Locating Specific Areas Patents (Class 360/72.1)
  • Patent number: 11393506
    Abstract: [Object] A cartridge memory according to an embodiment of the present technology is a cartridge memory for a recording medium cartridge, including: a memory unit; and a capacity setting unit. The memory unit has a memory capacity capable of storing management information relating to a second information recording medium configured to be capable of recording information with a second data track number larger than a first data track number. The capacity setting unit is configured to be capable of setting a data storage area limited to a first capacity capable of storing management information relating to a first information recording medium configured to be capable of recording information with the first data track number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Nakashio, Kazuo Anno, Takanobu Iwama, Shinya Tochikubo, Naohiro Adachi, Minoru Yamaga, Masayoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 11043230
    Abstract: Techniques for identifying content displayed by a content presentation system associated with a physical environment, detecting an audible expression by a user located within the physical environment, and storing information associated with the audible expression in relation to the displayed content are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: WideOrbit Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher M. Riding
  • Patent number: 11016665
    Abstract: A data storage device that includes data storage media, with at least one of the data storage media having a plurality of embedded firmware modules. The data storage media include a non-volatile memory having different usage modes, with each different usage mode being associated with a different status of the data storage device, and each of the different usage modes having different space allocation configurations for data generated by the plurality of embedded firmware modules. A controller communicatively coupled to the non-volatile memory. The controller determines a change in the status of the data storage device and, in response to the change in the status of the data storage device, dynamically alters the usage mode of the non-volatile memory from a first one of the usage modes to a second one of the usage modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Abhay T. Kataria, Amruta Rameshchandra Inamdar
  • Patent number: 10999610
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing multi-track video content includes, receiving a user request for multi-track video, the multi-track video including a plurality of videos, each of the plurality of videos corresponding to a track, each of the plurality of videos being divided into time-based video segments; requesting a first video of the plurality of videos, the first video corresponding to a first track of the multi-track video; receiving first video segments corresponding to the first video; sequentially transferring the first video segments to a player for displaying the sequentially transferred first video segments; receiving second video segments of a second video of the plurality of videos instead of receiving the first video segments, the second video segments corresponding to a second track of the multi-track video; and sequentially transferring the second video segments to the player for displaying the sequentially transferred second video segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NAVER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sung Tak Cho, Kyung-Ryul Sun, Sungho Kim, Yoosub Song, Joon-Kee Chang, Haneul Lee, Kukhwan Seo, Seongcheol Jo, Seungahe Yi
  • Patent number: 10971186
    Abstract: [Object] A cartridge memory according to an embodiment of the present technology is a cartridge memory for a recording medium cartridge, including: a memory unit; and a capacity setting unit. The memory unit has a memory capacity capable of storing management information relating to a second information recording medium configured to be capable of recording information with a second data track number larger than a first data track number. The capacity setting unit is configured to be capable of setting a data storage area limited to a first capacity capable of storing management information relating to a first information recording medium configured to be capable of recording information with the first data track number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Nakashio, Kazuo Anno, Takanobu Iwama, Shinya Tochikubo, Naohiro Adachi, Minoru Yamaga, Masayoshi Abe
  • Patent number: 10963701
    Abstract: A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving a plurality of video footage at a home automation system from at least one video monitor. The method may further include reviewing the plurality of video footage recorded over a predetermined period of time. The method may further include automatically identifying at least one distinguishing feature in the video footage over the predetermined period of time, and automatically indexing the video footage based, at least in part, on identifying the at least one distinguishing feature in the video footage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
    Inventors: Rongbin Lanny Lin, Brandon Bunker, Aaron Davis, Shiwei Liu, Matthew Mahar, Matthew J. Eyring, Clint Gordon-Carroll, Jeremy B. Warren, James Ellis Nye, Jefferson Lyman
  • Patent number: 10848631
    Abstract: A reading device is configured to detect an edge position of a target object to be conveyed in a conveyance direction. The edge position is a position of an edge of the object in a width direction intersecting the conveyance direction. The reading device includes a sensor device, an adder, and an edge position detector. The sensor device includes a pixel array including a plurality of elements arranged in the width direction. The adder is configured to add detection signals output from the elements at respective positions in the width direction. The edge position detector is configured to detect the edge position on basis of a position at which an output of the adder changes to a value larger than a threshold. Each element is configured to output a detection signal based on a reception amount of light in one of different wavelength bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Ishii
