EP1075693A1 - Procede d'identification de piste de positionneur - Google Patents

Procede d'identification de piste de positionneur

Info

Publication number
EP1075693A1
EP1075693A1 EP98913306A EP98913306A EP1075693A1 EP 1075693 A1 EP1075693 A1 EP 1075693A1 EP 98913306 A EP98913306 A EP 98913306A EP 98913306 A EP98913306 A EP 98913306A EP 1075693 A1 EP1075693 A1 EP 1075693A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
track
servo
tracks
signal
frequency
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98913306A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1075693A4 (fr
Inventor
John Paul Mantey
Steven Gregory Trabert
Ronald Dean Gillingham
Richard Lewis O'day
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Storage Technology Corp
Original Assignee
Storage Technology Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Storage Technology Corp filed Critical Storage Technology Corp
Priority claimed from PCT/US1998/006265 external-priority patent/WO1999050839A1/fr
Publication of EP1075693A1 publication Critical patent/EP1075693A1/fr
Publication of EP1075693A4 publication Critical patent/EP1075693A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the field of dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of automatic control of a recorder mechanism. In still greater particularity, the invention relates to track identification. By way of further characterization, but not by way of limitation thereto, the invention is a method for servo track identification which uses a track identification field in the servo pattern.
  • Magnetic tape recording has been utilized for many years to record voice and data information.
  • magnetic tape has proven especially reliable, cost efficient and easy to use.
  • In an effort to make magnetic tape even more useful and cost effective there have been attempts to store more information per given width and length of tape. This has generally been accomplished by including more data tracks on a given width of tape. While allowing more data to be stored, this increase in the number of data tracks results in those tracks being more densely packed onto the tape. As the data tracks are more closely spaced, precise positioning of the tape with respect to the tape head becomes more critical as errors may be more easily introduced into the reading or -2-
  • Servo stripes 17 may utilize various patterns or frequency regions to allow precise tape to tape head positioning in multiple positions . This allows a data read head to more accurately read data from data stripes 12. Referring to Fig. 2, servo stripes 17 are shown in greater detail. As is disclosed in copending patent application entitled TAPE SERVO PATTERN WITH ENHANCED SYNCHRONIZATION PROPERTIES, United States patent application, Serial No. 804,445, filed February 21, 1997, a first frequency signal 19 is written across the width of a frame 18 in each servo stripe 17.
  • a measurably different frequency such as an erase frequency is written over first frequency signal 19 in a predetermined pattern such as the checkerboard patterns in regions 21 and 22.
  • the horizontal sides of twelve rectangles (20 and 23) in each stripe 17 are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of tape length 11.
  • the six rectangles (12 sides) in each region 21 and 22 define five horizontal interfaces (servo tracks) 24 between frequency signal 19 and rectangles 20, 23 as the outside interfaces 25 along the top and bottom of each stripe 17 are ignored.
  • rectangles 20 are shown on the left side of areas 21 and 22 and rectangles 23 are shown on the right side of areas 21 - 4 -
  • a servo read element 26 in a tape read head is precisely aligned along interface 24 to read the signal frequency along interfaces 24. That is, dotted line representing interface 24 along the horizontal sides of rectangles 20, 23 passes through the center of servo read element 26. If the servo pattern on the tape moves right to left, then servo read element 26 will alternate between reading frequency 19 across the full width of servo read element 26 between areas 21 and 22 and reading frequency 19 across one half of servo read element 26 and an erase frequency from rectangles 20, 23 across the other half of the width of servo read element 26. Thus, if tape 11 moves as shown in Fig. 2, servo read element 26 will first sense rectangle 20 above track 24 and then sense rectangle 23 below track 24 in each of regions 21 and 22.
  • the servo control system in a tape drive determines the position error signal by using the ratio of the difference between the signal amplitude sensed during the first (left) half of patterns 21 or 22 and the signal amplitude sensed during the second (right) half of patterns 21 or 22 divided by the sum of the signal amplitude sensed during the first half of patterns 21 or 22 and the signal amplitude sensed during the second half of patterns 21 or 22 to stay on track.
  • the ratio will be zero because the signal during each half of the pattern will be the same. If servo read element 26 is above track 24, the polarity of the position error signal will be positive because more of -5-
  • the track servo will move the head (including servo read element 26) down until the ratio is zero and servo read element 26 is precisely on track 24. Conversely, if servo read element 26 is below track 24, the polarity of the position error signal will be negative because more of rectangle 23 below track 24 and less of rectangle 20 above track 24 will be read. In response, the track servo will move the head (including servo read element 26) up until the ratio is zero and servo read element 26 is precisely on track 24.
  • the tape controller can sense the position of the tape 11 with respect to the servo read element 26 and move the tape head to keep the head servo read element 26 aligned with the servo track along line 24. This alignment ensures precise reading of a data track in data stripes 12 by the data read head (not shown) .
  • the tape controller system does not know whether servo read element 26 is on the right track.
  • an optical sensor may be used to approximately position the tape head with respect to the tape.
  • an optical sensor is not accurate enough. That is, with the expected range of tape motion due to guiding being significantly wider than track pitch, it is not possible to insure that track following will start on the desired track. This could result in - 6-
  • a prior art solution to tape positioning is to have sufficient information recorded in the data tracks to permit proper identification of the track prior to starting a read or write operation.
  • This approach requires the tape cartridge to be prerecorded at the factory to insure that all tracks had proper identification before being used in the field. Prewriting all tracks with sufficient information to properly identify each track adds to the cost of each cartridge.
  • using data track space for identification information affects capacity because the amount of available space on a data track for actual storage of data is reduced.
