Patent · US Expired

Track servo control method for data cartridge tape drives

US5661616A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
14References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 1995
Grant dateAug 26, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 24, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B5/5508
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A track control method for a data cartridge tape drive which includes a multichannel head assembly, a positioner for controllably positioning the multichannel head assembly transversely to a transport path for a tape driven by the drive, and drive electronics responsive to a carrier servo signal. The track control method initializes the data cartridge tape drive by operating the positioner to move the head assembly to a preselected transverse position. Next, the tape is moved along the transport path and the positioner is moved to substantially minimize a feedback signal derived from the carrier servo signal. The head assembly is stepped a first predetermined number of steps in a first transverse direction until the carrier servo signal is not detected. If the carrier servo signal is not detected, then the positioner is stepped so as to move the head assembly a second predetermined number of steps in a second transverse direction to locate a reference track.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.