IBM Assigned Fifteen Patents

Verification of data on tape storage
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,614,851) developed by Itagaki, Hiroshi, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, Yamamoto, Noriko,and Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, for a “verification of data on tape storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method, computer system, and a computer program product for verifying data written to a tape is provided. The present invention may include preparing a first group of data to be written to the tape, signaling a tape drive to perform a write operation to write the first group of data to the tape, receiving from the tape drive a tape head location signal, wherein the tape head location signal indicates that the tape drive has detected that the tape movement during the write operation has reached a turnaround point, performing a read operation to read the first group of data from the tape, receiving from the tape drive a second group of data read by the tape drive during the read operation, and comparing the first group of data to the second group of data.”

The patent application was filed on May 23, 2019 (16/420,386).

Adjustable magnetic tape drive
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,614,844) developed by Breuer, Marcus, Dalheim, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, Beck, Juergen, Stadecken-Elsheim, Germany, Freitag, Bernd, Partenheim, Germany, and Oswald, Tim, Gimbsheim, Germany, for an “adjustable magnetic tape drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A media device may comprise a controller, a tape head, a tape comprising tape-position indicia, an indicia detection device, and an adjusting device. The indicia detection device may be configured to detect the tape-position indicia and provide an output corresponding to a tape position. The controller may be configured to send an adjustment command based on the output. The adjusting device may be configured to adjust the media device between a first configuration and a second configuration, based on the adjustment command. The tape may physically contact the tape head in the first configuration and not physically contact the tape head in the second configuration.”

The patent application was filed on July 17, 2019 (16/513,768).

Tape head having portion of bearing surface slot
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,614,837) 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: ”A method according to one embodiment includes forming a bearing surface slot in an end of a section of a thin film wafer at a location that defines a tape bearing surface extending between the bearing surface slot and portions of transducers exposed on the end. The section has a plurality of rows of transducers formed on a substrate. A row is sliced from the section, the row having the end and bearing surface slot.”

The patent application was filed on February 8, 2019 (16/271,527).

Abrasion test
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,607,635) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Liang, Jason, Campbell, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for “abrasion test methods and devices.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A module according to one embodiment includes a body having a tape bearing surface, and a coating on the tape bearing surface. The module is nonfunctional for reading and writing. The module is useful for abrasiveness testing of magnetic recording tapes and/or coating wear.”

The patent application was filed on March 1, 2017 (15/446,976).

Distributing tape drive abrasion
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,600,433) developed by Breuer, Marcus, Dalheim, Germany, Freitag, Bernd, Partenheim, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, and Oswald, Tim, Gimbsheim, Germany, for “distributing tape drive abrasion.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Some embodiments are directed to computer program products for use with tape drives that oscillate the relative transverse position of a tape and magnetic head during seek operations, (for example, by moving the magnetic head in the transverse direction). Some embodiments are directed to methods and computer program products for use with tape drives that select relative transverse position of the tape and magnetic head to counter uneven wear, (for example, observed uneven wear, uneven wear predicted based on historical tape and drive usage data).”

The patent application was filed on June 14, 2019 (16/441,112).

Tape data protection by climate label verification
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,586,573) developed by Rueger, Erik, Ockenheim, Germany, Schafer, Markus, Heiligenmoschel, Germany, Wiedemann, Stefan, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Beiderbeck, Robert, Wassenberg, Germany, and Asmussen, Ole, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, for a “tape data protection by climate label verification.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape cartridge for a magnetic tape may be provided. The tape cartridge includes a magnetic tape surrounded by a housing and a temperature indicator that signals a temperature of the tape cartridge, for example, by a thermochromic label. Additionally, a system for tape cartridge data protection that interoperates with the tape cartridge is provided. The system includes a storage for holding a tape cartridge, a sensor that detects temperature information from the temperature indicator of the tape cartridge, and a control unit for controlling an actuator that performs an action depending on the detected temperature information. Furthermore, a method for operating the system for tape cartridge data protection is proposed.”

The patent application was filed on February 28, 2018 (15/907,563).

Safe head positioning based on y-position values in tape drive
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,586,564) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Taketomi, Tomoko, Shinagawa, Japan, Tsuruta, Kazuhiro, Kanagawa, Japan, and Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, for a “safe head positioning based on y-position values in tape drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method and system for a controlling a head element of a tape drive is disclosed. Y-position values based on servo bands are identified. Control adjustments for the head element are determined based on the Y-position values and the direction of the current wrap.”

The patent application was filed on January 23, 2019 (16/254,744).

Tape head having sub-ambient channel
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,580,450) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for “tape head having sub-ambient channel and methods of manufacture.“

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, an array of magnetic transducers, and a channel in the tape bearing surface. The channel has a longitudinal axis oriented about parallel to a longitudinal axis of the array of magnetic transducers for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above the array of magnetic transducers. Moreover, the channel has a shape with a middle section of similar recession therealong between straight opposite ends.”

