Multiple servo sensor configuration for magnetic tape timing based servo

A magnetic tape drive for reading and/or writing data with respect to magnetic tape, said magnetic tape having at least one timing based servo track extending in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape and comprising laterally extending transitions at least some of which transitions have differing slants with respect to said lateral and longitudinal directions;

• comprising:
• read and/or write heads configured to read and/or write data with respect to longitudinal tracks of a magnetic tape moved longitudinally with respect to said read and/or write heads;
• a drive system configured to move a magnetic tape longitudinally with respect to said read and/or write heads;
• and
• a servo system configured to control the lateral position of said read and/or write heads with respect to said magnetic tape, comprising:
• a plurality of servo sensors laterally displaced over a distance less than the transverse width of said timing based servo track laterally extending transitions, said servo sensors configured to sense said laterally extending transitions;
• servo detection logic configured to detect the relative timings of said laterally extending transitions sensed by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors as said magnetic tape is moved in said longitudinal direction;
• logic configured to determine from said relative timings of said transitions for at least one known set of laterally extending transitions having differing slants by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors, information relating to the lateral position of at least one of said plurality of servo sensors with respect to said magnetic tape, wherein said logic is configured to determine said information relating to said lateral position by employing said relative timing detected from one said servo sensor and said relative timing detected from another said servo sensor;
• and
• a servo control configured to move said servo sensors and said read and/or write heads in the transverse direction of said magnetic tape in accordance with said information relating to said lateral position.

A magnetic tape drive for reading and/or writing data with respect to magnetic tape, said magnetic tape having at least one timing based servo track extending in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape and comprising laterally extending transitions at least some of which have differing slants with respect to said lateral and longitudinal directions;

• comprising:
• read and/or write heads configured to read and/or write data with respect to longitudinal tracks of a magnetic tape moved longitudinally with respect to said read and/or write heads;
• a drive system configured to move a magnetic tape longitudinally with respect to said read and/or write heads;
• and
• a drive servo system configured to control the longitudinal velocity of said magnetic tape with respect to said read and/or write heads, comprising:
• a plurality of servo sensors laterally displaced over a distance less than the transverse width of said timing based servo track laterally extending transitions, said servo sensors configured to sense said laterally extending transitions;
• servo detection logic configured to detect the relative timings of said laterally extending transitions sensed by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors as said magnetic tape is moved in said longitudinal direction;
• logic configured to determine from said relative timings of said transitions for at least one known set of laterally extending transitions having differing slants by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors, information relating to the longitudinal velocity of said magnetic tape with respect to said plurality of servo sensors, wherein said logic is configured to determine said information related to said longitudinal velocity by determining the difference between said relative timing detected from one said servo sensor and said relative timing detected from another said servo sensor;
• and
• a servo drive control configured to operate said drive system to alter said longitudinal velocity of said magnetic tape in accordance with said information related to said longitudinal velocity.

A servo system for a magnetic tape drive configured to read and/or write data with respect to longitudinal tracks of a magnetic tape;

• said magnetic tape having at least one timing based servo track extending in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape and comprising laterally extending transitions at least some of which have differing slants with respect to said lateral and longitudinal directions;
• comprising:
• read and/or write heads configured to read and/or write data with respect to longitudinal tracks of a magnetic tape moved longitudinally with respect to said read and/or write heads;
• a plurality of servo sensors laterally displaced over a distance less than the transverse width of said timing based servo track laterally extending transitions, said servo sensors configured to sense said laterally extending transitions;
• servo detection logic configured to detect the relative timings of said laterally extending transitions sensed by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors as said magnetic tape is moved in said longitudinal direction;
• logic configured to determine from said relative timings of said transitions for at least one known set of laterally extending transitions having differing slants by said plurality of laterally displaced servo sensors, information relating to the lateral position of at least one of said plurality of servo sensors with respect to said magnetic tape, wherein said logic is configured to determine said information relating to said lateral position by employing the relative timing detected from one of said servo sensor and the relative timing detected from another of said servo sensors;
• and
• a servo control configured to move said servo sensors and said read and/or write heads in the transverse direction of said magnetic tape in accordance with said information relating to said lateral position.