| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080223968 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR CHECKING TAPE REEL MOTION - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for checking tape reel motion. A control module directs a leading servo to apply torque to a leading reel and a trailing servo to apply torque to a trailing reel, wherein the control module directs the leading servo to apply an initial positive torque in a tape motion direction and directs the trailing servo to apply an initial negative torque counter to the tape motion direction. If there is no change in an angular position of the leading and trailing reels, the control module incrementally sums a first incremental positive torque to the leading torque to increase the leading torque and a second incremental positive torque to the trailing torque until there is a change in the angular position of the leading and trailing reels and/or until the torques exceed torque limits. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090190244 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC TAPE STICK AND TAPE BREAK DETECTION - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for dynamic tape stick and tape break detection. A first counter increments a first count and resets a second count in response to a sensor pulse from a first sensor of a first tape servo. A second counter increments the second count and resets the first count in response to a sensor pulse from a second sensor of a second tape servo. A detection module detects either the first count or the second count exceeding an error threshold. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090302143 | APPLYING WHIP EFFECT TO MAGNETIC TAPE EXHIBITING A TAPE STICK CONDITION - As the result of a tape stick condition of magnetic tape with respect to a tape head, the supply reel and the take-up reel apply a base tension to the magnetic tape therebetween of substantially less than a full tension that occurs when the tape is running, and one reel varies the applied tension greater than and less than the base tension by an amount less than the base tension. The variation of the applied tension comprises first applying the greater tension and in succession, second, applying the less tension, comprising a whip effect. The whip effect may be in accordance with a sine wave. The varied tension is less than the base tension to maintain positive tension. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100033863 | CARTRIDGE REFRESH AND VERIFY - A method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes receiving an instruction to perform a verification operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; unwrapping at least some of the tape from the spool of the media cartridge; after the unwrapping, wrapping at least some of the tape back onto the spool; during at least one of the unwrapping and wrapping (and preferably both, and possibly over several cycles of unwrapping and wrapping), performing a verification operation; generating a quality metric based on the verification operation; and outputting the quality metric or derivative thereof, such as a pass or fail indication; an instruction to set a pass/fail flag; a number, score or graphic illustrating to a user a general quality of the tape, etc. Additional methods and systems are also presented. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20110216441 | APPLICATION OF CONTINUOUS POSITION ERROR OFFSET SIGNAL TO ACQUIRE SERVO TRACK - The method employs a servo system for positioning a head laterally to follow lateral motion of a longitudinal tape having longitudinal defined servo track(s), the servo system comprising a servo element configured to sense lateral position of the head with respect to an acquired servo track, a fine actuator configured to translate the head laterally with respect to the longitudinal tape, and a position error signal loop to operate the fine actuator to translate the head laterally to reduce position error. If the servo element is positioned away from the defined servo track(s), a continuous position error offset signal is applied to the fine actuator in a direction towards the defined servo track(s), whereby the fine actuator translates the head in accordance with the continuous position error offset signal; and, in response to the servo system acquiring the defined servo track(s), the continuous position error offset signal is discontinued. | 09-08-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080272222 | METHOD FOR REDUCING OCCURRENCES OF TAPE STICK CONDITIONS IN MAGNETIC TAPE - Disclosed is a method for reducing occurrences of tape stick conditions in magnetic tape, the method including stopping functional rotation of each of two bi-directionally rotatable reels of a reel-to-reel tape drive that includes a length of magnetic tape at least partially wound around each reel, a portion of the length of tape extending between the two moveable reels and contacting a head positioned between the two reels; wherein the stopping creates a stop condition in the tape drive, actuating a fractional rotation at least one of the two bi-directionally movable reels a fraction of a reel turn in a first direction during the stop condition, causing the portion of the length of tape to at least temporarily break contact with the head via the fractional rotation, and re-starting functional rotation of each of the reels, ending the stop condition via the re-starting. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20100020662 | Automatic Unthread to Secure Tape From Sticking to the Head - A system and method for automatically unthreading a tape. The system and method determine whether the drive being at the stop state could cause the tape sticking condition in future after a defined dwell time (e.g., 20 minutes). The tape sticking tends to increase with time and humidity. Moreover, it is known that worn tape is stickier than new tape. With a plurality of attempts (e.g., four attempts) of moving tape (e.g., every 5 minutes), the drive is able to identify whether the tape needs to be unthreaded. Such a system allows a tape drive to handle the tape in safety at severe condition for the sticking tape, and minimize the penalty for the response to the command in normal condition. | 01-28-2010 |
