EP1075694A1 - Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties - Google Patents

Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties

Info

Publication number
EP1075694A1
EP1075694A1 EP98913303A EP98913303A EP1075694A1 EP 1075694 A1 EP1075694 A1 EP 1075694A1 EP 98913303 A EP98913303 A EP 98913303A EP 98913303 A EP98913303 A EP 98913303A EP 1075694 A1 EP1075694 A1 EP 1075694A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
frequency
servo
signal
tape
written
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Withdrawn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
EP98913303A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1075694A4 (en
Inventor
Ronald Dean Gillingham
Steven Gregory Trabert
John Paul Mantey
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.)
GlassBridge Enterprises Inc
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 to EP02015237A priority Critical patent/EP1271477B1/en
Publication of EP1075694A1 publication Critical patent/EP1075694A1/en
Publication of EP1075694A4 publication Critical patent/EP1075694A4/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/19Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
    • G11B27/28Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
    • G11B27/30Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B5/00Recording by magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier; Reproducing by magnetic means; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B5/48Disposition or mounting of heads or head supports relative to record carriers ; arrangements of heads, e.g. for scanning the record carrier to increase the relative speed
    • G11B5/58Disposition or mounting of heads or head supports relative to record carriers ; arrangements of heads, e.g. for scanning the record carrier to increase the relative speed with provision for moving the head for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the head relative to the record carrier during transducing operation, e.g. to compensate for surface irregularities of the latter or for track following
    • G11B5/584Disposition or mounting of heads or head supports relative to record carriers ; arrangements of heads, e.g. for scanning the record carrier to increase the relative speed with provision for moving the head for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the head relative to the record carrier during transducing operation, e.g. to compensate for surface irregularities of the latter or for track following for track following on tapes
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/90Tape-like record carriers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the field of dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval.
  • the invention relates to the field of automatic control of a recorder mechanism.
  • the invention relates to track centering using a servo pattern.
  • the invention is a unique servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties .
  • 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 -2 -
  • the tape - tape head positioning may be affected by variations in the tape or tape head, tape movement caused by air flow, temperature, humidity, tape shrinkage, and other factors, especially at the outside edges of the tape.
  • servo stripes have been employed to provide a reference point to maintain correct positioning of the tape with respect to the tape head.
  • One or more servo stripes may be used depending upon the number of data tracks which are placed upon the tape.
  • the sensed signal from the servo stripes is fed to a control system which moves the head and keeps the servo signal at nominal magnitude.
  • the nominal signal occurs when the servo read gap is located in a certain position relative to the servo stripes.
  • a one-half inch wide length of magnetic tape 11 may contain up to 288 or more data tracks on multiple data bands 12. With such a large number of data tracks it may be desirable to include up to five or more servo stripes 13 to improve data read and write function performance.
  • Servo stripes 13 may utilize various patterns or frequency regions to allow precise tape to tape head positioning thus allowing a data read head to more accurately read data from data bands 12.
  • a portion of a conventional servo stripe 13 is shown having two frames 14 and 15.
  • a first frequency signal 16 is written across the width of servo stripe 13. As is • 3-
  • an erase frequency is written over first frequency signal 16 in a predetermined pattern such as five rectangles 17 in each of frames 14 and 15.
  • the five rectangles 17 in each frame result in nine horizontal interfaces 18 between frequency signal 16 and erase patterns 17 as the tenth edge 19 along the bottom is ignored.
  • a dashed line 21 illustrates the alignment of a read gap 22 in a tape read head 23.
  • dotted line 21 passes along one of edges 18 and through the center of gap 22. If the servo pattern on the tape is passed right to left over gap 22, then read gap 22 will alternate between reading frequency 16 across the full width 24 of gap 22 in areas 25 and frequency 16 across one half of read gap 22.and an erase frequency from patterns 17 across the other half of width 24 in areas 26.
  • Fig. 3 shows the read frequency signals from one frame 14 or 15 as read by head gap 22 in Fig. 2.
  • the amplitude of the signal is larger in areas 25 where frequency area 16 passes over the full width 24 of head gap 22.
  • the amplitude of the signal is about half as large in area 26 when one half of width 24 reads frequency area 16 and the other half reads erase patterns 17.
  • the servo control system in a tape drive uses the ratio of the full signal amplitude in field 25 to the half signal amplitude in field 26 to stay on track. For the on track position shown by dotted line 21 in Fig. 2 the ratio will be exactly one-half -4 -
  • the tape controller can sense the position of the tape 11 with respect to the read gap 22 and move head 23 to keep the head gap 22 aligned with the servo stripe along line 21.
  • This alignment ensures precise reading of a data track in data bands 12 by the data read head (not shown) . While this system can result in more precise positioning of the tape head 23 with respect to tape 11, a difficulty can arise in that the controller must be able to determine in which field, 25 or 26, it is in at the time the signal is read. That is, there must be synchronization between the time the signal in field 25 is sampled and the time the signal in field 26 is sampled.