  • Patent number: 10691717
    Abstract: A method is provided for managing data in an electronic device, the method including: detecting a request for tagging a data record; selecting a portion of the data record in response to the request; identifying a content item based on the selected portion of the data record; and associating the content item with the data record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Gyun Im, Young-Tae Jin, Jae-Bong Chun, Woo-Kwang Lee, Chan-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10685676
    Abstract: Provided is a method, computer program product, and system for handling seek commands for a tape drive. The method includes receiving a seek command for moving tape in the tape drive to a target position. The method further includes moving the tape from the current position to a high water mark (HWM) with the tape at a first tension and moving the tape from the HWM to the target position with the tape at a second tension. The method further includes updating the HWM to reference the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Abe, Tsuyoshi Miyamura, Eiji Ogura
  • Patent number: 10169266
    Abstract: In a method of adaptive buffering in a mobile device having a host processor and a sensor processor coupled with the host processor, the sensor processor is used to buffer data received from a sensor that is operated by the sensor processor, wherein the data is buffered by the sensor processor into a circular data buffer. In response to the sensor processor detecting triggering data within the received data: the sensor processor sets a start-end marker in the circular data buffer; and a command is sent from the sensor processor to a second processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Ludger Solbach, Carlo Murgia
  • Patent number: 10154156
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a hard disk configured to store data; a hard disk malfunction detecting unit configured to detect malfunction of the hard disk; a partition confirmation unit configured to determine as to whether a malfunctioning portion of the hard disk is in a preliminary determined partition; and a partition formatting unit configured to format the partition, wherein, when the malfunctioning portion of the hard disk detected by the hard disk malfunction detecting unit is determined as being in the partition preliminary determined by the partition confirmation unit, the partition formatting unit formats the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takuma Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 10133690
    Abstract: In a method of adaptive buffering in a mobile device having a host processor and a sensor processor coupled with the host processor, the sensor processor is used to buffer data received from a sensor that is operated by the sensor processor. The data is buffered by the sensor processor into a circular data buffer. Responsive to the sensor processor detecting triggering data within the received data: a first adaptive data buffering action is initiated with respect to the data received from the sensor operated by the sensor processor; a second adaptive data buffering action is initiated with respect to second data received from a second sensor of the mobile device; and a command is sent from the sensor processor to a second processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventors: Ludger Solbach, Carlo Murgia
  • Patent number: 10075490
    Abstract: A disclosed information processing apparatus connected with terminals through a network includes a list generating unit receiving a request to acquire a list listing a place registering a material to be shared, and generating the list listing the place allowing presence, a list sending unit sending the list to the terminal sending the request, and a data generating unit receiving a presence request to be present at the place selected from the list, and generating material data for displaying the material registered in the selected place on the terminals, and a data sending unit sending the material data to the terminal sending the presence request, wherein the list generating unit determines the place to be opened or resumed as the place allowing presence, and the data generating unit generates the material data for displaying a hand written memo written in the place and the material registered in the place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Megumu Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 10073796
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences. Sequences of Programmed Input/Output (PIO) write instructions to write packet data to a PIO send memory are received at a processor supporting out of order execution. The PIO write instructions are received in an original order and executed out of order, with each PIO write instruction writing a store unit of data to a store buffer or a store block of data to the store buffer. Logic is provided for the store buffer to detect when store blocks are filled, resulting in the data in those store blocks being drained via PCIe posted writes that are written to send blocks in the PIO send memory at addresses defined by the PIO write instructions. Logic is employed for detecting the fill size of packets and when a packet's send blocks have been filled, enabling the packet data to be eligible for egress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Debbage, Yatin M. Mutha
  • Patent number: 9940338
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for improved file synchronization of a magnetic tape. A destination device determines whether one or more file checksums exist in an extended file attribute associated with an identified file. Responsive to one or more file checksums existing in the extended file attribute associated with the identified file, the destination device reads the one or more file checksums out of the extended file attribute without accessing the magnetic tape. The destination device transmits the one or more file checksums to a source device. The source device segments the data of the new file into fixed-length blocks that do not overlap one another. The source device calculates one or more new file checksums for each of the fixed-length blocks. The source device transmits the one or more new file checksums to the destination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ashida, Tohru Hasegawa, Hiroshi Itagaki, Shinsuke Mitsuma, Terue Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9766983
