Servo pattern recording method, servo pattern recording apparatus, method of producing tape-like magnetic recording medium, tape-like magnetic recording medium, and servo write head

A servo pattern recording apparatus that records a servo pattern along a longitudinal direction of a tape-like magnetic recording medium, comprising:

• a servo write head that includes
• a first head block that includes three or more first magnetic gaps arranged corresponding to three or more continuous first servo bands, the three or more first magnetic gaps being arranged such that combinations of phases in the longitudinal direction of two adjacent first magnetic gaps included in the three or more first magnetic gaps are all different, and
• a second head block that includes three or more second magnetic gaps arranged corresponding to three or more continuous second servo bands, the three or more second magnetic gaps being arranged such that combinations of phases in the longitudinal direction of two adjacent second magnetic gaps included in the three or more second magnetic gaps are all different;
• and
• a drive unit that outputs, at same timing, a first recording signal for recording first servo band identification information having a plurality of bits to the first head block and a second recording signal for recording second servo band identification information having a plurality of bits to the second head block, the second servo band identification information being different from the first servo band identification information.

A tape-like magnetic recording medium, comprising:

• a magnetic layer that includes a plurality of servo bands extending in a longitudinal direction,
• the magnetic layer including
• a first servo band group that includes three or more first servo bands, a first servo pattern being recorded on the three or more first servo bands, first servo band identification information having a plurality of bits being to be embedded in the first servo pattern, and
• a second servo band group that includes three or more second servo bands, a second servo pattern being recorded on the three or more second servo bands, second servo band identification information having a plurality of bits being to be embedded in the second servo pattern, the second servo band identification information being different from the first servo band identification information,
• combinations of a first pair and a second pair being all different between two servo bands adjacent to each other, the first pair being a pair of servo band identification information and a phase thereof in the longitudinal direction in one of the two servo bands read by a first servo read head, the second pair being a pair of servo band identification information and a phase thereof in the longitudinal direction in the other servo band read by a second servo read head.

A servo write head to be used for recording a servo pattern along a longitudinal direction of a tape-like magnetic recording medium, comprising

• a first head block that includes three or more first magnetic gaps arranged corresponding to three or more continuous first servo bands, the three or more first magnetic gaps being arranged such that combinations of phases in the longitudinal direction of two adjacent first magnetic gaps included in the three or more first magnetic gaps are all different;
• and
• a second head block that includes three or more second magnetic gaps arranged corresponding to three or more continuous second servo bands, the three or more second magnetic gaps being arranged such that combinations of phases in the longitudinal direction of two adjacent second magnetic gaps included in the three or more second magnetic gaps are all different,
• a first recording signal for recording first servo band identification information having a plurality of bits and a second recording signal for recording second servo band identification information having a plurality of bits being output at same timing to the first head block and the second head block, respectively, the second servo band identification information being different from the first servo band identification information.