Method for positioning a scanning probe on a target track of a multi-track storage medium, storage device, scanning device, and storage medium

1. A method for positioning a scanning probe on a target track of a multi-track storage medium, the method comprising:

reading a current track on which a scanning probe is currently positioned, the current track disposed in a servo field comprising a plurality of tracks, each track comprising a binary data vector, each binary data vector comprising a plurality of combined sequences, each combined sequence comprising a binary buffer pattern of all ones followed by a binary sequence representing a synchronization pattern and a unique binary sequence representing a track identification for the track containing that binary data vector, each repetition of the track identification in the binary data vector preceded by the synchronization pattern, each plurality of combined sequences extending substantially an entire length of a given track;

determining cross-track information by comparing a target track identifier to the track identification for the current track; and

positioning the scanning probe based on the cross-track information.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising using the synchronization patterns in the current track to identify the beginning of the track identifications.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adjusting velocity of the scanning probe to a desired velocity prior to reading the track identifiers in the binary data vector on the current track.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising identifying an amplitude of a signal received when reading the binary data vector prior to reading the track identifiers in the binary data vector on the current track.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing electrical pulses for at least one of reading, writing and erasing information; and

determining a phase of the electrical pulses prior to reading the binary data vector.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning the scanning probe further comprises keeping the scanning probe on the current track when the cross track information does not indicate a jump to another track of the storage medium.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of positioning the scanning probe further comprises positioning the scanning probe on another track than the current track when the cross track information indicates such repositioning.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting if the binary sequence representing the track identification is a last binary sequence representing a track identification in the plurality of combined sequences.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising positioning the scanning probe on another track than the current track in case the cross track information indicates such positioning by moving the scanning probe vertically to a scanning direction while keeping the relative movement between the scanning probe and the storage medium in scanning direction.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning the scanning probe on another track than the current track in case the cross track information indicates such repositioning; and

maintaining the relative movement between the scanning probe and the storage medium in scanning direction only if the binary sequence representing the track identification is not a last binary sequence representing a track identification in a the plurality of combined sequences.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising in case the cross track information indicates a positioning of the scanning probe on another track: settling the scanning probe at a beginning of the binary data vector on the other track if the binary sequence representing the track identification is a last binary sequence representing a track identification in the plurality of combined sequences.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising in case the cross track information indicates a positioning of the scanning probe on another track: settling the scanning probe at a beginning of the binary data vector in the current track if the binary sequence representing the track identification is a last binary sequence representing a track identification in the plurality of combined sequences stored in the current track.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising while scanning the current track comprising the binary data vector repositioning the track scanning probe on a track centreline of the current track in case deviation information shows a vertical offset of the scanning probe from the track centreline.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the repositioning of the scanning probe on the track centreline is based exclusively on deviation information derived from a servo data pattern contained in the binary data vector.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the repositioning of the scanning probe on the track centreline is based on deviation information derived from a servo data pattern contained in the binary data vector stored on the current track and on deviation information derived from another servo data pattern contained in a binary data vector stored on another track currently scanned by another scanning probe.

16. A storage device, comprising:

a storage medium comprising a servo field comprising a plurality of tracks, each track comprising a binary data vector, each binary data vector comprising a plurality of combined sequences, each combined sequence comprising a binary buffer pattern of all ones followed by a binary sequence representing a synchronization pattern and a unique binary sequence representing a track identification for the track containing that binary data vector, each repetition of the track identification in the binary data vector preceded by the synchronization pattern, each buffer pattern common to all binary data vectors on all tracks and each plurality of combined sequences extending substantially an entire length of a given track;

a scanning probe for scanning the storage medium; and

a control unit to determine cross-track information by way of comparing a target track identification to a track identification read from a current track the scanning probe is currently positioned on, and for positioning the scanning probe based on the cross-track information.

17. The storage device according to claim 16 , further comprising an adjuster for adjusting a velocity of the scanning probe to a desired velocity.

18. The storage device according to claim 16 , further comprising an amplitude identifier for identifying an amplitude of a read back signal received when reading the binary data vectors.

19. The storage device according to claim 16 , further comprising a phase evaluator for determining a phase of pulses, which are provided for at least one of reading, writing and erasing.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage element comprising computer program code that when loaded in a processor unit of a computing entity causes the computing entity to perform a method of:

reading a current track on which a scanning probe is currently positioned, the current track disposed in a servo field comprising a plurality of tracks, each track comprising a binary data vector, each binary data vector comprising a plurality of combined sequences, each combined sequence comprising a binary buffer pattern of all ones followed by a binary sequence representing a synchronization pattern and a unique binary sequence representing a track identification for the track containing that binary data vector, each repetition of the track identification in the binary data vector preceded by the synchronization pattern, each plurality of combined sequences extending substantially an entire length of a given track;

determining cross-track information by comparing a target track identifier to the track identification for the current track; and

positioning the scanning probe based on the cross-track information.