    Abstract: A computer implemented method and system obtains current signatures of data chunks and performs a proximity search of a library of previous signatures as a function of the likely location of corresponding data chunks. A full search of the library of previous signatures for those current signatures not found in the proximity search is also performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventors: Chandra Reddy, Prashant Parikh, Liqiu Song
  • Patent number: 9740373
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a method of connecting multimedia content to a network resource. This method operates in a computer network environment. Operating in a network connected device, the method extracts an identifier from a media signal, such as from a digital watermark, perceptual hash, or other machine extracted signal identifier. It then sends the identifier to a network along with context information indicating device type information. From the network, the method receives related data associated with the media signal via the identifier. The related data is adapted to the network connected device based on the device type information. This device type information may include a display type, so that the related date may be formatted for rendering on the display type of the device. This device type information may also include a connection speed so that the related data may be optimized for the connection speed of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Levy, Reed R. Stager, Tony F. Rodriguez, Geoffrey B. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 9734077
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences. Sequences of Programmed Input/Output (PIO) write instructions to write packet data to a PIO send memory are received at a processor supporting out of order execution. The PIO write instructions are received in an original order and executed out of order, with each PIO write instruction writing a store unit of data to a store buffer or a store block of data to the store buffer. Logic is provided for the store buffer to detect when store blocks are filled, resulting in the data in those store blocks being drained via PCIe posted writes that are written to send blocks in the PIO send memory at addresses defined by the PIO write instructions. Logic is employed for detecting the fill size of packets and when a packet's send blocks have been filled, enabling the packet data to be eligible for egress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Debbage, Yatin M. Mutha
  • Patent number: 9699466
    Abstract: Methods for determining reference type of each image unit and adjusting the corresponding lambda table of the reference type are disclosed. Embodiments according to the invention are used to improve the quality of video compression or reduce the requirement of memory buffer, memory power or computation power. The reference type is determined based on the encoder system information or image unit information. The frame/slice type structure of a video sequence is adjusted according to the image unit information of encoded frames or together with input frames. By fine-tuning the mode decision process, the coding efficiency can be improved. The mode decision process is modified by adaptively adjusting the lambda table. The lambda table is adaptively determined according to the conventional image unit type (such as Intra coded, predicted or bi-directional predicted type) and the reference type determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC
    Inventors: Tung-Hsing Wu, Kun-Bin Lee
  • Patent number: 9588899
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences. Sequences of Programmed Input/Output (PIO) write instructions to write packet data to a PIO send memory are received at a processor supporting out of order execution. The PIO write instructions are received in an original order and executed out of order, with each PIO write instruction writing a store unit of data to a store buffer or a store block of data to the store buffer. Logic is provided for the store buffer to detect when store blocks are filled, resulting in the data in those store blocks being drained via PCIe posted writes that are written to send blocks in the PIO send memory at addresses defined by the PIO write instructions. Logic is employed for detecting the fill size of packets and when a packet's send blocks have been filled, enabling the packet data to be eligible for egress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Debbage, Yatin M. Mutha
  • Patent number: 9460019
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for sending packets using optimized PIO write sequences without sfences. Sequences of Programmed Input/Output (PIO) write instructions to write packet data to a PIO send memory are received at a processor supporting out of order execution. The PIO write instructions are received in an original order and executed out of order, with each PIO write instruction writing a store unit of data to a store buffer or a store block of data to the store buffer. Logic is provided for the store buffer to detect when store blocks are filled, resulting in the data in those store blocks being drained via PCIe posted writes that are written to send blocks in the PIO send memory at addresses defined by the PIO write instructions. Logic is employed for detecting the fill size of packets and when a packet's send blocks have been filled, enabling the packet data to be eligible for egress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Debbage, Yatin M. Mutha
  • Patent number: 9406334