The patent application was filed on September 13, 2018 (16/130,822).

Tape backup in large scale distributed systems
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,579,298) developed by Jin, Ke, Shenzhen, China, Zhang, Chong, Beijing, China, Zhang, Xin, and Zhu, Kai, Shanghai, China, for a “tape backup in large scale distributed systems.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method includes identifying a source data object of a distributed computing environment. The distributed computing environment includes two or more storage nodes. The source data object exists as two or more slices. At least one of the slices is replicated on at least two storage nodes. The computer-implemented method further includes associating the source data object with a tape. The tape is written by a tape drive controlled from the distributed computing environment. The computer-implemented method further includes copying the source data object to the tape by, for each source slice of the two or more slices, in sequence: selecting a source node of the two or more storage nodes whereon the source slice is replicated, mounting the tape drive to the source node, appending the source slice to the tape, and unmounting the tape drive.”

The patent application was filed on April 2, 2019 (16/372,878).

Tape backup in large scale distributed systems
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,579,295) developed by Jin, Ke, Shenzhen, China, Zhang, Chong, Beijing, China, Zhang, Xin, and Zhu, Kai, Shanghai, China, for a “tape backup in large scale distributed systems.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method includes identifying a source data object of a distributed computing environment. The distributed computing environment includes two or more storage nodes. The source data object exists as two or more slices. At least one of the slices is replicated on at least two storage nodes. The computer-implemented method further includes associating the source data object with a tape. The tape is written by a tape drive controlled from the distributed computing environment. The computer-implemented method further includes copying the source data object to the tape by, for each source slice of the two or more slices, in sequence: selecting a source node of the two or more storage nodes whereon the source slice is replicated, mounting the tape drive to the source node, appending the source slice to the tape, and unmounting the tape drive. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.”

The patent application was filed on October 14, 2016 (15/293,888).

Tape drive corrosion protection
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,573,352) 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 for corrosion protection of a tape drive. The system includes: the tape drive, a humidity sensor for determining humidity information, a temperature sensor for establishing temperature information indicative of a temperature in an area of, or within, the tape drive, a heating entity for heating at least a portion of the tape drive, and a controller for 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 activating the heating entity being in response to a determination that the humidity information determined via the humidity sensor indicates that the relative humidity is above a specified relative humidity threshold value and the established temperature information indicates a temperature drop above a specified temperature drop value within a specified period of time.”

The patent application was filed on January 10, 2019 (16/244,251).

Tape positioning
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,573,350) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Hasegawa, Tohru, and Ogura, Eiji, Tokyo, Japan, for “apparatus, method, and program product for tape positioning.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus, method, system, and program product are disclosed for Tape positioning. One method includes identifying a first position on a first tape between a start of the first tape and an end of the first tape. The method includes determining that an access position of the first tape reaches the first position. The method also includes providing an indication indicating that the access position of the first tape has reached the first position.”

The patent application was filed on February 2, 2017 (15/423,394).

Writing data spanning plurality of tape cartridges
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,572,154) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Iwanaga, Masayuki, Urayasu, Japan, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for “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 November 21, 2017 (15/819,105).

Management of head and media dimensional stability
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,566,022) 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: ”An apparatus configured to characterize a magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetic head having servo readers of known pitch, a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the magnetic head, and a controller electrically coupled to the magnetic head. The controller is configured to measure, using signals from the magnetic head, a servo band difference at various locations along a length of the magnetic recording tape of a tape cartridge. The controller is also configured to store the servo band difference measurements and/or derivatives thereof in association with the tape cartridge.”

The patent application was filed on July 31, 2019 (16/528,475).

Dynamic partition allocation for tape file
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,564,902) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, and Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, for a “dynamic partition allocation for tape file system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape drive system that uses a tape cartridge having more than one file storage partition, sometimes herein referred to as ‘virtual tapes.’ The tape file sub-system, (which controls tape addressing) is identical to conventional single file storage partition tape cartridges, because: (i) a tape control sub-system controls writing of the multiple virtual tapes on a single tape cartridge, but communicates with the tape file sub-system as if the multiple virtual tapes were actually located on different physical tape cartridges, and (ii) a tape control sub-system controls reading of the multiple virtual tapes from a single tape cartridge, but communicates with the tape file sub-system as if the multiple virtual tapes were actually located on different physical tape cartridges. The multiple virtual tapes stored on a single physical tape cartridge are useful because they help circumvent certain ‘per tape restrictions’ that are inherent in the tape file sub-system.”

The patent application was filed on December 14, 2015 (14/967,453).