IBM Assigned Twenty Patents

Predicting failure of magnetic tape head element
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,074,121) developed by Breuer, Marcus, Dalheim, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, Oswald, Tim, Gimbsheim, Germany, and Freitag, Bernd, Partenheim, Germany, for a “predicting failure of a magnetic tape head element.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method, computer system, and computer program product for determining head wear of magnetic tape head elements of tape drives during operation. The method may include receiving a first calibration parameter for a first tape head element at a first time. Calibration parameter for the first tape head element may be compared with a reference parameter. Determination may be made whether to remove the first tape head element from service or generate a warning, based on a result of the comparison. Method may include generating the first calibration parameter by calculating midpoint bias voltage for the first tape head element as a function of bias current and head resistance. The first calibration parameter for the first tape head element may be bias current parameter or bias resistance parameter. The first calibration parameter for the first tape head element may be less than, equal to, or greater than the reference parameter.”

The patent application was filed on March 20, 2019 (16/358,973).

Reduction in time required to write file to tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,061,869) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, Ishimoto, Takeshi, and Oishi, Yutaka, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “reduction in time required to write file to tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Reducing time required to write a file to tape is provided. Synchronous processing is performed in a file system implementing a Linear Tape File System (LTFS) file format, wherein the synchronous processing includes writing, to a tape medium of a tape cartridge, index information and one or more files. A type of the synchronous processing is determined, wherein the type is either an index-MAM sync type or an index-only sync type. Updated information is stored to a media auxiliary memory of the tape cartridge in response to determining that the synchronous processing is of the index-MAM sync type.”

The patent application was filed on April 2, 2019 (16/372,714).

Access ordering for tape cycle optimization
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,061,579) developed by Sarafijanovic, Slavisa, Adliswil, Switzerland, Lantz, Mark Alfred, Adliswil, Switzerland, Venkatesan, Vinodh, Waedenswil, Switzerland, and Greco, Paul Merrill, Tucson, AZ, for an “access ordering for tape cycle optimization.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A method for data storage tape access optimization is provided. The method identifies a plurality of data segments stored on a data storage tape. Each segment having a location and a size on the data storage tape. The method determines a subset of data segments stored on the data storage tape selected for retrieval. The method determines an access order for the subset of data segments. The access order represents a minimized tape cycle time for retrieving the subset of data segments. The method retrieves the subset of data segments from the data storage tape based on the access order.”

The patent application was filed on September 11, 2019 (16/566,964).

Variable operation tape performance
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,061,568) developed by Breuer, Marcus, Dalheim, Germany, Krick, Frank, Ockenheim, Germany, Freitag, Bernd, Partenheim, Germany, and Oswald, Tim, Gimbsheim, Germany, for a “variable operation tape performance.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An access operation performed by a tape drive is detected. The access operation is performed on a tape medium. The access operation has one or more performance characteristics. The performance characteristics of the detected access operation are compared with one or more predefined performance thresholds. The comparison is in response to detecting the access operation. An operation performance of the tape medium is determined. The determination is based on comparing the performance characteristics with the predefined performance thresholds. A table associated with the tape medium is updated based on the operational performance of the tape medium. The table is stored in a non-volatile storage.”

The patent application was filed on June 19, 2019 (16/445,459).

High resolution tape directory recovery by writing null data set
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,056,140) developed by Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Masuda, Setsuko, Toshima-ku, Japan, and Nagura, Hironobu, Kawasaki, Japan, for a “high resolution tape directory recovery by writing a null data set.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In an approach to HRTD recovery by writing the HRTD in a null data set, responsive to receiving a request to write a data set to a magnetic tape, a lead data set of a current wrap of a plurality of wraps of the magnetic tape is written, wherein the lead data set of the current wrap includes a current wrap HRTD that contains one or more directory records for each wrap of the plurality of wraps from a lead wrap of the plurality of wraps through a first prior wrap of the plurality of wraps, and further wherein the first prior wrap immediately precedes the current wrap.”

The patent application was filed on March 24, 2020 (16/828,167).

Semi-flexible structure for micro-positioning write/read head
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,056,139) developed by Harper, David, Vail, AZ, for a “semi-flexible structure for micro-positioning a write/read head.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A first semi-flexible structure and a second semi-flexible structure may be generated. The first semi-flexible structure may be bonded to a first end of a write/read tape head. The second semi-flexible structure may be bonded to a second end of the write/read tape head. A voice coil motor may be activated.”