    Abstract: A method of detecting whether data in a tape drive used in a file system is tampered is described according to one embodiment. The method includes: (a) preparing a first tape cartridge including a tape on which multiple files and archival records of index information are stored in a WORM partition, and index information is stored in the R/W partition; (b) reading and comparing the index information of the R/W partition and the last index information of the WORM partition; and (c) when these two pieces of index information do not match, determining that the index information of the R/W partition is tampered when these two pieces of index information do not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tohru Hasegawa, Takamasa Hirata, Naoki Imai, Masanori Kamiya, Yutaka Oishi
  • Patent number: 9372868
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for improved file synchronization of a magnetic tape. A destination device determines whether one or more file checksums exist in an extended file attribute associated with an identified file. Responsive to one or more file checksums existing in the extended file attribute associated with the identified file, the destination device reads the one or more file checksums out of the extended file attribute without accessing the magnetic tape. The destination device transmits the one or more file checksums to a source device. The source device segments the data of the new file into fixed-length blocks that do not overlap one another. The source device calculates one or more new file checksums for each of the fixed-length blocks. The source device transmits the one or more new file checksums to the destination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ashida, Tohru Hasegawa, Hiroshi Itagaki, Shinsuke Mitsuma, Terue Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9336700
    Abstract: A highlighting method and an interaction system (100) include at least one controllable light emitting source (110) linked to an item (120); and a processor (140) configured to turn on the controllable light emitting source (110) in response to user selection of the item (120). The controllable light emitting source (110) may be embedded in a mat (210) or a strip (430). The mat (210) may include a matrix of photo detectors or pressure sensors configured to detect the base or footprint of the item (120) when placed on the mat (210). The periphery of the product or the footprint may be illuminated upon selecting the product. Alternatively or additionally, a background surface behind the product may be illuminated upon selection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Tatiana Lashina, Gerrit Hollemans, Evert Jan Van Loenen, Sander Bernard Francis Van De Wijdeven, Kero Van Gelder, Markus Gerardus Leonardus Maria Van Doorn, Vincentius Paulus Buil
  • Patent number: 9013823
    Abstract: A tape performance optimization method may include accumulating data in a memory, monitoring the accumulation of data, determining whether a certain amount of data has been accumulated in the memory, and causing the accumulated data to be migrated to a tape in a tape library. In one embodiment, the amount of data to be accumulated is set to be two wraps or a multiple thereof. Using embodiments, it can take zero or near zero time to rewind the tape when unloading occurs, eliminating wasted tape movement time and significantly increasing tape performance. In one embodiment, the accumulation of data may be terminated even if the desired amount of data has not been accumulated. In one embodiment, the termination might be triggered by a timeout condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP
    Inventors: Robert C. Sims, William H. Moody, II, Brian J. Bianchi
  • Publication number: 20150098149
    Abstract: A set of lateral positions, of the magnetic medium with respect to the tape reel and a set of longitudinal positions of the magnetic medium with respect to the beginning of the magnetic medium as the magnetic medium comes off the first tape reel, are identified. A record is stored, on a non-volatile storage medium, of the set of lateral positions of the magnetic medium and the set of longitudinal positions of the magnetic medium. The record, of the set of lateral positions of the magnetic medium and the set of longitudinal positions of the magnetic medium as the magnetic medium comes off a second tape reel, is read. A tape head is moved laterally, to the lateral positions in response to the reading of the record of the set of lateral positions of the magnetic medium and the set of longitudinal positions of the magnetic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allen K. Bates, Nhan X. Bui, Daniel J. Winarski
  • Publication number: 20150062744
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Giovanni Cherubini, Jens Jelitto, Angeliki Pantazi
  • Patent number: 8896958
    Abstract: A tape drive is disclosed. The tape drive determines a current tape width and writes data to the tape as well as the current tape width. The tape width written to the tape is associated with the data. When reading data from a tape the tape drive reads the stored tape width and adjusts the current tape width to match the stored tape width before reading the data associated with the stored tape width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Donald J Fasen, Jeffrey S McAllister
  • Patent number: 8867160
    Abstract: A first data group in an access sequence is selected based on which data group in the data groups has a beginning closest to a current position of the tape medium. Those data groups located in specified regions of the tape medium are separated from other data groups located in alternative specified regions of the tape medium. The distance from the current position of the tape medium is set to be a logical distance value, determined by a calculation function, that is substituted for the physical distance value for the data groups that are located in the specified regions as compared with other data groups located in the alternative specified regions. A second data group in the access sequence is selected based on which remaining data group in the data groups has a beginning closest to an end of the first data group in the access sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Katagiri, Yuhko Mori, Masakatsu Murata, Hirokazu Nakayama, Yutaka Oishi
