IBM Assigned Twelve Patents

Microcode data recovery strategies for use of iterative decode
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,778,977) developed by Bentley, Steven R., and Nylander-Hill, Pamela R., Tucson, AZ, for a “microcode data recovery strategies for use of iterative decode.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Various embodiments for data error recovery in a tape storage system, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises modifying erasure control configuration settings upon rereading a buffered dataset having passed through at least one microcode-initiated iterative decode cycle. X microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles are initiated on the buffered dataset while the tape is stopped, where x comprises at least one of a plurality of the microcode-initiated iterative decode cycles. The x microcode-initiated decode cycles are initiated on the buffered dataset until a predetermined error correction threshold is reached.“

The patent application was filed on January 23, 2017 (15/412,215).

Management of data and resources in tiered data storage system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,772,775) developed by Sarafijanovic, Slavisa, Adliswil, Switzerland, Ashida, Takashi, Yamato, Japan, Ishimoto, Takeshi, Kawasaki, Japan, Petermann, Martin, Zurich, Switzerland, Weigold, Thomas D., Thalwil, Switzerland, Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Bjoerkqvist, Mathias, Rueschlikon, Switzerland, Abe, Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, and Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, for a “scalable and efficient access to and management of data and resources in a tiered data storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In a general embodiment, a method includes storing hierarchically-organized global configuration information for each node and each tape library resource in a storage cluster to at least one memory accessible by each node of the storage cluster, the storage cluster comprising at least one tape library. The method further includes migrating and/or recalling, using the hierarchically-organized global configuration information, data to and/or from a tape cartridge pool within a tape library. The migration or recall is performed by an appropriate node of the storage cluster and in response to receiving a migration or recall request at an arbitrary node of the storage cluster.“

The patent application was filed on August 21, 2015 (14/832,925).

Pass-through tape access in disk storage environment
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,767,035) developed by Crawford, Joshua J., Jennas, II, Paul A., Tucson, AZ, Peipelman, Jason L., Austin, TX, and Ward, Matthew J., Vail, AZ, for a “pass-through tape access in a disk storage environment.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A command to write data to a virtual location is received at a disk storage system. The virtual location is mapped to a tape storage system. A record is generated including the data, the virtual location, and a sequence value. The sequence value indicates relative sequence when compared to other sequence values. The record is written to a record location on a tape cartridge loaded in a tape drive. Record metadata on the disk storage system is modified to indicate that the first record location contains the first record. The data on the record can be read from the tape cartridge.“

The patent application was filed on November 17, 2015 (14/943,073).

Write procedure using estimated best setting in first run
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,766,813) developed by Karp, James M., Tucson, AZ, Katagiri, Takashi, Yokohama, Japan, Mori, Yuhko, Kanagawa, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “write procedure using estimated best setting in first run.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “In one general embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for a write operation to be performed in a tape drive, determining an expected transaction size of a next write operation, comparing the expected transaction size of the next write operation to each of a first transaction size threshold and a second transaction size threshold in response to receiving the request, determining an optimum a write procedure based at least in part on the comparison, and invoking the optimum write procedure in response to determining the optimum write procedure, wherein the first transaction size threshold is greater than the second transaction size threshold, and wherein the optimum write procedure is selected from the group consisting of: a backhitch write procedure, a same wrap backhitchless flush, (SWBF) write procedure, and a recursively accumulating backhitchless flush, (RABF) write procedure.“

The patent application was filed on February 6, 2013 (13/761,095).

Detecting media defects
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,761,272) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “detecting media defects.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method according to one embodiment includes instructing a drive to detect a written signal burst on a magnetic tape and stop movement of the tape in response to detecting the written signal burst. A search for a defect is conducted in a location proximate to the written signal burst. An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a plurality of detector structures positioned in an array. Each of the detector structures includes a pair of conductive layers separated by an insulating material. A write transducer is aligned with each of the detector structures. A controller is configured to cause one of the write transducers to write a signal burst in response to the associated detector structure encountering a defect.“

The patent application was filed on October 11, 2016 (15/290,978).

Automated data storage library with target of opportunity recognition
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,761,269) developed by Greco, Paul M., and Jaquette, Glen A., 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 according to one embodiment includes a tape library and a tape drive coupled to the tape library. 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. A method according to one embodiment includes sending a first notification that a tape drive is to remain in a not ready state in response to determining at least one special operation may be performed by said tape drive upon mounting of a tape cartridge therein. The tape cartridge is caused to be mounted in the tape drive after determining that at least one special operation may be performed.“

The patent application was filed on April 22, 2016 (15/136,678).

