Pause strategy for magnetic tape recording

1 . A helical scan tape recorder comprising:

a rotatable scanner;

a transport system for transporting magnetic tape proximate the rotatable scanner in a manner so that information is recorded during a revolution of the scanner;

a controller for performing a pause routine, the pause routine when executed comprising performing the steps of:

determining a tape pause position reference value indicative of a pre-pause last recording position on the tape;

recording a signal on the tape after the pre-pause last recording position which nullifies previously existing information recorded after the pre-pause last recording position;

rewinding the tape;

transporting the tape in a forward direction and obtaining a current tape position value;

determining when the current tape position value reaches a predetermined value relative to the tape pause position reference value; and

at beginning of a next revolution of the scanner, commencing recording of one or more post-pause stripes on the tape.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value relative to the tape pause position reference value is a sum of the tape pause position reference value and an offset value.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the offset value is programmable.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the step of recording the signal on the tape after the pre-pause last recording position which nullifies the previously existing information recorded after the pre-pause last recording position is a DC erase signal.

5 . A method of operating a helical scan tape recorder having a transport system for transporting magnetic tape proximate a rotatable scanner in a manner so that information is recorded during a revolution of the scanner, the method comprising:

determining a tape pause position reference value indicative of a pre-pause last recording position on the tape;

recording a signal on the tape after the pre-pause last recording position which nullifies previously existing information recorded after the pre-pause last recording position;

rewinding the tape;

transporting the tape in a forward direction and obtaining a current tape position value;

determining when the current tape position value reaches a predetermined value relative to the tape pause position reference value; and

at beginning of a next revolution of the scanner, commencing recording of one or more post-pause stripes on the tape.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined value relative to the tape pause position reference value is a sum of the tape pause position reference value and an offset.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the offset value is programmable.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of recording the signal on the tape after the pre-pause last recording position which nullifies the previously existing information recorded after the pre-pause last recording position is a DC erase signal.

9 . A method of operating a helical scan tape recorder having a transport system for transporting magnetic tape proximate a rotatable scanner in a manner so that information is recorded during a revolution of the scanner, the method comprising:

encountering a tape pause situation; and

recording a DC erase signal on the tape after the pre-pause last recording position before recording post-pause data on the tape.