Patent · US Expired

Tape drive utilizing encoded file markers to locate target positions

US6268975A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 12, 1999
Grant dateJul 31, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B2220/913
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for locating target positions within an encoded data stream, where the encoded data stream incorporates special, reserved codewords to represent host data structure information, such as file marks and record boundaries. The encoded data stream can also only be read or decoded in the forwards direction. Incorporation of the special codewords obviates an index associated with the encoded data to support navigation within the encoded data stream. The methods and apparatus locate target positions by decoding the data until the target position is encountered, and provide mechanisms to enable location of target positions that are specified as being backwards, relative to a current position in the encoded data stream.

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