Abstract: A tape head includes a set of one or more segments, wherein each segment of the set is individually movable with respect to a frame; each segment of the set comprising at least one of a write element configured to write data to a tape and a read element configured to read data from the tape; and each segment of the set comprising a further read element having a width transverse to a motion direction of the tape being at least a width of the write element of the segment or, in the event that no write element is comprised in the segment, of a write element of a different segment.

Abstract: A tape storage medium includes a tape head for reading/writing data from/to a tape storage medium. At least one servo band along a longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium determines positional information. The servo band includes a set of servo tracks having a width extending along the longitudinal extension and arranged next to each other. A total of two different servo patterns are contained in the set of servo tracks. The tape head includes two servo readers. A width of each servo reader orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium is at least half the width of a servo track. The two servo readers are offset from each other orthogonal to the longitudinal extension by d*wST+n*wST with wST being the width of the servo track, with 0<d<1, and with n being an integer.

Abstract: A tape storage medium comprises at least one servo band (SB) along a longitudinal extension (x) of the tape storage medium (TP) for supporting to determine positional information. The servo band (SB) comprises a set of servo tracks (STx) extending along the longitudinal extension (x) of the tape storage medium (TP) and arranged next to each other. Each servo track (STx) of the set contains a servo pattern with a pseudo noise sequence (PN_x) of symbols, wherein the pseudo noise sequences (PN_x) of servo patterns of adjacent servo tracks (STx) are different from each other. The set of servo tracks (STx) contains at least three servo tracks (STx) with different pseudo noise sequences (PN_x).

Abstract: A method for operating a tape storage system includes simultaneously receiving readback signals from a set of data readers reading from data tracks of a set of adjacent data tracks extending along a longitudinal extension of a tape storage medium. Each data track has a width and each data reader has a width that exceeds the width of a data track. In the readback signal, of one of the data readers of the set a simultaneous presence of two defined waveforms is detected stemming from two different servo patterns arranged in servo sections of adjacent data tracks of the set. At least one of lateral position, velocity, gain and timing information is derived from a measure of the energy of the two defined waveforms detected in the readback signal of the data reader and applying this information in the operation of the tape storage system.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating a tape storage device comprises a first tape skew determination unit for providing a first tape skew value concerning a skew of a tape in the tape storage device, and a second tape skew determination unit for providing a second tape skew value concerning the skew of the tape. An actuator adjusts one or more of a rotational orientation of a tape head of the tape storage device which tape head is provided for reading and/or writing data from/to the tape, and a motion direction of the tape dependent on the first tape skew value and the second tape skew value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic data storage apparatus includes a magnetic head having at least one group of N servo readers, a drive mechanism for passing a linear magnetic recording medium over the head, and a controller electrically coupled to the head. The controller is configured to position a first servo reader of the at least one group of N servo readers in a first lateral medium region of the recording medium with a servo band having a width b that is less than or equal to about 1.2 B/N, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and B corresponds to a distance between data read/write transducers of the magnetic head, and position the magnetic head in a second lateral region of width b with a second servo reader of the at least one group of N servo readers for reading the servo band.

Abstract: A tape storage medium comprises at least one data band and the data band comprises a set of data sub-bands adjacent to each other. Each data sub-band contains a set of data tracks along a longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium and adjacent to each other. Each data sub-band of the set comprises a pair of servo tracks for supporting to determine positional information. The set of data tracks of each data sub-band is arranged between the servo tracks of the pair. The servo tracks of the pair contain the same servo pattern.

Abstract: A method for operating a tape storage system includes simultaneously receiving readback signals from a set of data readers reading from data tracks of a set of adjacent data tracks extending along a longitudinal extension of a tape storage medium. Each data track has a width and each data reader has a width that exceeds the width of a data track. In the readback signal, of one of the data readers of the set a simultaneous presence of two defined waveforms is detected stemming from two different servo patterns arranged in servo sections of adjacent data tracks of the set. At least one of lateral position, velocity, gain and timing information is derived from a measure of the energy of the two defined waveforms detected in the readback signal of the data reader and applying this information in the operation of the tape storage system.

Abstract: In a method for operating a tape storage system, readback signals are simultaneously received from a set of data readers reading from data tracks of a set of adjacent data tracks extending along a longitudinal extension of a tape storage medium, wherein each data track of the set has a width and each data reader of the set has a width equal to or less than the width of a data track. Simultaneously to receiving the readback signals from the set of data readers readback signals are received from a servo reader arrangement containing at least one servo reader arranged laterally offset from one of the data readers by less than the width of a data track. At least one of lateral position, velocity, gain and timing information is determined dependent on the readback signals of each servo reader in the servo reader arrangement.

Abstract: A tape storage medium comprises at least one data band and the data band comprises a set of data sub-bands adjacent to each other. Each data sub-band contains a set of data tracks along a longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium and adjacent to each other. Each data sub-band of the set comprises a pair of servo tracks for supporting to determine positional information. The set of data tracks of each data sub-band is arranged between the servo tracks of the pair. The servo tracks of the pair contain the same servo pattern.

Abstract: A control device for controlling tape transport within a tape transport system is disclosed. The control device includes a determination unit, which includes at least a first servo channel and a second servo channel for determining a first lateral position of a tape relative to the head, and for determining a difference between the first and second lateral positions. A computing unit computes a number of unsupported wraps of the tape as a function of the lateral position difference, wherein the number of unsupported wraps corresponds to the number of layers of the tape around the take-up reel having air layers in-between, and computes a spring constant of the tape as a function of the number of unsupported wraps, a radius of the take-up reel and a nominal tape path length. A calibration unit calibrates at least one unit of the tape transport system dependent on the spring constant.

