IBM Assigned Seven Patents

Writing multiple files simultaneously to tape media
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,021,196) developed by Fujihara, Shinobu, and Oishi, Yutaka, Tokyo, Japan, for a “method, system and computer program product for writing multiple files simultaneously to a tape media.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a method includes storing data received from at least two data sources in a buffer, writing the data from the at least two data sources to regions in a first wrap of a tape on a data-source basis in a first predetermined order, the regions in the first wrap being previously allocated to the at least two data sources, moving a head to a second wrap of the tape when an end of the first wrap of the tape is reached, and writing the data from the at least two data sources to regions in the second wrap in a second predetermined order, the second predetermined order being a reverse order relative to the first predetermined order, the regions in the second wrap being previously allocated to the at least two data sources. The first and second wraps have first and second predetermined lengths, respectively.“

The patent application was filed on March 5, 2013 (13/786,324).

Reordering access to reduce total seek time on tape media
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,021,175) developed by Butt, Kevin D., Fry, Scott M., Greco, Paul M., Tucson, AZ, Katagiri, Takashi, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kanagawa-ken, Japan, for a “method for reordering access to reduce total seek time on tape media.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for reordering User Data Segment, UDS) lists to reduce seek times when accessing data stored on tape media. A host application sends a list of UDSs to a target tape drive and requests the tape drive to reorder the list to provide better performance. An ordered list of target User data Segments to retrieve from a target tape media is received. Information related to the location of each UDS on the target media is processed to determine its corresponding physical position on the tape media. The resulting physical positions are then processed to generate a reordered UDS list, where the order of the User Data Segments is reordered according to their physical location on the target tape media. The reordered list of User Data Segments is then used to perform seek, reposition and read operations to read User Data Segments from the tape media.“

The patent application was filed on August 24, 2010 (12/862,198).

Data storage tape with random access data
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,019,654) developed by Finn, Peter G., Markham, CA, for a “data storage tape with random access data.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Arrangements relate to a data storage system. The data storage system can include a data storage tape. The data storage tape can be arranged in a concertina format. In such a format, the data storage tape can include a plurality of tape segments. Each tape segment can be separated from a neighboring tape segment by a fold. In some arrangements, the data storage tape arranged in a concertina format can be received within a housing.“

The patent application was filed on August 23, 2013 (13/974,175).

High density timing based servo format for use with tilted transducer arrays
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,019,653) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lantz, Mark A., Adliswil, Switzerland, for a “high density timing based servo format for use with tilted transducer arrays.”

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 opposite ends, a longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape being defined between the ends. The magnetic recording tape has at least one servo track, the at least one servo track having a plurality of first magnetic bars and a plurality of third magnetic bars oriented to form chevron-like patterns with the first magnetic bars. The first magnetic bars each have a longitudinal axis oriented at a first angle between 2 and 88 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape. The third magnetic bars each have a longitudinal axis oriented at a second angle between 2 and 88 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape, the second angle having a different numerical absolute value than the first angle.“

The patent application was filed on August 12, 2013 (13/964,643).

Coarse actuator positioning algorithm
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,013,827) developed by Bui, Nhan X., Tucson, AZ, Pantazi, Angeliki, Thalwil, Switzerland, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Kanagawa, Japan, for a “coarse actuator positioning algorithm.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Various embodiments include positioning a coarse actuator based, at least in part on lateral motion of a magnetic tape. In one general embodiment, a method includes receiving a value, IntegRevAve) representative of a lateral position of a tape, comparing the value to a first threshold, using the value to adjust a position of a coarse actuator when the value is in a first range relative to the first threshold, and selectively using an integrator center value, IntegCtr) to adjust the position of the coarse actuator when the value is in a second range relative to the first threshold.“

The patent application was filed on January 16, 2014 (14/157,078).

Tape dimension compensation
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,013,826) developed by Herget, Philipp, San Jose, CA, for a “tape dimension compensation.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In response to determining that a first write operation is to be performed on a portion of tape, writing data to a data track with a tape head element spacing at a nominal value. A tape width of one or more tape positions at which data is written is recorded. In another aspect, a tape width value associated with a tape is retrieved. A current tape width value associated with the tape is determined, and the tape head element spacing is set based on a difference between the retrieved tape width value and the determined current tape width value.“

The patent application was filed on December 18, 2013 (14/132,178).

Optimum tape layout selection for improved error correction capability
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,007,709) developed by Cideciyan, Roy D., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, Hutchins, Robert A., Tucson, AZ, and Mittelholzer, Thomas, Zurich, Switzerland, for a “optimum tape layout selection for improved error correction capability.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”According to one embodiment, a system for selecting an optimum tape layout to store data on a tape medium may include a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to: select a family of data set layouts based on parameters associated with at least a tape drive and the tape medium, compute a set of all minimum distances for the selected family of data set layouts, calculate a first performance metric associated with each possible set of parameters, select a best first performance metric from all calculated first performance metrics and store a set of parameters associated with the best first performance metric, and select a data set layout algorithm which utilizes the set of parameters associated with the best first performance metric, wherein the data set layout algorithm and a rewrite layout algorithm combine to form an optimum tape layout.“

The patent application was filed on July 15, 2013 (13/942,581).