IBM Assigned Fourteen Patents

Tape header format having efficient
and robust codeword interleave designation, (CWID) protection
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,064,541) developed by Cideciyan, Roy D., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, Hutchins, Robert A., Tucson, AZ, Mittelholzer, Thomas, Zurich, Switzerland, and Tanaka, Keisuke, Tokyo, Japan, for a “tape header format having efficient and robust codeword interleave designation, (CWID) protection.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a system for providing header protection in magnetic tape recording is adapted to write a codeword interleave, (CWI) set on a magnetic tape including a plurality of CWIs equal to a number of tracks, wherein a data set includes a plurality of CWI sets, provide a CWI set header for the CWI set, the CWI set header including a CWI header for each CWI in the CWI set, each CWI header including at least a CWI Designation, (CWID) which indicates a location of the CWI within the data set, calculate or obtain CWID parity for all CWIDs in the CWI set header, the CWID parity including error correction coding, (ECC) parity, and store the CWID parity to one or more fields which are repeated for each CWI header in the CWI set header without using reserved bits in the CWI set header to store the CWID parity.“

The patent application was filed on August 26, 2013 (14/010,387).

Accurate radius and velocity measurement of tape transports
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,064,532) developed by Hancock, Reed A., Inch, Randy C., Tucson, AZ, and Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, for a “accurate radius and velocity measurement of tape transports.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method according to one embodiment includes computing a radius value of a tape on an outgoing reel during unwinding of the tape from the outgoing reel, adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position, and outputting the adjusted computed radius. A method according to another embodiment includes computing a radius value of a tape on an incoming reel during winding while the tape is being wound onto the incoming reel, adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position, and outputting the adjusted computed radius.“

The patent application was filed on May 21, 2014 (14/284,242).

File index, metadata storage, and file system management for magnetic tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,063,666) developed by Amir, Arnon, Saratoga, CA, Pease, David A., and Richter, Rainer, San Jose, CA, for a “file index, metadata storage, and file system management for magnetic tape.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a method includes loading a tape cartridge into at least one tape drive installed in an automated tape library, where a tape of the tape cartridge has at least two partitions, writing plurality of data blocks on a first of the partitions, and writing an index on a second of the partitions, wherein the index includes information about at least one of files and the blocks on the first partition.“

The patent application was filed on March 25, 2010 (12/732,159).

Data storage drive with target of opportunity recognition
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,063,542) developed by Greco, Paul M., and Jaquette, Glen A., Tucson, AZ, for a “data storage drive with target of opportunity recognition.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a command to mount a tape cartridge in a tape drive, mounting the tape cartridge in the tape drive, and determining that at least one special operation can be performed by the tape drive after mounting of the tape cartridge thereby. A first notification that the tape drive is in a not ready state is sent in response to determining the at least one special operation can be performed. The at least one special operation is performed. A second notification that the tape drive is in a ready state or an error state is sent after performing the at least one special operation.“

The patent application was filed on January 27, 2014 (14/165,432).

Solid state storage media cartridge
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,060,414) developed by Schwartz, Stephen L., and Winarski, Daniel J., Tucson, AZ, for a “solid state storage media cartridge.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”According to embodiments of the invention, a tape cartridge adapted to house solid state storage may be provided. The cartridge may include a cartridge housing. The cartridge may also include a reel located within the cartridge housing, wherein the reel includes one or more radial grooves adapted to hold one or more solid state storage elements. According to other embodiments, the cartridge may also include one or more solid state storage elements held within the reel, wherein each solid state storage element includes a first electrical connector.“

The patent application was filed on May 15, 2013 (13/895,024).

Recovery of data written before initialization of format in tape media
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,058,843) developed by Iwanaga, Masayuki, Urayasu, Japan, Ohta, Yumiko, Yokohama, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “recovery of data written before initialization of format in tape media.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape medium uses a format to store data in which the tape medium is partitioned into an index partition, (IP) and a data partition, (DP). The latest metadata related to additional data newly added and written to the DP in accordance with the format is updated and stored in the IP. The same metadata is repeatedly written after the updated metadata, (e.g. Index #1) in the IP. Alternatively, additional data newly added and written to the DP is stored in memory, and is called from memory and then added and written after metadata, (e.g. Index #0) during the formatting. In either manner, data written prior to formatting may be recovered.“

The patent application was filed on August 4, 2014 (14/450,367).

Servo pattern of tape storage medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,058,828) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Engelen, Johan B.C., Furrer, Simeon, Jelitto, Jens, and Lantz, Mark A., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, for a “servo pattern of a tape storage medium.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape storage medium comprises at least one servo band, (SB) along a longitudinal extension, (x) of the tape storage medium, (TP) for supporting to determine positional information. The servo band, (SB) comprises a set of servo tracks, (STx) extending along the longitudinal extension, (x) of the tape storage medium, (TP) and arranged next to each other. Each servo track, (STx) of the set contains a servo pattern with magnetic transitions at a defined frequency, fx, wherein the frequencies, (fx) of magnetic transitions of servo patterns of adjacent servo tracks, (STx) are different from each other. The set of servo tracks, (STx) contains at least three servo tracks, (STx) with magnetic transitions of different frequencies, (fx).“

The patent application was filed on May 15, 2014 (14/278,881).

