IBM Assigned Eighteen Patents

Tape damage detection
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,283,153) developed by Bui, Nhan X., Inch, Randy C., Swanson, David L., Tucson, AZ, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Yamato, Japan, for a “tape damage detection.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one general embodiment, a method includes calculating a differential position value based on readback signals from at least two servo readers of a magnetic head reading servo tracks of a magnetic recording tape. The differential position value is compared to a previously-calculated differential position value. An action is performed in response to determining that the difference between the differential position value and the previously-calculated differential position value is in a predefined range. The differential position value is an average of differential position values for a set of samples, wherein the previously-calculated differential position value is an average of previously-calculated differential position values for a set of previously-obtained samples. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a magnetic head having servo readers and a controller in communication with the servo readers. The controller is configured to detect a sudden change in a width of a magnetic recording tape.”

The patent application was filed on July 16, 2018 (16/036,821).

Tape head having portion of bearing surface
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,283,144) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “tape head having a portion of a bearing surface slot that defines a skiving edge.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a substrate, and a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein. A portion of a bearing surface slot extends along the substrate, the portion of the bearing surface slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the substrate and the skiving edge is in a range of about seven to about 30 microns.”

The patent application was filed on April 14, 2017 (15/488,272).

Writing data spanning plurality of tape cartridges
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,282,098) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Iwanaga, Masayuki, Urayasu, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “writing data spanning plurality of tape cartridges.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method includes, in a tape apparatus system, receiving a request to write a file from a host, and, in response to the request, dividing sequentially received data of the file into two or more segments. Each of the two or more segments have a predetermined size. The method further includes sequentially writing a series of the two or more segments onto one or more tapes, and determining the predetermined size based on a capacity use efficiency of a plurality of other tapes and a time to copy when a spanning file, written by spanning on the one or more tapes, is copied to the plurality of other tapes. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.”

The patent application was filed on August 3, 2017 (15/667,940).

Behavioral model for dynamic tension compensation
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,276,204) developed by Judd, Kevin B., Gale, Ernest S., Inch, Randy C., Tucson, AZ, Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, Tsuruta, Kazuhiro, Tokyo, Japan, Nylander-Hill, Pamela R., Tucson, AZ, and Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, for a “behavioral model for dynamic tension compensation.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape drive-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: detecting a read error, determining whether a current tension setting of the magnetic tape is accurate, determining whether the read error is part of an error burst in response to determining that the current tension setting of the magnetic tape is accurate, sending instructions to perform a first re-read attempt in response to determining that the read error is not part of an error burst, determining whether the first re-read attempt was performed successfully, selecting a range of tension settings in response to determining that the first re-read attempt was not performed successfully, selecting a range of lateral offsets, sending instructions to apply each unique combination of tension settings and lateral offsets, for each of the unique combinations applied, sending instructions to perform a second phase re-read attempt, and determining whether the second phase re-read attempt was performed successfully.”

The patent application was filed on April 24, 2018 (15/961,682).

Magnetic tape abrasivity measurement
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,269,386) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “magnetic tape abrasivity measurement.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape head writer yoke pole tip and a substrate ground plane are electrically coupled by an electrically conductive wear layer disposed over the pole tip and the ground plane at the tape bearing surface. A magnetic tape is transported across the tape head and wears away the wear layer. It is identified when a circuit that includes the pole tip, the wear layer, and the ground plane becomes open, and the amount of tape travel until the open circuit occurred is transmitted to a host computer for determination of a tape abrasivity measure as a function of the amount of tape travel. The write element can be used for write operations while the wear layer is present, and after the wear layer has been worn away.”

The patent application was filed on November 26, 2017 (15/822,183).

Backward compatibility tape read head
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,269,378) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Shinagawa-Ku, Japan, for a “backward compatibility tape read head.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A magnetic tape head module read element array includes servo readers and read elements configured in accordance with a tape standard. Each read element includes a plurality of read sensors. A microprocessor receives the generation of the tape technology standard and identifies, based on the generation, a combination of read sensors in each read element. Data signals from each read sensor in each combination are buffered. The microprocessor performs error detection and error correction operations on the buffered signal data for each combination of read sensors to generate verified track data in accordance with the generation of tape.”

The patent application was filed on May 31, 2018 (15/994,770).

