types of cartridges that are different, said first type including said cartridge which has said rigid member rotatably supported by said bushing, and said second type including a cartridge having a rigid member which is rotatably supported by support structure other than a bushing.

56. An apparatus according to Claim 55, wherein said support structure of said cartridge of said second type includes a bearing which rotatably supports said rigid member thereof .

57. An apparatus according to Claim 55, wherein said structure in each said cartridge is operable to maintain time information regarding use of said cartridge, and to selectively output said time information through said port, and wherein said receiving unit is operable to use said time information and parameter from a respective said cartridge which is removably received therein in order to evaluate a reliability characteristic of that cartridge.

58. An apparatus according to Claim 54, including a motor operable to effect rotation of said rigid member when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit, and wherein said receiving unit is operable to cause said motor to rotate said rigid member at a speed which is a function of said parameter.

59. A method of operating an information storage cartridge which includes a port and an information storage medium, said method comprising the steps of: configuring said information storage medium to include a rigid member which has an information storage surface thereon; using a bushing to support said information storage medium for rotation about an axis; supporting said storage medium and a head for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface approximately radially of said axis while remaining adjacent to said surface; and transferring information between said port and said storage medium, including use of said head to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium.

60. A method according to Claim 59, including the step of configuring said rigid member to include a platelike disk.

61. A method according to Claim 59, including the step of storing within said cartridge at least one parameter which may be read out through said port, and which has a value that depends at least in part on the fact that the rotatable support of said information storage medium is effected by said bearing.

62. A method according to Claim 61, wherein said storing step includes the step of storing said parameter on said information storage surface of said rigid member.

63. A method according to Claim 61, including the step of providing within said cartridge a memory which is separate from said information storage medium, and wherein said storing step includes the step of storing said parameter in said memory.

64. A method according to Claim 61, including the steps of: providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit; and causing said receiving unit to respond to insertion of said cartridge into said receiving unit by reading said parameter from said cartridge and thereafter effecting said communication with said structure in said cartridge as a function of said parameter.

65. A method according to Claim 64, including the step of configuring said receiving unit to be capable of removably receiving either of first and second types of cartridges that are different, said first type including said cartridge which has said rigid member rotatably supported by said bushing, and said second type including a cartridge having a rigid member which is rotatably supported by support structure other than a bushing .

66. A method according to Claim 65, including the step of providing within said support structure in said cartridge of said second type a bearing which rotatably supports said rigid member thereof.

67. A method according to Claim 65, including the steps of: maintaining time information in each said cartridge which relates to use of said cartridge; and causing said receiving unit to use said time information and parameter from a respective said cartridge which is removably received therein for the purpose of evaluating a reliability characteristic of that cartridge.

68. A method according to Claim 64, including the steps of: providing a motor which is operable to effect rotation of said rigid member when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit; and causing said receiving unit to control said motor so as to effect rotation of said rigid member at a speed which is a function of said parameter.

69. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes : a sealed housing; a port provided on said sealed housing; an information storage medium provided within said sealed housing and having thereon an information storage surface; and structure within said sealed housing which is operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, including a head electrically coupled to said port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface of said storage medium, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, and said head being one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

70. An apparatus according to Claim 69, wherein said information storage medium is rigid.

71. An apparatus according to Claim 70, wherein said information storage medium includes a rigid substrate having thereon an information storage layer, said surface being provided on said information storage layer, said substrate including one of aluminum, glass, plastic, and embossed plastic.

72. An apparatus according to Claim 71, wherein said information storage layer stores information magnetically.

73. An apparatus according to Claim 69, wherein said information storage medium is a disk supported within said sealed housing for rotation about an axis of rotation, and wherein said structμre includes an arm which is movably supported within said sealed housing and which has said head supported thereon, said head moving approximately radially of said axis in response to movement of said arm.

74. An apparatus according to Claim 73, wherein said movement of said arm is pivotal movement about a pivot axis which is spaced from and extends approximately parallel to said axis of rotation.

75. An apparatus according to Claim 73, wherein said structure includes said arm having thereon a coil which is electrically coupled to said port.

