Abstract: A tape media cartridge includes a cartridge housing having a standard form factor, a cartridge reel that is coupled to and retained within the cartridge and a tape media. The tape media can be selectively wound onto the cartridge reel between a fully wound state, a partially wound state and an unwound state. The tape media forms a media hollow cylinder having a media outer diameter and a media inner diameter that varies depending upon the state of the tape media. When the tape media is in the fully wound state, the tape media has a ratio of the media outer diameter to media inner diameter of at least approximately 95:43. The cartridge housing can include a side wall having a wall center and wall edge, the side wall having a side wall thickness that gradually increases from the side wall center to the side wall edge.

Abstract: A tape drive includes a first tape head, a first actuator assembly, a second tape head, a second actuator assembly, and a controller. The first tape head includes two first servo elements that each read one of two servo tracks, and a first read/write element that one of reads data from and writes data to a first data track. The first tape head is positionable at a first base head rotation angle. The first actuator assembly selectively rotates the first tape head from the first base head rotation angle to a first adjusted head rotation angle. The second tape head includes two second servo elements that each read one of the two servo tracks, and a second read/write element that one of reads data from and writes data to the first data track. The second tape head is positionable at a second base head rotation angle. The second actuator assembly selectively rotates the second tape head from the second base head rotation angle to a second adjusted head rotation angle.

Abstract: A tape library having a robot zone and a robot on the robot zone, movable in the robot zone of the tape rack in at least a first direction and a second direction. A tape drive, which has an opening to receive cartridges, is positioned so that the robot nears the tape drive when the robot moves in a second direction. A width of the tape drive is wider than a width of the robot zone. This tape drive design is called the “Sideways Format Path for 19? Rack Libraries.” It is achieved by using unique dimensions for a new tape drive that uses blind spaces existing in tape libraries unreachable by the robot to provide a bigger space to design longer tape paths, resulting in higher cartridge density with longer tape path without requiring bigger overall library dimensions for a library of tape cartridges.

Abstract: A tape drive includes a first tape head, a first actuator assembly, a second tape head, a second actuator assembly, and a controller. The first tape head includes two first servo elements that each read one of two servo tracks, and a first read/write element that one of reads data from and writes data to a first data track. The first tape head is positionable at a first base head rotation angle. The first actuator assembly selectively rotates the first tape head from the first base head rotation angle to a first adjusted head rotation angle. The second tape head includes two second servo elements that each read one of the two servo tracks, and a second read/write element that one of reads data from and writes data to the first data track. The second tape head is positionable at a second base head rotation angle. The second actuator assembly selectively rotates the second tape head from the second base head rotation angle to a second adjusted head rotation angle.

Abstract: A tape drive for use with a magnetic tape including two spaced apart servo tracks and a first data track includes a tape head, an actuator assembly, and a controller. The tape head includes two spaced apart servo elements that are each configured to read one of the two servo tracks, and a first read/write element that is configured to one of read data from and write data to the first data track. The tape head is positionable at a base head rotation angle relative to transverse to the length of the magnetic tape. The actuator assembly is configured to selectively rotate the tape head relative to the magnetic tape. The controller controls the actuator assembly to selectively rotate the tape head relative to the magnetic tape from the base head rotation angle to an adjusted head rotation angle that is different than the base head rotation angle based solely on servo information from the two servo elements reading the two servo tracks.

Abstract: A tape media cartridge includes a cartridge housing having a standard form factor, a cartridge reel that is coupled to and retained within the cartridge and a tape media. The tape media can be selectively wound onto the cartridge reel between a fully wound state, a partially wound state and an unwound state. The tape media forms a media hollow cylinder having a media outer diameter and a media inner diameter that varies depending upon the state of the tape media. When the tape media is in the fully wound state, the tape media has a ratio of the media outer diameter to media inner diameter of at least approximately 95:43. The cartridge housing can include a side wall having a wall center and wall edge, the side wall having a side wall thickness that gradually increases from the side wall center to the side wall edge.

