IBM Assigned Nineteen Patents

Configuration of physical control unit to support multiple logical control units
for different tape drive types in mainframe native tape attachment storage system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,378,767) developed by Lyman, Joel K., Mower, Spencer G., Tucson, AZ, and Stillwell, Arthur W., Mesa, AZ, for a “configuration of a physical control unit to support multiple logical control units for different tape drive types in a mainframe native tape attachment storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Method embodiments for facilitating configuration of a physical control unit to support multiple logical control units are provided. Each logical control unit supports communication with a single tape drive model type up to a maximum number of drives. A customer obtains a number N of logical control units through purchase, lease or other legitimate avenues. Based on the number of tape drive model types L and the number of tape drives for each type Q.sub.L, the model types are mapped to the N LCUs. In general, mapping priority is given to the newer generation model types and the model types in which the number of attached tape drives Q.sub.L exceeds the capacity M of a single LCU. An exception being that the oldest model type is ensured a mapping to an LCU. The LCUs may be reconfigured and the model types remapped on the physical CU if the customer adds different model types to the storage system or obtains a different number of LCUs.“

The patent application was filed on July 26, 2013 (13/952,297).

Efficiency of file synchronization in linear tape file system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,372,868) developed by Ashida, Takashi, Yamato, Japan, Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, and Watanabe, Terue, Tokyo, Japan, for a “efficiency of file synchronization in a linear tape file system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A mechanism is provided for improved file synchronization of a magnetic tape. A destination device determines whether one or more file checksums exist in an extended file attribute associated with an identified file. Responsive to one or more file checksums existing in the extended file attribute associated with the identified file, the destination device reads the one or more file checksums out of the extended file attribute without accessing the magnetic tape. The destination device transmits the one or more file checksums to a source device. The source device segments the data of the new file into fixed-length blocks that do not overlap one another. The source device calculates one or more new file checksums for each of the fixed-length blocks. The source device transmits the one or more new file checksums to the destination device.“

The patent application was filed on December 4, 2013 (14/096,094).

Dynamically controlling tape velocity
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,361,928) developed by Bui, Nhan X., Judd, Kevin B., Justo, Roger J., Tucson, AZ, Nakayama, Hirokazu, Fujisawa, Japan, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Yamato, Japan, for a “dynamically controlling tape velocity.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A maximum velocity is dynamically determined during a tape drive operation to obtain a statistical standard deviation of a position error signal, (PES) that yields an amount of stopwrite, (SW) operations that avoids backhitching. The tape velocity is adjusted to the maximum velocity.“

The patent application was filed on December 7, 2015 (14/960,954).

Variable scoping capability for physical tape layout diagnostic structure
of tape storage device
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,355,675) developed by Nylander-Hill, Pamela R., Tucson, AZ, for a “variable scoping capability for physical tape layout diagnostic structure of tape storage device.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”According to one embodiment, a method includes collecting data relating to operation of a tape drive, storing the collected data in a tape map, and storing a subset of the collected data in a slice region upon at least one of experiencing a first trigger condition and reaching a predefined location on a tape. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in additional embodiments.“

The patent application was filed on July 14, 2014 (14/331,188).

Quasi-statically tilted head having offset reader/writer transducer pairs
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,355,665) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “quasi-statically tilted head having offset reader/writer transducer pairs.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Aspects of the present invention relates generally to apparatuses with transducer arrays having offset transducers. Various embodiments are particularly suited to tilting for tape dimensional instability compensation. Some embodiments include dual servo readers in a given array.“

The patent application was filed on November 5, 2015 (14/934,023).

Tape recording head having non-parallel gaps and dissimilar transducer pitches
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,355,664) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “tape recording head having non-parallel gaps and dissimilar transducer pitches.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus according to one embodiment includes first and second arrays of transducers, each array having a longitudinal axis defined between outermost transducers thereof. The longitudinal axes of the arrays are not parallel to one another. At least one servo track reader is associated with each array for reading servo data from the medium. The transducers are for reading and/or writing data in data bands of the magnetic medium. A computer program product for writing data to a magnetic recording tape, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a controller to cause the controller to determine an extent of tape dimensional instability, cause adjustment of a tilt angle of a first array of transducers to perform a readback operation based on the determined extent, and cause performance of the readback operation.“

The patent application was filed on June 10, 2015 (14/735,392).

Dual purpose tape write transducer
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,355,656) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Fontana, Jr., Robert E., and Jubert, Pierre-Olivier, San Jose, CA, for a “dual purpose tape write transducer.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape write transducer includes a first yoke member, a second yoke member and a shield member arranged in a row so that row includes two gaps: an inter-yoke-member gap, (between the two yoke members), and a shield-member gap, (between one of the yoke members and the shield member). In operations using an underlayerless tape, the magnetic field in the inter-yoke member gap causes magnetic transitions to be written to the underlayerless recording medium in a point along the tape that is in vicinity to the inter-yoke-member gap. In operations using an underlayer tape, the magnetic field in the shield-member gap causes magnetic transitions to be written to the underlayer tape recording layer at a point along the tape that is in vicinity to the shield-member gap.“

The patent application was filed on March 11, 2015 (14/644,534).