  • Patent number: 8856437
    Abstract: A tape performance optimization method may include accumulating data in a memory, monitoring the accumulation of data, determining whether a certain amount of data has been accumulated in the memory, causing the accumulated data to be migrated to a tape in a tape library, and tracking physical locations of files stored on tape. In one embodiment, the amount of data to be accumulated is set to be two wraps or a multiple thereof. In one embodiment, two copies of data are written to two tapes in an alternating fashion. When a file is to be read, a tape is accessed if it has a copy of the file whose physical location is determined to be closest to beginning of tape. Since file location on tape determines the time it takes to position the tape, this method can shorten the amount of time required to retrieve a file from tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP
    Inventors: Robert C. Sims, William H. Moody
  • Patent number: 8817411
    Abstract: A tape performance optimization method may include accumulating data in a memory, monitoring the accumulation of data, determining whether a certain amount of data has been accumulated in the memory, and causing the accumulated data to be migrated to a tape in a tape library. In one embodiment, the amount of data to be accumulated is set to be two wraps or a multiple thereof. Using embodiments, it can take zero or near zero time to rewind the tape when unloading occurs, eliminating wasted tape movement time and significantly increasing tape performance. In one embodiment, the accumulation of data may be terminated even if the desired amount of data has not been accumulated. In one embodiment, the termination might be triggered by a timeout condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: KIP CR P1 LP
    Inventors: Robert C. Sims, William H. Moody, II, Brian J. Bianchi
  • Patent number: 8736993
    Abstract: Approaches are provided for a hard-disk drive (HDD) and techniques for using multiple LUNs per HDD where each LUN is mapped to a head/disk interface. In one example, a HDD generates multiple LUNs and assigns each to a single head, such that data written by a first head is only associated to a first LUN, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Zvonimir Z. Bandic, Cyril Guyot
  • Patent number: 8654476
    Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer program products are provided for operating a tape drive comprising a tape medium with a plurality of record groups stored thereon. Access sequence for the plurality of record groups is provided. The tape medium is positioned for reading a record group in the access sequence before a seek command for the record group in the access sequence is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Katagiri, Yutaka Oishi, Yuhko Mori, Hirokazu Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8599511
    Abstract: In a controller of a tape drive, when a command processor receives a command for moving to the end of data (“EOD”) or the like, an operation signal output unit suspends the moving of a tape and a cartridge memory (“CM”) input/output unit stores therein a state of the tape in which the moving has been omitted. Then, when the command processor receives a command for writing data in this state, the CM input/output unit writes the data to a cartridge memory. Subsequently, for example, when a head passes a proper position at which the data should be actually written to the tape, the CM input/output unit reads the data from the cartridge memory, and the channel input/output unit writes the data to the tape at the proper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Shiratori, Kohei Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8566517
    Abstract: A tape performance optimization method may include accumulating data in a memory, monitoring the accumulation of data, determining whether a certain amount of data has been accumulated in the memory, causing the accumulated data to be migrated to a tape in a tape library, and tracking physical locations of files stored on tape. In one embodiment, the amount of data to be accumulated is set to be two wraps or a multiple thereof. In one embodiment, two copies of data are written to two tapes in an alternating fashion. When a file is to be read, a tape is accessed if it has a copy of the file whose physical location is determined to be closest to beginning of tape. Since file location on tape determines the time it takes to position the tape, this method can shorten the amount of time required to retrieve a file from tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Crossroads Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Sims, William H. Moody, II
  • Patent number: 8537490
    Abstract: For determining an access sequence of a plurality of data groups stored on a tape medium, a first data group in the access sequence is selected based on which data group in the plurality of data groups has a beginning closest to a current position of the tape medium. A second data group in the access sequence is selected based on which remaining data group in the plurality of data groups has a beginning closest to an end of the first data group in the access sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Katagiri, Setsuko Masuda, Yuhko Mori, Hirokazu Nakayama, Yutaka Oishi
  • Patent number: 8526136
    Abstract: For determining an access sequence of a plurality of data groups stored on a tape medium, a first data group in the access sequence is selected based on which data group in the plurality of data groups has a beginning closest to a current position of the tape medium. A second data group in the access sequence is selected based on which remaining data group in the plurality of data groups has a beginning closest to an end of the first data group in the access sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Katagiri, Setsuko Masuda, Yuhko Mori, Hirokazu Nakayama, Yutaka Oishi
  • Patent number: 8477440
