Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110199701 | SKEW ACTUATOR TO SERVO TRACK ZERO REFERENCE - A servo detection system for detecting servo tracks of a longitudinal tape. In a read/write head, two servo read heads are spaced laterally on a first head module, and a servo read head is on a second head module spaced longitudinally from the first module. A method comprises initially sensing a tape servo track with one servo read head of the first module and the servo read head of the second module to determine skew misalignment of the servo track. A zero reference value is stored representing the determined skew misalignment. The detection system switches from the one servo read head of each module, to the two servo read heads of the first module, and employs the stored value to position the read/write head in the zero skew position. The two servo read heads are then employed to read two servo tracks to identify the data band and to control skew. | 08-18-2011 |
20110216440 | POSITIONING A COARSE ACTUATOR OF COMPOUND ACTUATOR TAPE SERVO SYSTEM AT MIDPOINT OF MAXIMUM PEAKS OF LATERAL TAPE MOVEMENT - Where a tape is subject to lateral shift excursions from one side of a head to another, a coarse actuator is positioned laterally to enable a fine actuator to follow lateral motion of a longitudinal tape having at least one longitudinal defined servo track. A position error signal loop is configured to sense servo sensor(s) and to determine position error between the head and a desired position related to the defined servo track(s). A servo control senses the lateral shift excursion of the defined servo track(s); determines a maximum positive peak and a maximum negative peak of the lateral shift excursion; and positions the coarse actuator substantially at a midpoint of the maximum positive peak and the maximum negative peak of lateral shift excursion of the defined servo track(s). Thus, the fine actuator follows the lateral shift excursion, while the coarse actuator remains at the midpoint. | 09-08-2011 |
20110216441 | APPLICATION OF CONTINUOUS POSITION ERROR OFFSET SIGNAL TO ACQUIRE SERVO TRACK - The method employs a servo system for positioning a head laterally to follow lateral motion of a longitudinal tape having longitudinal defined servo track(s), the servo system comprising a servo element configured to sense lateral position of the head with respect to an acquired servo track, a fine actuator configured to translate the head laterally with respect to the longitudinal tape, and a position error signal loop to operate the fine actuator to translate the head laterally to reduce position error. If the servo element is positioned away from the defined servo track(s), a continuous position error offset signal is applied to the fine actuator in a direction towards the defined servo track(s), whereby the fine actuator translates the head in accordance with the continuous position error offset signal; and, in response to the servo system acquiring the defined servo track(s), the continuous position error offset signal is discontinued. | 09-08-2011 |
20120307401 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FAST CENTER CALIBRATION OF A TAPE DRIVE FOR A FLANGELESS TAPE PATH - A servo system according to one embodiment includes at least one servo sensor for sensing a lateral position of a magnetic head with respect to at least one defined servo track of a longitudinal tape; a fine actuator configured to translate the magnetic head laterally with respect to the longitudinal tape; a coarse actuator configured to translate the fine actuator laterally with respect to the longitudinal tape; and a servo control. The servo control is configured to perform various operations that may be used to estimate a midpoint of lateral tape excursion of a flangeless tape path for calibrating a tape drive. Additional systems are also presented. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307402 | METHODS FOR FAST CENTER CALIBRATION OF A TAPE DRIVE FOR A FLANGELESS TAPE PATH - According to one embodiment, a method includes sensing a first servo sensor while a longitudinal tape is moved in a first direction; determining position error between the magnetic head and a desired position related to the at least one defined servo track; providing signals to operate a fine actuator to translate the magnetic head laterally in a manner to reduce the determined position error; calculating a first average position of the magnetic head for at least one first run-out cycle while the longitudinal tape is moved in the first direction; calculating a first offset of the magnetic head while the longitudinal tape is moved in the first direction; operating a coarse actuator to position the coarse actuator substantially at a target position using the first offset and the first average position. | 12-06-2012 |
20130265671 | SYSTEM FOR FAST CENTER CALIBRATION OF A TAPE DRIVE FOR A FLANGELESS TAPE PATH - A servo system according to one embodiment includes a servo control configured to: determine position error between a magnetic head and a desired position related to at least one defined servo track on a longitudinal tape based on at least one servo signal; calculate a first average position of the magnetic head while the longitudinal tape is moved in a first direction; calculate a first offset of the magnetic head while the longitudinal tape is moved in the first direction based on a target position and an assumption that the first average position of the magnetic head occurred when the tape was at a top-most position or a bottom-most position of a supply reel; and operate an actuator to position the actuator substantially at the target position using the first offset and the first average position | 10-10-2013 |
