IBM Assigned Twenty-One Patents

Sensors with hard spacers and low-contact-pressure head-tape interface
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,755,732) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for an “apparatus having sensors with hard spacers and low-contact-pressure head-tape interface.“

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 plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the tape bearing surface of the module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers has upper and lower shields for providing magnetic shielding. A sensor structure is positioned between the shields. An electrical lead layer is positioned between the sensor structure and one of the shields. The electrical lead layer is in electrical communication with the sensor structure. A spacer layer is positioned between the electrical lead layer and the one of the shields. A conductivity of the electrical lead layer is higher than a conductivity of the spacer layer. At least some of the sensor structures are recessed from a plane extending along the tape bearing surface. An at least partially polycrystalline coating is positioned on a media facing side of the recessed sensor structures.”

The patent application was filed on December 12, 2017 (15/839,474).

Low-contact-pressure head-tape interface
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,748,560) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for an “apparatus having low-contact-pressure head-tape interface.“

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. The tape bearing surface extends between first and second edges of the module. A first tape tenting region extends from the first edge along the tape bearing surface toward the second edge. Each tunnel valve read transducer is positioned in the first tape tenting region. A plurality of tunnel valve read transducers are arranged in an array extending along the tape bearing surface of the module in the first tape tenting region. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes a sensor structure having a tunnel barrier layer. At least some of the sensor structures are recessed from a plane extending along the tape bearing surface. An at least partially polycrystalline coating is located on a media facing side of the recessed sensor structures.”

The patent application was filed on December 11, 2017 (15/838,229).

Storage in view of susceptible zones
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,741,200) developed by Winarski, Daniel James, and Randall, Lee Curtis, Tucson, AZ, for a “data storage in view of susceptible zones.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method may include obtaining position information of a susceptible zone of a tape. The susceptible zone may be a section of the tape where a stress value of the tape exceeds a threshold. The method may further include storing, based on the position information, a block of data to the tape in a first storage zone. The first storage zone may be positioned outside of the susceptible zone.”

The patent application was filed on June 26, 2019 (16/452,701).

Storage in view of susceptible zones
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,741,199) developed by Winarski, Daniel James, and Randall, Lee Curtis, Tucson, AZ, for a “data storage in view of susceptible zones.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method may include obtaining position information of a susceptible zone of a tape. The susceptible zone may be a section of the tape where a stress value of the tape exceeds a threshold. The method may further include storing a block of data to the tape in a first storage zone. The method may further include determining that the first storage zone is positioned within the susceptible zone. The method may further include storing, based at least in part on the determining, a duplicate block of data in a second storage zone.”

The patent application was filed on June 26, 2019 (16/452,669).

Tape drive corrosion protection
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,734,036) 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 computer program product, including a storage device storing computer readable program code executable by a processor to implement a method for corrosion protection of a tape drive based on a tape drive corrosion protection system that includes a tape drive, a temperature sensor, a heating entity, and a controller. Humidity information is determined via a humidity sensor. Temperature information, indicative of a temperature in or within the tape drive, is established via the temperature sensor. The temperature information is received at the controller. The heating entity is activated in a manner dependent on the temperature information established via the temperature sensor in order to prevent corrosion within the tape drive. Activating the heating entity is in response to a determination that the relative humidity is above a specified relative humidity threshold value and a temperature drop is above a specified temperature drop value within a specified period of time.”

The patent application was filed on August 15, 2019 (16/541,636).

Aligned shingled writing for magnetic recording media and media having shingle edge positioned tracks
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,734,023) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Czarnecki, W. Stanley, Palo Alto, CA, Gale, Ernest S., Tucson, AZ, and Liang, Jason, Campbell, CA, for an “aligned shingled writing for magnetic recording media and media having shingle edge positioned tracks.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape drive, according to one embodiment, includes: a processor, and logic which is integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor. The logic is configured to: determine whether a difference between information and corresponding design values is in a range. The information corresponds to how an array of writers write and/or are expected to write to a magnetic medium during shingled recording. Moreover, the logic is configured to: compute, using the information, data describing a lateral writing position to use during writing such that shingled track edges are aligned according to a format in response to determining that the difference between the information and corresponding design values is not in the range.”

The patent application was filed on May 23, 2019 (16/421,323).

Timing index writes to tape medium
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,726,870) 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 January 29, 2019 (16/260,312).

Apparatus having array of write transducers having low friction interface
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,726,868) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for an “apparatus having an array of write transducers having a low friction interface.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a module having a tape bearing surface and an array of write transducers extending along the tape bearing surface. Each write transducer has a first write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the first write pole, a second write pole having a pole tip extending from a media facing side of the second write pole, a nonmagnetic write gap between the pole tips of the write poles, and a high moment layer between the pole tips of the write poles. The high moment layer has a higher magnetic moment than a magnetic moment of the pole tip of the second write pole. The tape bearing surface of the module has patterning, and/or a first tape tenting region where each write transducer is positioned in the first tape tenting region.”

