Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Mark L Watson

James N Malina

Robert G Biskeborn

Trevor W Olson

David John Seagle

William Bernard Boyle

Masahito Kobayashi

Derrick E Burton

Diane L Brown

David W Chew

The present disclosure generally relates to a tape utilized with a tape drive including a tape head. The tape comprises a plurality of writeable portions configured to store data and a plurality of non-writeable portions that are unable to store data. The writeable portions comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of: Ru, Pt, Ta, and Co, and the non-writeable portions comprise a different material than the writeable portions. Each writeable portion is defined between two non-writeable portions, and each writeable portion has a greater area on the tape than each non-writeable portion. The non-writeable portions are utilized during stop-start and turn-around operations of the tape head, are configured to lubricate the tape head, clean the tape head, and remove debris from the tape head. The non-writeable portions enable improved performance of the tape drive while reducing a cost of the tape.

Magnetic tape having alternating sections for use in ultra-high areal density tape storage systems

The present disclosure generally relates to a tape head and a tape drive including a tape head. The tape head comprises servo heads configured to read servo data from a tape, a plurality of write heads configured to: write user data to a plurality of data tracks of the tape and write embedded servo data into one or more data fields of the tape, the embedded servo data comprising servo positioning information, and a plurality of read heads configured to read the user data and the embedded servo data from the tape. The embedded servo data may be embedded servo fields or embedded servo tracks. The embedded servo data allows the tape head to be accurately controlled and positioned above the tape, and for new data to be accurately appended to the tape.

Hybrid dedicated and dynamic servo for tape

The disclosed embodiments generally relate to a data storage device for accessing a magnetic tape. The device includes write heads writing data tracks on the magnetic tape and control circuitry configured to: (1) use the heads to write a first set of data tracks on the magnetic tape; (2) measure a distortion of the first set of data tracks after the first set of data tracks have been written; and (3) use the heads to shingle write a second set of data tracks relative to the first set of data tracks based on the measured distortion. To compensate for the distortion, a priority servo is chosen based on whether the distortion is an expansion or contraction, and/or whether the shingle writing direction is inbound or outbound. The head bar is moved during shingle writing toward the servo track associated with the priority servo.

Data storage device compensating for magnetic tape distortion when shingle writing data tracks

A data storage device is disclosed comprising at least one head configured to access a magnetic tape. A plurality of access commands are stored in a command queue, and a wear value is generated for each access command in the command queue, wherein the wear value represents a level of wear on the head or magnetic tape associated with executing the access command. An execution order for the access commands is generated based on the wear values, and at least one of the access commands is executed based on the execution order.

Data storage device compensating for head/tape wear

A data storage device configured to access a magnetic tape is disclosed, wherein the data storage device comprises at least one head configured to access the magnetic tape, wherein the head comprises a write element, a first read element substantially aligned with the write element, and a second read element laterally offset from the first read element. Data is written to a data track and read-after-write verify is performed using the write element and the first read element. In response to a read command received from a host, the data track is read using the second read element to compensate for a stretching of the magnetic tape.

Data storage device using laterally offset read element to compensate for tape stretch

A data storage device is disclosed comprising at least one head configured to access a magnetic tape. User data is written to a first area of the magnetic tape at a first data track pitch, and when a distortion of the magnetic tape is detected, the user data is rewritten to compensate for the distortion.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Mark L Watson