Longitudinal position information on a magnetic tape media

A method for encoding a magnetic tape media, the method comprising:

• writing servo information to one or more servo bands of the magnetic tape media, using at least one servo band extending along the magnetic tape media, the servo information configured allow determination of a lateral deviation of a servo reader reading the servo information from a lateral reference position on the servo band;
• and
• integrating additional information into the servo information, which additional information is encoded by an M-ary alphabet A comprising M>2 different symbols, is arranged in a set of words, wherein each of the M>2 different symbols represents a distinct binary number consisting of a same number of bits and wherein each word of the set of words contains:
• synchronization information, wherein each symbol used for representing the synchronization information is from a set B of m symbols, which set B is a proper subset of the symbols in the alphabet A such that 1≦m<M;
• longitudinal position information, wherein each symbol used for representing the longitudinal position information is from a set C of M-m symbols, which set C is a complementary set to set B;
• and
• other information, wherein each symbol used for representing the other information is from the set C of M-m symbols.

A method for reading servo information from a magnetic tape media, comprising:

• determining a lateral deviation of a servo reader reading the servo information from a lateral reference position on the servo band;
• repositioning the servo reader on the lateral reference position by repositioning a tape head comprising the servo reader;
• demodulating additional information read by the servo reader;
• and
• decoding a longitudinal position value out of the synchronized additional information;
• wherein the additional information is encoded by an M-ary alphabet A comprising M>2 different symbols, is arranged in a set of words, wherein each of the M>2 different symbols represents a distinct binary number consisting of a same number of bits and wherein each word of the set of words contains:
• synchronization information, wherein each symbol used for representing the synchronization information is from a set B of m symbols, which set B is a proper subset of the symbols in the alphabet A such that 1≦m<M;
• longitudinal position information, wherein each symbol used for representing the longitudinal position information is from a set C of M-m symbols, which set C is a complementary set to set B;
• and
• other information, wherein each symbol used for representing the other information is from the set C of M-m symbols.