  • the change in signal amplitude in moving to or from field 25 to or from field 26 could be used to determine in which field/area on the servo stripe read gap 22 is located. That is, if the signal drops to about one-half amplitude, it can be assumed that gap 22 is sensing movement from field 25 into field 26. Conversely, if the signal amplitude approximately doubles, it can be assumed that gap 22 is sensing tape movement into field 25 from field 26. However, this method is prone to error for a number of reasons. If head gap 22 is aligned such that it passes between erase patterns 17, only signal 16 will be read and there will be no amplitude change in the signal from areas 25 to areas 26 or vice versa.
  • the invention is a novel servo track pattern in which a synchronization frequency area is utilized as a transition area from one frame to another. A higher frequency in the synchronization signal area on the servo stripe is used as the transition area to define the frame boundaries. That is, the large - 6-
  • frequency difference is used as the criterion to improve frame edge detection.
  • Fig. 1 is an illustration of multiple servo stripes and data bands on magnetic tape
  • Fig. 2 is an illustration of a servo pattern including multiple erase bands
  • Fig. 3 is a graph of the analog signal generated from the servo pattern of Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 4 is an illustration of a servo pattern including a synchronization frequency area
  • Fig. 5 is a graph of the analog signal generated from the servo pattern of Fig. 4 converted to a digital signal along with the clock pulses and the detection signal;
  • Fig. 6 is a block diagram of signal conversion and detection circuitry.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates multiple servo stripes 13 written onto a given tape portion 11 to allow precise positioning of data bands 12 with respect to a data read head (not shown) .
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a servo pattern to be written as servo stripes 13 onto tape 11. Referring to Fig. 4, a synchronization frequency signal is written on a first area 27 across the width of servo stripe 13. A different frequency signal is written on a second area 28 across the width of servo stripes 13. First area 27 and second area 28 together comprise one frame 14. Synchronization frequency region 27 and servo modulation frequency area 28 are then alternately written onto servo stripe 13 in successive frames 15, etc.
  • a third frequency signal which may be, for example, an erase frequency signal, is written in a predetermined band pattern in each frame over second area 28.
  • the erase frequency pattern is written in the form of parallelograms 17 which may take the form of a square or rectangle.
  • fields 25 and 26 in frames 14 and 15 may be identical to those in Fig. 2.
  • the signal frequency in area 27 is approximately double that of second frequency area 28.
  • the frequency in field 29 of an analog signal 30 sensed by the read gap 22 is approximately double the sensed frequency in adjacent fields 25/26/25.
  • This frequency difference allows use of a criterion other than change m amplitude to detect the transition to or from a frame (e.g. frame 14 to frame 15 in Fig 4) . That is, the frequency change from field 29 to field 25/26/25 and vice versa enables frame edge detection which is less subject to noise and errors than a system such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which relies on detecting the amplitude change m moving to or from fields 25 and 26.
  • the analog signal 30 m Fig. 5 is converted into a digital signal 31 by a data qualifier circuit 32 as used m data read channels.
  • Data qualifier circuit 32 may be a zero crossing detector as is known to one skilled n the art.
  • the half periods defined by each high and low pulse in digital signal 31 are proportional to the period of analog signal 30.
  • the frequency of digital signal 31 in field 29 of Fig. 5 is different than the frequency of digital signal in fields 25, 26, 25 while the frequency of the signals in fields 25 and 26 is substantially identical. Because it is a digital signal, the amplitude differences between the pulses in fields 25 and 26 and 29 are not significant.
  • a clock signal 33 from a crystal oscillator 34 is supplied to a counter 35 along with digital signal 31.
  • Clock signal 33 is a very accurate high frequency signal.
  • Counter 35 counts the number 36 of clock pulses 33 during each half period of digital signal 31. Because - 9-
  • the period of the signal in field 29 is about half the period of the signals in fields 25 and 26, the counter will count half as many clock pulses during each half period of signal 31 in field 29 as during a half period of signal 31 in fields 25 or 26.
  • the number of clock signals 33 during each half period defined by a high or low pulse in signal 31 in field 29 is about 4 while the number of clock signals during each half period in fields 25, 26, 25 is about 8.
  • Counter comparator logic 35 will generate a detection signal 37 in response to a change in count of clock pulses 33 in consecutive half periods of digital signal 31. That is, compare logic circuitry in counter 35 is used to compare the number 36 of clock pulses 33 which are counted during each half period defined by a high or low pulse in digital signal 31.
  • counter 35 upon detecting the decrease in the number 36 of clock pulses 33 during each half period of signal 31 in moving from field 25 in frame 14 to field 29 of frame 15, counter 35 will generate a low detection signal at 38.
  • counter 35 upon detecting an increase in count number 36 of clock pulses 33 for two successive half periods moving from field 29 in frame 15 to field 25 of frame 15, counter 35 will generate a high detection signal at 39.
  • a synchronization signal with a frequency measurably different from the frequency of the signal in the remaining portion of the frame allows more accurate detection of the frame edge.
  • the transition in the number 36 of clock pulses 33 may not change from, for ⁇ 1 0 -
  • detection signal 37 changes state (high to low or vice versa) after two successive half periods of a predetermined change in clock pulse counts 36 are detected.
  • the predetermined change in count may be, for example, from two successive half periods with 6 or more counts to two successive half periods with 5 or less counts (at 38) .
  • a change in count from two successive half periods to a count of 5 or less to two half periods with counts of 6 or more results in an output signal at 39.
  • the controller in utilizing detection signal 37.
  • the count frequency and the required number of counts to define a transition may be varied according to engineering design considerations as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
  • two half periods of frequency change are used in the preferred embodiment for redundancy/ accuracy purposes, any number of half periods of change may be used in accordance with the invention.