The patent application was filed on September 11, 2019 (16/567,942).

Multichannel tape head module having thermally settable transducer pitch
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,056,132) developed by Biskeborn, Robert G., Hollister, CA, Rothuizen, Hugo E., Oberrieden, Switzerland, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for “multichannel tape head module having thermally settable transducer pitch and method of setting pitch thereof.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a module having a substrate and a closure, an array of transducers in a thin film structure on the substrate, the array being positioned along a tape bearing surface of the module, and a heating element positioned in the thin film structure and recessed from the tape bearing surface, and a controller electrically coupled to the heating element. The controller is configured to apply a current pulse of size, shape and duration sufficient to induce a permanent expansion of the array of transducers.”

The patent application was filed on January 8, 2019 (16/242,947).

Tape drive with intelligent selection of wrap/track for temporarily storing flushed data
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,048,640) 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 August 27, 2019 (16/551,992).

Tape drive with intelligent selection of wrap/track for temporarily storing flushed data
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,048,639) 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 August 27, 2019 (16/551,934).

Multi-spool tape recording
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,043,237) developed by Biskeborn, Robert, Hollister, CA, Hamidi, Hoodin, San Francisco, CA, Decad, Gary, Palo Alto, CA, and Childers, Edwin Ralph, Tucson, AZ, for a “multi-spool tape recording apparatus.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”An apparatus, in accordance with one approach, includes a receiving area configured to receive a plurality of tape spool pairs. A drive mechanism is configured to selectively drive the tape spool pairs. A magnetic head configured to perform data operations on magnetic recording tapes of the tape spool pairs is also present. A positioning mechanism is configured to selectively align the magnetic head to a selected one of the tape spool pairs. An engagement mechanism is configured to create a relative movement between the magnetic head and the magnetic recording tape of the selected tape spool pair for engaging the magnetic recording tape with the magnetic head.”

The patent application was filed on November 1, 2019 (16/672,124).

Reordering sequence of files based on compression rates in data transfer
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,042,329) developed by Yamamoto, Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, and Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, for “reordering a sequence of files based on compression rates in data transfer.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and a computer system for reordering a sequence of files based on compression rates in data transfer. A host determines predicted compression rates of first files that are to be saved onto a first tape, based on a relationship between compression rates and file attributes of second files that have been saved on a second tape. The host reorders a sequence of the first files stored in host cache storage and generates a new sequence of transferring the first files from the host cache storage to the tape drive hosting the first tape, based on the predicted compression rates of the first files. The host transfers the first files to the tape drive hosting the first tape and writes the first files to the first tape, according to the new sequence.”

The patent application was filed on May 21, 2019 (16/418,609).

Detecting damaged areas on magnetic tape based on measuring number of servo errors
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,037,598) 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 “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: receiving, from a tape drive, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred, in addition to determining one or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, the tape drive is instructed to induce 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. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value is identified as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.”

The patent application was filed on October 22, 2019 (16/660,675).

Increasing tape drive head performance with sectional cleaning using cartridge memory
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,037,588) developed by Wiedemann, Stefan, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Schafer, Markus, Heiligenmoschel, Germany, Rueger, Erik, Ockenheim, Germany, Beiderbeck, Robert, Wassenberg, Germany, and Asmussen, Ole, Henstedt-Ulzburg, Germany, for “increasing tape drive head performance with sectional cleaning using a cartridge memory.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape cartridge for increasing tape drive head performance is provided. The tape cartridge comprises a cleaning tape, a tape guide arrangement that guides the cleaning tape within the cleaner cartridge, a cleaning fluid application arrangement that applies cleaning fluid to the cleaning tape within the cleaner cartridge, and a cartridge memory that stores cleaning count and motor taches count information. The tape guide arrangement is operable to bring the cleaning tape in contact with the cleaning fluid application arrangement to apply the cleaning fluid onto the cleaning tape when the cleaning tape is subject to a first tension level and avoid the contact with the cleaning fluid application arrangement when the cleaning tape is subject to a second tension level to prevent application of the cleaning fluid onto the cleaning tape.”

The patent application was filed on May 4, 2020 (16/865,752).

