Abstract:
A buried servo signal (TS) on tape (32) is modulated to provide information. According to the modulation, each of a plurality of sets of cycles (cyc) has at least a selected cycle modulated to represent at least two modulation values. The modulation of the selected cycles of a group of sets of cycles (cyc) provides a string of modulation values. The modulation values form identifiers of longitudinal physical location on tape or other tape identifying information.
Abstract:
A magnetic tape drive dynamically adjusts a transport rate of tape (32) in accordance with a host data rate. The host data rate is assessed in relation to a data fill level of a buffer (116). A controller (130) of the drive compares the data fill level of the buffer with a buffer normalization value and generates an adjustment value for adjusting a signal indicative of the desired linear velocity of the tape. In one embodiment, the controller also dynamically changes the buffer normalization value to reflect e.g., historical performance of the host. In another embodiment the controller adjusts the transport rate when a head (100) is within a predetermined distance of a boundary point whereat the head must change tracks.
Abstract:
A sequential data storage medium, comprising a sequence of plurality of servo patterns that provide lateral position information and longitudinal position information, wherein each of the plurality of servo patterns comprises a first burst comprising a first plurality of pulses, a second burst comprising a second plurality of pulses, a third burst comprising a third plurality of pulses, and a fourth burst comprising a fourth plurality of pulses. The spacings between the first plurality of pulses, in combination with the spacings between the second plurality of pulses, encode a first bit without affecting the recovery of lateral position information. The spacings between the third plurality of pulses, in combination with the spacings between the fourth plurality of pulses, encode a second bit without affecting the recovery of lateral position information. The sequence of plurality of servo patterns comprises a sequence of the first bits and a sequence of the second bits to form an error-correction codeword providing error-correction capability.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus are provided for re-recording of a frame on magnetic tape (22) when a first recording of the frame is determined to be defective. A frame whose first recording is defective is re-recorded at a spare or reserved location on the tape. The reserved location is dedicated to re-recording of frames, and otherwise cannot have data stored therein. The tape contains a defect map frame (326) which is used to pair physical locations of defective frames with the reserved location whereat the frame is re-recorded. In one embodiment, the reserved location whereat a frame is re-recorded is a reserved physical frame on the same track in which the defective frame is recorded. In another embodiment, the reserved location is on a reserved portion of a track (TG39R) which is not the original track (TG39) upon which the frame is recorded. For embodiments having multi-channel or multi-track frames, the reserved location employs a corresponding plurality of tracks.
Abstract:
A serpentine recording arrangement for use with a magnetic tape (32), in which a warning marker (CEW) is generated and recorded. The warning marker (32) indicates that the head (100) is approaching a boundary position on the tape (32) at which the head (100) must change tracks to continue recording or reading frames. The warning marker (32) is preferably included in the auxiliary portion of some tracks and can have a value indicating the number of frames that can be recorded before reaching the boundary position. The warning marker (CEW) is monitored to determine the need to cache data before track changing. Caching data can be initiated by a host (66, 68) or internal to the drive in which case the related speed between the tape (32) and the head (100) can be adjusted in anticipation of track changing.
Abstract:
A magnetic tape drive system (20) records a directory block (CL) at a predetermined position on tape (22). The directory includes a data block number of the data block recorded at an end of each track. Upon receipt of a command to locate a target data block recorded on tape (22), a processor (102) directs a transport controller (82) to position a read element (30R) at the predetermined position on tape (22) for reading the directory. The processor (102) compares the target block numers with the data block numbers stored and in response thereto causes a positioner (74) to position the read element with respect to the tape (22) width so as to read the track upon which the data block having the target data block number is recorded.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of implicitly partitioning the storage space available on a storage medium, to a storage medium for storing user data and to a recording device for storing user data on a storage medium. In order to limit the mount/unmount time of a volume like a UDF volume on a magnetic tape for ADR and to limit overall seek times during reading it is proposed according to the invention: a)storage space available for storage on the medium is divided into a directory region and a data region, b) metadata are stored in the directory region, c) user data are stored in the data region being implicitly subdivided into data sub-regions, d) file set data for user data stored in a data sub-region are stored in a corresponding directory sub-region being assigned to this data sub-region, and e) borders and size of data sub-regions are variable.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of implicitly partitioning the storage space available on a storage medium, to a storage medium for storing user data and to a recording device for storing user data on a storage medium. In order to limit the mount/unmount time of a volume like a UDF volume on a magnetic tape for ADR and to limit overall seek times during reading it is proposed according to the invention: a)storage space available for storage on the medium is divided into a directory region and a data region, b) metadata are stored in the directory region, c) user data are stored in the data region being implicitly subdivided into data sub-regions, d) file set data for user data stored in a data sub-region are stored in a corresponding directory sub-region being assigned to this data sub-region, and e) borders and size of data sub-regions are variable.
Abstract:
A video tape recorder is operated with multiple tracks that are physically in parallel to each other and are collectively accessible as a single logical track, through selectively displaying in parallel a plurality of video keyframes. Actual play is controlled through selectively accessing a particular displayed keyframe. In particular, various ones of the displayed keyframes are associated with a value-based display of an analog quantity to indicate an anticipated time lapse that will be necessary before actual play as pertaining to the associated keyframe may effectively start.
Abstract:
An apparatus for recording information on a magnetic recording tape. A head positioning motor (144) vertically positions a head according to signals from a positioning motor drive (158). A capstan controls motor (150) controls the motion of the tape according to signals from a capstans driver (156). A control processor (130) controls the positioning of the head motor (144) and the capstan motor (150) to cause the head to interact with a particular portion of the tape. The control processor (130) uses partitions on the tape which are configured as rectangular collection of physical frames. The control processor further interacts with a partition directory or partition frame by two points on a diagonal of the tape. The control processor further receives information indicating the type of tape device. The control processor further interacts with early warning markers recorded on the tape.