76. An apparatus according to Claim 75, wherein said structure includes a portion which is stationarily supported within said sealed housing in proximity to said coil, and which is operable to generate a magnetic field, said coil on said arm being within said magnetic field during pivotal movement of said arm.

77. An apparatus according to Claim 73, wherein said structure includes a motor disposed within said sealed housing and operatively coupled to said disk for effecting rotation thereof about said axis of rotation, said motor being electrically coupled to said port.

78. An apparatus according to Claim 73, wherein said structure includes a part which is disposed within said sealed housing, which is operatively coupled to said disk, and which is responsive to a magnetic field generated externally of said sealed housing for effecting rotation of said disk.

79. An apparatus according to Claim 73, wherein said structure includes a preamplifier disposed within said sealed housing, said head being electrically coupled to said port through said preamplifier.

80. An apparatus according to Claim 73, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit .

81. An apparatus according to Claim 80, wherein said receiving unit has a magnetic portion operable to generate a magnetic field, said coil on said arm being within said magnetic field during pivotal movement of said arm when said cartridge is received within said receiving unit .

82. An apparatus according to Claim 80, wherein said receiving unit includes a preamplifier, said head being operatively coupled to said preamplifier through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

83. An apparatus according to Claim 80, wherein said receiving unit has a motor therein, and including structure for magnetically drivingly coupling said motor to said disk in said sealed housing when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

84. A method for operating an information storage cartridge which includes a sealed housing, a port provided on said sealed housing, an information storage medium provided within said sealed housing and having thereon an information storage surface, and structure within said sealed housing which is operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, said method comprising the steps of : electrically coupling to said port a head which is operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said surface of said storage medium; supporting said head and said storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto; and selecting as said head one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

85. A method according to Claim 84, wherein said information storage medium includes a rigid substrate having thereon an information storage layer, and including the step of selecting as the material of said substrate one of aluminum, glass, plastic, and embossed plastic.

86. A method according to Claim 84, including the step of storing information magnetically on said information storage layer.

87. A method according to Claim 84, wherein said information storage medium is a disk and said structure includes an arm disposed within said sealed housing, and including the steps of supporting said disk within said sealed housing for rotation about an axis of rotation, supporting said arm within said sealed housing for movement relative thereto, and supporting said head on said arm, said head moving approximately radially of said axis in response to movement of said arm.

88. A method according to Claim 87, including the steps of providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge and which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and causing said receiving unit to communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit .

89. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes: a port ; an information storage medium; structure operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, including a movably supported member capable of movement to a park position; and a parking portion which, when said member is in said park position, generates resistance to movement of said member away from said park position, said parking portion being responsive to the presence of a magnetically based influence induced from externally of said cartridge for reducing said resistance to movement of said member.

90. An apparatus according to Claim 89, wherein said parking portion includes a magnetic arrangement which, when said member is in said park position, contributes to said resistance to movement of said member by facilitating generation of a magnetic flux which yieldably resists movement of said member away from said park position, said magnetic arrangement responding to the presence of said external influence by reducing the strength of said magnetic flux in order to reduce said resistance to movement of said member.

91. An apparatus according to Claim 90, wherein said responsiveness of said parking portion to said external influence includes said magnetic flux of said magnetic arrangement being altered by said external influence.

92. An apparatus according to Claim 90, wherein said member has a magnetically permeable part thereon which is influenced by said magnetic flux.

93. An apparatus according to Claim 90, wherein said magnetic arrangement includes a permanent magnet and includes first and second elements which are each made of a magnetically permeable material, said permanent magnetic being disposed between first end portions of said first and second elements, and said member having a portion which, in said park position thereof, is adjacent a region between second end portions of said first and second elements remote from said first end portions thereof.

94. An apparatus according to Claim 93, wherein said portion of said member is magnetically permeable, and is disposed between said second end portions of first and second elements in said park position of said member.

95. An apparatus according to Claim 90, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, said receiving unit having a release portion which generates said external influence when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit.

96. An apparatus according to Claim 95, wherein said release portion includes a member which is magnetically permeable and which interacts with said magnetic flux in a manner effecting alteration of said magnetic flux when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit .

