Tape cartridge format identification in a single reel tape handling device

1. A method for determining, in a tape handling device, a format of a single reel tape cartridge from a plurality of potential formats, the method comprising:

receiving a single reel tape cartridge in a tape handling device;

obtaining information from a tape cartridge leader connected to a tape media;

identifying a format of the tape cartridge from a plurality of potential formats using the information;

determining the tape cartridge is incompatible with the tape handling device, wherein determining comprises determining the tape cartridge is incompatible with the tape handling device prior to winding the tape media past a tape head in the tape handling device; and

ejecting the tape cartridge from the tape handling device.

2. The leader of claim 1 , wherein the information is located on the leader at a predetermined location to permit overlay of the information by the leader during winding to prevent print through of the information onto the tape media.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the format comprises:

identifying a format of the tape media.

4. The method of claim 1 , the method comprising:

determining the tape cartridge is compatible with the tape handling device; and

winding the tape media from the tape cartridge to a read/write position in the tape handling device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the format comprises:

identifying a layout of the tape cartridge.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining step comprises:

sensing at least one feature on the tape cartridge leader.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sensing step comprises:

sensing at least one aperture in the tape cartridge leader.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying the format of the tape cartridge based on the at least one sensed feature.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the obtaining step comprises:

sensing a plurality of features on the tape cartridge leader.

10. The method of claim 9 , the method comprising:

measuring at least two distances between first, second, and third features on the tape cartridge leader, wherein the identifying step comprises identifying the tape cartridge based on the at least two distances.

11. The method of claim 9 , the method comprising:

measuring a distance between first and second sensed features on the tape cartridge leader, wherein the identifying step comprises identifying the tape cartridge based on the distance.

12. A method for preventing damage to one of a tape handling device and a single reel tape cartridge due to incompatibility, the method comprising:

receiving a tape cartridge in a tape handling device;

connecting a tape cartridge leader to the tape handling device;

in the tape handling device, sensing information on the tape cartridge leader;

in the tape handling device, determining if the tape cartridge is compatible with the tape handling device using the information:

if the tape cartridge is incompatible, ejecting the tape cartridge from the tape handling device, wherein ejecting comprises ejecting the tape cartridge prior to winding a tape media in the tape cartridge past a tape head.

13. The method of claim 12 , the method comprising:

subsequent to the connecting step, winding the connected leaders onto a take-up reel.

14. The method of claim 12 , the method comprising:

winding the tape media to a read/write position adjacent the tape head if the tape cartridge is compatible.

15. A tape handling device comprising:

a processor;

a sensing system;

cartridge format identification software operational when executed on the processor to direct the sensing system to obtain information from a tape cartridge leader and identify a format of the tape cartridge from a plurality of potential formats using the information; and

a software storage medium operational to store the cartridge format identification software,

wherein the software is operational when executed on the processor to determine the tape cartridge is incompatible with the tape handling device and cause the tape handling device to eject the tape cartridge, and wherein the software is operational when executed on the processor to determine the tape cartridge is incompatible with the tape handling device prior to winding the tape media past a tape head in the tape handling device.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the software is operational when executed on the processor to determine the tape cartridge is compatible with the tape handling device and cause the tape handling device to wind the tape media from the tape cartridge to a read/write position adjacent a tape head in the tape handling device.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the software is operational when executed on the processor to measure a distance between a first and second feature on the tape cartridge leader and identify the tape cartridge based on the distance.

18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the software is operational when executed on the processor to measure at least two distances between first, second, and third features on the tape cartridge leader and identify the tape cartridge based on the at least two distances.