IBM Assigned Seven Patents

Tape head module having recessed portion to provide air bearing
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,490,211) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “tape head module having recessed portion to provide an air bearing between a tape medium and a tape bearing surface of the module.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Provided are a tape head module, tape drive, and method for moving a tape medium over a tape head having a recessed portion to provide air bearing between a tape medium and a tape bearing surface of the module. The tape head includes a tape bearing surface, an array of transducers, including read and/or write transducers, on the tape bearing surface, and a recessed portion formed on the tape bearing surface, wherein the array of transducers is located on the tape bearing surface between the recessed portion and an end of the module to perform read and/or write operations with respect to the tape medium.”

The patent application was filed on March 16, 2018 (15/924,109).

Data storage cartridge having calibrated servo format region
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,475,477) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for “data storage cartridge having a calibrated servo format region and methods for using same.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape cartridge according to one aspect includes a tape formatted with a timing-based servo pattern having at least two servo tracks thereon. The tape cartridge also includes a persistent memory device having stored therein a value corresponding to a difference between a specified distance between adjacent servo tracks and an average distance between adjacent servo tracks on the tape. The average distance is an average of actual distances between adjacent servo tracks over a portion of the tape. The persistent memory device also stores environmental condition data and drive condition data pertaining to the average distance. Various methods for using such a tape cartridge are also disclosed.”

The patent application was filed on November 28, 2018 (16/203,408).

Tape drive with intelligent selection of wrap/track for temporarily storing flushed data
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,467,146) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, and Taketomi, Tomoko, Shinagawa-ku, Japan, for a “tape drive with intelligent selection of wrap/track for temporarily storing flushed data.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape drive that can select one or more wraps from any available wraps on a tape medium for writing temporary data upon detecting a flush condition. The one or more wraps selected for writing temporary data can be selected from wraps otherwise reserved for normal writing operations. Selection of the one or more wraps for temporary writing may be based on multiple considerations, including proximity to the wrap of current data writing operations and tape medium degradation. The one or more wraps selected for writing temporary data may be selected with or without regard of their assigned read/write direction. Assigning wraps based on proximity and/or degradation can lead to certain operational advantages including reducing tape write head movement in the transverse direction and spreading tape medium wear more evenly across the surface of the tape medium.”

The patent application was filed on May 2, 2018 (15/968,805).

Management of head and media dimensional stability
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,460,757) developed by Judd, Kevin B., Inch, Randy C., Tucson, AZ, Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, Gale, Ernest S., Nylander-Hill, Pamela R., Christiansen, Dale A., Greco, Paul M., Butt, Kevin D., and Wallace, Steven M., Tucson, AZ, for “management of head and media dimensional stability.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method for characterizing a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge, according to one approach, includes measuring, using a magnetic head having servo readers of known pitch, a servo band difference at various locations along a length of a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge. The servo band difference measurements and/or derivatives thereof are stored in association with the tape cartridge. This procedure creates a characterization of the magnetic recording tape that is useful for assessing aging of the magnetic recording tape, as well as improving subsequent reading and/or writing operations.”

The patent application was filed on November 5, 2018 (16/181,210).

Increasing data storage capacity by reducing index entries
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,453,485) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Hasegawa, Tohru, Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Higashimurayama, Japan, and Matsui, Sosuke, Machida, Japan, for an “increasing data storage capacity by reducing index entries.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape method, according to one embodiment, includes: adjusting a position of a tape head in the tape drive relative to a magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned at an accumulating backhitchless flush, (ABF) wrap on the magnetic tape. A first index is also written in the ABF wrap. The first index corresponds to data written in a data partition on the magnetic tape, and the ABF wrap and the data partition are different partitions. Furthermore, in response to writing the first index in the ABF wrap, the position of the tape head is adjusted relative to the magnetic tape such that the tape head is positioned at the data partition. A first empty index is also appended to an end of the data written in the data partition, where a size of the first empty index is less than a size of the first index.”

The patent application was filed on November 26, 2018 (16/200,391).

Multi-mode, multi-channel magnetic recording head
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,453,484) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for “multi-mode, multi-channel magnetic recording head and apparatus.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, a drive-implemented method includes determining, by a tape drive, that a magnetic recording tape is compatible with a first format, the tape drive having an array of transducers including subarrays of the transducers positioned on opposite sides of an inner transducer, reading from or writing to the magnetic recording tape using the array in a first mode of operation corresponding to the first format, processing data using only transducers in the subarrays in the first mode of operation, and processing data using only a portion of transducers in each subarray in a second mode of operation corresponding to the second format. The first format specifies locations of data and a contiguous spare area on the tape and compatibility with a second format. The second format specifies a set of second active channels different than a set of first active channels specified by the first format.”

The patent application was filed on March 15, 2019 (16/355,534).

Data access on tape
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,437,511) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, and Ogura, Eiji, Tokyo, Japan, for a “data access on tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The method includes receiving a read request for a record stored on the tape. The tape is mounted in a tape drive which includes a data buffer. The tape stores data as a plurality of data sets. Each of the plurality of data sets contains one or more records. The method also includes buffering at least one of the plurality of data sets to the data buffer. At least one of the plurality of data sets includes a target data set which includes the requested record. The method also includes monitoring read operations on the tape to count a number of continuous read operations occurring in a backward direction relative to the tape. The method also includes, in response to the number of continuous read operations reaching a threshold, activating a read-behind mode that executes an extended buffer operation on data preceding a record requested to be read next.”

The patent application was filed on November 22, 2016 (15/359,087).