Sony Corporation

Other

Hideki Nonoyama

Tomonao Uchida

Mark Robert Watkins

Toyomi Fujino

Tsutomu Toyoguchi

Nigel Kevin Rushton

Robert Alan Williams

Osamu Nakamura

Shinya Ozaki

Toshiyuki Hirose

Akira Itou

Kazuo Ozawa

Yoshinori Saito

Disclosed herein is a helical scan type magnetic tape reproduction apparatus, including: a helical scan type reproduction head capable of moving in the track widthwise direction by displacement of said actuator itself; target time decision means for measuring a period of time from a reference point of time with regard to each of a plurality of markers recorded in a dispersed relationship at predetermined positions on the tracks in advance to the marker by a predetermined number of times, averaging the measurement time periods of the markers and storing the average time periods; and tracking control means for measuring actual time periods from the reference time points with regard to the markers and performing updating control of a control voltage to be applied to said actuator for said reproduction head in accordance with time information of the differences between the target time periods and the actual time periods.

Helical scan type magnetic tape reproduction apparatus and magnetic tape reproduction method

A sequence of data blocks written onto a medium of a data storage system includes first and subsequent appended data blocks having an append point code for identifying the first appended data block location. For data blocks having a running block number or frame number, the block or frame number of the first appended data block is stored as the append point code. The appended point code identifies the most recently append point location and aids in processes, such as tracking calibration, data integrity confirmation and track positioning.

Method of and apparatus for tracking appended data on storage medium

In a data storage system in which a sequence of data blocks is written onto a medium, appended data is distinguished by including in the first and subsequent appended data blocks an append point code uniquely identifying the location of the first appended data block. Where the data blocks have a running block number or frame number, the block or frame number of the first appended data block is stored as the append point code. This clearly identifies the most recent append point location which will aid in processes such as tracking calibration data integrity confirmation and track positioning.

A track format is prescribed so that an ST-AFN indicating the AFN of the streaming start position be written on each track, and at the time of reference value measurement, an append point is detected by monitoring coincidence between the AFT and the ST-AFN on the scanned track. And, on the basis of the detected append point, a reference value is measured for each streaming recorded area, and this reference value is held matched with the recording positional information of the streaming recorded area.

Recording tape medium, and apparatus for recording data on and recorded data from recording tape medium by helical scanning system

A tracking control apparatus for a tape-shaped recording medium according to this invention is operative, prior to carrying out actual reproduction, to measure times from the time point serving as reference phase position within one period of the rotary drum to the time points when timing signals of respective recording areas of the tape-shaped recording medium are detected by the head, and to calculate average values every respective recording areas of the measured times to generate reference value on the basis of the maximum value and the minimum value of the calculated average values of the respective recording areas. Further, in actual reproduction, times from the time point serving as reference phase position to the time points when the timing signals of the tape-shaped recording medium are detected by the head are measured to control relative velocity between traveling velocity of the tape-shaped recording medium and rotational velocity of the rotary drum on the basis of result of comparison between the measured times and the reference value. Thus, even in the case where particularly the relationship between the scanning locus of the reproduction head and the track shape is not ideal, satisfactory tracking can be carried out over the entire area of the track. As a result, reliability of, e.g., digital data storage using such tracking control apparatus for tape-shaped recording medium can be improved.

Tracking controller for a tape-like recording medium

A tracking control apparatus for a tape-shaped recording medium is operative, prior to carrying out actual reproduction, to measure times from the time point serving as the reference phase position within one period of the rotary drum to the time points when timing signals of respective recording areas of the tape-shaped recording medium are detected by the head, and to calculate average values every respective recording areas of the measured times to generate a reference value on the basis of the maximum value and the minimum value of the calculated average values of the respective recording areas. Further, in actual reproduction, times from the time point serving as reference phase position to the time points when the timing signals of the tape-shaped recording medium are detected by the head are measured to control relative velocity between traveling velocity of the tape-shaped recording medium and rotational velocity of the rotary drum on the basis of result of comparison between the measured times and the reference value. Thus, even in the case where particularly the relationship between the scanning locus of the reproduction head and the track shape is not ideal, satisfactory tracking can be carried out over the entire area of the track. As a result, reliability of, e.g., digital data storage using such tracking control apparatus for tape-shaped recording medium can be improved.