97. An apparatus according to Claim 89, wherein said storage medium is a rotatable disk, and wherein said structure includes a head which is supported on said member and which moves approximately radially of said disk adjacent thereto in response to movement of said member.

98. An apparatus according to Claim 89, wherein said cartridge includes a sealed housing which has therein said information storage medium, said structure and said parking portion.

99. A method for operating a information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, said structure including a movably supported member capable of movement to a park position, said method comprising the steps of: generating resistance to movement of said member away from said park position when said member is in said park position; and responding to the presence of a magnetically based influence induced within said cartridge from externally thereof by reducing said resistance to movement of said member.

100. A method according to Claim 99 , wherein said generating step includes the step of generating a magnetic flux which yieldably resists movement of said member away from said park position, and wherein said responding step includes the step of reducing the strength of said magnetic flux in order to reduce said resistance to movement of said member.

101. A method according to Claim 99, including the step of providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which has a release portion that generates said external influence when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit.

102. A method according to Claim 99, wherein said generating step includes the step of generating a magnetic flux which yieldably resists movement of said member away from said park position, and including the steps of selecting as said release portion a magnetically permeable material, and causing said release portion of said receiving unit to generate said external influence by interacting with said magnetic flux in a manner effecting alteration of. said magnetic flux.

103. An apparatus comprising a receiving unit which includes : a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge; a cartridge port which, when a cartridge is received in said cartridge receiving portion, facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and the cartridge; a host port which facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and a host system; a first circuit having a first port which is operatively coupled to said cartridge port, and having a second port which conforms to a first interface protocol, said first circuit being responsive to control information conforming to said first interface protocol and received through said second port thereof for effecting cartridge control functionality through said first port thereof; and a second circuit having a first port which conforms to said first interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said second port of said first circuit, having a second port which conforms to a second interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said host port, said second circuit being responsive to control information conforming to said second interface protocol and received through said second port thereof for effecting control functionality through said first port thereof with respect to said first circuit according to said first interface protocol, said second interface protocol being different from said first interface protocol .

104. An apparatus according to Claim 103, wherein information transferred through said host port conforms to said second interface protocol .

105. An apparatus according to Claim 104, wherein said first interface protocol is the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

106. An apparatus according to Claim 104, wherein said second interface protocol is the AT Attachment Packet

Interface (ATAPI) protocol.

107. An apparatus according to Claim 106, wherein said first interface protocol is the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol.

108. An apparatus according to Claim 103, including a third circuit having a first port which conforms to said second interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said second port of said second circuit, and having a second port which conforms to a third interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said host port, said third circuit being responsive to control information conforming to said third interface protocol and received through said second port thereof for effecting control functionality through said first port thereof with respect to said second circuit according to said second interface protocol, said third interface protocol being different from each of said first and second interface protocols, wherein information transferred through said host port conforms to said third interface protocol .

109. An apparatus according to Claim 108, wherein said third interface protocol is one of the Universal Serial Bus

(USB) protocol, the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol, the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) protocol, and the IEEE 1394 protocol.

110. An apparatus according to Claim 109, wherein said first interface protocol is the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

111. An apparatus according to Claim 109, wherein said second interface protocol is the AT Attachment Packet

Interface (ATAPI) protocol.

112. An apparatus according to Claim 111, wherein said first interface protocol is the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

113. An apparatus according to Claim 103, wherein said second circuit includes a further port through which said second circuit effects a local control function within said receiving circuit in response to control information received through said second port thereof.

114. An apparatus according to Claim 113, wherein said receiving unit includes a latch mechanism operable to releasably latch a cartridge in said cartridge receiving portion, said local control function effected by said second circuit being generation of an electrical signal which causes a release of said latch mechanism.

115. An apparatus according to Claim 113, wherein said local control function effected by said second circuit is a power management function associated with said first circuit .

116. An apparatus according to Claim 103, wherein said second circuit includes a further port through which said second circuit receives a signal generated locally within said receiving circuit .

