MAGNETIC TAPE SECURITY

• US 20090190259A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: STIARWALT, RANDOLPH E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/134
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/042 Auxiliary features sensing such features G11B15/06

Abstract

A tape cartridge includes a housing and a length of magnetic tape disposed within the housing. Additionally, the tape cartridge includes at least one cartridge memory chip disposed within the housing and at least one RFID reader operably connected to at least one of the cartridge memory chips and configured to write at least one message to the cartridge memory chip based on a received RFID signal.

Claims

1. A tape cartridge comprising:

a housing;

a length of magnetic tape disposed within the housing;

at least one cartridge memory chip disposed within the housing; and

at least one RFID reader operably connected to at least one of the cartridge memory chips and configured to write at least one message to the cartridge memory chip based on a received RFID signal.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the message prevents the length of magnetic tape from removal from the cartridge.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the message prevents the length of magnetic tape from being mounted by a tape drive.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the message reauthorizes removal of the magnetic tape from the cartridge.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising at least one audible alarm device configured to sound based on the message.

6. A tape cartridge security system comprising:

a tape cartridge including

a housing;

a length of magnetic tape disposed within the housing;

at least one cartridge memory chip disposed within the housing; and

at least one RFID reader operably connected to at least one of the cartridge memory chips and configured to write at least one message to the cartridge memory chip based on a received RFID signal; and

a RFID transmitter configured to transmit a RFID signal to the cartridge memory chip.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the message prevents the length of magnetic tape from removal from the cartridge.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising at least one tape drive including a wireless communication device configured to transmit messages to the cartridge memory chip and receive messages from the cartridge memory chip, wherein at least one message controls whether the tape drive will remove the length of magnetic tape from within the housing.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the message reauthorizes removal of the magnetic tape from the cartridge.

10. A method for providing security for a magnetic tape cartridge, the method comprising:

providing at least one magnetic tape cartridge, the tape cartridge including

a housing;

a length of magnetic tape disposed within the housing;

at least one cartridge memory chip disposed within the housing; and

at least one RFID reader operably connected to at least one of the cartridge memory chips and configured to write at least one message to the cartridge memory chip based on a received RFID signal;

providing at least one RFID transmitter configured to transmit a RFID signal to the cartridge memory chip;

transmitting the RFID signal from the RFID transmitter to the RFID reader;

receiving the RFID signal at the RFID reader;

writing at least one message to the cartridge memory chip based on the received RFID signal;

disabling the magnetic tape cartridge based on the written message.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising

enabling the magnetic tape cartridge based on receiving a second RFID signal.