Method for erasing stored data and restoring data

Abstract

A method for selectively erasing information from or restoring information to a shape memory material includes selectively heating and/or selectively cooling, to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time, at least a portion of at least one heating element or cooling element adjacent a predetermined area of the shape memory material, thereby erasing the information stored therein or restoring information thereto. The heating element or cooling element is located in an array of heating or cooling elements.

1 . A method for at least one of selectively erasing information from and restoring information to a shape memory material, the method comprising at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling, to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time, at least a portion of at least one heating element or cooling element adjacent a predetermined area of the shape memory material, thereby at least one of erasing the information stored therein and restoring information therein, wherein the at least one heating element or cooling element is located in an array of at least one of heating elements and cooling elements.  
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein prior to at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling, the method further comprises establishing the predetermined area of the shape memory material adjacent the at least a portion of the at least one heating element or cooling element to be selectively heated or cooled.  
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the shape memory material is established on a substrate having the array incorporated therein.  
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the heating or cooling elements in the array crosses at least an other of the heating or cooling elements in the array at a non-zero angle to form a junction, and wherein the at least one and the at least an other of the heating or cooling elements are at least one of selectively heated and selectively cooled such that a temperature produced by the at least one and the at least an other of the heating or cooling elements at the junction is sufficient to at least one of erase information from and restore information to the shape memory material adjacent the junction.  
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 4  wherein the heating elements or cooling elements in the array are selected from nanotubes, wires, fluid channels, lasers, conductive fibers, interconnected pores, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heating elements or cooling elements in the array are selected from nanotubes, channels, and interconnected pores, and wherein at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling is accomplished by directing heated or cooled fluid through at least a portion of at least one of the nanotubes, channels, or a flow path created by the interconnected pores adjacent the predetermined area of the shape memory material.  
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heating elements or cooling elements in the array are wires, and wherein at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling is accomplished by resistively heating or cooling at least a portion of at least one of the wires adjacent the predetermined area of the shape memory material.  
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the heating elements or cooling elements in the array are selected from nanotubes and conductive fibers, and wherein at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling is accomplished by resistively heating or cooling at least a portion of at least one of the nanotubes and the conductive fibers adjacent the predetermined area of the shape memory material.  
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the shape memory material is selected from shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the shape memory material has at least one of a varying dimension or a varying composition.  
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the at least one varying dimension is shape memory material thickness such that a portion of the shape memory material has a first thickness and at least an other portion of the shape memory material has a second thickness different from the first thickness, and wherein the predetermined time and the predetermined temperature for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling adjacent the first thickness is different from the predetermined time and the predetermined temperature at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling adjacent the second thickness.  
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 10  wherein the shape memory material has a first composition at a portion and a second composition that is different from the first composition at an other portion, wherein the predetermined time and the predetermined temperature for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling adjacent the first composition is different from the predetermined time and the predetermined temperature for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling adjacent the second composition.  
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the array is established in the shape memory material.  
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the shape memory material is established on a substrate having an elastic modulus between a low temperature state and a high temperature state of the shape memory material.  
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the array is operatively disposed in a stylus.  
     
     
         16 . The method as defined in  claim 1  wherein the at least one heating element or cooling element is intelligently controlled.  
     
     
         17 . A method for at least one of selectively erasing information from and selectively restoring information to a shape memory material, the method comprising: 
 establishing a predetermined area of the shape memory material adjacent a junction formed by at least two crossing heating elements or cooling elements; and    at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling the junction to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time, thereby at least one of erasing information stored in and restoring information to the shape memory material adjacent the junction.    
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 17  wherein the shape memory material adjacent the first junction has at least one of a dimension and composition different from that of the shape memory material adjacent the second junction; and wherein at least one of the predetermined temperature and the predetermined time for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling the first junction is different from at least one of the predetermined temperature and predetermined time for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling the second junction.  
     
     
         19 . A method for at least one of selectively erasing information from and selectively restoring information to a shape memory material, the method comprising at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling, to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time at least a portion of at least one heating element or cooling element adjacent a predetermined area of the shape memory material, thereby erasing or restoring the information, wherein the at least one heating element or cooling element is located in an array of heating or cooling elements, and wherein the predetermined temperature and the predetermined time for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling a first area of the shape memory material is different from the predetermined time and the predetermined temperature for at least one of selectively heating and selectively cooling a second area of the shape memory material.  
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a shape memory material layer adapted to have information stored therein; and    an array of heating or cooling elements, at least one heating or cooling element in the array being adjacent to or within a predetermined area of the shape memory material layer;    wherein at least a portion of the at least one heating or cooling element is adapted to be selectively heated or selectively cooled to a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time, thereby at least one of erasing the information from and restoring the information to the predetermined area of the shape memory material layer.