20140029125 | TECHNIQUE FOR OPTIMIZING SKEW IN THE PRESENCE OF TAPE MOTION - A method for accurately adjusting skew in the presence of tape motion includes performing a calibration run of magnetic tape in a tape drive. During the calibration run, the method records skew readings at selected intervals. The method then finds a range associated with the skew readings, such as by finding a high and low skew reading. The method then finds a center point of the range, and a difference between the center point and a desired center point. The method applies the difference to each recorded skew reading to generate a target skew reading for each recorded skew reading. The method generates a skew error signal that reflects the difference between each recorded skew reading and each corresponding target skew reading. The skew error signal will generally be consistent even as the tape moves, thereby allowing a technician to easily adjust and optimize the skew. | 01-30-2014 |
20140063633 | VARIABLE STOPWRITE THRESHOLD USING KURTOSIS - A method according to one embodiment includes measuring a current position error signal; calculating a standard deviation or a variance using the current position error signal sample; calculating a kurtosis value, using the current position error signal sample or derivative thereof; adjusting a threshold value using the kurtosis value; comparing the standard deviation or variance to the threshold value; enabling writing when the standard deviation or variance does not exceed the threshold value. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063635 | VARIABLE STOPWRITE THRESHOLD USING KURTOSIS - A data storage system according to one embodiment includes a head; a drive mechanism for passing a medium over the head; and a controller electrically coupled to the head. The system calculates a kurtosis value, using the current position error signal sample or derivative thereof, and adjusts a threshold value using the kurtosis value. The standard deviation or variance is compared to the threshold value, and writing is enabled when the standard deviation or variance does not exceed the threshold value. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063640 | TAPE FRICTION MEASUREMENT - A method according to one embodiment includes setting a default friction value to a predetermined value, determining whether a primary velocity is valid, determining a velocity error, determining whether the velocity error is in a predetermined range, accumulating the velocity error when the velocity error is determined to be in the predetermined range, repeating, until a time period has elapsed, each of: the determining the velocity error, the determining whether the velocity error is in the predetermined range, and the accumulating the velocity error when the velocity error is determined to be in the predetermined range, and calculating a new friction value based on the accumulated velocity error. | 03-06-2014 |
20140063650 | ACCURATE RADIUS AND VELOCITY MEASUREMENT OF TAPE TRANSPORTS - A method according to one embodiment includes selecting an initial radius value (Rfull) for an outgoing reel, where Rfull is the initial radius of a tape on the outgoing reel; unwinding the tape from the outgoing reel; computing a radius value of the tape on the outgoing reel during the unwinding; adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position; and outputting the adjusted computed radius. A method according to another embodiment includes selecting an initial radius value (R | 03-06-2014 |
20140240868 | HIGH PERFORMANCE CARTRIDGE FORMAT - A data storage system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The data storage system is configured to use at least two different track width formats, where which of the at least two different track width formats used by the system during reading and/or writing of data is selectable. A magnetic tape-based data storage system according to another embodiment includes a magnetic head; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the magnetic head; and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head, wherein the system is configured to use at least two different track width formats, wherein which of the at least two different track width formats used by the system during reading and/or writing of data is selectable. | 08-28-2014 |
20140254045 | ACCURATE RADIUS AND VELOCITY MEASUREMENT OF TAPE TRANSPORTS - A method according to one embodiment includes computing a radius value of a tape on an outgoing reel during unwinding of the tape from the outgoing reel, adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position, and outputting the adjusted computed radius. A method according to another embodiment includes computing a radius value of a tape on an incoming reel during winding while the tape is being wound onto the incoming reel, adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position, and outputting the adjusted computed radius. | 09-11-2014 |
20140268403 | TAPE FRICTION MEASUREMENT - According to one embodiment, a method includes determining whether a primary velocity is valid and/or in a steady state; averaging a velocity error over a predetermined time period upon determining the primary velocity is valid and/or in a steady state; and calculating a new friction value based on the averaged velocity error. | 09-18-2014 |
20140293470 | VARIABLE STOPWRITE THRESHOLD USING KURTOSIS - A method according to one embodiment includes measuring a current position error signal, and calculating a statistical derivative using the current position error signal sample. A kurtosis value is calculated using a current position error signal sample or derivative thereof. A threshold value is adjusted using the kurtosis value. The statistical derivative is compared to the threshold value, and writing is enabled when the statistical derivative does not exceed the threshold value. A determination is made whether to enable or disable writing based on a stopwrite threshold when the statistical derivative exceeds the threshold value | 10-02-2014 |
