Patent ID: 8274751

Claim:
A set of instructions residing in a non-transitory storage medium, said set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor to implement a method for processing data, the method consisting essentially of: positioning a magnetic read/write head above a magnetic storage medium at a flying height wherein said magnetic read/write head and said magnetic storage medium act as opposite plates of a capacitor wherein a spacing between said magnetic read/write head and said magnetic storage medium acts as the dielectric of said capacitor; reading an alternating electric current signal between said magnetic read/write head and said magnetic storage medium wherein said alternating electric current signal is not due to an external power source, but is generated due to slider modulation or mechanically induced spacing change with time; measuring said alternating electric current signal between said magnetic read/write head and said magnetic storage medium; and determining modulation by said magnetic read/write head based on said alternating electric current signal wherein said alternating electric current signal is directly related to a change in capacitance of said capacitor over time wherein said change in capacitance over time is directly related to said modulation.