Abstract: The present invention pertains to a data recording control method of a magnetic tape in which tape a data, constructed by combining a plurality of packets into physical blocks, is recorded, the method being such that: the entire physical block of data is read from a magnetic tape and store in a buffer, when a command for reading a data corresponding to a packet in the physical block is output from a host unit; a new physical block is created by reorganizing the data in the buffer and the data to be recorded, when a write command and the data to be recorded are output from the host unit at any position in the physical block on the magnetic tape; and the data thus reorganized into a physical block is recorded on the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A controlled variable is detected at each predetermined timing by a detecting section 2, and the controlled variable is compared with a target value by a comparator 3 to obtain a deviation. A manipulated variable is calculated, based on the deviation, by a compensating section 4, and a height H corresponding to the manipulated variable is calculated by a controlling section 5. A manipulated pulse having the height H and a predetermined width W is provided to a controlled system 6 by the controlling section 5.

Abstract: A method for writing a servo pattern in a hard disk device comprises the steps of reproducing a first servo signal from a servo surface, recording a second servo pattern on a recording surface using a data head by controlling the data head on a track defined on the recording surface, reproducing a second servo signal from the recording surface in response to the second servo pattern recorded thereon using the data head, detecting an off-track of the data head with respect to the predetermined track on the recording surface; shifting the data head in a radial direction of the recording surface with an offset such that the off-track is canceled, and recording a third servo pattern on the recording surface using the data head at a position determined in the step of shifting the data head.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling a speed and a phase of a VCR servo system includes a Control (CTL) signal generation section, a speed error detection section, a phase error detection section and a speed/phase control section. The phase error detection section has a recording phase error detector and a playback phase error detector. A CTL signal blank discrimination section inputs a CTL pulse from the playback phase error detector, discriminates a blank interval of a CTL signal based on the inputted CTL pulse, and outputs discrimination signal in accordance with the discriminated result. A first switching control section inputs the discrimination signal, an FF/REW mode signal, a recording mode signal and a tape type discriminating signal and performs a logical operation based on the inputted signals to output a first control signal.

Abstract: A servo control system provides adaptive compensation for a variety of tracking and seek problems found in disk drives. The servo control system is ideally implemented in digital form for accuracy, speed and compactness. A first embodiment includes two modes, a tracking (or position) mode and a seek (or velocity) mode, each mode employing a variety of compensation functions. A second embodiment includes a single comprehensive control system which functions during both tracking and seek operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the starting or ending terminus of a tape by determining the rotatory state of a reel, includes a supply reel pulse generator for generating first pulses in response to rotation of the supply reel, a take-up reel pulse generator for generating second pulses in response to rotation of the take-up reel, a supply reel stop state determination circuit for determining the stop state of the supply reel on the basis of the first pulses, a take-up reel stop state determination circuit for determining the stop state of the take-up reel on the basis of the second pulses, and a tape terminus detection circuit for detecting the starting or ending terminus of the tape on the basis of the outputs of the supply and take-up reel stop state determination circuits. The apparatus for detecting tape termini does not require a sensor lamp and a photo-transistor, and thereby enables the miniaturization of a tape recorder.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having a signal multiplexer circuit and a signal demultiplexer circuit disposed on each of a plurality of circuit boards, including a record/reproduce control circuit board and a motor circuit board, connected to each other by a cable, the signal multiplexer circuit located on the circuit board generating a plurality of signals to be transmitted multiplexes these signals to form a multiplexed signal to be supplied to the other circuit board through the cable, and the corresponding signal demultiplexer circuit located on the other circuit board restores the multiplexed signal into the individual signals, so that the number of signal conductors in the cable interconnecting the plural circuit boards can be decreased, thereby improving the reliability of the connection and reducing the size of the connection.

Abstract: A disc drive system includes a plurality of subsystems. At least one of the subsystems includes a filter which is completely integrated using a synthetic integrated circuit element.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a method for programing or editing, or both, the order of performance of digitally recorded information tracks, such as an audio recording, stored sequentially in an appropriate medium. The method allows a user to program or edit, via keystrokes, a program or sequence of tracks to be played. An apparatus for playing information tracks queued to be replayed in a predetermined sequence includes a key pad, which is used to enter commands and numeric information to establish a program queue, a display, which is used to display program events, and an interface processor, coupled to the key pad and the display, which is used to control the commands received from and sent to the key pad and to send display messages to the display. The apparatus also includes a control processor, coupled to the interface processor, which establishes from information stored on a medium in a sequential order, an ordered sequence of information tracks.

Abstract: A no-ID zone-bit-recording sectored servo data recording disk drive system is described wherein track seek time is substantially reduced by storing only partial cylinder address on each servo sector of each track. According to the system and method described herein, a cylinder address is divided into high order bits, middle order bits, and low order bits. The low order bits is stored on each servo sector of each track. The high order bits is stored only on even number servo sectors and middle order bits is stored only on odd number servo sectors. During the seek operation, as the head passes over the tracks toward the desired track, the partial cylinder address stored on odd and even numbered servo sectors on each track is retrieved and stitched together to form a complete cylinder address. The completed cylinder address is then compared with the desired cylinder address to determine whether desired cylinder is reached or not.