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals with the use of a tape cassette having a pair of tape reels which are engaged on reel shafts of the apparatus includes a tape cassette transfer mechanism for shifting the tape cassette inserted by way of a cassette insertion opening in a first direction normal to the reel shafts and then parallel to the reel shafts to place the pair of tape reels within the tape cassette on the shafts. The apparatus includes a drive arrangement having a single motor that drives both a cassette transfer arrangement and a movable tape loading control arrangement which is disposed in the apparatus for extracting a portion of the tape of the cassette and guiding an extracted portion of the tape along a predetermined path.

Drive arrangement for both a cassette loading mechanism and a tape

A data recording method and apparatus with reduced probability of error occurrence in main data. For recording data on azimuth tracks on a magnetic tape by a rotary magnetic head, each azimuth track is divided into a main data area and margin areas on both sides of the main data area. The main data recorded in the main data area of each track is arrayed two-dimensionally. An error correction code C2 is appended to a data string arrayed in the track direction, while an error correction code C1 is appended to a data string arrayed along the track width. The error correction code C2 is divided into two portions which are arrayed on both sides of the main data area of each track. This reduces the probability of error occurrence in the main data.

Data recording/reproducing apparatus having a first error correcting

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals with the use of a tape cassette is provided with a pair of reel shafts, each having an engaging member mounted with a bias towards the end of the supporting shaft, and a tape cassette transfer mechanism adapted for shifting the tape cassette inserted by way of the cassette inserting opening in a first direction normal to the reel shafts and guiding or loading the tape cassette for inserting and engaging the reel shafts with a pair of tape reels within the tape cassette. When at least the tape cassette transfer mechanism is set at a position facing the cassette inserting opening, the tape cassette transfer mechanism abuts an end of each of the reel engaging members to shift the members to a retracted position while the tape cassette is moved by the tape cassette transfer mechanism towards the proximal side of the reel shafts, to reduce the displacement in the second direction of the tape reel of the tape cassette by the tape cassette transfer mechanism to a value less than the thickness of the tape cassette to reduce the thickness of the apparatus. After completion of the tape cassette loading by the tape cassette transfer mechanism, the tape cassette is partially exposed to the cassette inserting opening to prevent a second tape cassette from being introduced into the cassette inserting opening after completion of loading of the first-mentioned cassette.

Cassette loading mechanism for a recording and reproducing apparatus

A rotary magnetic head device for use with a magnetic recording an/or reproducing apparatus, such as a digital audio tape recorder (DAT) or a video tape recorder (VTR), includes a chassis, a fixed shaft secured to the chassis and a drum unit consisting of an upper drum fixed to the upper end of the fixed shaft and a lower rotary drum rotatably mounted by means of a bearing device on the fixed shaft between the upper drum and the chassis. A rotary transformer consisting of an upper fixed core and a lower rotary core is disposed in a recess formed in the lower side of the fixed upper core. The lower core is attached to the lower rotary drum and carries a head attachment plate carrying in turn a magnetic head. The magnetic tape is wrapped about the drum unit over a prescribed wrapping angle. As the lower drum is rotated by an associated driving device, signals may be recorded on or reproduced from the magnetic tape by the magnetic head kept in frictional contact with the running tape.

Rotary magnetic head device

A tape guide drum incorporates a rotary drum, has a lead portion on its outer circumferential surface, and has a rotating axis inclined with respect to a reference surface. The first and second guide pins are arranged at the sides of the tape guide drum so as to wrap a magnetic tape around the drum, and are inclined with respect to the reference surface. The first and second guide pins are arranged so that the magnetic tape enters and exits the drum at elevation angles with respect to the lead portion. The wrap central point of the tape around the tape guide drum is spaced apart from a plane including first and second contact points between the first and second guide pins and the central line of the magnetic tape.

Tape guide mechanism for magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus

A tape cassette with a tape beginning and tape end detecting mechanism is provided wherein a lid is pivotally supported by the cassette casing at its opposite sides to removably cover the front opening of the cassette casing. A sensor chip which forms an optical path is disposed inside and near each of the sides of the cassette casing and a first aperture is formed through each of the sides to expose a part of the sensor chip. A second aperture is formed through each of the sides of the lid. The first and second apertures are located such that when the lid is opened, the first and second apertures become coincident with one another in position, while when the lid is closed, the first and second apertures are displaced relative to one another, and the first aperture is covered by the lid to thereby protect the sensor chip.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Hideki Nonoyama