117. An apparatus according to Claim 116, including a cartridge detecting portion operable to detect the presence of a cartridge received in said cartridge receiving portion and to generate a cartridge detect signal in response to detection of a cartridge, said cartridge detect signal being coupled to said further port and being said locally generated signal.

118. A method for operating a receiving unit which includes a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge, a cartridge port which facilitates information transfer with respect to a cartridge received in said cartridge receiving portion, a host port which facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and a host system, a first circuit having a first port operatively coupled to said cartridge port, and a second circuit having a first port conforming to a first interface protocol and operatively coupled to a second port of said first circuit, and having a second port conforming to a second interface protocol different from said first interface protocol and operatively coupled to said host port, said method comprising the steps of: causing said first circuit to respond to control information conforming to said first interface protocol and received through said second port thereof by effecting cartridge control functionality through said first port thereof; and causing said second circuit to respond to control information conforming to said second interface protocol and received through said second port thereof by effecting control functionality through said first port thereof with respect to said first circuit according to said first interface protocol .

119. A method according to Claim 118, including the step of causing information transferred through said host port to conform to said second interface protocol .

120. A method according to Claim 119, including the step of selecting as said first interface protocol the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

121. A method according to Claim 119, including the step of selecting as said second interface protocol the AT

Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) protocol.

122. A method according to Claim 120, including the step of selecting as said first interface protocol the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

123. A method according to Claim 118, including the steps of: configuring said receiving unit to include a third circuit having a first port which conforms to said second interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said second port of said second circuit, and having a second port which conforms to a third interface protocol and is operatively coupled to said host port; causing said third circuit to be responsive to control information conforming to said third interface protocol and received through said second port thereof for effecting control functionality through said first port thereof with respect to said second circuit according to said second interface protocol; selecting said third interface protocol to be different from each of said first and second interface protocols; and causing information transferred through said host port to conform to said third interface protocol .

124. A method according to Claim 123, including the step of selecting as said third interface protocol one of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol, the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) protocol, and the IEEE 1394 protocol.

125. A method according to Claim 124, including the step of selecting as said first interface protocol the AT

• Attachment (ATA) protocol .

126. A method according to Claim 124, including the step of selecting as said second interface protocol the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) protocol.

127. A method according to Claim 126, including the step of selecting as said first interface protocol the AT Attachment (ATA) protocol .

128. A method according to Claim 118, including the steps of : configuring said second circuit to include a further port ; and causing said second circuit to use said further port effect a local control function within said receiving circuit in response to control information received through said second port thereof .

129. A method according to Claim 128, including the steps of: configuring said receiving unit to include a latch mechanism operable to releasably latch a cartridge in said cartridge receiving portion thereof; and causing said second circuit to effect said local control function by generating an electrical signal which causes a release of said latch mechanism.

130. A method according to Claim 128, including the step of causing said second circuit to effect said local control function by performing a power management function with respect to said first circuit.

131. A method according to Claim 118, including the steps of : configuring said second circuit to include a further port ; and causing said second circuit to receive through said further port a signal generated locally within said receiving portion.

132. A method according to Claim 131, including the steps of: configuring said cartridge receiving portion to include a cartridge detecting portion operable to detect the presence of a cartridge received in said cartridge receiving portion; and generating a cartridge detect signal in response to detection of a cartridge, said cartridge detect signal being supplied to said further port and being said locally generated signal .

133. An apparatus comprising a receiving unit which includes : a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge; a structural portion relating to cartridge removability; a cartridge port which, when a cartridge is received in said cartridge receiving portion, facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and the cartridge; a host port which facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and a host system; a first circuit having a first port which is operatively coupled to said cartridge port, and having a second port, said first circuit being responsive to control information received through said second port thereof for effecting cartridge control functionality through said first port thereof; and a second circuit which is operatively coupled to said structural portion, which has a first port operatively coupled to said second port of said first circuit, and which has a second port operatively coupled to said host port, said second circuit being responsive to control information received through said second port thereof for selectively effecting one of interaction with said structural portion, and control functionality through said first port with respect to said first circuit .