Abstract

A magnetic tape servo pattern with different frequency signals is written on a magnetic tape to define the frame boundary. A significantly different frequency field is used to signal the transition from one frame to the next. Servo stripes (13) are written onto tape (11). A first frequency signal is written on a first area (27) and a second frequency signal is written on a second area (28). The first and second frequency signals are alternately written onto servo stripe in successive frames (14, 15). A third frequency signal is written in a predetermined band pattern in each frame over the second area.

Description

- 1 -
TAPE SERVO PATTERN WITH ENHANCED SYNCHRONIZATION PROPERTIES
Field of the Invention
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 centering using a servo pattern. By way of further characterization, but not by way of limitation thereto, the invention is a unique servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties .
Description of the Related Art
Magnetic tape recording has been utilized for many years to record voice and data information. For information storage and retrieval, 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 -2 -
introduced into the reading or writing of data. The tape - tape head positioning may be affected by variations in the tape or tape head, tape movement caused by air flow, temperature, humidity, tape shrinkage, and other factors, especially at the outside edges of the tape.
In order to increase data track accuracy, servo stripes have been employed to provide a reference point to maintain correct positioning of the tape with respect to the tape head. One or more servo stripes may be used depending upon the number of data tracks which are placed upon the tape. The sensed signal from the servo stripes is fed to a control system which moves the head and keeps the servo signal at nominal magnitude. The nominal signal occurs when the servo read gap is located in a certain position relative to the servo stripes. Referring to Fig. 1, a one-half inch wide length of magnetic tape 11 may contain up to 288 or more data tracks on multiple data bands 12. With such a large number of data tracks it may be desirable to include up to five or more servo stripes 13 to improve data read and write function performance. Servo stripes 13 may utilize various patterns or frequency regions to allow precise tape to tape head positioning thus allowing a data read head to more accurately read data from data bands 12.
Referring to Fig. 2, a portion of a conventional servo stripe 13 is shown having two frames 14 and 15. A first frequency signal 16 is written across the width of servo stripe 13. As is 3-
known in the art, an erase frequency is written over first frequency signal 16 in a predetermined pattern such as five rectangles 17 in each of frames 14 and 15. The five rectangles 17 in each frame result in nine horizontal interfaces 18 between frequency signal 16 and erase patterns 17 as the tenth edge 19 along the bottom is ignored. A dashed line 21 illustrates the alignment of a read gap 22 in a tape read head 23.
Referring to Fig. 2, if the alignment of read gap 22 with servo pattern 13 is as shown, dotted line 21 passes along one of edges 18 and through the center of gap 22. If the servo pattern on the tape is passed right to left over gap 22, then read gap 22 will alternate between reading frequency 16 across the full width 24 of gap 22 in areas 25 and frequency 16 across one half of read gap 22.and an erase frequency from patterns 17 across the other half of width 24 in areas 26.
Fig. 3 shows the read frequency signals from one frame 14 or 15 as read by head gap 22 in Fig. 2. The amplitude of the signal is larger in areas 25 where frequency area 16 passes over the full width 24 of head gap 22. The amplitude of the signal is about half as large in area 26 when one half of width 24 reads frequency area 16 and the other half reads erase patterns 17. The servo control system in a tape drive uses the ratio of the full signal amplitude in field 25 to the half signal amplitude in field 26 to stay on track. For the on track position shown by dotted line 21 in Fig. 2 the ratio will be exactly one-half -4 -
because one half of read gap width 24 is over area 16 and one - half is over erase pattern 17.
Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, if tape 11 and hence servo stripe 13 move down with respect to tape head 23, then, in field 26, more of area 16 and less of pattern 17 will be over head gap 22. Referring to Fig. 3, if more of area 16 is read, then the signal in field 26 will increase and this will be sensed by the controller. Conversely, if tape 11 and thus servo stripes 13 move up in Figs. 1 and 2, then head gap 22 will see less of area 16 and more of pattern 17 across width 24. Thus, the signal in area 26 of Fig. 3 will decrease in amplitude proportionately to this movement. In this way the tape controller can sense the position of the tape 11 with respect to the read gap 22 and move head 23 to keep the head gap 22 aligned with the servo stripe along line 21. This alignment ensures precise reading of a data track in data bands 12 by the data read head (not shown) . While this system can result in more precise positioning of the tape head 23 with respect to tape 11, a difficulty can arise in that the controller must be able to determine in which field, 25 or 26, it is in at the time the signal is read. That is, there must be synchronization between the time the signal in field 25 is sampled and the time the signal in field 26 is sampled.
