Abstract: In one embodiment, a drive-implemented method includes determining, by a tape drive, that a magnetic recording tape is compatible with a first format, the tape drive having an array of transducers including an inner transducer and subarrays of the transducers positioned on opposite sides of the inner transducer, reading from or writing to the magnetic recording tape, by the tape drive, using the array of transducers in a first mode of operation corresponding to the first format, and processing data, by the tape drive, using only the transducers in the subarrays in the first mode of operation.

Abstract: A drive-implemented method includes performing an operation on a storage medium using an array of 2N+1 transducers using transducers on only one side of a centerline of the array in a first mode of operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods to initiate actions based on encoded sounds associated with containers are described. Responsive to opening of containers, various structures may emit the encoded sounds. The encoded sounds may be received, processed, and recognized to identify audio signatures within the encoded sounds. Containers and information associated therewith may be identified based on the identified audio signatures. One or more actions or outputs may be initiated related to the containers or information associated therewith using various output devices.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device includes a disk including a first servo sector including a first preamble, a first servo mark, a first gray code, and first burst data, a head including a write head which writes data to the disk and a read head which reads data from the disk, and a controller which stops write processing, based on a write mask gate different from a first servo gate executing read processing of the first servo sector and a write gate executing the write processing to the disk.

Abstract: A method of operating an HDD having a slider-mounted read/write head that is configured for dynamic fly-height operation (DFH) and includes at least one head-disk interference sensor (HDIs). By operating the DFH to lower the head and subjecting the HDIs signal to a power-law enhancement, a consistent and accurate determination of the touchdown power (TDP) can be obtained. Combining absolute TDP determination with a method for measuring relative changes of FH, an absolute determination of FH can be determined.

Abstract: A near-field transducer has an enlarged portion with a layer of soft plasmonic material. A peg formed of a thermally robust plasmonic material includes an embedded part that is partially embedded within the enlarged portion and has an exposed surface facing away from the enlarged portion. An intersection between a lower edge of the enlarged portion and the embedded part has a discontinuity.

Abstract: A setting unit is configured to set first write processing for writing second data in a hard disk, or second write processing for writing the second data in the hard disk and reading data that is written by writing of the second data, and a change unit is configured to change the write processing set in the setting unit. The change unit changes the write processing set in the setting unit from the first write processing to the second write processing, based on determination that the first data is greater than or equal to a threshold by a determination unit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allocating logical sectors and bands to store data on interlaced magnetic recording tracks. The systems and methods include formatting a data storage medium to include a plurality of bands, each band of the plurality of bands including a plurality of tracks, the plurality of tracks including a subset of top tracks interlaced with a subset of bottom tracks, and each track of the plurality of tracks including a number of sectors, formatting a first band of the plurality of bands, determining an isolation region of the first band, and formatting a second band of the plurality of bands responsive to determining the isolation region of the first band.

Abstract: A hard disk drive includes a disk having a servo region and data tracks. The servo region has servo data for formatting some of the data tracks for high capacity storage and others of the data tracks for low capacity storage. A head writes user data to the high capacity tracks in response to vibration less than a threshold value, and otherwise writes the user data to the low capacity tracks.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a data storage medium having a data storage surface. The data storage device also includes a first actuator having a first attached slider with a writer configured to write data on the data storage surface. The writer has a media-confronting surface covered by a first non-magnetic overcoat having a first thickness. The data storage device further includes a second actuator having a second attached slider with at least one user-data reader configured to read user data from the data storage surface and no writer for writing data on the data storage surface. The at least one user-data reader has a media-confronting surface covered by a second non-magnetic overcoat having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness of the first non-magnetic overcoat.

Abstract: A read error occurs when performing a read with a first read head. It is determined whether a second read head capable of use in a read-while-write operation runs within or outside of a first track. The second read head width defines a verified area on a track. If the second read head runs entirely within the first track, the first read head is positioned within the verified area. If the second read head runs partly outside of the first track, and a portion of the verified area within the first track is wider than the width of the first read head, the first read head is positioned within the portion of the verified area that is within the first track. If the portion is not wider, the first read head is positioned so that a side of the first read head is at a border the first track.

