MAY 24, 2005
Nano-Grating DVDs could store 100 times
more
Iomega Corporation today announced that the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)
recently issued two highly notable patents to Iomega for its work with nano-technology and optical
data storage, and external storage media.
New technologies could potentially allow 40-100 times more data to be stored on a DVD with data
transfer rates 5-30 times faster than today's DVDs, and at similarly low costs.
On April 12, 2005, U.S. Patent No. 6,879,556 titled Method and Apparatus for Optical Data Storage
was issued to Iomega. This patent is the first in a series of nano-technology-based subwavelength
optical data storage patents sought by Iomega. The patent covers a novel technique of encoding data
on the surface of a DVD by using reflective nano-structures to encode data in a highly multi-level
format. This technology, termed AO-DVD (Articulated Optical - Digital Versatile Disc), allows more
data to be stored on a DVD and could allow future optical discs to potentially hold 40-100 times more
information with data transfer rates 5-30 times faster than today's DVDs, and at similarly low costs.
This invention was recently recognized as a winner of the Nanotech Briefs' Nano 50 awards in its
product category. The Nano 50 awards are given to the "best of the best" in the industry -- the
innovative people and designs that will move nano-technology to key mainstream markets.
Iomega is working to investigate the commercial feasibility of this format and other nano-structural
data encoding formats. One possibility being investigated, termed NG-DVD (Nano-Grating - DVD),
uses nano-gratings to encode multi-level information via reflectivity, polarization, phase, and reflective
orientation multiplexing. Iomega is concurrently evaluating and developing appropriate partners to
leverage this intellectual property for producing commercial data storage devices.
"Subwavelength optical data storage can provide an array of mechanisms by which the state of a
focused spot of light upon reflection can be precisely changed. This is the key to new commercially
interesting multi-level optical data storage that this technology represents," commented Fred Thomas,
Chief Technologist, Research and Development, Iomega Corporation. "The nano-replication
technologies that are used to fabricate these structures at low-cost are just emerging from various
labs. I believe the scope of Iomega patents issued and pending in this area, in conjunction with these
exciting new nano-replication technologies, will make this a fertile area for optical data storage
development and innovation for years to come. As high definition content becomes more pervasive,
Iomega sees significant technology partnership and licensing opportunities for this intellectual
property."
Thomas will present an overview of subwavelength optical data storage technology at the prestigious
Information Storage Industry Consortium (INSIC) symposium in July in Monterey, CA.
On August 31, 2004, U.S. Patent No. 6,785,091, titled Interchangeable Cartridge Data Storage
System for Devices Performing Diverse Functions, was issued to Iomega. This is the third in a very
exciting series of related patents that apply to Iomega's pioneering work related to bridge media -- the
use of media, or disks, that can work on a computer as well as other devices. The new '091 patent
covers inventions dating back to at least November 1996, for exchanging digital data among multiple
digital devices. A common digital data format is employed to further facilitate exchange of data
between devices.
"Iomega believes these bridge media patents provide for broad range market protection for
manufacturers of various types of mobile data storage devices," stated Thomas Kampfer, Executive
Vice President, Business Solutions and General Counsel, Iomega Corporation. "The U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office has confirmed that Iomega invented the broad concept of exchanging data between
a computer and another digital device using removable data storage. As devices such as digital
cameras and cellular telephones become more complex, consumers are able to benefit from
Iomega's creativity by using simple, removable data storage media to exchange information between
the device and a computer."
Source (9/26/2022): https://phys.org/news/2005-05-nano-grating-dvds.html