    Abstract: Provided is a tape recorder that has a tape including at least one partition and that controls access to the tape. The tape recorder includes: means for identifying a position of data on the tape; means for sequentially reading necessary data areas in the data; means for sequentially copying the necessary data areas to the beginning of an empty area on the tape; means for creating a continuous front empty area formed of unnecessary data areas and copy source areas of the necessary data areas on the tape; and means for moving a beginning of the partition (BOP) to a position immediately after the front empty area and for updating the position information on the beginning of the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Itagaki, Setsuko Masuda, Yutaka Oishi, Terue Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8270817
    Abstract: A recording apparatus is for a DVD on which a TS-VOB, and pieces of playback path information each showing a playback path of the TS-VOB are recorded. When extended control with various contents can be executed by an apparatus at the time of playback, an extended attribute section in which extended control is valid is specified in accordance with the contents of the extended control. When an extended attribute section is to be uniformly specified for playback paths of the TS-VOB, a section marker for specifying a location of the extended attribute section of the TS-VOB is generated in VOB information. When an extended attribute section is to be individually specified for one playback path, a section marker specifying a location of the extended attribute section of the playback path is generated in PGC information. The generated VOB information and PGC information are written to the DVD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakanishi, Tomotaka Yagi, Wataru Ikeda, Kazuhiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8244953
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for extending the functionality of tape device tapemarks. When data is backed up to tape, the tape controller may mark the tape with a tapemark to organize portions of the tape. Present tape storage devices are limited to a single type of tapemark; therefore current recovery requests require knowledge of the tapemark location. The present invention allows for unique types of tapemarks. By allowing the tape device, tape controller and/or backup and recovery software to recognize unique tapemarks, data organized by unique tapemarks can be recovered without referencing tapemark location, thereby optimizing recovery. Unique tapemarks may be encrypted such that data recovery is only completed upon verification of the requester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Ranjit Kumar
  • Patent number: 8190831
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting a syncMark in a read channel, such as a hard disk drive. A syncMark is detected in a sector in an iterative read channel by obtaining a sector signal from a storage media, the sector signal comprising a first syncMark, data and a second syncMark substantially at an end of the sector; determining whether the first syncMark is detected in the sector signal; searching for the second syncMark if the first syncMark is not detected in the sector signal; and detecting and decoding the sector signal based on a detection of the second syncMark. The second syncMark may be positioned, for example, following data in the sector signal. The second syncMark can be searched for in a window within the signal sector that is based on an estimated location of the first syncMark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Yuan Xing Lee, Fuminori Sai, Shaohua Yang
  • Patent number: 8037268
    Abstract: Aiming to suitably balance, when backing up data to a magnetic tape, search time and writing/reading performance depending on the purpose of the backup, provided is a disk array apparatus including a disk device having hard disks, a magnetic tape device including a magnetic tape to which data to be backed up is written, and a control unit performing writing and reading processings of data between the disk device and the magnetic tape device. The control unit includes an FM (file mark) interval managing unit which receives a purpose of use when backing up the data on the magnetic tape, and from FM intervals which is held in association with the purpose of use thus received and which indicates an interval of recording FMs on the magnetic tape, acquires an FM interval corresponding to the purpose of use thus received, and transmits the acquired FM interval to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Computer Peripherals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Aikawa, Kazuhiro Usami, Hirokazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8027109
    Abstract: Reuse of partially expired physical tape volumes reuse is attained in a longitudinal tape data storage drive, wherein data is stored as a sequence of serpentine wraps, a wrap comprising a first linear path traced on a longitudinal tape; and another linear path, laterally spaced from the first linear path, traced on the longitudinal tape; the linear paths extending from one end of the longitudinal tape to the opposite end and arranged in opposite directions. One embodiment of a method comprises identifying expired portions of stored data on the longitudinal tape; determining whether data of a complete linear path of the longitudinal tape has been expired; and allowing reuse of any determined complete linear path for storage of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Kenneth Lyman
  • Publication number: 20110176238
    Abstract: In a controller of a tape drive, when a command processor receives a command for moving to the end of data (“EOD”) or the like, an operation signal output unit suspends the moving of a tape and a cartridge memory (“CM”) input/output unit stores therein a state of the tape in which the moving has been omitted. Then, when the command processor receives a command for writing data in this state, the CM input/output unit writes the data to a cartridge memory. Subsequently, for example, when a head passes a proper position at which the data should be actually written to the tape, the CM input/output unit reads the data from the cartridge memory, and the channel input/output unit writes the data to the tape at the proper position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiyuki SHIRATORI, Kohei TAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20110102932
