Abstract: A tension feedback signal is generated to reduce tension variation on a tape occurring at a reel frequency. Tension variation information may be obtained and used to generate the tension feedback signal. The tension feedback signal may be combined with a constant tension preset signal. The combined signal may be used to drive a tape reel at a tape reel speed adjusted according to the combined signal.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a transportation section of a recording medium; a winding section of the recording medium; and a control section that controls transportation of the recording medium by controlling the transportation section and the winding section. The control section switches a threshold of a torque limit of the winding section when winding the recording medium at the winding section by synchronizing with an operation of the transportation section. According to the recording apparatus having such a configuration, an occurrence of defects is suppressed when winding the recording medium.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vector control apparatus that operates by a diameter computation-free winder velocity control algorithm with enhanced operational reliability. The vector control apparatus configured to control tension of a motor free from diameter computation includes a tension velocity generator configured to generate command velocity information for constantly maintaining a tension of the motor by adding a PID (Proportional Integral Differential) output value to a value computing a compensation gain value substituting a diameter computation value of a motor to be controlled and a command linear velocity provided from outside, and a vector controller configured to perform a tension control of the motor by receiving a command velocity information provided the tension velocity generator.

Abstract: A method for operating a reel-to-reel system of a storage device with a first reel, a second reel, a first motor and a second motor, the first motor drives the first reel and the second motor drives the second reel. The system transports a tape supplied by one of the two reels and taken up by the other reel. A tape velocity and tape tension between the first and reels, and a longitudinal displacement are determined. An estimated state vector depends on the tape velocity, tape tension and longitudinal displacement. A reference state vector depends on a predetermined reference tape velocity and a predetermined reference tape tension. A first control signal and a second control signal are generated dependent on the estimated state vector and the reference state vector. The first motor is controlled by the first control signal and the second motor is controlled by the second control signal.

Abstract: A power system comprises a tension harnessing arrangement to harness tension in a tether connected between a tensioning arrangement and storage means. The tension harnessing arrangement of the system comprises at least one first capstan roller arranged in a predetermined configuration. The tether tensioningly abuts at least a portion of the periphery of the first capstan rollers such that there is substantial contact between the tether and the first capstan rollers, thereby engaging the first capstan rollers to generate rotational energy. Alternatively, second capstan rollers engage with the first capstan rollers. At least one converter functionally co-operates with the first capstan rollers, either directly or via the second capstan rollers, for converting the rotational energy to energy in a transmissible form, storage form dissipative form, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Dynamic tension control for tape transported along a tape path between supply and take-up reels, driven by supply and take-up motors, and having tachometers for determining linear speed of the tape. A controller accelerates the tape toward a target speed, initially operating the motors in static acceleration tension control; and if the linear speed of the tape is within a predetermined range of the target tape speed, operating the motors in composite tension control employing static tension control and delta velocity control.

Abstract: Dynamic tension control for tape transported along a tape path between supply and take-up reels, driven by supply and take-up reel motors. Rotational angular velocities of the supply and take-up reels are determined from tachometers, and therefrom a linear speed for the tape at the supply reel, and a linear speed for the tape at the take-up reel are each determined. The tape linear speeds at the reels are compared to determine a delta velocity between the linear speeds. The motors are operated in accordance with a function of the delta velocity to provide a torque to at least one of the reels tending to reduce the delta velocity.

Abstract: Dynamic tension control for tape transported along a tape path between supply and take-up reels, driven by supply and take-up motors, and having tachometers for determining linear speed of the tape. A controller accelerates the tape toward a target speed, initially operating the motors in static acceleration tension control; and if the linear speed of the tape is within a predetermined range of the target tape speed, operating the motors in composite tension control employing static tension control and delta velocity control.

Abstract: The present invention provides two methods, apparatus, and computer instructions for controlling tape movement in a tape drive system. In the first method, the direction of tape movement is determined with respect to a file reel and a machine reel. If the direction of tape movement is toward the file reel, the tape is moved using machine reel control, and if the direction of tape movement is toward the machine reel, the tape is moved using file reel control. In the second method, the size of a file reel, designated as the file radius, and the size of a machine reel, designated as the machine radius, are determined. If the machine radius is smaller than the file radius, tape motion is carried out using machine reel control, and if the file radius is equal to or smaller than the machine radius, tape motion is carried out using file reel control.

Abstract: An FF/REW control apparatus which performs high-speed FF/REW by simple control. Conventionally, if a hub diameter is discriminated, even though a user instructs execution of high-speed FF/REW, an operation mode cannot be immediately shifted to a high-speed FF/REW mode. Further, as a software sequence for hub discrimination is required, a ROM capacity for this purpose is required. The FF/REW control apparatus performs high-speed tape forward control for a thick hub and high-speed tape forward control for a thin hub. A system controller 20 calculates a value N representing the ratio between a rotational period of a take-up reel and that of a supply reel, and if the value N is other than values of a tape having the thick hub, immediately performs the high-speed tape forward control for the thin hub. Thus, the high-speed FF/REW can be quickly performed without direct discrimination of hub diameter, and software for this purpose is not necessary.

Abstract: A capstan controlled tape transport mechanism that includes a tape tension controller for preventing tape slack in the tape path is presented. The transport mechanism includes a capstan, a spinnable reel, and a reel motor which controls the speed of revolution of the reel in response to a reel motor voltage/current. The spinning of the reel results in the winding of the tape around the reel to generate a tape stack whose radius varies according to the amount of tape wound around the reel hub. Each revolution of the reel generates a fixed number of reel tach pulses per reel revolution. The spinnable capstan controls the transport of tape across the capstan in the direction of the reel, generating a fixed number of capstan tach pulses per capstan revolution.

Abstract: A reel-to-reel tape system stops movement of the tape during a power loss situation without overrun by one of the tape reels and without causing undue stress upon the tape itself. If rotational momentum of the supply reel is sensed to be disproportionately larger than the momentum of the take-up reel, supply motor back emf for dynamically braking the supply reel is applied while also driving the take-up reel in the direction of rotation in which it operated when the power source was discontinued. An appropriate amount of tension is maintained on the tape until the tape motion has come to a complete stop. A capacitor large enough to supply the power needed to provide current to the power bridge of the motor drivers is provided. The capacitor is charged upon power up of the drive and is not tapped unless and until the normal supply voltage of the motor drivers is turned off.

Abstract: Servo errors can be avoided in a bi-directional reel-to-reel tape transport in which magnetic tape is moved in either of two opposite directions for data recording by providing a fine-line tachometer for each reel and a directly coupled tension sensor. Control of tape speed is implemented in a servo algorithm that uses tachometer inputs to determine parameter values for generating reel motor drive currents. If the linear velocity of both reels is the same then the tension output must be within a tolerable range. The directly coupled tension output provided an is indication of the actual current of the tension sensor. The difference between the linear velocities of the tape from each reel is calculated and monitored together with the tape tension. A trip level is set when an error occurs to stop tape motion and permit recovery without damaging the tape.

Abstract: A tape tension control apparatus for controlling tape tension by supplying a current to a reel motor for driving a reel in accordance with a diameter of a tape roll includes a rotational speed detector for detecting the rotational speed of the tape roll a; rotational speed comparator for comparing a rotational speed detected by the rotational speed detector and a standard rotational speed corresponding to the diameter of the tape roll; and a current corrector for correcting the value of the current supplied to the reel motor in accordance with a comparison result from the rotational speed comparator in such a manner that the speed of rotation of the reel motor becomes equal to the standard rotational speed.