Optical tape drive systems
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are aspects of optical tape technology, tape manufacturing, and tape usage. Methods and systems of tape technology disclose optical tape media including: configurations, formulations, markings, and structure; optical tape manufacturing methods, systems, and apparatus methods and systems including: curing processes, coating methods, embossing, drums, testing, tracking alignment stamper strip; optical tape methods and systems including: pick up head adapted for the disclosed optical tape; and optical tape uses including optical storage media devices for multimedia applications.
1. An optical tape drive system comprising:
an optical tape including a plurality of tracks;
a moveable optical pick-up assembly including an array of optical pick-up units each configured to generate a signal having a component representing a lateral motion of one of the tracks and a component representing a motion of the optical pick-up unit relative to the one of the tracks;
a tape transport configured to move the tape past the array; and
at least one controller configured to (i) average the signals to minimize the components representing the motion of the optical pick-up units relative to the tracks and (ii) maintain a tracking of each of the optical pick-up units relative to one of the tracks based on the average of the signals.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to independently control a focusing of each of the optical pick-up units of the array.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the tape transport is a reel-to-reel tape transport.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising another moveable optical pick-up assembly including an array of optical pick-up units, wherein the optical tape is disposed between the moveable assembly and the another moveable assembly.
5. An optical tape drive system comprising:
an optical tape including a plurality of zones each including a plurality of tracks;
a moveable optical pick-up assembly including an optical pick-up unit for each of the plurality of zones of the tape, each of the optical pick-up units configured to generate a signal having a component representing a lateral motion of one of the tracks included within the optical pick-up unit's corresponding zone and a component representing a motion of the optical pick-up unit relative to the one of the tracks;
a tape transport configured to move the tape past the array; and
at least one controller configured to (i) average the signals to minimize the components representing the motion of the optical pick-up units relative to the tracks and (ii) maintain a tracking of each of the optical pick-up units of the moveable assembly relative to one of the tracks based on the average of the signals.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein the tape transport is a reel-to-reel tape transport.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to independently control a focusing of each of the optical pick-up units.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the array of optical pick-up units is arranged along an axis perpendicular to the tracks.
9. The system of claim 5 wherein the optical pick-up units are arranged along an axis perpendicular to the tracks.