    Abstract: A method of managing a defect of a hard disk drive includes calculating a number of ECC symbols of every sector which becomes an object of a defect scan and setting a defect reference value based on results of the calculation. The hard disk drive sets a sector as a defect sector having the number of ECC symbols greater than a set defect reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sung Joong YUN, Sang-Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 7929830
    Abstract: In recording, reproducing, and recording/reproducing apparatuses and methods thereof, while endlessly-recording first data, desired second data can be easily stored. The present invention comprises recording means for endlessly-recording the first data in a recording medium, input means for inputting a start and end point of the second data out of the first data, and control means, when the start point and end point are designated, for controlling the recording means so as to endlessly-record the first data while avoiding a recording region for the second data. Thereby, the second data can be stored without replacing the recording medium even if the second data is endlessly-recorded. In addition, when the start point and end point of the desired second data out of the first data are designated, the start point and end point are recorded, and then the first data is endlessly-recorded based on the recorded start point and end point while avoiding the recording region for the second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiaki Kojima
  • Patent number: 7911727
    Abstract: An apparatus for writing data to a data storage medium on which data is stored in data groups (N?3 to N+1) comprising tracks extending across and spaced from a reference edge of the storage medium includes a control system operable to cause i) a track reference difference value representative of a difference in a distance between the tracks of an existing data group (N?1) on the storage medium and the reference edge and a distance between the reference edge and the tracks of a data group (N) to be written to the storage medium such that it is the next data group following the existing data group (N?1) or ii) data from which such a difference value can be derived to be included in at least one of frame (A1 to A5) to be written between the existing data group and the next data group such that the tracks of the at least one frame are spaced from the reference edge by substantially the same distance as the tracks of the existing data group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Nigel Ronald Evans, Russell Ian Monk
  • Patent number: 7903363
    Abstract: A method to write information to a tape storage medium by disposing a tape storage medium in a tape drive apparatus comprising a write head. The method moves the tape storage medium in a first direction, writes data from a buffer to the tape storage medium, and thereby empties the buffer while the tape storage medium is moving in the first direction. The method determines, while the tape storage medium is moving in the first direction, whether to enable a backhitchless write wherein the tape storage medium is not stopped and moved in a second and opposition direction, prior to writing new data to the tape storage medium. By not stopping the movement of the tape storage medium, and by not moving the tape storage medium in a reverse direction to reposition the write head, the method eliminates the time overhead required to stop the tape and reposition the tape head. Applicants' method achieves this time efficiency without adverse impact to the nominal storage capacity of the tape information medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Itagaki, James Mitchell Karp, Takashi Katagiri, Motoko Oe, Yutaka Ooishi
  • Patent number: 7898758
    Abstract: A method for using magnetic tape having damaged areas is disclosed. The method may include writing data to streaming magnetic tape, determining if the data write was successful, and responding to an unsuccessful data write by interrupting the data writing and advancing the magnetic tape forward a predetermined distance. Additionally, the method may include attempting to write data at the next location on the magnetic tape and determining if the data write was successful. The method may further include repeating the steps of advancing the tape, attempting to write, and determining whether the data write was successful following any determination that an attempted data write was not successful. The method may include further include resuming writing data to streaming magnetic tape at a location where a data write is determined to be successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Perry Joseph Leopold, Jr., John H. Dearlove, Sr., William Lindsay Theobald, Michael Joseph Linane, III, Dina Eldin
  • Patent number: 7864478
    Abstract: The provision of verification for data storage cartridges having data storage tape media employs determining the volume identity of a data storage cartridge; and providing an internal label at each block of data to be written to the data storage tape media of the data storage cartridge, the internal label at least comprising the volume identity. Verification of a label comprises reading an external label of the cartridge, the external label at least comprising a volume identity of the cartridge; determining whether the tape media comprises valid data arranged in blocks; positioning the tape media at one of the data blocks and attempting to read an internal label from the data block; and if so, determining whether the volume identity of the external label matches the volume identity of the internal label, and, if so, determining that the matching volume identity is the volume identity of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Anna, Norie Iwasaki, Gregory Tad Kishi, Duke Andy Lee, Koichi Masuda