  • the invention is a novel method for track identification which uses a track identification area in combination with information about the even or odd track location.
  • the track identification area is positioned over one or more servo tracks depending upon the servo stripe location.
  • the tape controller is able to discern whether the sensed track is an odd or even numbered track by the polarity of the position error signal used in the tracking servo.
  • the tape controller then identifies the sensed track by combining the presence or -7 -
  • Fig. 2 is an illustration of a servo frame illustrating a servo pattern
  • Fig. 3 is an illustration of a multiple servo stripes with a servo pattern including a track identification area in accordance with the invention.
  • Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the track identification method used by the tape controller.
  • FIGs. 1 and 3 one frame 18 in each of five servo stripes 17 are shown.
  • five servo stripes numbered 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31 are shown enlarged and closely spaced for description purposes. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, these servo stripes are actually narrow and distributed across the active area of the tape.
  • Frame 18 in each servo stripe 27 - 31 is identical as described with respect to Fig. 2 above except that a track identification area 32 is added to each frame 18 in a unique location.
  • Each stripe has five servo tracks 24 numbered 1 through 5.
  • the servo system knows by the polarity of the position error signal used in the track following servo whether it is following an even numbered track (2 or 4) or an odd numbered track (1, 3, or 5) but it does not know which odd or even numbered track is being followed For example, if an odd numbered track (i.e. 1) is being followed, then in each of areas 21 and 22, the system will expect the presence of rectangle 20 above track 1 prior to sensing rectangle 23 below track 1. This will be true of all odd numbered tracks. This expectation will cause the odd numbered tracks to be stable equilibrium areas and the even numbered tracks to • 9-
  • tape 11 may be divided into an upper band 15 and a lower band 16. That is, the active portion of the read/write head covers approximately half of the width of the tape at any time (i.e. positions 13 and 14 in Fig. 1) .
  • servo stripes 27, 28 and 29 are used for track following by the servo system.
  • stripes 29, 30, and 31 are used for lower band 16.
  • the servo system When the servo system is in the track following mode, it will be attempting to keep the centerline of the three servo read gaps 26 over the desired track centerline in each of three stripes (27,28, 29 or 29,30,31).
  • the servo system will have a servo read element 26 centered on track 2 in each of stripes 27, 28 and 29.
  • track identification area 32 is added to each frame 18.
  • track identification area 32 is written in a rectangular configuration over two of the five servo tracks 24 in each servo stripe 17.
  • the location on the frame varies among the servo stripes 17.
  • the location of track identification area 32 is the same in stripes 27 and 31 (over tracks 1 and 2) and the location is the same in stripes 28 and 30 ( over tracks 3 and 4) .
  • stripe 29 track ID 32 is over tracks 4 and 5.
  • Stripe 29 is common to both bands 15 and 16. Any two of the three stripes (27, 28, 29) or (29, 30, 31) are sufficient to identify the track 24 being followed. This permits one stripe to be ignored when tape defects or other problems are encountered.
  • Track ID 32 is detected when the servo system is in the track following mode and servo read element 26 is passing the longitudinal portion of the servo frame 18 where track ID 32 is recorded.
  • the erased area comprising track ID 32 is detected when the signal level in the area is less than a predetermined threshold value.
  • this threshold value could be 10% of the nominal level of signal 19.
  • the locations of the lateral edges of the erased area 32 with respect to the track centerlines 24 are a function of the threshold level, the residual signal (how much is left after erase) in the erased area 32, and the desire to minimize detection error.
  • track ID 32 in stripe 27 is detected when the system is following track 1 or 2.
  • Track 1 is distinguished because the track ID 32 is detected and the system knows it is following an odd track 24.
  • track 2 is identifiable because of the presence of track ID 32 and because it is an even track.
  • Track 4 is detected because track ID is not present and it is an even track. Tracks 3 and 5 are indistinguishable from each other because they are both odd and neither has a track ID 32.
  • stripe 31 which has an identical configuration as stripe 27.
  • Stripes 28 and 30 also have identical configurations and, applying the same analysis as above, tracks 2, 3, and 4 can be identified in stripes 28 and 30 but the system cannot distinguish between tracks 1 and 5. Applying the analysis to stripe 29 in Fig. 3, tracks 2, 4 and 5 can be identified but tracks 1 and 3 in stripe 29 are indistinguishable.
  • the identification of a track 24 in Fig. 3 is as follows. Assume the system is operating in band 15 ( stripes 27, 28, and 29) but that stripe 29 is unavailable as it is not needed. With servo read element 26 centered on track 5 in stripes 27 and 28, the tape controller logic 33 receives the signals from element 26 and determines the position error signal and the presence (or absence) of track identification area 32. The polarity of the position error signal is used by the servo system 34 to position the read head and to eliminate tracks 2 and 4 as they are even numbered tracks. Thus, from servo logic 34, the tape controller knows that one of tracks 1, 3, or 5 is being followed.
  • track 1 is eliminated as a candidate by tape controller logic 35.
  • track 3 is eliminated by tape controller logic 35.
  • Track 5 is the only common candidate from stripes 27 and 28 and it is identified by tape controller logic 35 as the track being followed.
  • track identification area 32 may also be modified and could intersect one or more servo tracks depending upon the number of servo tracks in a servo stripe.
  • a particular checkerboard tape servo pattern has been disclosed, different types of patterns may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé d'identification d'une piste de positionneur. Les informations dérivées de la piste de positionneur (7) concernant le numéro pair (20) ou impair (23) de la piste sont combinées à des informations relatives à la présence ou absence d'une zone (32) d'identification de piste pour identifier le numéro de la piste.
EP98913306A 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Procede d'identification de piste de positionneur Withdrawn EP1075693A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1998/006265 WO1999050839A1 (fr) 1997-02-21 1998-03-30 Procede d'identification de piste de positionneur

