Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device comprising a slider with a resistive temperature detector (RTD) having a first resistance electrically connected to a first amplifier and a plurality of controlled current sources and switches, and one or more processing devices configured to: control the switches to generate an alternating-bias signal having a first clock frequency for biasing the first resistance, modulate an input signal of the first amplifier using the first clock frequency to generate a modulated signal, demodulate an amplified modulated signal at an output of a second amplifier using the first clock frequency to generate a resistance detection signal, the second amplifier coupled to the first amplifier, and process the resistance detection signal to determine the first resistance and/or a change in value of the first resistance.

Abstract: Various illustrative aspects are directed to a data storage device comprising a storage medium and a head configured to access the storage medium. The head comprises a first write assist element and a second write assist element. Control circuitry for driving the head is configured to apply a first write assist current Im that is synchronized to a write data current Iw to the first write assist element; and to apply a second DC write assist current Imdc to the second write assist element.

Abstract: Example channel circuits, data storage devices, and methods for asynchronous sampling from an oversampled analog-to-digital converter are described. The channel circuit may include an analog-to-digital converter configured to generate an oversampled digital signal from an analog data signal using a sample rate that is an integer multiple of the baud rate of the channel circuit. A digital sample interpolator may then interpolate interpolated digital signal values from multiple signal values of the oversampled digital signal and select values at baud rate to generate a baud rate digital signal. The baud rate digital signal may be used by an iterative detector in a timing loop and, once a target timing is achieved, for the iterative detector to detect data bits from the interpolated digital signal.

Abstract: A magnetic tape (22) is formatted to be interchangeably usable by a plurality of types of devices, including an audio/visual recording/reproducing device (14), a random access recording/reproducing device (16), and a sequential access recording/reproducing device (18). The tape has frames (22) of a plurality of frame types, including control frames and user frames. Each frame has an AUX data structure (300) wherein resides a field which indicates the frame type of the frame. Selected ones of a plurality of control tables or frames (340, 342, 344, 346, 348) are present on the tape in accordance with the type of data recorded on the tape (e.g., audio/visual data and non-audio/visual data) and the particular types of devices which are to utilize the tape. The user frames of the tape have a field in the AUX data structure which specifies the nature of the data therein, e.g., as general purpose data or audio/visual data.

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.