Automated data storage library with target of opportunity recognition
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,349,410) developed by Greco, Paul Merrill, and Jaquette, Glen Alan, Tucson, AZ, for a “automated data storage library with target of opportunity recognition.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system and computer program product are provided for utilizing target of opportunity to perform at least one special operation while a removable storage medium is mounted within a data storage drive for another purpose. The system comprises a tape library and a tape drive coupled to the tape library. The tape library receives a command to mount a tape cartridge in the tape drive. If it is determined by the tape library that at least one special operation may be performed, then tape library has recognized that a target of opportunity exists. In response to determining that at least one special operation may be performed, the tape library sends a first notification that the tape drive is to remain in a not ready state. The tape library mounts the tape cartridge in the tape drive after determining that at least one special operation may be performed. In response to the tape drive performing the at least one special operation, the tape library sends a second notification that the tape drive is in a ready state or an error state.“

The patent application was filed on January 8, 2008 (11/971,050).

Index writing in linear tape file system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,348,837) developed by Iwanaga, Masayuki, Tiba-ken, Japan, Ohta, Yumiko, Yokohama, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “index writing in a linear tape file system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Mechanisms are provided for performing a synchronization operation for synchronizing data to a tape medium. The mechanisms receive a request to perform the synchronization operation on the tape medium and obtain file information from a storage device in response to the request. The mechanisms determine if the file information is associated with a file that has been changed since a last index was written to the tape medium. In response to the file information being determined to be associated with a file that has been changed since a last index was written to the tape medium, the mechanisms add index information corresponding to the file information to a partial index. The partial index comprises index information for files less than a total number of files recorded on the tape medium. The mechanisms write the partial index to the tape medium.“

The patent application was filed on December 5, 2013 (14/097,352).

Reducing total seek time for determining access sequence
of data stored on tape medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,343,111) developed by Katagiri, Takashi, Mori, Yuhko, Yokohama, Japan, Murata, Masakatsu, Nagaizumi, Japan, Nakayama, Hirokazu, Fujisawa, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “reducing total seek time for determining an access sequence of data stored on a tape medium.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A first data group in an access sequence is selected. Those data groups located in specified regions of the tape medium are separated from other data groups located in alternative specified regions of the tape medium. The distance from the current position of the tape medium is set to be a logical distance value, determined by a calculation function, that is substituted for the physical distance value for the data groups that are located in the specified regions as compared with other data groups located in the alternative specified regions. A second data group in the access sequence is selected. The logical distance value is then determined by multiplying a coefficient based on a physical positioning of each of the data groups in the tape medium, and a percentage of those of the plurality of data groups that have already been selected as the first data group and the second data group.“

The patent application was filed on October 1, 2014 (14/503,581).

Performing process for removal medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,343,106) developed by Itagaki, Hiroshi, Oishi, Yutaka, Ozeki, Kazuhiro, and Yoshimura, Katsumi, Yamato, Japan, for a “performing process for removal medium.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In a controller of a tape drive, when an error recovery section cannot recover an error detected by an error detecting section, an error-report generation section generates an error report, an error-information acquisition section acquires error information of the tape drive and a cartridge loaded in the tape drive, an error-information exchange section acquires pieces of error information of other tape drives and cartridges loaded in these other tape drives, an error-factor judging section judges whether the error is attributable to the tape drive or the cartridge based on these pieces of error information, an error-report update section updates the error report in accordance with the result of this judgment, and an error-report output section outputs the error report thus updated to a host.“

The patent application was filed on February 5, 2015 (14/615,106).

Servo control
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,343,093) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Jelitto, Jens, and Lantz, Mark A., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, for a “servo control.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape head includes a set of one or more segments, wherein each segment of the set is individually movable with respect to a frame, each segment of the set comprising at least one of a write element configured to write data to a tape and a read element configured to read data from the tape, and each segment of the set comprising a further read element having a width transverse to a motion direction of the tape being at least a width of the write element of the segment or, in the event that no write element is comprised in the segment, of a write element of a different segment.“

The patent application was filed on February 13, 2015 (14/621,773).

Recording medium having independent track for velocity,
timing and/or longitudinal position
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,336,805) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “recording medium having independent track for velocity, timing and/or longitudinal position.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A product according to one embodiment includes a magnetic recording tape having at least one first servo track, and a supplemental servo track positioned in a spare area located within a data band of the magnetic recording tape. An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a magnetic head and at least one module having an array of transducers. The apparatus is configured to read and/or write to magnetic recording media having at least one first servo track, and a supplemental servo track positioned in a spare area located within a data band of the magnetic recording tape.“

The patent application was filed on September 16, 2015 (14/856,335).