134. An apparatus according to Claim 133, wherein said structural portion is one of a mechanism for releasably latching a cartridge in said receiving unit, and a detection arrangement for identifying a cartridge type.

135. A method for operating a receiving unit which includes a cartridge receiving portion that can removably receive an information storage cartridge, a structural portion relating to cartridge removability, a cartridge port which facilitates information transfer between said receiving unit and a cartridge, a first circuit operatively coupled to the cartridge port, and a second circuit operatively coupled between the first circuit and a port for a host system, said method including the steps of : causing said first circuit to respond to control information received from said second circuit by effecting cartridge control functionality through said cartridge port; and causing said second circuit to respond to control information received from said host port by selectively effecting one of interaction with said structural portion and control functionality through said first port with respect to said first circuit .

136. An apparatus according to Claim 134, including the step of configuring said structural portion to be one of a mechanism for releasably latching a cartridge in said receiving unit, and a detection arrangement for identifying a cartridge type .

137. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes: a port; an information storage medium having an information storage surface; structure operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, including a head electrically coupled to said port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto; and an electrostatic protection portion operable to protect said head from electrostatic energy which originates externally of said cartridge.

138. An apparatus according to Claim 137, wherein said electrostatic protection portion has at least one control signal input which is coupled to said port.

139. An apparatus according to Claim 137, wherein said port includes a connecter having a plurality of pins; and wherein said electrostatic protection portion includes an electrically conductive part movable between two positions respectively spaced from and shorting at least two of said pins of said connector which are electrically coupled to said head.

140. An apparatus according to Claim 139, wherein said structure includes a preamplifier, said head being coupled to said port through said preamplifier.

141. An apparatus according to Claim 140, wherein said head is one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

142. An apparatus according to Claim 139, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, said electrically conductive part being in said positions respectively spaced from and shorting said pins when said cartridge is respectively received in and separate from said receiving unit .

143. An apparatus according to Claim 142, wherein said receiving unit includes a preamplifier, said head being electrically coupled to an input of said preamplifier through said electrostatic protection portion and said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

144. An apparatus according to Claim 137, wherein said electrostatic protection portion includes an electrostatic discharge buffer, said electrical coupling of said head to said port being effected through said buffer.

145. An apparatus according to Claim 144, wherein said structure includes a preamplifier, said head being coupled to said buffer through said preamplifier.

146. An apparatus according to Claim 145, wherein said head is one of a magnetoresistive (MR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

147. An apparatus according to Claim 144, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

148. An apparatus according to Claim 147, including a preamplifier disposed in receiving unit, said head being electrically coupled to an input of said preamplifier through said buffer and said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit .

149. A method for operating an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and a head which is electrically coupled to said port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium, said method comprising the steps of: supporting said head and said storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto; and using an electrostatic protection portion to protect said head from electrostatic energy which originates externally of said cartridge.

150. A method according to Claim 149, wherein said port includes a connecter having a plurality of pins; and wherein said step of using said electrostatic protection portion includes the steps of providing as said electrostatic protection portion an electrically conductive part, and supporting said electrically conductive part for movement between two positions respectively spaced from and shorting at least two of said pins of said connector which are electrically coupled to said head.

151. A method according to Claim 150, including the steps of: providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit; and positioning said electrically conductive part in said positions respectively spaced from and shorting said pins when said cartridge is respectively received in and separate from said receiving unit .

152. A method according to Claim 151, including the steps of: providing a preamplifier in said receiving unit; and electrically coupling said head to an input of said preamplifier through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

153. A method according to Claim 149, wherein said step of using said electrostatic protection portion includes the steps of : providing an electrostatic discharge buffer as said electrostatic protection portion; and electrically coupling said head to said port through said buffer.

154. A method according to Claim 153, including the step of providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit.

155. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes: a port; an information storage medium; and structure which is operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, to maintain time information regarding use of said cartridge, and to selectively output said time information through said port.

156. An apparatus according to Claim 155, wherein said time information includes a cumulative amount of time that said cartridge has had power applied thereto.

