Abstract: An electronic device includes an electronic component, a joining member to be mechanically joined with the electronic component, and a metal conductor located between the electronic component and the joining member to mechanically join the electronic component and the joining member. The metal conductor is made of porous noble metal to have pores, and includes an end surface without being covered by the electronic component and the joining member. Furthermore, a reinforcing resin is impregnated from the end surface of the metal conductor to the pores inside of the metal conductor, so as to mechanically reinforce the metal conductor.

Abstract: A method to decode linear position (“LPOS”) information encoded in a sequential information storage medium, by detecting each of one or a plurality of sequential first LPOS servo patterns encoded in a first servo band using a first servo sensor in communication with a first servo channel. While detecting that one or a plurality of first LPOS servo patterns, the method fails to detect (n) second LPOS servo patterns encoded in a second servo band. The method determines a value for (n), and then syncs the first servo channel with the second servo channel using that value of (n).

Abstract: A method is presented for setting a wrap angle of a read/write head having a servo element and multiple read elements, where the servo element and the read elements can detect a servo signal. The method includes moving a sequential information storage medium having a longitudinal axis and a servo band encoded therein adjacent to the read/write head. The longitudinal axis and a flat upper surface of the read write head define the wrap angle. The method further includes detecting the servo signal using one of the read elements. If the read element is unable to detect the servo signal, then the remaining read elements are sensed to detect the servo signal.

Abstract: To provide a technique for optimizing the processing order of recall requests in which the average latency time of a host apparatus is minimized. A storage manager accepts a request of the host apparatus for the recalling data from a tape library, and stores the request in a queue table. In response to storage of the request, the storage manager calculates the latency time for each request in all the conceivable execution orders for all the requests stored in the queue table. The storage manager determines the execution order which minimizes the total calculated latency time for all the requests including the active request, and rearranges the requests in the queue table.

Abstract: A weighted combining scheme exploits information from two servo channels operating in parallel. A timing-based servo module servo module comprises two servo channels coupled respectively to receive two digital servo signals read from a data tape. Both channels have outputs for an unweighted metric and for a measure of the channel reliability. A weight computation module provides first and second weight signals using the measures of channel reliability from the servo channels. A first multiplying node receives a first unweighted metric and a first weight signal and is operable to output a first weighted metric. A second multiplying node receives a second unweighted metric and a second weight signal and outputs a second weighted metric. A summing node receives the first and second weighted metrics and outputs a combined weighted metric to an LPOS word decoder.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of synchronous servo channels with each synchronous servo channel including a servo reader included in a magnetic head, and logic for applying a plurality of first control signals to a skew-following loop. Each first control signal includes a reference shift value, each reference shift value corresponds to one of a number of hypotheses, and each hypothesis corresponds to one servo band set. The system also includes logic for computing an average difference between lateral position estimates from the plurality of synchronous servo channels, logic for selecting a hypothesis from the number of hypotheses that corresponds to a maximum of the computed average difference, and logic for applying a second control signal to the skew-following loop. The second control signal includes a reference shift value that corresponds to the selected hypothesis. Other systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: A method, a servo system and a tape drive are provided to acquire lock on a servo signal. The servo signals of at least one servo element are monitored to detect a valid servo signal. If a valid servo signal is not detected than the fine actuator is moved in a first direction until either a valid servo signal is detected or the fine actuator travel limit is reached. When a valid servo signal is detected, the fine actuator is set to a neutral position and the coarse actuator is moved in the first direction. When the fine actuator travel limit is reached the fine actuator is moved to the first position and the coarse actuator is moved in a second direction, opposite of the first direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of synchronous servo channels, where each channel receives a signal from a servo reader of a magnetic head. The system also includes logic for estimating a tape velocity, logic for determining a first and second time instant representing a time at which a flag is generated by a related servo channel, logic for determining a first and second correction term representing a time difference between a time at which a peak of a correlation signal and a time at which the flag occur, logic for calculating a skew error estimate based on a reference shift value associated with a servo band pair being spanned by a head module, and logic for applying a control signal including a skew correction that corresponds to the calculated skew error estimate to the skew-following loop. Other systems and methods are disclosed as well.