20150255112 | HIGH PERFORMANCE CARTRIDGE FORMAT - In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable/executable by a controller to cause the controller to: determine and/or receive, by the controller, a selection of which of at least two track width formats to use during writing of data on a magnetic recording tape, wherein the track width format is selected based on an environmental condition; and cause, by the controller, simultaneous writing of a plurality of data tracks to the magnetic recording tape using only one of the track width formats at a same time such that each of the data tracks written at the same time has a track width that is substantially the same. | 09-10-2015 |
20150325262 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF A HEAD RELATIVE TO A TAPE WITHIN A TAPE TRANSPORT SYSTEM - Controlling the position of a head within a tape transport system. A track-follow control system (TFCS) includes a controller device for generating a control signal as a function of a position error signal (PES), wherein the PES indicates a difference between the actual and target positions of the head relative to the tape, and an actuator for changing the actual position. The TFCS is adapted to select a controller device configuration from a plurality of configurations dependent on an operating tape speed. The configurations are predetermined depending on a vibration frequency domain profile indicative of environmental vibrations induced to the head and tape to determine the control signal for adjusting an actuator output signal relative to a lateral tape motion signal. The TFCS is also adapted to feed-back a signal depending on a difference of the actuator output signal and the lateral tape motion signal to generate the PES. | 11-12-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080223968 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CHECKING TAPE REEL MOTION - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for checking tape reel motion. A control module directs a leading servo to apply torque to a leading reel and a trailing servo to apply torque to a trailing reel, wherein the control module directs the leading servo to apply an initial positive torque in a tape motion direction and directs the trailing servo to apply an initial negative torque counter to the tape motion direction. If there is no change in an angular position of the leading and trailing reels, the control module incrementally sums a first incremental positive torque to the leading torque to increase the leading torque and a second incremental positive torque to the trailing torque until there is a change in the angular position of the leading and trailing reels and/or until the torques exceed torque limits. | 09-18-2008 |
20100071423 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING AN INTEGRATED LOCK MECHANISM - An article of manufacture, such as a laptop computer, comprising a housing, a processor disposed within the housing, a computer readable medium disposed within the housing and in communication with the processor, a lock mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the lock mechanism can be moved between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and computer readable program code encoded in the computer readable medium and useable with the processor, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect moving the lock mechanism between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration. | 03-25-2010 |
20110216444 | RECOVERY OPERATION STATUS INDICATOR FOR A TAPE DRIVE SYSTEM - A method, apparatus and computer-program product for indicating progress status of a mid-tape or data recovery operation in a tape drive. The method includes visually indicating that a recovery operation has started, periodically determining the remaining recovery time based on the remaining tape spool, and displaying the determined remaining recovery time to show progress status of the operation. The determination of the remaining recovery time includes determining the length of the tape being processed based on an estimated radius of the remaining tape spool and system parameters. The remaining recovery time is displayed with a moving track to show progress toward completion. | 09-08-2011 |
20120019953 | 'Tape Drive Velocity Control' - In accordance with the present invention, a method of operating a magnetic tape drive, a magnetic tape drive and a servo control system are provided for obtaining and maintaining velocity control in a magnetic tape drive. In one embodiment, a method is provided for operating a magnetic tape drive. The tape drive includes a plurality of DC motors, and each DC motor has a plurality of Hall sensors. The DC motors are under the control of a servo system which is configured to read location information from the magnetic tape, and compute a primary tape velocity from the location information, and sense a secondary and tertiary velocity signal and compute a tape velocity based on one of the sensed secondary velocity signal and tertiary velocity. The method includes detecting if the primary velocity location information is available. In response to detecting that the primary velocity location information is available the primary velocity is employed to control the servo system. In response to detecting the primary velocity location information is unavailable then one of a secondary or a tertiary velocity signal is employed. The secondary velocity signal is employed when an absolute value of a term related to tape velocity is less than a predetermined value. The tertiary velocity signal is employed when the absolute value of the term related to tape velocity is greater than the predetermined value. | 01-26-2012 |