Abstract: A disk drive for writing and reading data to and from a disk contained in a cartridge which is inserted through an opening into the disk drive comprises a motor ring rotatably mounted in the disk drive and a spindle motor for rotating the disk. The spindle motor is mounted in the motor ring such that rotation of the motor ring moves the spindle motor into and out of engagement with the hub of the disk cartridge. A position transducer provides an output signal indicative of the rotational position of the motor ring. A load/eject motor controls the rotation of the motor ring in response to the output signal from the position transducer.

Abstract: A technique for writing a servo-pattern on a storage medium located in a recording device having an internal recording head. A timing pattern is generated on the storage medium with the internal recording head and a radial positioning value is determined in order to radially position the internal recording head. The servo-pattern is written using the internal recording head at locations determined by the timing pattern and the radial positioning value.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are disclosed for automatically changing the speed of a recording tape from a first speed to a second speed, based on a one-time determination of predicted time of changeover. The second speed is 1/n of the first speed, where n is any real number greater than 1. A central processing unit determines the time of changeover at the start of the recording process, using inputs from a recording timer and a reel detector to determine the program time and the remaining tape time on a supply reel. When the program time initially exceeds the remaining tape time at the first speed, the system automatically predicts and then implements the changeover to the second speed, such that the first speed portion is maximized to take advantage of its superior signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: A burst magnitude comparator and an instruction sequencer are employed in a servo system controller to rapidly determine position correction information for moving a transducer head over the center line of a track recorded on a disk in a mass storage disk drive. The burst magnitude comparator selects at least two burst signals derived from bursts recorded at predetermined locations relative to the center line from which to derive a correction control signal, based on a predetermined relationship of the burst signals, and supplies the selected burst signals in a predetermined order to facilitate calculation of the correction signal by a data processor used with the servo system controller. An instruction sequencer controls a sequence of converting the analog burst signals from the head to digital burst signals without intervention or control from the data processor.

Abstract: A disc playback apparatus has an automatics disc changer for selecting one of a plurality of information storage discs at a time. The disc selected by the automatic disc changer is rotated on a turntable by a spindle motor. While the disc is rotating, information contained in the disc is reproduced by a pickup, which transfers the reproduced information to a buffer memory. The information stored in the buffer memory is transferred to and processed by a decoder which decodes and sends the information to a display. The disc playback apparatus includes a controller for monitoring the amount of information stored in the buffer memory and controlling the rotational speed of the disc depending on the amount of information stored in the buffer memory. The rotational speed of the disc is controlled to cause the pickup to transfer the reproduced information to the buffer memory at a maximum rate before the buffer memory becomes full of stored information.

Abstract: A method and device of head positioning in an information recording/reading device in which a magnetic recording medium with data tracks for recording information thereon is provided and a magnetic head is positioned on the data track to record/read out the information, wherein a data signal is recorded in the data recording layer of said recording medium, a servo signal is recorded in the servo signal recording layer located below said data signal recording layer, said data signal is read out using a data magnetic head whereas said servo signal is read out using a servo magnetic head, and the frequency of said servo signal is within the range of the gap-null frequency of said data magnetic head whereas the frequency of said data signal is within the range of the gap-null frequency of said servo magnetic head, and said magnetic head is positioned on the data track on the basis of said servo signal.

Abstract: A device for detecting the position of an information recording or reproducing head relative to a recording medium; the head is relatively rotatable around a first axis with respect to the recording medium, and rotatable around a second axis parallel to the first axis. The device includes an autocollimator for measuring a relative positional relationship of the head substantially along the direction of the rotation around the second axis, a rotating table on which either the combination of the recording medium and the head or the autocollimator is mounted to activate the rotational movement substantially around the second axis, and a control unit. The control unit rotates the rotating table in response to the obtained position of the head with respect to the recording medium. According to the measurement result by the autocollimator, the control unit accomplishes a relative positional controlling in which a relative positional relationship between the autocollimator and the head is kept constant.

Abstract: A novel method is disclosed for performing a high speed search for a selected data block or data file utilizing any one of several presently existing helical scan tape formats which utilize, in addition to the helically scanned tracks, one or more longitudinal tracks for recording indexing information indicative of the location of data blocks and file marks stored on the associated helical tracks. Data file location information is written to a header area on a series of helical tracks and to one (or more) of the longitudinal tracks when a data block or a file mark is written to a tape. A high speed search for a desired data block or data file can then be performed using this track location information.

Abstract: A movable head position controlling device for magnetic recording and reproducing apparatuses. The position of a magnetic head is detected. The magnetic head is driven by an actuator in accordance with a driving signal. The driving signal is corrected on the basis of the estimated speed of the magnetic head, the absolute height of the movable head, the displacement of the magnetic head, or the output of an equivalent coil. The speed of the magnetic head is estimated by a speed estimating observer. The absolute height is detected by a magnetic field detecting element. The displacement of the magnetic head is detected by non-contacting sensors attached to a member which moves together with the magnetic head and a member which does not move together with the magnetic head, respectively.

Abstract: A method for correcting the counter distortions in a VCR for compensating the distortion due to the difference between winding and unwinding amounts of tape when power is turned off and then turned on. During the time from the start of power turning-off to the end of power turning-off, and during the time from the start of power turning-on and to the end of power turning-on, the counting of control pulses is stopped and, instead, reel pulses are counted. Then, the tape is to run forward as much as the reel pulse count value of the power turning-off period out of the reel pulse count value of the power turning-on period, so that there should not occur any distortions during power turning-off and power turning-on.