Magnetic tape heads
View Patent ↗Techniques for operating tape heads are provided. In an example, a method includes detecting a potential at a sensor region, determining a target potential using a transfer function, and applying the target potential to an effector region.
1. A system for operating a magnetic read/write head comprising:
a read/write region to read data from or write data to a magnetic tape;
an effector region to impose a potential on the magnetic tape;
a sensor region to sense the potential on the magnetic tape;
an effector circuit to determine a potential difference between the sensor region and the effector region and adjust the potential applied to the effector region to control the voltage difference using a transfer function; and
two tape bearing surfaces, wherein a first tape bearing surface is disposed in the direction of tape motion before the read/write region and a second tape bearing surface is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the read/write region, wherein the tape bearing surfaces are configured to be in direct contact with the tape and to facilitate the smooth motion of the tape across the read/write region.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor region, the effector region, or both comprise titanium, aluminum, or an alloy thereof.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor region is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the read/write head.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the effector region is disposed in the direction of tape motion before the read/write head.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein, if the direction of tape motion is reversed, the sensor region and effector region are reversed.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two tape bearing surfaces is comprised of an alumina titanium carbide (AlTiC) composite.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the effector region is disposed in the direction of tape motion before the first tape bearing surface and the sensor region is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the second tape bearing surface.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the effector region is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the first tape bearing surface and before the read/write head and the sensor region is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the read/write head and before the second tape bearing surface.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first tape bearing surface functions as the effector region and the second tape bearing surface functions as the sensor region.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least 16 read/write regions.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein a tape bearing surface is disposed between the read/write region and the sensor region, and another tape bearing surface is disposed between the read/write region and the effector region.
12. A method for operating magnetic tape heads, the method comprising:
detecting a potential at a sensor region;
determining a target potential using a transfer function; and
applying the target potential to an effector region, wherein the effector region and the sensor region are disposed in separate structures in the tape path before and after the tape head.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising setting the target potential to substantially cancel the voltage determined at the sensor region.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the target potential in a balanced operational amplifier circuit.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the target potential in a microprocessor, wherein the transfer function is encoded as instruction in a machine readable medium.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the potential on the sensor is measured using an analog-to-digital convertor, and the target potential is applied to the effector using a digital-to-analog convertor.
17. A tape drive comprising:
a magnetic read/write tape head comprising:
a read/write region to read data from or write data to a magnetic tape;
an effector region to impose a potential on the magnetic tape;
a sensor region to sense a potential on the magnetic tape; and
an effector circuit to determine a potential difference between the sensor region and the effector region and adjust the potential applied to the effector region to control the potential difference using a transfer function; and
two tape bearing surfaces, wherein a first tape bearing surface is disposed in the direction of tape motion before the read/write region and a second tape bearing surface is disposed in the direction of tape motion after the read/write region, wherein the tape bearing surfaces are configured to be in direct contact with the tape and to facilitate the smooth motion of the tape across the read/write region; and
a tape transport mechanism comprising a supply reel, a take-up reel, and a drive mechanism.
18. The tape drive of claim 17 , further comprising a microprocessor control system comprising the effector circuit.
19. The tape drive of claim 17 , further comprising:
a tape cartridge, wherein the tape cartridge comprises the supply reel; and
a tape drive body, wherein the tape drive body comprises the take-up reel.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the tape bearing surfaces are configured to function as the sensor region and the effector region.