157. An apparatus according to Claim 155, wherein said information storage medium is movably supported, wherein said structure is operable to effect movement of said information storage medium, and wherein said time information includes a cumulative amount of time that said structure has effected movement of said information storage medium.

158. An apparatus according to Claim 155, wherein said structure includes a circuit in which said time information is maintained.

159. An apparatus according to Claim 155, wherein said time information maintained by said structure is stored by said structure on said information storage medium.

160. An apparatus according to Claim 155, wherein said information storage medium has an information storage surface thereon, said structure includes a head electrically coupled to said port, and said structure supports said head and said storage medium for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said head being operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium.

161. An apparatus according to Claim 160, wherein said information storage medium is a rigid disk which is rotatably supported, and wherein said cartridge includes a sealed housing which has thereon said port, and which has therein said disk, said head, and said structure.

162. A method of operating an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure for transferring information between said port and said storage medium, said method including the steps of : maintaining time information in said cartridge relating to use of said cartridge; and selectively outputting said time information through said port .

163. A method according to Claim 162, wherein said maintaining step includes the step of including in said time information a cumulative amount of time that said cartridge has had power applied thereto.

164. A method according to Claim 162, including the steps of movably supporting said information storage medium, and causing said structure to effect movement thereof, and wherein said maintaining step includes the step of including in said time information a cumulative amount of time that said structure has effected movement of said information storage medium.

165. A method according to Claim 162, including the step of providing within said structure^' a circuit in which said time information is maintained.

166. A method according to Claim 162, wherein said maintaining step includes the step of causing said structure to store on said information storage medium said time information.

167. A method according to Claim 162, wherein said information storage medium has an information storage surface thereon, wherein said structure includes a head electrically coupled to said port, and including the steps of effecting relative movement of said head and said storage medium in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, and causing said head to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium.

168. A method according to Claim 167, including the steps of providing said information storage medium in the form of a rigid disk, rotatably supporting said rigid disk, and providing as part of said cartridge a sealed housing which has thereon said port, and which has therein said disk, said head, and said structure.

169. An apparatus comprising an information storage cartridge which includes : a port; an information storage medium having an information storage surface, said information storage surface storing information which includes control information; and structure operable to transfer information between said port and said storage medium, including a head electrically coupled to said port and operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium, said head and said storage medium being supported for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto, said structure being operable to facilitate reading of said control information from said information storage surface using said head, and to thereafter facilitate the relative movement of said head and said storage medium as a function of said control information.

170. An apparatus according to Claim 169, wherein said information storage medium includes a disk which is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation extending approximately normal to said disk, said disk having thereon a plurality of tracks which are concentric to said axis ; and wherein said head is supported for movement approximately radially with respect to said axis as part of said relative movement of said head and said storage medium, said control information being stored by a predetermined one of said tracks and including information which facilitates alignment of said head with other said tracks on said disk.

171. An apparatus according to Claim 170, wherein said predetermined one of said tracks is wider than said other tracks .

172. An apparatus according to Claim 170, wherein said predetermined one of said tracks, in addition to said control information, stores other information which represents at least one characteristic of said cartridge.

173. An apparatus according to Claim 170, wherein said predetermined one of said tracks stores said control information in a read-only form, and said other tracks store other information in a modifiable form.

174. An apparatus according to Claim 170, wherein said structure in said cartridge includes a mechanical arrangement capable of aligning said head with said predetermined one of said tracks.

175. An apparatus according to Claim 174, wherein said predetermined one of said tracks is one of a radially inner and radially outer track on said disk; wherein said structure includes a member which has said head thereon and which is supported for movement in a manner that effects said movement of said head in a radial direction with respect to said axis of rotation; wherein said mechanical arrangement includes a stop which is engageable with said member, said member positioning said head in alignment with said predetermined one of said tracks when said member is engaging said stop; and wherein said structure in said cartridge is operable to selectively facilitate movement of said member into engagement with said stop during a predetermined operational mode in which said control information is read from said disk.