Abstract: A tape drive for use with a magnetic tape including two spaced apart servo tracks and a first data track includes a tape head, an actuator assembly, and a controller. The tape head includes two spaced apart servo elements that are each configured to read one of the two servo tracks, and a first read/write element that is configured to one of read data from and write data to the first data track. The tape head is positionable at a base head rotation angle relative to transverse to the length of the magnetic tape. The actuator assembly is configured to selectively rotate the tape head relative to the magnetic tape. The controller controls the actuator assembly to selectively rotate the tape head relative to the magnetic tape from the base head rotation angle to an adjusted head rotation angle that is different than the base head rotation angle based solely on servo information from the two servo elements reading the two servo tracks.

Abstract: A tape threading apparatus (20) includes a tape guide arm (22) having a spring-biased elbow (32). The arm (22) is coupled for rotation with a rotatable shaft (24). The shaft is provided with a barrel cam (76, 92) for a third dimension of movement. A drive mechanism includes two gears (88, 90) that overlap to permit vertical slippage in the third dimension of movement. An arm guide cam slot (102) provides a directional orientation for movement of the arm (22) along a tape travel pathway (100).

Abstract: A data channel monitor is provided for a data channel that converts analog signal data to binary digital bits. The monitor allows the quality of the data detected to be measured in conjunction with predetermined processing steps performed in the data channel. The channel monitor obtains channel data and uses the data to determine detection margins, which are a measure of the data quality. The detection margins are compared with an acceptable value(s). Error references are generated if a detection margin is outside an acceptable range. The data monitor also preferably includes a diagnostic capability wherein all detection margins may be stored for off-line analysis whenever the data channel is placed in diagnostic mode.

Abstract: Circuitry is provided that interconnects a plurality of MR heads on a substrate with control circuitry using a lesser number of interconnecting paths. This reduces the number of required substrate pins to which the interconnecting paths are connected. The reduced number of substrate pins is such that it enables manufacturing and processing techniques to accommodate an increased number of MR heads on a given substrate over that which would be possible with the prior art interconnecting techniques.

Abstract: A data channel is provided that includes a digital decoder that receives a dynamically determined tracking threshold value. The tracking threshold value has a voltage amplitude used by the decoder in decoding a digital voltage signal into binary data. The digital signal is generated using an analog voltage signal that represents data read from a storage medium, such as a magnetic tape or disk. The present method is able to generate appropriate tracking threshold values even during sudden changes in the voltage amplitudes associated with the digital signal. In dynamically determining tracking threshold values, an averaging method with error recovery is employed, that is independent of the particular encoding used with the stored data. For each inputted digital voltage signal that represents a binary bit, a comparison is made between it and a current accepting value. Unless the digital voltage signal is at least equal to the accepting value, it is not used in computing a new tracking threshold value.

Abstract: A circuit and method for correcting peak signal shifts in analog signals representing binary data bits that avoids the need for write precompensation techniques. Three different sample values (an early, on-time, and late) are computed for the signal representing each read bit. The on-time signal value of each data bit of an n-bit sequence is used if no data corruption is detected. If a corrupted data bit is detected due to an early or late peak signal shift of an adjacent binary 1, the early or late signal value of the corrupted data bit is used rather than the on-time signal value of the corrupted bit. The corrected data bit sequence is then passed on to a utilization circuit, such as a read data detector, which uses error correcting techniques and the like to determine with precision whether each data bit is a binary 1 or a .0..

Abstract: The optimum processing of magnetically or optically recorded data to recover recorded data bits and clocking information should include apparatus to compensate for variations in media velocity during writing and reading of the media. The adaptive velocity compensation circuit accomplishes this result by sampling the media velocity and comparing the sample to a reference velocity usng a digital tachometer. The result of this comparison is used to control a variable pulsewidth single shot which adjusts the operation of a phase locked loop phase detector to match the velocity of the moving media.