Referring again to Fig. 3, the change in signal amplitude in moving to or from field 25 to or from field 26 could be used to determine in which field/area on the servo stripe read gap 22 is located. That is, if the signal drops to about one-half amplitude, it can be assumed that gap 22 is sensing movement from field 25 into field 26. Conversely, if the signal amplitude approximately doubles, it can be assumed that gap 22 is sensing tape movement into field 25 from field 26. However, this method is prone to error for a number of reasons. If head gap 22 is aligned such that it passes between erase patterns 17, only signal 16 will be read and there will be no amplitude change in the signal from areas 25 to areas 26 or vice versa. In effect the control system which positions the head with respect to the tape is lost. The tape controller system does not know whether gap 22 is in region 25 or 26. Another possible source of error is noise. Because the signals are analog and contain a significant amount of noise, it may be difficult to determine the change in amplitude as gap 22 senses movement from field 25 to field 26 and vice versa. It would be desirable to have a system in which the servo control circuitry could reliably determine in which region read gap 22 is then located.
Summary of the Invention
The invention is a novel servo track pattern in which a synchronization frequency area is utilized as a transition area from one frame to another. A higher frequency in the synchronization signal area on the servo stripe is used as the transition area to define the frame boundaries. That is, the large - 6-
frequency difference is used as the criterion to improve frame edge detection.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 is an illustration of multiple servo stripes and data bands on magnetic tape;
Fig. 2 is an illustration of a servo pattern including multiple erase bands;
Fig. 3 is a graph of the analog signal generated from the servo pattern of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an illustration of a servo pattern including a synchronization frequency area;
Fig. 5 is a graph of the analog signal generated from the servo pattern of Fig. 4 converted to a digital signal along with the clock pulses and the detection signal; and
Fig. 6 is a block diagram of signal conversion and detection circuitry.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like structure throughout each of the various drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates multiple servo stripes 13 written onto a given tape portion 11 to allow precise positioning of data bands 12 with respect to a data read head (not shown) . Fig. 4 illustrates a servo pattern to be written as servo stripes 13 onto tape 11. Referring to Fig. 4, a synchronization frequency signal is written on a first area 27 across the width of servo stripe 13. A different frequency signal is written on a second area 28 across the width of servo stripes 13. First area 27 and second area 28 together comprise one frame 14. Synchronization frequency region 27 and servo modulation frequency area 28 are then alternately written onto servo stripe 13 in successive frames 15, etc. along a length of tape 11. As in Fig. 2, a third frequency signal, which may be, for example, an erase frequency signal, is written in a predetermined band pattern in each frame over second area 28. In the preferred embodiment, the erase frequency pattern is written in the form of parallelograms 17 which may take the form of a square or rectangle. During operation of the tape drive the location of the tape head relative to the tape is controlled by servo readers which monitor the output signal when the reader is positioned at the edge of erase bands 17 as was discussed above with respect to Fig. 2.