Slim profile, rear docking tape drive canister
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,330,729) developed by McIntosh, Michael P., and Nave, Shawn M., Tucson, AZ, for a “slim profile, rear docking tape drive canister.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, an automated tape library includes an array of tape drive canister bays which each allow insertion of a tape drive canister therein that supports a tape drive, a power system, a communications system, and a robotic accessor adapted for accessing through insertion and/or removal tape cartridges in tape drives in the array of tape drive canister bays, wherein each tape drive canister bay includes a latching mechanism adapted for securing a tape drive canister into the tape drive canister bay when the latching mechanism is in a latched close position and releasing the tape drive canister from the tape drive canister bay when the latching mechanism is in an unlatched open position, and a library docking connector adapted for connecting a docking connector of the tape drive canister to the power system and the communications system when the latching mechanism is in the latched close position.“

The patent application was filed on September 24, 2012 (13/625,708).

Linear recording executing optimum writing upon receipt
of series of commands including mixed read and write commands
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,330,713) developed by Shiratori, Toshiyuki, Tokyo, Japan, and Taguchi, Kohei, Yokohama, Japan, for a “linear recording executing optimum writing upon receipt of series of commands including mixed read and write commands.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a head, a controller coupled to the head, and logic integrated with and/or executable by the controller. The logic is configured to receive a series of commands, the series of commands including mixed read, overwrite, and append write commands, cause reading of data from a specified position of a tape using the head and storing the data in a buffer in response to a read command, and cause writing of data stored in the buffer starting from an appended data end position of the tape in response to an append write command.“

The patent application was filed on August 26, 2015 (14/836,874).

Erasing recorded data by utilizing read head and write head
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,330,708) developed by Iwanaga, Masayuki, Urayasu, Japan, Ohta, Yumiko, Yokohama, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kanagawa, Japan, for a “erasing recorded data by utilizing read head and write head.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Techniques for reducing the time required for erasing specific data recorded on a tape medium. A specific group of records is erased without preliminarily locating the erasure end position. This is carried out by simultaneously utilizing three heads, that is, two read heads and one write head, to detect the erasure end position during data erasure. Various embodiments are applicable to tape media as well as other storage media. Various embodiments are not only applicable as a file system cooperating as a combination of hardware, (H/W) and software, (S/W), but also applicable in systems, such as databases, that directly use storage without an intermediary file system.“

The patent application was filed on May 22, 2015 (14/719,361).

Magnetic tape storage medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,330,700) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Furrer, Simeon, Jelitto, Jens, and Lantz, Mark A., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, for a “magnetic tape storage medium.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A magnetic tape storage medium includes at least one servo band with at least two sub-bands along a longitudinal extension of the medium. Servo bursts are written to the sub-bands to determine positional information of the medium. A first of the sub-bands includes a first burst with at least one servo stripe inclined at a first non-zero angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the medium followed by a second burst comprising at least one servo stripe inclined at a second non-zero angle with respect to the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the medium, which second angle is different from the first angle. A second of the sub-bands includes a first burst having at least one servo stripe followed by a second burst having at least one servo stripe, the first and the second bursts parallel to each other.“

The patent application was filed on April 23, 2015 (14/694,438).

Miniskirt tape head having quasi-statically tilted transducer arrays
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,330,686) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “miniskirt tape head having quasi-statically tilted transducer arrays.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head. The magnetic head has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion together providing a tape bearing surface. The first portion has two pieces defining an opening at least partially encircling the second portion. The second portion has at least one array of transducers. A longitudinal axis of each of the at least one array is defined between opposite ends thereof, and is oriented at an angle relative to a line oriented orthogonally to the intended direction of tape travel thereacross, the angle being between 0.2.degree. and about 10.degree.. A closest distance between tape bearing surfaces of the two pieces of the first portion in the intended direction of tape travel is less than a widest width of the tape bearing surface of the second portion in the intended direction of tape travel.“

The patent application was filed on September 21, 2015 (14/860,607).

Adapting to predicted changes in host transmission rates
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,329,787) developed by Katagiri, Takashi, Yokohama, Japan, for a “adapting to predicted changes in host transmission rates.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a method is provided for adapting a host transfer rate between a host and a tape drive to a medium transfer rate between the tape drive and a tape. A data compression rate of untransferred data in a buffer of a tape drive is measured. A change in a future host transfer rate is predicated based on the measured compression rate. A host transfer rate between a host and the tape drive is adapted to a medium transfer rate between the tape drive and a tape, based on the predicted change“

The patent application was filed on April 8, 2015 (14/681,390).