Optical to magnetic alignment in magnetic tape system
First Claim
1. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
- positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording channel in the read/write assembly;
processing an alignment tape in the read/write assembly to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel, wherein the alignment tape includes a track of alignment voids, and processing includes writing a track of data to the alignment tape over the alignment voids; and
positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system includes positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording, processing an alignment tape to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel and positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset. An alignment tape is also provided, which includes an elongated continuous web of flexible plastic substrate material having two edges and defining a front major surface and a back major surface, a magnetic storage medium formed on the front major surface, an inert medium formed on the back major surface and a track of alignment voids for indicating actual lateral displacement of the selected recording channel relative to the optical servo system.
151 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
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positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording channel in the read/write assembly;
processing an alignment tape in the read/write assembly to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel, wherein the alignment tape includes a track of alignment voids, and processing includes writing a track of data to the alignment tape over the alignment voids; and
positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 23, 24)
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14. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
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positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording channel in the read/write assembly;
processing an alignment tape in the read/write assembly to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel, wherein the alignment tape includes a plurality of alignment void tracks; and
positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset, wherein processing includes;
moving the recording head across the tracks in a motion perpendicular to a motion of the alignment tape;
writing and reading a magnetic signal to the alignment tape by the selected recording channel at a higher frequency than the frequency of alignment voids moving past the selected recording channel to determine an amplitude demodulated magnetic signal;
directing a beam of light by the optical servo system to the alignment tape to determine an optical signal; and
determining a timing difference between the envelope of the demodulated magnetic signal and the envelope of the optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
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positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording channel in the read/write assembly;
processing an alignment tape in the read/write assembly to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel, wherein the alignment tape includes a plurality of alignment void tracks; and
positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset, wherein processing includes;
moving the recording head across the tracks in a motion perpendicular to a motion of the alignment tape;
directing multiple beams of light by the optical servo system to the alignment tape to determine a number of optical signals; and
determining a timing difference between the envelope of one optical signal and the envelope of another optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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25. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
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positioning the optical servo system at a first position relative to the selected recording channel in the read/write assembly;
processing an alignment tape in the read/write assembly to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel, wherein the alignment tape comprises;
a plurality of longitudinal tracks on a second major surface of the tape, and recording channel positioning alignment voids; and
positioning the optical servo system at a second position relative to the selected recording channel using the lateral offset, wherein processing comprises;
suspending the alignment tape in a coupon;
positioning the alignment tape with the coupon over a recording channel pair to position a line from one element of a channel pair to another; and
positioning the optical servo system such that one generated optical spot is centered on a middle one of the longitudinal tracks and other generated optical spots are offset by a desired amount. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An alignment tape for positioning a selected recording channel of a recording head relative to an optical servo system in a read/write assembly comprises:
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an elongated continuous web of flexible plastic substrate material having two edges and defining a front major surface and a back major surface;
a magnetic storage medium formed on the front major surface;
an inert medium formed on the back major surface; and
a track of alignment voids for indicating actual lateral displacement of the selected recording channel relative to the optical servo system, wherein the track of alignment voids is formed by ablation by a pulsating laser beam of sufficient power to penetrate the back major surface through to the front major surface leaving visible the flexible plastic substrate of the alignment tape.
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28. A method of positioning a selected recording channel on a recording head relative to an optical servo system comprises:
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fixedly positioning the optical servo system at a position relative to the selected recording channel;
processing an alignment tape to determine a lateral offset between the optical servo system and the selected recording channel; and
storing the lateral offset. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification