Tape media kiss-contact read verification
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert G. Biskeborn, Calvin S. Lo, Tak H. Wong, Xu Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A supplemental module that includes one or more read elements periodically engages a magnetic recording medium, and the read elements generate an electrical signal corresponding to transitions written to the magnetic recording medium by a write element. A computer receives information representative of the electrical signal and determines if a quality metric of the magnetic recording medium derived from the electrical signal is within a defined range. If the quality metric is not within the defined range, a defined action is performed by the computer.
Claims13
An apparatus comprising:
- a supplemental module that periodically engages a magnetic tape recording medium;
- at least one read element in the supplemental module that generates an electrical signal corresponding to transitions written to the magnetic tape by a write element, the read element disposed a distance away from the magnetic tape when the supplemental module engages the magnetic tape, such that a signal resolution measurement value is approximately a minimum acceptable value when the magnetic tape is a reference tape;
- a computer that receives information representative of the electrical signal and determines if a quality metric of the magnetic tape recording medium derived from the electrical signal is within a defined range;
- and
- in response to determining that the quality metric is not within the defined range, performing a defined action.
A method comprising:
- periodically engaging a supplemental tape head module, that includes one or more read elements, to a magnetic tape recording medium, wherein the supplemental tape head module periodically engages the magnetic recording medium one or more of:
- once per a defined number of wraps of the tape around a supply reel or take up reel, after a defined elapsed tape recording appliance operation time, after a defined tape length that moves across the tape head module, when a tape is loaded to the tape recording appliance, when a BER exceeds a threshold value;
- receiving, by a computer, information representative of an electrical signal from at least one of the read elements corresponding to transitions written to the magnetic tape recording medium by a write element;
- determining, by the computer, if a quality metric of the magnetic tape recording medium derived from the electrical signal is within a defined range;
- and
- in response to determining that the characteristic of the quality metric is not within the defined range, performing, by the computer, a defined action.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.