Patent ID: 7342748

Claim:
A system for reading and writing information to a magnetic medium comprising: an array of write heads arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, wherein each of the write heads defines a write channel for the system along a length of the magnetic medium as the magnetic medium moves linearly relative to the array of write heads; an array of magnetoresistive (MR) heads arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, wherein each of the MR heads defines a read channel for the system along the length of the magnetic medium as the magnetic medium moves linearly relative to the array of MR heads; and an actuator coupled to the array of write heads and the array of MR heads to collectively move the array of write heads with the array of MR heads as the magnetic medium moves linearly relative to the array of write heads and the array of MR heads, wherein the array of write heads comprises first array of write heads, the system further comprising a second array of write heads arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, wherein each of the write heads of the first array defines a write channel for the system in a first direction and each of the write heads of the second array defines a write channel for the system in a second direction, and wherein the array of MR heads is positioned between first and second arrays of write heads.