Referring to Fig. 4, fields 25 and 26 in frames 14 and 15 may be identical to those in Fig. 2. However , in accordance with the invention, the signal frequency in area 27 is approximately double that of second frequency area 28. Thus, referring to Fig. 5, the frequency in field 29 of an analog signal 30 sensed by the read gap 22 is approximately double the sensed frequency in adjacent fields 25/26/25. This frequency difference allows use of a criterion other than change m amplitude to detect the transition to or from a frame (e.g. frame 14 to frame 15 in Fig 4) . That is, the frequency change from field 29 to field 25/26/25 and vice versa enables frame edge detection which is less subject to noise and errors than a system such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which relies on detecting the amplitude change m moving to or from fields 25 and 26.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the analog signal 30 m Fig. 5 is converted into a digital signal 31 by a data qualifier circuit 32 as used m data read channels. Data qualifier circuit 32 may be a zero crossing detector as is known to one skilled n the art. The half periods defined by each high and low pulse in digital signal 31 are proportional to the period of analog signal 30. The frequency of digital signal 31 in field 29 of Fig. 5 is different than the frequency of digital signal in fields 25, 26, 25 while the frequency of the signals in fields 25 and 26 is substantially identical. Because it is a digital signal, the amplitude differences between the pulses in fields 25 and 26 and 29 are not significant.
The detection of the frame edge m Fig. 5 is accomplished by the circuit shown m Fig. 6. A clock signal 33 from a crystal oscillator 34 is supplied to a counter 35 along with digital signal 31. Clock signal 33 is a very accurate high frequency signal. Counter 35 counts the number 36 of clock pulses 33 during each half period of digital signal 31. Because - 9-
the period of the signal in field 29 is about half the period of the signals in fields 25 and 26, the counter will count half as many clock pulses during each half period of signal 31 in field 29 as during a half period of signal 31 in fields 25 or 26. For example, referring to Fig. 5, the number of clock signals 33 during each half period defined by a high or low pulse in signal 31 in field 29 is about 4 while the number of clock signals during each half period in fields 25, 26, 25 is about 8. Counter comparator logic 35 will generate a detection signal 37 in response to a change in count of clock pulses 33 in consecutive half periods of digital signal 31. That is, compare logic circuitry in counter 35 is used to compare the number 36 of clock pulses 33 which are counted during each half period defined by a high or low pulse in digital signal 31. For example, upon detecting the decrease in the number 36 of clock pulses 33 during each half period of signal 31 in moving from field 25 in frame 14 to field 29 of frame 15, counter 35 will generate a low detection signal at 38. Upon detecting an increase in count number 36 of clock pulses 33 for two successive half periods moving from field 29 in frame 15 to field 25 of frame 15, counter 35 will generate a high detection signal at 39. Thus, the use of a synchronization signal with a frequency measurably different from the frequency of the signal in the remaining portion of the frame allows more accurate detection of the frame edge.
As shown in Fig. 5, the transition in the number 36 of clock pulses 33 may not change from, for 1 0 -
example, precisely 8 to 4 and back to 8 again. Uncertainty in these transition counts may be accounted for by delaying the detection signal one or more half periods of signal 31. In the preferred embodiment as shown in Fig. 5, detection signal 37 changes state (high to low or vice versa) after two successive half periods of a predetermined change in clock pulse counts 36 are detected. The predetermined change in count may be, for example, from two successive half periods with 6 or more counts to two successive half periods with 5 or less counts (at 38) . Conversely, a change in count from two successive half periods to a count of 5 or less to two half periods with counts of 6 or more results in an output signal at 39. In the preferred embodiment, there is a delay in generating the detection signal 37 by comparing counts for two successive half periods such that the total delay is one period. This known delay may be accounted for by the controller in utilizing detection signal 37. The count frequency and the required number of counts to define a transition may be varied according to engineering design considerations as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Likewise, while two half periods of frequency change are used in the preferred embodiment for redundancy/ accuracy purposes, any number of half periods of change may be used in accordance with the invention.
While the invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made which are within the full intended scope of the - 11 -
invention as defined by the appended claims . For example, while specific numbers of servo tracks and data tracks have been disclosed, the invention may be utilized with more or less servo or data tracks. While relative amplitudes and frequencies have been disclosed different ratios of these amplitudes and frequencies may be advantageously used without departing from the scope of the invention. Similarly, while particular tape servo patterns have been disclosed, more or less fields and different types of patterns may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Γûá 12 -What Is Claimed Is:
1. A servo pattern written onto a frame of magnetic tape, said frame including a predetermined area on said tape, said servo pattern comprising: a first signal including a first frequency written onto a first portion of said predetermined area; a second signal written onto at least a part of a remaining portion of said predetermined area adjacent to said first portion, said second signal including a frequency being measurably different from said first frequency; and a third frequency signal written in a predetermined pattern over selected areas of said second signal.
2. A servo signal according to claim 1 wherein said second frequency is about one half of said first frequency.
3. A servo signal according to claim 1 wherein said third frequency signal is an erase frequency.
4. A method for writing a servo pattern frame onto a frame in a length of magnetic tape comprising the steps of: writing a first frequency signal onto a first portion of said frame; writing a second frequency signal onto a second portion of said frame adjacent to said first Γûá 13 -
portion, said second signal including a frequency being measurably different from said first signal; and writing a third frequency signal in a predetermined pattern over selected areas of said second adjacent portion.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said second frequency is about one half of said first frequency.
6. A method according to claim 4 wherein said third frequency signal is an erase frequency.
7. A servo-written tape comprising: a length of magnetic tape; a plurality of data tracks written on and extending longitudinally along the tape; a plurality of servo tracks written on and extending substantially continuously in the longitudinal direction along the tape adjacent to each other and substantially in parallel with the data tracks, the plurality of servo tracks being comprised of a series of frames along the tape, each frame having : a first signal including a first frequency written onto a first portion of the each frame and extending laterally across the entire plurality of servo tracks, for identifying a predetermined location in the frame; a second signal including a second frequency written onto a second portion of the frame and Γûá 14 -
extending across the entire plurality of servo tracks; and a third signal including a third frequency written in a predetermined pattern over selected areas of the second portion, the second and third signals together defining the servo tracks.
8. A servo-written tape according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined location identified by the first signal is the beginning of the frame.
9. A servo-written tape according to claim
7, wherein the second frequency is about one half the first frequency.
10. A servo-written tape according to claim 7, wherein the third frequency is an erase frequency.
11. A servo-written tape according to claim
7, wherein multiple pluralities of data tracks and servo tracks having substantially the same configuration as the first pluralities of data tracks and servo tracks are written at laterally adjacent locations across the tape.
12. A method for simultaneously writing a plurality of servo tracks extending substantially continuously in the longitudinal direction along a length of magnetic tape, the method comprising: (a) writing a first frequency signal extending laterally across the entire portion of the - 15-
tape on which the plurality of servo tracks is to be written;
(b) writing a second frequency signal longitudinally contiguous to the first frequency signal and extending laterally across the entire portion of the tape on which the plurality of servo tracks is to be written;
(c) writing a third frequency signal in a predetermined pattern over selected areas of the area of the tape on which the second frequency signal was written, the second and third frequencies between them defining the plurality of servo tracks; and
(d) repeating steps (a) , (b) , and (c) for each frame along the servo tracks.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the servo tracks are defined as a series of frames, and the first signal is written at the location on the tape corresponding to the beginning of each frame.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second frequency is about one half the first frequency.
15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the third frequency is an erase frequency.
16. A servo-written tape according to claim
12, further comprising writing multiple pluralities of data tracks and servo tracks having substantially the same configuration as the first pluralities of data Γûá16-
tracks and servo tracks at laterally adjacent locations across the tape.
EP98913303A 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties Withdrawn EP1075694A4 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP02015237A EP1271477B1 (en) 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1998/006259 WO1999050840A1 (en) 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02015237A Division EP1271477B1 (en) 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties