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1075693A1 true EP1075693A1 (fr) 2001-02-14
EP1075693A4 EP1075693A4 (fr) 2002-06-12

Family

ID=22266722

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98913306A Withdrawn EP1075693A4 (fr) 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Procede d'identification de piste de positionneur

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1075693A4 (fr)
JP (1) JP2002510113A (fr)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4472750A (en) * 1981-07-02 1984-09-18 Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc. Data record with pre-recorded transducer positioning signals, and system for utilizing same
US4586094A (en) * 1984-03-13 1986-04-29 Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for pre-recording tracking information on magnetic media
US5121270A (en) * 1989-09-19 1992-06-09 Alcudia Ezra R Multitransducer head positioning servo for use in a bi-directional magnetic tape system
EP0490876A2 (fr) * 1984-04-05 1992-06-17 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Méthode et appareil pour positionner des transducteurs en convertissant des signaux analogiques en signaux numériques
EP0562563A2 (fr) * 1992-03-23 1993-09-29 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Format pour enregistrer des données d'asservissement encastrés, multipistes et procédé
US5394277A (en) * 1992-05-13 1995-02-28 Tandberg Data A/S Method for determining servo track pair position and longitudinal tape position for a tape using dedicated servo format

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4472750A (en) * 1981-07-02 1984-09-18 Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc. Data record with pre-recorded transducer positioning signals, and system for utilizing same
US4586094A (en) * 1984-03-13 1986-04-29 Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for pre-recording tracking information on magnetic media
EP0490876A2 (fr) * 1984-04-05 1992-06-17 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Méthode et appareil pour positionner des transducteurs en convertissant des signaux analogiques en signaux numériques
US5121270A (en) * 1989-09-19 1992-06-09 Alcudia Ezra R Multitransducer head positioning servo for use in a bi-directional magnetic tape system
EP0562563A2 (fr) * 1992-03-23 1993-09-29 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Format pour enregistrer des données d'asservissement encastrés, multipistes et procédé
US5394277A (en) * 1992-05-13 1995-02-28 Tandberg Data A/S Method for determining servo track pair position and longitudinal tape position for a tape using dedicated servo format
US5568327A (en) * 1992-05-13 1996-10-22 Tandberg Data As Method for determining the tape position using dedicated servo format

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9950839A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1075693A4 (fr) 2002-06-12
JP2002510113A (ja) 2002-04-02

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