US 4,835,628 AGranted

Apparatus and method for formatting and recording digital data on magnetic tape

AssigneeExabyte Corporation

InventorsHarry C. Hinz, Christopher P. Zook

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Abstract

Apparatus and method are disclosed for formatting and recording digital information. Recording is effected by discrete stripes on 8 mm magnetic tape using a helical scan arrangement that enables a high recording density and a low error rate. Formatting in the data area of each stripe includes recording of digital information within preamble, data block, and postamble sections. The preamble section provides frequency/phase and location referencing, the data block section includes a plurality of physical data blocks each of which are divided into sub-blocks that include synchronizing and identifying information along with data to be recorded, and the postamble section ensures compatibility of physical alignment between the recording heads and magnetic tape.

Claims64

Dependent claims

An apparatus for digital recording by discrete stripes on magnetic tape, said apparatus comprising:

input means adapted to receive data to be recorded and providing a first output in digital form indicative thereof;
reference generating means for providing a second output in digital form for referencing purposes, said reference generating means including a plurality of reference signal generators including a clock reference region generator, a bit synchronization field generator, and an information segment number generator;
formatting means for receiving said first and second outputs and providing a combined digital output that includes both said first and second outputs, said formatting means including logic means for receiving the outputs from said plurality of reference signal generators, said logic means including a plurality of gates for separately receiving the outputs from each of said plurality of reference signal generators;
recording means for recording said combined serial digital output from said formatting means, said combined digital output from said formatting means being recorded on each said stripe of said magnetic tape in at least first and second sections with said first section including a first portion of said second output for referencing purposes and said second section including said first output indicative of data to be recorded and a second portion of said second output for referencing purposes;
and,
sequencing means connected with said gates for controlling sequencing therethrough.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.