Patent · US Expired

Method of identifying magnetic tape characteristics

US6025967A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
32References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 24, 1993
Grant dateFeb 15, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 24, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B2220/90
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for providing information about the characteristics of a length of magnetic tape to a tape drive without the use of a separate sensor. The drive has a scanning read/write head that is capable of reading/writing on data tracks on the tape which span at least a portion of the width of the tape. A pattern of magnetically polarized stripes is provided on the tape. The stripes extend along the length of a portion of the tape and are polarized substantially transversely to their length. As the tape is driven past a read/write head, the head reads the pattern on the tape, and decodes the information in the pattern. The drive can then respond as appropriate to the information to facilitate the reading/writing of data on the tape.

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