Index pulse generation in a data storage tape drive
US5361176A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2220/90
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for generating an index pulse by a data storage tape drive. The tape drive is controlled by a flexible disk controller. A multi-track tape is formatted into multiple data segments per track with erased areas between segments. A digital data signal from the tape signal processor is sampled to detect a lapse in data. Then, the analog data signal is continuously monitored to detect the reappearance of data. When filtered analog signal peaks exceed a fixed threshold, a pulse is generated from the tape drive to the flexible disk controller. In an alternative embodiment, to further protect against false triggering, index pulse generation is suppressed during most of each erased area between segments. In another embodiment, index pulse generation is suppressed if an erased area exceeds a length threshold, such as at the end of the tape. In still another embodiment, index pulse generation is suppressed if digital data reappears without triggering the analog monitoring circuit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.