Writing file on tape medium that can be read at high speed
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,053,745) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Masuda, Setsuko, Ohta, Yumiko, and Watanabe, Terue, Tokyo, Japan, for a “method for writing file on tape medium that can be read at high speed.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Mechanisms for writing a file on a tape medium in a manner that enables high-speed reading are provided. A predetermined format is applied to the medium that divides the medium into a first region of a predetermined length in a longitudinal direction from a region of the medium, and a second region that extends from an end of the first region to a terminal region of the medium in a longitudinal direction and that has a predetermined width with respect to a width of the medium in a transverse direction. Writing a top data portion of a predetermined data amount of the data of the file in the first region and writing data of the file in the second region are performed.“

The patent application was filed on August 14, 2014 (14/459,429).

Tape storage system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,053,744) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Engelen, Johan B. C., Furrer, Simeon, Jelitto, Jens, and Lantz, Mark A., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, for a “tape storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape storage medium includes a tape head for reading/writing data from/to a tape storage medium. At least one servo band along a longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium determines positional information. The servo band includes a set of servo tracks having a width extending along the longitudinal extension and arranged next to each other. A total of two different servo patterns are contained in the set of servo tracks. The tape head includes two servo readers. A width of each servo reader orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the tape storage medium is at least half the width of a servo track. The two servo readers are offset from each other orthogonal to the longitudinal extension by d*wST+n*wST with wST being the width of the servo track, with 0<d<1, and with n being an integer.“

The patent application was filed on August 4, 2014 (14/450,611).

Magnetic recording head having quilted-type coating
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,053,723) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “magnetic recording head having quilted-type coating.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A module according to one embodiment includes a plurality of transducers, a tape bearing surface having a transducer region aligned with the transducers in a tape travel direction, and outer regions flanking the transducer region in a direction perpendicular to the tape travel direction, a first coating on the transducer region of the tape bearing surface, and a second coating on at least one of the outer regions of the tape bearing surface, the second coating being different than the first coating.“

The patent application was filed on July 17, 2014 (14/334,518).

Adaptive soft-output detector for magnetic tape read channels
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,047,918) developed by Blinick, Katherine T., Hutchins, Robert A., Tucson, AZ, Mittelholzer, Thomas, Zurich, Switzerland, and Oelcer, Sedat, Kilchberg, Switzerland, for a “adaptive soft-output detector for magnetic tape read channels.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a method includes passing a signal through an adaptive noise whitening filter, wherein one or more noise whitening coefficients used in the noise whitening filter are updated using a noise whitening filter coefficient updater, wherein the noise whitening filter is configured to process the signal according to a transfer polynomial: W(D)=1-(p.sub.1D+ . . . +p.sub..lamda.’D.sup..lamda.’, where p.sub.1 . . . p.sub..lamda.’ are noise whitening coefficients, where a tape channel is characterized by a transfer polynomial F(D)=1+f.sub.1D+ . . . +f.sub.LD.sup.L where D is delay corresponding to bit duration, with 2.sup.L being a number of states of the tape channel, wherein a soft detector has a total of 2.sup.L+.lamda. states, the noise whitening filter comprises 2.sup..lamda.’ states, .lamda.’ is greater than .lamda., L represents a memory length of the tape channel, and .lamda. represents a memory length of the noise whitening filter.“

The patent application was filed on April 15, 2014 (14/253,724).

Servo pattern of tape storage medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,047,899) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Engelen, Johan B. C., Furrer, Simeon, Jelitto, Jens, and Lantz, Mark A., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, for a “servo pattern of a tape storage medium.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape storage medium comprises at least one servo band, (SB) along a longitudinal extension, (x) of the tape storage medium, (TP) for supporting to determine positional information. The servo band, (SB) comprises a set of servo tracks, (STx) extending along the longitudinal extension, x) of the tape storage medium, (TP) and arranged next to each other. Each servo track, (STx) of the set contains a servo pattern with a pseudo noise sequence, (PN_x) of symbols, wherein the pseudo noise sequences, (PN_x) of servo patterns of adjacent servo tracks, (STx) are different from each other. The set of servo tracks, (STx) contains at least three servo tracks, (STx) with different pseudo noise sequences, (PN_x).“

The patent application was filed on May 15, 2014 (14/278,849).

Lateral tape motion signal conditioning
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,047,897) developed by Bui, Nhan X., Inch, Randy C., Tucson, AZ, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Kanagawa, Japan, for a “lateral tape motion signal conditioning.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Various embodiments described herein include processing of a lateral tape motion signal, caused primarily by a tape supply reel, e.g., depending on direction of tape movement). The resulting data may be used, at least in part, to determine placement of a coarse actuator. In one general embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal representative of a lateral position of a magnetic head, and integrating portions of the signal representative of a lateral position of a magnetic head, the portions corresponding to fractions of one or more revolutions of a supply reel for generating first data. The first data is averaged over a value or values corresponding to one or more revolutions of the supply reel for generating second data.“

The patent application was filed on January 16, 2014 (14/157,101).

High performance cartridge format
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,047,879) developed by Inch, Randy C., and Judd, Kevin B., Tucson, AZ, for a “high performance cartridge format.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A data storage system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic medium over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The data storage system is configured to use at least two different track width formats, where which of the at least two different track width formats used by the system during reading and/or writing of data is selectable. A magnetic tape-based data storage system according to another embodiment includes a magnetic head, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head, wherein the system is configured to use at least two different track width formats, wherein which of the at least two different track width formats used by the system during reading and/or writing of data is selectable.“

The patent application was filed on February 26, 2013 (13/778,029).