Abstract: A tape head includes a set of one or more segments, wherein each segment of the set is individually movable with respect to a frame; each segment of the set comprising at least one of a write element configured to write data to a tape and a read element configured to read data from the tape; and each segment of the set comprising a further read element having a width transverse to a motion direction of the tape being at least a width of the write element of the segment or, in the event that no write element is comprised in the segment, of a write element of a different segment.

Abstract: A control device for controlling tape transport within a tape transport system is disclosed. The control device includes a determination unit, which includes at least a first servo channel and a second servo channel for determining a first lateral position of a tape relative to the head, and for determining a difference between the first and second lateral positions. A computing unit computes a number of unsupported wraps of the tape as a function of the lateral position difference, wherein the number of unsupported wraps corresponds to the number of layers of the tape around the take-up reel having air layers in-between, and computes a spring constant of the tape as a function of the number of unsupported wraps, a radius of the take-up reel and a nominal tape path length. A calibration unit calibrates at least one unit of the tape transport system dependent on the spring constant.

Abstract: A tape storage medium includes a tape head for reading/writing data from/to a tape storage medium. At least one servo band along a longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium determines positional information. The servo band includes a set of servo tracks having a width extending along the longitudinal extension and arranged next to each other. A total of two different servo patterns are contained in the set of servo tracks. The tape head includes two servo readers. A width of each servo reader orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium is at least half the width of a servo track. The two servo readers are offset from each other orthogonal to the longitudinal extension by d*wST+n*wST with wST being the width of the servo track, with 0<d<1, and with n being an integer.

Abstract: Methods for formatting and using a linear magnetic recording medium. The medium in one embodiment has a servo band having a width b that is less than or equal to about 1.2 B/N, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and B corresponds to a distance between data read/write transducers of a magnetic head usable with the medium in a direction transverse to a longitudinal length of the medium.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for processing data includes an equalizer configured to use servo coefficients for processing servo data and data coefficients for processing non-servo data, wherein the equalizer includes a finite impulse response (FIR) filter configured to process data read with a magnetic tape channel using the servo coefficients to generate equalized data, one or more low-pass filters with aggressive frequency characteristics configured to filter the equalized data to output filtered data, the one or more low-pass filters with aggressive frequency characteristics being configured to remove high frequency noise from the equalized data, a peak detector configured to process peaks in a waveform of the filtered data, and at least one servo pattern detector configured to detect a servo pattern in the filtered data. Other systems and methods for processing data are described in more embodiments.

Abstract: A write head is provided for writing a servo pattern to a magnetic tape storage medium. The write head comprises at least a first write gap (A) and a second write gap (B), the first write gap (A) and the second write gap (B) being separately energizable. The second write gap (B) comprises at least a first section (a) and a second section (b). The first section (a) is designed such that an energization of the second write gap (B) causes a magnetic flux across the first section (a) insufficient for changing a magnetization of a track of the magnetic tape storage medium (TP) passing the first section (a) of the second write gap (B). The second section (b) is designed such that an energization of the second write gap (B) causes a magnetic flux across the second section (b) sufficient for magnetizing a track of the magnetic tape storage medium (TP) passing the second section (b) of the second write gap (B).

Abstract: A current-perpendicular-to-plane magnetoresistive read sensor includes a stack of layers extending along a stacking direction, and an edge surface parallel to the stacking direction that forms at least part of a bearing surface of the read sensor, the bearing surface designed to face a recording medium. The stack of layers includes a first contact layer, a ferromagnetic free layer whose magnetic orientation varies according to an applied magnetic field, above the first contact layer, a non-magnetic layer above the ferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic spin injection layer above the non-magnetic layer, and a second contact layer above the spin injection layer, such that a current can flow between the second contact layer and the first contact layer along a current-perpendicular-to-plane direction, parallel to the stacking direction. The stack of layers further includes a series of structures extending along a direction parallel to the bearing surface and perpendicular to the stacking direction.

Abstract: A magnetic tape media for storing data includes at least one servo band extending along the magnetic tape media and having servo information encoded by an M-ary alphabet A comprising M>2 different symbols and is arranged in a set of words. Each word of the set of words contains synchronization information, wherein each symbol used for representing the synchronization information is from a set B of m symbols, which set B is a proper subset of the symbols in the alphabet A such that 1?m<M; longitudinal position information, wherein each symbol used for representing the longitudinal position information is from a set C of M-m symbols, which set C is a complementary set to set B; and other information, wherein each symbol used for representing the other information is from the set C of M-m symbols.

Abstract: In a method for operating a tape storage device comprising a tape head for reading and/or writing data from/to a tape in the tape storage device, a first tape skew value concerning a skew of the tape is determined and the first tape skew value is converted into a first skew control signal by means of a skew feedback controller. A second tape skew value concerning the skew of the tape is determined, and the second tape skew value is converted into a second skew control signal by a feed-forward controller. At least one compensation signal for the second skew control signal is determined, and at least one of a rotational orientation of the tape head and a tape motion direction of the tape is controlled dependent on the second skew control signal and the compensation signal in case the first skew control signal fails.