Recording head compensation for tape shrinkage and expansion

A method for reading data from a plurality of tracks on magnetic tape while compensating for shrinkage or expansion of the magnetic tape, the method comprising:

• providing a leading module comprising a plurality of leading read elements located at spaced intervals along the length of the leading module;
• providing a trailing module comprising a plurality of trailing read elements located at spaced intervals along the length of the trailing module;
• offsetting the trailing module with respect to the leading module;
• aligning selected leading read elements with first selected tracks from the plurality of tracks, wherein the selected leading read elements read the first selected tracks;
• and
• concurrently aligning selected trailing read elements with other second selected tracks from the plurality of tracks that are distinct from the first selected tracks, wherein the selected leading trailing elements read the second selected tracks.

A system for reading data from a plurality of tracks on magnetic tape while compensating for shrinkage or expansion of the magnetic tape, the system comprising:

• a magnetic medium including a plurality of data tracks located at spaced intervals along the magnetic medium;
• and
• a data storage device including a recording/reproducing head for reading and writing to and from the data tracks, the recording/reproducing head comprising:
• a leading module comprising a plurality of leading read elements located at spaced intervals along the length of the leading module;
• a trailing module comprising a plurality of trailing read elements located at spaced intervals along the length of the trailing module;
• and
• the trailing module, being offset with respect to the leading module such that selected leading read elements align with and read first selected tracks and selected trailing read elements effectively concurrently align with and read second selected tracks that are distinct from the first selected tracks.

A recording/reproducing head to read from a plurality of tracks on magnetic tape while compensating for shrinkage or expansion of the magnetic tape, the recording/reproducing head comprising:

• means for providing a plurality of leading read elements, at spaced intervals, in a substantially linear arrangement;
• means for providing a plurality of trailing read elements, at spaced intervals, in a substantially linear arrangement;
• and
• means for offsetting the leading read elements with respect to the trailing read elements such that the leading read elements concurrently align with and read first selected tracks and the trailing read elements align with and read second selected tracks that are distinct from the first selected tracks.

A method for reading data from a plurality of tracks on magnetic tape while compensating for shrinkage or expansion of the magnetic tape, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of leading read elements spaced substantially linearly with respect to one another and at predetermined intervals;
• providing a plurality of trailing read elements spaced substantially linearly with respect to one another and at predetermined intervals, the spacing of the trailing read elements being substantially equal to the spacing of the leading read elements;
• offsetting the leading read elements with respect to the trailing read elements;
• reading first selected tracks from the plurality of tracks with selected leading read elements;
• and
• concurrently reading other second selected tracks from the plurality of tracks that are distinct from the first selected tracks with selected trailing read elements.