Apparatus for decoding phase encoded data

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for reading phase encoded digital data from a nine-track magnetic tape which apparatus includes timing circuitry for deriving a clock signal from the recorded data. A portion of the timing circuitry is associated with each track on the tape and automatically accommodates, without generating errors, phase changes in the derived clock signal in that track caused by speed variations in the magnetic tape transport and due to bit shifts caused by certain data patterns. Tape transport speed variations are sensed and the derived clock rate is corrected by a digital phase-locked loop which uses a counter that is clocked at a constant rate to determine the timing 'window' during which the circuitry looks for signal transitions on the magnetic tape. A running average of the count remaining in the counter at the time when a transition actually occurs is used to adjust the counter starting value until equilibrium is established. The circuitry accommodates clock signal phase changes caused by bit shifting by calculating an expected arrival time for a data transition and varying the width of the timing window depending on whether the data transition is received either prior to or subsequent to the expected arrived time.