# US 6,721,123 B2 · Magnetic tape recording medium, magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus, magnetic tape recording method and magnetic tape cassette > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,721,123 B2 - Document ID: US6721123B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 09/946,470 - Filed: 2001-09-06 - Published: 2002-03-07 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 2000-09-07 - Assignees: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Minoru Sueki; Kiyomi Ejiri; Kiyoo Morita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6721123B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/78: Tape carriers - G11B 5/584: for track following on tapes - G11B 23/107: using one reel or core, one end of the record carrier coming out of the magazine or cassette - G11B 23/30: with provision for auxiliary signals - G11B 5/00813: {magnetic tapes} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A magnetic tape includes two servo tracks respectively extending in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape from the tape-width-direction two end portions of the magnetic tape, and a data area interposed between the two servo tracks. The azimuth angle θ° of the data track of the data area satisfies an equation of 0 ≤ θ ≤ tan - 1 ⁡ ( 10 ⁢ p a × L ) , where a data track pitch is expressed as p (m), a magnetic tape width is expressed as L (m) and the greatest dimension change rate is expressed as (a) (%). Since the azimuth angle θ° is determined in this manner, even in the case where the magnetic tape is deformed in shape and/or changed in dimension, an offtrack error can be prevented and thus, the data track can be traced in the data area accurately. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic tape recording medium comprising: a data area on which data tracks having an azimuth angle θ° are recorded and reproduced sequentially; and two servo tracks disposed between both end portions of said magnetic tape recording medium in a width direction of said magnetic tape recording medium, each of said two servo tracks extending in a longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium and having therein a previously recorded servo track signal that includes position information recorded in the longitudinal direction representing a position of said magnetic tape recording medium and also includes tracking information recorded in parallel to said data tracks, wherein said azimuth angle θ° satisfies an equation of: 0 ≤ θ ≤ tan - 1 ⁡ ( 10 ⁢ p a × L ) , where a width of said magnetic tape recording medium in the width direction is expressed as L(m), a data track pitch in said data area is expressed as p(m), and the greatest dimension change rate of said magnetic tape recording medium in the longitudinal direction due to a temperature and humidity is expressed as (a) (%) 10 p. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data area is interposed between said two servo tracks in the width direction of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 2, wherein said position information of said servo track signal is magnetically recorded in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 2, wherein said position information of said servo track signal comprises an optically readable pattern formed on a magnetic surface of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 2, wherein said position information of said servo track signal comprises bit holes that are formed in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 1, wherein said position information of said servo track signal is formed on a surface opposite to a surface on which said data area exists. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 6, wherein said position information of said servo track signal is magnetically recorded in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 6, wherein said position information of said servo track signal comprises an optically readable pattern formed in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in claim 6, wherein said position information of said servo track signal comprises bit holes that are formed in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium. ### Claim 10 A magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus for magnetically and sequentially recording and reproducing data tracks that are provided on a data area of a magnetic tape recording medium at an azimuth angle θ°, wherein said magnetic tape recording medium comprises: the data area on which said data tracks having the azimuth angle θ° are recorded and reproduced sequentially; and two servo tracks disposed between both end portions of said magnetic tape recording medium in a width direction of said magnetic tape recording medium, each of said two servo tracks extending in a longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium and having therein a previously recorded servo track signal that includes position information recorded in the longitudinal direction representing a position of said magnetic tape recording medium and also includes tracking information recorded in parallel to said data tracks, wherein said azimuth angle θ° satisfies an equation of: 0 ≤ θ ≤ tan - 1 ⁡ ( 10 ⁢ p a × L ) , where a width of said magnetic tape recording medium in the width direction is expressed as L (m), a data track pitch in said data area is expressed as p (m), and the greatest dimension change rate of said magnetic tape recording medium in the longitudinal direction due to a temperature and humidity is expressed as (a) (%). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising: a position information head for reading said position information; a drum magnetic head for reading said tracking information; and, a control part for executing tracking control on said drum magnetic head according to said tracking information read by said drum magnetic head, and also for executing data cue-up control according to said position information read by said position information head. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said data area is interposed between said servo tracks in the width direction, said position information head is a position information magnetic head for reading said position information magnetically recorded in the longitudinal direction, and said control part is a control part for executing tracking control on said drum magnetic head according to said tracking information read by said drum magnetic head, and also for executing data cue-up control according to said position information read by said position information magnetic head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said data area is interposed between said servo tracks in the width direction, and wherein said position information head is a position information optical head for radiating light onto said position information that comprises one of an optically readable pattern formed on a magnetic surface extending in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium and a bit hole formed in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium, to thereby read variations in the reflection factor of said light, and said control part is a control part for executing tracking control on said drum magnetic head according to said tracking information read by said drum magnetic head, and also for executing data cue-up control according to said position information read by said position information optical head. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said position information head is a position information magnetic head for reading said position information magnetically recorded in the longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium on a surface of said medium opposite to a surface on which said data area is recorded, and said control part is a control part for executing tracking control on said drum magnetic head according to said tracking information read by said drum magnetic head, and also for executing data cue-up control according to said position information read by said position information magnetic head. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said position information head is a position information optical head for radiating light onto said position information having an optically readable pattern to thereby read variations in the reflection factor of said light, and said control part is a control part for executing tracking control on said drum magnetic head according to said tracking information read by said drum magnetic head, and also for executing data cue-up control according to said position information read by said position information optical head. ### Claim 16 A magnetic tape recording and reproducing method for magnetically recording and reproducing data tracks with respect to a data area of a magnetic tape recording medium at an azimuth angle θ°, wherein said magnetic tape recording medium comprises: the data area on which said data tracks having the azimuth angle θ° are recorded and reproduced sequentially; and two servo tracks disposed between both end portions of said magnetic tape recording medium in a width direction of said magnetic tape recording medium, each of said two servo tracks extending in a longitudinal direction of said magnetic tape recording medium and having therein a previously recorded servo track signal that includes position information recorded in the longitudinal direction representing a position of said magnetic tape recording medium and also includes tracking information recorded in parallel to said data tracks, wherein said azimuth angle θ° satisfies an equation of: 0 ≤ θ ≤ tan - 1 ⁡ ( 10 ⁢ p a × L ) , where a width of said magnetic tape recording medium in the width direction is expressed as L (m), a data track pitch in said data area is expressed as p (m), and the greatest dimension change rate of said magnetic tape recording medium in the longitudinal direction due to a temperature and humidity is expressed as (a) (%). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4) A magnetic tape cassette storing therein a magnetic tape recording medium as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 4, said magnetic tape cassette comprising: a box body formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped; and a tape reel disposed in the interior portion of said magnetic tape cassette box body, said magnetic tape recording medium being wound on said tape reel, wherein said magnetic tape wound on said tape reel can be pulled out from said magnetic tape cassette box body or pulled into the interior portion of said magnetic tape cassette box body by rotating said tape reel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 17, further including: a hold portion for holding an end portion of said magnetic tape recording medium in the longitudinal direction that is pulled out from said magnetic tape cassette box body.