176. An apparatus according to Claim 169, including a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit; wherein said receiving unit is responsive to insertion of said cartridge therein for causing said cartridge to output said control information through said ports; and wherein said receiving unit thereafter cooperates with said structure in said cartridge through said ports in a manner which effects said relative movement of said head and said storage medium as a function of said control information.

177. An apparatus according to Claim 176, wherein said receiving unit includes circuitry which is responsive to signals received from said head through said ports and which, after said cartridge outputs said control information through said ports, cooperates with said structure in said cartridge so as to effect feedback control of said relative movement of said head and said information storage medium as a function of said control information and said signals from said head.

178. A method of operating an information storage cartridge which includes a port and an information storage medium having an information storage surface, comprising the steps of : storing on said information storage surface information which includes control information; supporting said storage medium and a head for relative movement in a manner causing said head to move relative to said surface while remaining adjacent thereto; transferring information between said port and said storage medium, including use of said head to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium; reading said control information from said information storage surface using said head; and thereafter effecting the relative movement of said head and said storage medium as a function of said control information.

179. A method according to Claim 178, including the steps of: configuring said information storage medium to include a disk supported for rotation about an axis of rotation extending approximately normal to said disk; and providing on said disk a plurality of tracks which are concentric to said axis; wherein said supporting step includes the step of supporting said head for movement approximately radially with respect to said axis; and wherein said storing step includes the step of storing said control information in a predetermined one of said tracks, said control information including information which facilitates alignment of said head with other said tracks on said disk.

180. A method according to Claim 179, including the step of configuring said predetermined one of said tracks to be wider than said other tracks .

181. A method according to Claim 179, including the step of storing in said predetermined one of said tracks, in addition to said control information, other information which represents at least one characteristic of said cartridge.

182. A method according to Claim 179, including the steps of storing said control information in said predetermined one of said tracks in a read-only form, and storing information in said other tracks in a modifiable form.

183. A method according to Claim 179, including the step of providing within said cartridge a mechanical arrangement capable of aligning said head with said predetermined one of said tracks.

184. A method according to Claim 183, including the steps of : selecting said predetermined one of said tracks to be one of a radially inner and radially outer track on said disk; carrying out said supporting step to include the step of movably supporting a member having said head thereon so that movement of said member effects said movement of said head in a radial direction with respect to said axis of rotation; configuring said mechanical arrangement to include a stop which is engageable with said member, said member positioning said head in alignment with said predetermined one of said tracks when said member is engaging said stop; and selectively moving said member into engagement with said stop during a predetermined operational mode in which said control information is read from said disk.

185. A method according to Claim 178, including the step of providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit; causing said receiving unit to respond to insertion of said cartridge therein by causing said cartridge to output said control information through said ports; and thereafter causing said receiving unit to cooperate with said cartridge through said ports in a manner which effects said relative movement of said head and said storage medium as a function of said control information.

186. A method according to Claim 185, including the steps of: causing said receiving unit to be responsive to signals received from said head through said ports; and causing said receiving unit to cooperate with said cartridge so as to effect feedback control of said relative movement of said head and said information storage medium as a function of said control information and said signals from said head.

187. An apparatus, comprising: an information storage cartridge which includes: a port, an information storage medium, and structure operable to transfer information between said port and said information storage medium, said information storage medium storing a first program; and a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which has structure that can communicate with said structure in said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, said structure in said receiving unit including a memory which stores a second program, and including a processor which can execute the program stored in said memory, said structure in said receiving unit having an operational mode which, when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit, facilitates an upgrade of said receiving unit that includes reading said first program through said ports from said information storage medium in said cartridge and storing said first program in said memory in place of said second program.

188. An apparatus according to Claim 187, wherein said receiving unit is respectively capable and incapable of full operational interaction with a predetermined type of cartridge in response to execution by said processor of said first and second programs, respectively.

189. An apparatus according to Claim 188, wherein said cartridge having said first program stored therein is a further type of cartridge which is different from said predetermined type; and wherein said receiving unit, in response to execution by said processor of said second program, is capable of full operational interaction with said cartridge of said further type .

190. An apparatus according to Claim 188, wherein said cartridge having said first program stored therein is a cartridge of said predetermined type .