Abstract: A method to adjust the orientation of a read head comprising a first read element and a second read element, wherein the first read element and the second read element are separated by a distance, wherein the method moves a sequential information storage medium adjacent to the read head, determines a skew angle for the sequential information storage medium with respect to the read head using the first read element and the second read element, and encodes that skew angle in a computer readable medium.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, a semiconductor substrate made of silicon carbide and having first and second opposing surfaces is prepared. The second surface of the semiconductor substrate is processed so that a surface roughness of the second surface is less than or equal to 10 nm and a value of (100%-reflectance-transmittance) at a wavelength of a laser light is greater than or equal to 80%. A metal layer is formed on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate after the processing the second surface. The metal layer is irradiated with the laser light and thereby an ohmic electrode is formed on the second surface.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for writing a plurality of servo bands on magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is moved longitudinally relative to at least one servo write head. The servo write head is positioned to write a plurality of parallel longitudinal servo bands. The plurality of servo bands comprise odd servo bands and even servo bands, and each of the odd servo bands lie between the each of the even servo bands. The at least one servo write head is operated to write the plurality of parallel longitudinal servo bands on the magnetic tape such that each of the plurality of servo bands comprise a plurality of frames, wherein each frame comprises a plurality of bursts of transition stripes, and each burst has a first transition stripe.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge including magnetic tape with servo information is provided. The servo information comprises a plurality of parallel longitudinal servo bands that lie between a plurality of longitudinal data bands. The plurality of servo bands include odd servo bands and even servo bands, wherein each of the odd servo bands lie between each of the even servo bands. Each of the plurality servo bands include a plurality of frames, wherein each frame includes a plurality of bursts of transition stripes, and each burst having a first transition stripe. The first transition stripe of each burst of each the odd servo band is longitudinally shifted from the first transition stripe of each burst of each even servo band by a substantially equal distance, D, such that servo information of the odd servo bands is interleaved with the servo information from the even servo bands.

Abstract: A digital control system, and in particular a tape drive system having a track-following servomechanism with a predictor (also referred to herein as a predictor filter), is described. In certain embodiments, the servomechanism includes an actuator, a servo channel, and a predictor coupled to the servo channel. The predictor receives from the servo channel a lateral position estimate signal and determines a modified lateral position estimate signal that reduces a difference, introduced by a tape velocity-dependent delay, e.g., introduced by the servo channel, between the modified lateral position estimate signal and an actual lateral position. The modified lateral position estimate may be used to modify a control signal sent to the actuator.

Abstract: A method to position a head module, where the head module comprises at least one servo element and a plurality of data elements, where the servo element and each of the plurality of data elements can detect a servo signal, wherein the method includes moving a sequential information storage medium having a servo band encoded therein across the head module and detecting the servo band using the at least one servo element or any one of the plurality of data elements.

Abstract: A method is presented for setting a wrap angle of a read/write head having a servo element and multiple read elements, where the servo element and the read elements can detect a servo signal. The method includes moving a sequential information storage medium having a longitudinal axis and a servo band encoded therein adjacent to the read/write head. The longitudinal axis and a flat upper surface of the read write head define the wrap angle. The method further includes detecting the servo signal using one of the read elements. If the read element is unable to detect the servo signal, then the remaining read elements are sensed to detect the servo signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is presented to determine a lateral position of a read/write head relative to a sequential information storage medium having a servo signal encoded therein and moving adjacent to the read/write head, where the servo signal comprises a plurality of pulses. The method includes detecting the servo signal using the read/write head and calculating a timing interval between each of the pulses using a clock rate of a clock signal. The clock rate is then adjusted based upon the velocity of the sequential information storage medium.

Abstract: A weighted combining scheme exploits information from two servo channels operating in parallel. A timing-based servo module comprises two synchronous servo channels coupled respectively to receive two digital servo signals read from a data tape. Both channels have outputs for an unweighted parameter estimate and for a measure of the channel reliability. A weight computation module provides first and second weight signals using the measures of channel reliability from the servo channels. An offset computation module provides first and second offset terms which are summed with the unweighted parameter estimates. Multiplying nodes receive the unweighted parameter estimates and the weight signals and outputs offset weighted parameter estimates. A summing node receives the offset weighted parameter estimates and outputs a combined offset weighted parameter estimate to a servomechanism.

Abstract: A weighted combining scheme exploits information from two servo channels operating in parallel. A timing-based servo module comprises two synchronous servo channels coupled respectively to receive two digital servo signals read from a data tape. Both channels have outputs for an unweighted parameter estimate and for a measure of the channel reliability. A weight computation module provides first and second weight signals using the measures of channel reliability from the servo channels. An offset computation module provides first and second offset terms which are summed with the unweighted parameter estimates. Multiplying nodes receive the unweighted parameter estimates and the weight signals and outputs offset weighted parameter estimates. A summing node receives the offset weighted parameter estimates and outputs a combined offset weighted parameter estimate to a servomechanism.

Abstract: A method to adjust the orientation of a read head comprising a first read element and a second read element, wherein the first read element and the second read element are separated by a distance, wherein the method moves a sequential information storage medium adjacent to the read head, determines a skew angle for the sequential information storage medium with respect to the read head using the first read element and the second read element, and encodes that skew angle in a computer readable medium.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for detecting a periodic sequence. A value detector module detects a plurality of values of a periodic sequence. In one embodiment, a transformation module transforms the plurality of values into transformed values. A confinement module confines the values to a limited set of confined values. A correlation module correlates the confined values with a plurality of instances of the periodic sequence. In addition, a selection module selects an instance of the periodic sequence with the highest correlation to the confined values as an observed periodic sequence.