Abstract: A magnetic disk device includes a control circuit, and a disk unit including a plurality of magnetic disks, a plurality of magnetic heads configured to read or write data from or to the magnetic disks, a first actuator configured to move the magnetic heads, a plurality of second actuators each configured to move the corresponding magnetic head, and a switch circuit configured to connect the control circuit and one of the second actuators. The control circuit is configured to transmit to the disk unit an instruction in which one of the magnetic heads is specified, control one of the second actuators corresponding to the specified magnetic head to move the magnetic head via the switch circuit, and based on a signal from the one of the second actuators, determine whether an error occurs in the one of the second actuators.

Abstract: A computing device with a touch screen display simultaneously displays on the touch screen display a plurality of user interface objects and at least one destination object. The computing device detects a first input by a user on a destination object displayed on the touch screen display. While continuing to detect the first input by the user on the destination object, the computing device detects a second input by the user on a first user interface object displayed on the touch screen display. In response to detecting the second input by the user on the first user interface object, the computing device performs an action on the first user interface object. The action is associated with the destination object.

Abstract: A magnetic tape reading apparatus includes a reading element unit which includes: a plurality of reading elements which are disposed in a state of being adjacent to each other and each of which reads data by a linear scanning method from a specific track region including a reading target track in a track region included in a magnetic tape; and an extraction unit which performs a waveform equalization process according to a deviation amount between positions of the magnetic tape and the reading element unit, with respect to each reading result for each reading element, to extract data derived from the reading target track from the reading result.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for visualizing spatial audio using determined properties for time segments of the spatial audio. Such properties include the position sound is coming from, intensity of the sound, focus of the sound, and color of the sound at a time segment of the spatial audio. These properties can be determined by analyzing the time segment of the spatial audio. Upon determining these properties, the properties are used in rendering a visualization of the sound with attributes based on the properties of the sound(s) at the time segment of the spatial audio.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first head actuated over a first disk surface, and a second head actuated over a second disk surface. During a first revolution of the disk surfaces, a first set of servo sectors are written to the first disk surface and a second set of servo sectors are written to the second disk surface, wherein the first set of servo sectors are circumferentially offset from the second set of servo sectors. During a second revolution of the disk surfaces, at least one of the servo sectors in the first set is read from the first disk surface and at least one of the servo sectors in the second set is read from the second disk surface to control a position of the first head over the first disk surface.

Abstract: A recording head includes a substrate, a read transducer, a waveguide core, and a near-field transducer at an end of the waveguide core proximate a media-facing surface. The recording head includes a magnetic write pole and coil. A laser diode unit with one or more non-self-supporting layers of crystalline material region is transfer printed between layers of the recording head.

Abstract: A tape drive-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: using information read from one or more servo bands on a magnetic tape to position a magnetic tape head relative to the magnetic tape. An array of data transducers is positioned along the magnetic tape head, the array extending perpendicular to a direction of travel of the magnetic tape. Moreover, a group of servo readers is positioned at each end of the array of data transducers. A distance between each of the immediately adjacent servo readers in each of the groups of servo readers is less than or equal to one third of a prespecified width of each of the servo bands. Furthermore, the distance between each of the servo readers in each of the groups and the prespecified width are both measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A magnetic tape apparatus includes a magnetic tape, a reading element unit and an extraction unit, in which a coefficient of friction measured regarding a base portion of a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 0.35, the reading element unit includes a plurality of reading elements each of which reads data by a linear scanning method from a specific track region including a reading target track in a track region included in the magnetic tape, and the extraction unit performs a waveform equalization process according to a deviation amount between positions of the magnetic tape and the reading element unit, with respect to each reading result for each reading element, to extract data derived from the reading target track from the reading result.

Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data tracks, including consecutive data tracks N?1 and N. A first write to data track N is performed using a first position error signal (PES) representing a position of the head relative to the data tracks. A track squeeze metric is generated for data track N?1 based on at least the first PES of the first write. The track squeeze metric for data track N?1 is accumulated during the first write, and the first write is aborted when the accumulated track squeeze metric for data track N?1 exceeds a first threshold.