191. An apparatus according to Claim 190, wherein said information storage medium includes a rotatably supported disk having an information storage surface with a plurality of concentric circular tracks, said first program being stored in a predetermined one of said tracks; wherein said structure in said cartridge includes a head electrically coupled to said port of said cartridge and supported for movement approximately radially of said disk while remaining adjacent to said surface thereon, said head being operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium; wherein during execution of said second program said receiving unit respectively has and lacks the capability to interact though said head with said predetermined one of said tracks and with other said tracks, respectively; and wherein during execution of said first program said receiving unit has the capability to interact through said head with said predetermined one of said tracks and with other said tracks .

192. An apparatus according to Claim 191, wherein said cartridge includes a mechanical arrangement capable of aligning said head with said predetermined one of said tracks without feedback tracking control of said head; and wherein said cartridge carries out alignment of said head with other said tracks through feedback tracking control of said head.

193. An apparatus according to Claim 187, wherein said memory is an electrically reprogrammable read only memory.

194. An apparatus according to Claim 187, wherein said first program is routed from said information storage medium to said memory without being transferred to and from a location external to said receiving unit and said cartridge.

195. An apparatus according to Claim 187, including a host system which is operatively coupled to said receiving unit; and wherein said first program is transferred from said information storage medium in said cartridge through said receiving unit to said host system during a first phase of said upgrade, and is thereafter transferred from said host system to said memory during a second phase of said upgrade.

196. A method comprising the steps of: providing an information storage cartridge which includes a port, an information storage medium, and structure for transferring information between said port and said information storage medium; storing a first program in said information storage medium; providing a receiving unit which can removably receive said cartridge, which has a port that operatively cooperates with said port of said cartridge when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit, and which can communicate with said cartridge through said ports when said cartridge is received in said receiving unit; storing a second program in a memory provided in said receiving unit; providing a processor which can execute the program stored in said memory; effecting an upgrade during an operational mode when said cartridge is removably received in said receiving unit, said effecting of said upgrade including the steps of reading said first program through said ports from said information storage medium in said cartridge, and storing said first program in said memory in place of said second program.

197. A method according to Claim 196, including the step of causing said receiving unit to be respectively capable and incapable of full operational interaction with a predetermined type of cartridge in response to execution by said processor of said first and second programs, respectively.

198. A method according to Claim 197, including the steps of : selecting said cartridge storing said first program to be a further type of cartridge which is different from said predetermined type; and causing said receiving unit, in response to execution by said processor of said second program, to be capable of full operational interaction with said cartridge of said further type.

199. A method according to Claim 197, including the step of selecting said cartridge which stores said first program to be a cartridge of said predetermined type.

200. A method according to Claim 199, including the steps of : configuring said information storage medium to include a rotatably supported disk having an information storage surface with a plurality of concentric circular tracks, said first program being stored in a predetermined one of said tracks; supporting a head for movement approximately radially of said disk while remaining adjacent to said surface thereon, said head being operable to effect at least one of reading information from and writing information to said storage medium; causing said receiving unit, during execution of said second program, to respectively have and lack the capability to interact through said head with said predetermined one of said tracks and with other said tracks, respectively; and causing said receiving unit to have, during execution of said first program, the capability to interact through said head with said predetermined one of said tracks and with other said tracks .

201. A method according to Claim 199, including the steps of: providing within said cartridge a mechanical arrangement capable of aligning said head with said predetermined one of said tracks without feedback tracking control of said head; and causing said cartridge to carry out alignment of said head with other said tracks through feedback tracking control of said head.

202. A method according to Claim 196, including the step of selecting as said memory an electrically reprogrammable read only memory.

203. A method according to Claim 196, including the step of routing said first program from said information storage medium to said memory without transferring said first program to and from a location external to said receiving unit and said cartridge.

204. A method according to Claim 196, including the steps of: providing a host system which is operatively coupled to said receiving unit ; transferring said first program from said information storage medium in said cartridge through said receiving unit to said host system during a first phase of said upgrade; and thereafter transferring said first program from said host system to said memory during a second phase of said upgrade.