Tape head formed with high accuracy tape bearing surface length definition process
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,262,684) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “tape head formed with high accuracy tape bearing surface length definition process.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein, and a portion of a slot extending along the substrate, the portion of the slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the thin film layer and the skiving edge is in a range of about seven to about 30 microns. In another general embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate, a thin film layer on the substrate having transducers therein, and a slot extending along the substrate, the slot defining a skiving edge. A length of a tape bearing surface between the thin film layer and the skiving edge is in a range of about seven to about 30 microns.”

The patent application was filed on August 24, 2017 (15/685,903).

Restoring data
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,261,866) developed by Iwasaki, Norie, Fujisawa, Japan, Matsui, Sosuke, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Watanabe, Terue, and Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, for a “restoring data.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Restoring a data processing system. Files on one or more storage devices of a data processing system are backed up to magnetic tape recording media. Metadata associated with the backed up files is recorded, including magnetic tape identification and tape location for each backed up file. Files on the one or more storage devices are identified that meet a selection policy for files required for rapid restoration of the data processing system. An index list is generated of the identified files and their associated magnetic tape metadata. The index list is sorted by magnetic tape identification and magnetic tape location. In response to a request to restore the data processing system, the identified files on the sorted index list are restored in magnetic tape identification and magnetic tape location sort order. Operation of the restored data processing system is then begun in accordance with the restored files.”

The patent application was filed on July 16, 2015 (14/800,718).

Tape transport control with feedback of velocity and tension
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,255,942) developed by Cherubini, Giovanni, Rueschlikon, Switzerland, Lantz, Mark A., Thalwil, Switzerland, and Pantazi, Angeliki, Thalwil, Switzerland, for a “tape transport control with feedback of velocity and tension.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape transport control system with enhanced regulation of tape tension and velocity over the entire length of the tape. For example, a closed-loop control system for controlling a tape transport includes circuitry adapted to output a signal representing a tape velocity at a tape head, circuitry adapted to output a signal representing a tape velocity at the first tape reel and a signal representing a tape velocity at the second tape reel, circuitry adapted to output a signal representing a tape tension, and circuitry adapted to, based on the received signals, generate control signals to control the tape velocity at least at one of the tape head, the first tape reel, the second tape reel, and the tension of the tape, using controller gains that depend on a longitudinal position of the tape, and to implement a system transfer function that is approximately independent of the longitudinal position.”

The patent application was filed on August 23, 2016 (15/244,508).

Magnetic tape media having servo patterns
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,255,936) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Imaino, Wayne I., San Jose, CA, for a “magnetic tape media having servo patterns.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Magnetic tape media according to one embodiment includes a plurality of servo tracks having physical characteristics of being written by an apparatus that monitors a lateral position of the magnetic tape media passing over a servo writing head during a servo track writing operation and writes servo marks to the magnetic tape media. A timing of the writing of each servo mark is based on the monitored position of the magnetic tape media. Magnetic tape media according to another embodiment include a plurality of servo tracks having a plurality of consecutively-written servo marks, a distance between each consecutively-written servo mark in a tape travel direction varying in direct correlation with a distance of the respective mark, as written, from an edge of the magnetic tape media in a cross-track direction.”

The patent application was filed on November 8, 2017 (15/807,470).

Tape drive corrosion protection
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,249,344) developed by Asmussen, Ole, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, Beiderbeck, Robert, Wassenberg, Germany, Rueger, Erik, Ockenheim, Germany, and Schaefer, Markus, Heiligenmoschel, Germany, for a “tape drive corrosion protection.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system and method for corrosion protection of a tape drive. The system includes: the tape drive, a temperature sensor, a heating entity and a controller for activating the heating entity. The method includes: establishing, via the temperature sensor, temperature information indicative of a temperature in an area of, or within, the tape drive, receiving the temperature information at the controller, and activating the heating entity in a manner dependent on the temperature information established via the temperature sensor in order to prevent corrosion within the tape drive.”

The patent application was filed on March 31, 2017 (15/475,201).

Detecting damaged areas on magnetic tape based on measuring number of servo errors
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,242,709) developed by Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Matsui, Sosuke, Machida, Japan, and Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Higashimurayama, Japan, for a “detecting damaged areas on magnetic tape based on measuring a number of servo errors.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: detecting a first error while accessing a magnetic tape, determining a first error location on the magnetic tape where the first error occurred, determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined, independent of a read and/or write operation, inducing relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the respective one or more areas in turn, using the tape head to measure a number of servo errors that occur in each of the respective one or more areas, and identifying each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value as a damaged area of the magnetic tape. The one or more areas are determined using a predetermined algorithm which incorporates the first error location.”

