Compensation for nonlinearity in servo patterns

A computer program product for compensating for nonlinearity in a timing based servo pattern, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to perform a method comprising:

• generating, by the controller, a y-position estimate based on a servo readback signal from a servo reader reading a servo band;
• retrieving or calculating, by the controller, a nonlinearity-correction value corresponding to the y-position estimate;
• adjusting, by the controller, the y-position estimate using the nonlinearity-correction value;
• and
• outputting, by the controller, the adjusted y-position estimate.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a controller configured to:
• generate a y-position estimate based on a servo readback signal from a servo reader reading a servo band;
• retrieve or calculate a nonlinearity-correction value corresponding to the y-position estimate;
• adjust the y-position estimate using the nonlinearity-correction value;
• and
• output the adjusted y-position estimate.