The patent application was filed on December 12, 2017 (15/839,613).

Tape head having sensors proximate to edge
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,726,866) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “tape head having sensors proximate to an edge.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”According to one embodiment, a method includes running a magnetic recording tape over an edge of a tape bearing surface of a module, where the edge is proximate to a sensor of the module, detecting magnetic fields from the magnetic recording tape at different wrap angles, and selecting one of the wrap angles of the magnetic recording tape to provide about a predefined height of tenting of the magnetic recording tape above the sensor.”

The patent application was filed on March 8, 2019 (16/297,411).

Multi-channel magnetic recording head having compliantly encapsulated transducers
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,699,741) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “multi-channel magnetic recording head having compliantly encapsulated transducers.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a magnetic tape head module having: a substrate and an encapsulation layer which includes a compliant, deformable material. The magnetic tape head module also includes a closure, and a plurality of transducers positioned in an array along a longitudinal length of the magnetic tape head module. The array of transducers is sandwiched between at least a portion of the encapsulation layer and the substrate. Moreover, a portion of the encapsulation layer extends toward the substrate directly between adjacent transducers in the array.”

The patent application was filed on January 8, 2019 (16/242,927).

Magnetic recording head having longitudinally spaced offset arrays
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,699,735) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “magnetic recording head having longitudinally spaced offset arrays.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus includes a head having at least three pairs of modules, each module having an array of transducers and at least one servo transducer. The axes of the arrays are oriented about parallel to each other. Of each pair of modules, the array of a first module is offset from the array of a second module in a direction parallel to the axis of the array of the second module. All of the transducers of each first module are positioned on a first side of an imaginary line oriented in the intended direction of tape travel, all of the transducers of each second module are positioned on a second side of the imaginary line. A first pair of modules and a third pair of modules have a same first function, and a second pair of modules has a second function, the first function and the second function are different.”

The patent application was filed on January 30, 2019 (16/262,522).

File index, metadata storage, and file system management for magnetic tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,698,867) developed by Amir, Arnon, Saratoga, CA, Pease, David A., and Richter, Rainer, San Jose, CA, for “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 data storage system includes a tape drive configured to: write a plurality of files to a first partition of a magnetic recording tape, and write an index to a second partition of the magnetic recording tape, the index including information about locations of data of the plurality of files in the first partition of the magnetic recording tape. In another embodiment, a magnetic recording tape includes: a plurality of files to written to a first partition of the magnetic recording tape using a tape drive, and an index written to a second partition of the magnetic recording tape using the tape drive, the index including information about locations of data of the plurality of files in the first partition of the magnetic recording tape.”

The patent application was filed on August 9, 2016 (15/232,597).

Magnetic tape drive with burnishing unit
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,692,524) developed by Rueger, Erik, Ockenheim, Germany, Wiedemann, Stefan, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Schafer, Markus, Heiligenmoschel, Germany, Beiderbeck, Robert, Wassenberg, Germany, and Asmussen, Ole, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, for a “magnetic tape drive with a burnishing unit.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The invention relates to a tape drive, and to a method and a computer program product for operating a tape drive. The tape drive may include a transport mechanism which may include a tape head. The tape drive may be adapted to receive a magnetic tape with the transport mechanism, and to transport the magnetic tape by the transport mechanism. The tape head may be adapted to perform read-write operations on an oxide side of the magnetic tape. The tape drive may include a burnishing unit, which may include a burnishing roller and a burnish controller having an abrasive shell. The burnishing roller may be installed in the tape drive upstream of the tape head such that the abrasive shell supports the received magnetic tape on the oxide side. The burnish controller may be adapted to control the movement of the burnishing roller.”

The patent application was filed on June 6, 2019 (16/433,102).

Adaptive tension position change on tape drive
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,685,676) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, and Ogura, Eiji, Yokohama, Japan, for an “adaptive tension position change on tape drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Provided is a method, computer program product, and system for handling seek commands for a tape drive. The method includes receiving a seek command for moving tape in the tape drive to a target position. The method further includes moving the tape from the current position to a high water mark (HWM) with the tape at a first tension and moving the tape from the HWM to the target position with the tape at a second tension. The method further includes updating the HWM to reference the target position.”

The patent application was filed on June 4, 2019 (16/430,537).