The patent application was filed on December 20, 2017 (15/849,187).

Timing index writes to tape medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,242,707) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Matsui, Sosuke, Tokyo, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, and Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, for a “timing index writes to a tape medium.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for timing index write to a tape medium of a tape system. Index write timing data that specifies index write timing based on file metadata attributes is stored. Metadata attributes of a first file are analyzed to determine whether a first index should be written at a first time based on the index write timing data. In response to determining that an index should be written, the first index is written to the tape medium at the first time.”

The patent application was filed on June 13, 2018 (16/007,074).

Segmented magnetic recording write head for detection-based servo pattern writing
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,236,024) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Childers, Edwin R., Tucson, AZ, and Lantz, Mark A., Adliswil, Switzerland, for a “segmented magnetic recording write head for detection-based servo pattern writing.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus-implemented method according to one embodiment includes passing a magnetic recording tape over a plurality of modules having write transducers. Associated pairs of the write transducers are aligned along an intended direction of tape travel thereacross, and planes of deposition of write gaps of the write transducers in each associated pair are oriented at an angle of greater than 4 degrees relative to each other. The method further includes controlling a timing of writing of each of the write transducers individually for causing each pair of write transducers to write magnetic bars on the magnetic recording tape that are offset from one another in the intended direction of tape travel thereacross.”

The patent application was filed on April 18, 2018 (15/956,656).

Shortening average reposition time to beginning of files in magnetic tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,229,718) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Matsui, Sosuke, Tokyo, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, and Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, for a “shortening the average reposition time to the beginning of files in a magnetic tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system accesses metadata on a file system of the magnetic tape, where the metadata comprising one or more fields enabling to determine a longitudinal position, (LPOS) of one or more files located on the magnetic tape. The system determines the LPOS of the one or more files located on the magnetic tape. The system determines an optimal location of the head on the magnetic tape based on computing an average value to the determined LPOS of the one or more files located on the magnetic tape and moves the head on the magnetic tape to the optimal location.”

The patent application was filed on June 5, 2018 (16/000,391).

Track-dependent decoding
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,229,713) developed by Bentley, Steven R., Tucson, AZ, Cideciyan, Roy D., Rueschlikon, Switzerland, Furrer, Simeon, Altdorf, Switzerland, and Tanaka, Keisuke, Tokyo, Japan, for a “track-dependent decoding.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a controller and logic integrated with and/or executable by the controller. The logic is configured to perform track-dependent erasure decoding on encoded data based on detection of one or more time-varying signal quality issues associated with at least one of a plurality of tracks read simultaneously from a data storage medium. In another embodiment, a method includes determining, by a magnetic tape drive, track signal quality reliability for a plurality of tracks read simultaneously from a magnetic tape medium. In addition, the method includes performing, by the magnetic tape drive, track-dependent erasure decoding on encoded data based on detection of one or more time-varying signal quality issues associated with at least one of the plurality of simultaneously-read tracks.”

The patent application was filed on October 16, 2017 (15/785,281).

Tape head and system having asymmetrical construction
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,224,065) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “tape head and system having asymmetrical construction.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus according to one embodiment includes a module having a tape bearing surface, a first edge, and a second edge, where a tape tenting region extends from the first edge toward the second edge, the first edge being a first end of the tape tenting region, a second end of the tape tenting region being positioned between the first and second edges. The apparatus includes a guide positioned relative to the first edge for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape and a transducer positioned in the tape tenting region. In addition, the module has a wear coating on a media facing side of the transducer, where a peak height is defined between the peak of tenting and an upper surface of the coating. The thickness of the wear coating is in a range of between about 0.5 and about three times the peak height.”

The patent application was filed on October 20, 2017 (15/789,477).

Wireless tape cartridge handling
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,210,896) developed by Asmussen, Ole, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, Beiderbeck, Robert, Wassenberg, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, and Schaefer, Markus, Heiligenmoschel, Germany, for a “wireless tape cartridge handling.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The system includes a base frame and a controller attached to the base frame. An access point is attached to the controller. The base frame includes a plurality of tape drive slots. A plurality of frames are attached to the base frame. Each frame in the plurality of frames includes a plurality of tape slots. A tape cartridge is stored in a tape slot. An x-y-z movement system is connected to the base frame and the plurality of frames. A wireless network is connected to the base frame.”

The patent application was filed on September 27, 2016 (15/276,851).