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EP1075694A1 true EP1075694A1 (en) 2001-02-14
EP1075694A4 EP1075694A4 (en) 2002-04-17

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EP02015237A Expired - Lifetime EP1271477B1 (en) 1998-03-30 1998-03-30 Tape servo pattern with enhanced synchronization properties

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US7023631B2 (en) * 2002-11-07 2006-04-04 Seagate Technology Llc Bi-frequency servo pattern
US9058828B1 (en) 2014-05-15 2015-06-16 International Business Machines Corporation Servo pattern of a tape storage medium

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US4996609A (en) * 1989-02-22 1991-02-26 Pericomp Corporation Magnetic head recording multitrack servo patterns
US5121270A (en) * 1989-09-19 1992-06-09 Alcudia Ezra R Multitransducer head positioning servo for use in a bi-directional magnetic tape system
US5396376A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-03-07 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Multi-track embedded servo recording format and method
US5675448A (en) * 1994-12-08 1997-10-07 Imation Corp. Track pitch error compensation system for data cartridge tape drives

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EP0138210A3 (en) * 1983-10-14 1986-02-05 Hitachi, Ltd. Rotary head type magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus and method of producing tracking control signals therefor

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US4996609A (en) * 1989-02-22 1991-02-26 Pericomp Corporation Magnetic head recording multitrack servo patterns
US5121270A (en) * 1989-09-19 1992-06-09 Alcudia Ezra R Multitransducer head positioning servo for use in a bi-directional magnetic tape system
US5396376A (en) * 1992-03-23 1995-03-07 Conner Peripherals, Inc. Multi-track embedded servo recording format and method
US5675448A (en) * 1994-12-08 1997-10-07 Imation Corp. Track pitch error compensation system for data cartridge tape drives

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EP1271477B1 (en) 2006-03-01
JP2002510114A (en) 2002-04-02
WO1999050840A1 (en) 1999-10-07
EP1075694A4 (en) 2002-04-17
EP1271477A1 (en) 2003-01-02

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