Position error signal testing using outer edge wraps
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,685,673) developed by Kilbey, Michael E., San Jose, CA, and Paniagua, Guillermo F., Milpitas, CA, for a “position error signal testing using outer edge wraps.“

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: using formatting information which corresponds to a magnetic tape loaded in the tape drive to identify wraps on the magnetic tape. Identifying wraps on the magnetic tape includes: identifying an outermost wrap on the magnetic tape on a first side of the magnetic tape, and identifying an outermost wrap on the magnetic tape on a second side of the magnetic tape. A procedure is also performed for each of the wraps identified using the formatting information. Performing the procedure for a given one of the wraps includes: sending one or more instructions to position a magnetic head of the tape drive over the given wrap, and collecting PES information which corresponds to the given wrap.”

The patent application was filed on June 24, 2019 (16/450,844).

Tape drive bearing temperature control
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,679,662) developed by Bui, Nhan X., Tucson, AZ, Judd, Kevin B., Vail, AZ, Inch, Randy C., Tucson, AZ, Lantz, Mark A., Thalwil, Switzerland, and Harper, David H. F., Vail, AZ, for a “tape drive bearing temperature control.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A determination is made whether read/write is enabled within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that read/write is enabled, a determination is made whether a temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds a threshold value. In response to determining that the temperature within the tape drive storage unit exceeds the threshold value, a determination is made of a direction of travel of a tape media within the tape drive storage unit. In response to determining that the direction of travel is a forward direction, a first cooling device is powered on. The first cooling device lowers the temperature of a first guide roller and the tape media coming off a first tape storage reel prior to the tape media passing by a read/write head within the tape drive storage unit.”

The patent application was filed on October 3, 2019 (16/591,684).

Reduction of aging effects on magnetic recording tape in dual-reel cartridge
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,679,658) developed by Winarski, Daniel J., and Randall, Lee C., Tucson, AZ, for “reduction of aging effects on a magnetic recording tape in a dual-reel cartridge.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method for reducing aging effects on a magnetic recording tape, according to one embodiment, includes loading a dual-reel cartridge having a magnetic recording tape into an input/output device. A current load point of the magnetic recording tape is determined. At least one input/output operation is performed on the magnetic recording tape. An unload point on the magnetic recording tape that is different than the current load point of the magnetic recording tape is selected, and the magnetic recording tape is moved to the selected unload point. A date-time stamp associated with the selected unload point is sent for storage in the memory. The dual-reel cartridge is unloaded from the input/output device.”

The patent application was filed on December 5, 2018 (16/211,136).

Head having wrap-controlled flexible media interface
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,679,654) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Liang, Jason, Campbell, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for a “head having wrap-controlled flexible media interface.“

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 magnetic transducer in a thin film region, and an edge closest to the transducer. A guide is positioned relative to the edge for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape above a tape tenting region of the tape bearing surface. The magnetic transducer is positioned along the tape tenting region. The magnetic transducer is positioned a distance from a location on the tape bearing surface directly under a peak that is more than one-fourth the length from the location directly under the peak to the edge closest thereto.”

The patent application was filed on June 26, 2018 (16/019,386).

Tape head having sensors proximate to an edge
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,679,651) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for a “tape head having sensors proximate to an edge.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus includes a module having a tape bearing surface, a first edge, and a second edge, where a first tape tenting region of the tape bearing surface extends from the first edge along the tape bearing surface toward the second edge. A guide is positioned relative to the first edge for inducing tenting of a moving magnetic recording tape and to create a point of inflection of the moving magnetic recording tape at a location above the tape bearing surface that is about midway between a peak of the tenting and a point of closest approach of the moving magnetic recording tape to the tape bearing surface. A sensor is located in a thin film region of the module. The sensor has a free layer. The location of the point of inflection of the moving magnetic recording tape is between the free layer and the second edge.”

The patent application was filed on March 8, 2019 (16/297,376).

Tape head and system having asymmetrical construction
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,679,649) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, for “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 one approach, the transducer is a TMR sensor. In another approach, the tape bearing surface is planar. In yet another approach, the guide is positioned to create an inflection point of the moving magnetic recording tape at a location above the tape tenting region that is between the transducer and the second edge.”

The patent application was filed on January 9, 2019 (16/243,976).

Recalling files stored on tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (10,671,294) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Matsui, Sosuke, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Tokyo, Japan, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, and Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, for “recalling files stored on a tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”The time required for recalling the file is reduced when the file is written in a mounted plurality of tapes in comparison to recalling the file when written in a non-mounted plurality of tapes. In the non-mounted state, criteria does not typically exist in order to recall the written file within the plurality of tapes. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recalling files based on criteria which considers: the mounted state of a tape, the type of tape, the type of available tape drive, the number of files included in a tape, and the location of the written file in a tape.”

The patent application was filed on August 24, 2016 (15/245,780).