Tape heads with sub-ambient pressure cavities
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,761,259) developed by Engelen, Johan B. C., Zurich, Switzerland, Lantz, Mark A., Thalwil, Switzerland, and Rothuizen, Hugo E., Oberrrieden, Switzerland, for a “tape heads with sub-ambient pressure cavities.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A unidirectional and bi-directional tape head with sub-ambient pressure cavities. The tape head is adapted for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape. The tape head includes: a tape-bearing surface, a transducer area, having at least one transducer designed for reading and/or writing to the magnetic tape, a cavity open on the tape-bearing surface adjacent to the transducer area that extends parallel to the transducer area and transversally to the longitudinal direction of circulation of the tape such that an opening of the cavity faces the tape in operation, and one or more air bleed slots connected to the cavity. The cavity is further dimensioned and arranged with respect to the transducer area to create, upon circulation of the tape in operation, sub-ambient pressure therein.“

The patent application was filed on December 30, 2015 (14/984,671).

High density timing based servo format
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,761,257) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lantz, Mark A., Adliswil, Switzerland, for a “high density timing based servo format.“

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 and at least one servo track, a longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape being defined between the ends. The at least one servo track has a plurality of straight first magnetic bars, and a plurality of straight second magnetic bars spaced from the first magnetic bars. A width of each of the at least one servo track is defined in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape between sides of the servo track. Lengths of the second magnetic bars between outermost ends thereof are less than 80% of the width of the associated servo track, straight portions of the second magnetic bars each having a longitudinal axis oriented substantially 90 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the magnetic recording tape.“

The patent application was filed on July 20, 2016 (15/215,495).

Cartridge label printer for library system
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,757,957) developed by Breuer, Marcus, Dalheim, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, Muehge, Thorsten, Budenheim, Germany, and Rueger, Erik, Ockenheim, Germany, for a “cartridge label printer for a library system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A cartridge label printer is provided for printing and applying a label to a cartridge, such as a tape cartridge in a tape library system. The cartridge label printer includes a housing having a form factor and electrical connectors identical to a tape drive module of the tape library system, and a controller to control functions of the cartridge label printer. The controller is compatible with a communication protocol of the tape drive module. The cartridge label printer further includes a label supply roll comprising individual labels on a carrier tape, an empty carrier tape reception roll, a label printing device adapted for printing a code on the label, a carrier tape transport unit, a label removal unit adapted for a removal of a label from the carrier tape, and a label application unit adapted for applying the label to the cartridge.“

The patent application was filed on August 8, 2016 (15/230,691).

Reducing total seek time for determining access sequence of data stored on tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,754,628) developed by Katagiri, Takashi, Mori, Yuhko, Yokohama, Japan, Murata, Masakatsu, Nagaizumi, Japan, Nakayama, Hirokazu, Shiga-ken, 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. A distance from a 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 May 6, 2016 (15/148,437).

Magnetic head and system having offset arrays
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,754,616) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Herget, Philipp, San Jose, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “magnetic head and system having offset arrays.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A computer program product for orienting a head includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to: determine a desired pitch for transducers for reading and/or writing to a magnetic tape, and cause a mechanism to orient a head to achieve the desired pitch. The array of a first of the modules is offset from the array of a second of the modules in a first direction parallel to the axis of the array of the second module such that the transducers of the first module are about aligned with the transducers of the second module in the intended direction of tape travel thereacross when the axes are oriented at an angle greater than 0.2.degree. relative to a line oriented perpendicular to the intended direction of tape travel.“

The patent application was filed on September 21, 2015 (14/860,464).

Deleting files written on tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (9,753,930) developed by Iwanaga, Masayuki, Urayasu-si, Japan, Ohta, Yumiko, Yokohama, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kanagawa, Japan, for a “deleting files written on tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for writing a file from an application of a host onto a tape includes sequentially receiving records forming the file from the application, adding a predetermined number of segments of dummy data, (dummy records) subsequently to the plurality of records forming the file such that the records of the file and records of a subsequent file are not included in the same data set, interposing the dummy records between a final record of the file and a head record of the subsequent, (next) file, to thereby construct at least one data set that is adjacent to one data set and does not include the records of the file, and writing a data set including the records of the file, a data set, (dummy data set) including the final record of the file and the dummy records, and a data set including the subsequent file, onto the tape.“

The patent application was filed on October 26, 2015 (14/922,492).