Detecting damaged areas on magnetic tape based on measuring number of servo errors
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,031,041) 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 “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 program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: determine, by the processor, a first error location on a magnetic tape where a first error occurred. One or more areas on the magnetic tape to be examined are also determined, by the processor, based on the first error location. Independent of a read and/or write operation, relative motion between a tape head and the magnetic tape is induced by the processor, such that the tape head is positioned adjacent to each of the one or more areas in turn. Moreover, each of the one or more areas having a respective number of measured servo errors which exceeds a threshold value are identified, by the processor, as a damaged area of the magnetic tape.”

The patent application was filed on October 22, 2019 (16/660,659).

Forming recessed portions in tape head module to provide air bearing
between tape medium and tape bearing surface of tape head module
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,031,031) developed by Biskeborn, Robert, Hollister, CA, and Lo, Calvin S., Saratoga, CA, for “forming recessed portions in a tape head module to provide an air bearing between a tape medium and a tape bearing surface of the tape head module.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Provided is a method for forming a tape head module having recessed portion to provide air bearing between a tape medium and a tape bearing surface of the tape head module. A module of the tape head has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, between the first and the second ends, a tape bearing surface and a second surface, opposite the tape bearing surface, between the first end, the second end, the first side, and the second side. Material is removed from the tape bearing surface of the module to form a first recessed portion between the first end and before a region of the tape bearing surface having an array of transducers, and between the first side and the second side.”

The patent application was filed on May 1, 2018 (15/968,144).

Increasing storage capacity and data transfer speed in genome data backup
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,018,691) developed by Ogasawara, Takeshi, Tokyo, Japan, for “increasing storage capacity and data transfer speed in genome data backup.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”Methods and systems for storing data include compressing data inflated from a first compression format into a second format using a processor and verifying contents of the data concurrently with compressing the data. Compression is aborted responsive to a failure of the content verification, but an output of the compression is stored to a tape drive until the compression is aborted. The tape drive is rolled back to a file start position after the compression is aborted and compression of any remaining uncompressed data is skipped after the compression is aborted. The data is stored to the tape drive after rolling the tape drive back.”

The patent application was filed on July 17, 2019 (16/514,273).

Spring clip leader and housing for magnetic tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,017,810) developed by Berman, David, Dyer, William M., Erpelding, A. David, Imaino, Wayne I., and Labby, Ronald R., San Jose, CA, for a “spring clip leader and housing for magnetic tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A system, according to one embodiment, includes: a plurality of tape reels, and a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels. At least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape. Moreover, the clip is selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel.”

The patent application was filed on May 7, 2018 (15/973,354).

Writing file information for tape file
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,016,687) developed by Abe, Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, and Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, for a “writing file information for tape file systems.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A computer program product, according to one embodiment, includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to: receive a first portion of data, and divide the first portion of data into a plurality of blocks. An identification segment having identification information therein is appended to each of the blocks, each block and the corresponding identification information appended thereto forming a record. Each record is written in a data partition of the magnetic tape, and an index may be written in the data partition of the magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is rewound to a beginning of tape in response to a final one of the records being written in the magnetic tape, and the index is written in an index partition of the magnetic tape.”

The patent application was filed on January 6, 2020 (16/735,136).

Tape-creep detection via frequency domain data
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,011,198) developed by Winarski, Daniel James, Bui, Nhan Xuan, Randall, Lee Curtis, and Bradshaw, Richard, Tucson, AZ, for a “tape-creep detection via frequency domain data.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: ”A tape drive may arrange timing-based-servo marks into a timing-based-servo pattern. The timing-based-servo pattern may be at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may select the at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may match at least two timing-based-servo marks in the at least one M-pattern. The tape drive may determine, from the matching, whether an alignment of the at least two timing-based-servo marks is demonstrative of tape-creep.”

The patent application was filed on October 29, 2019 (16/667,249).

Optimized tape drive unmounting
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (11,010,104) developed by Hasegawa, Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Itagaki, Hiroshi, Miyamura, Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, Mitsuma, Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, Yamamoto, Noriko, and Matsui, Sosuke, Tokyo, Japan, for an “optimized tape drive unmounting.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: A computer-implemented method for faster unmount of tape drives includes generating a batch file to be migrated from a primary storage to a tape media acting as a secondary storage. The size of the batch file is determined based on an amount of available storage space on the tape media between a position in a longitudinal direction of storage (LPOS) and longitudinal position three (LP3) on the tape media. The computer-implemented method further includes migrating the batch file from the primary storage to the tape media mounted on a tape drive. Upon completion of migrating the batch file, the LPOS is within a predetermined threshold distance of LP3 on the tape media.”

The patent application was filed on September 4, 2019 (16/560,092).