Characterization of nonlinearity in servo patterns

1. A method, comprising:

applying a static head skew to a magnetic tape head for misaligning first and second readers in a direction perpendicular to a tape travel direction thereacross;

positioning the first reader at a first y-position relative to a servo pattern in a servo band;

measuring y-positions of the second reader relative to the servo pattern in the servo band while the first reader is at the first y-position;

averaging the measured y-positions;

repeating the following process several times:

moving the first reader to a next y-position,

measuring y-positions of the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position,

averaging the y-positions measured by the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position;

calculating a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values using the respective average y-position value; and

storing and/or outputting the calculated nonlinearity values.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to an average y-position of the second reader during the immediately previous measuring.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein calculating a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values includes calculating a difference between the average y-position values and linearized y-positions.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the linearized y-positions are calculated based on the first y-position and a last average measured y-position.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein each of the linearized y-positions correspond to a different position along a linear function that extends between the first y-position and the last average measured y-position.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the process stops when an end of the servo band is reached.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to a predefined step size from the y-position of the first reader during the immediately previous measuring.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , where the servo pattern is a timing-based servo (TBS) pattern that comprises bursts of servo stripes, or a high-density (HD) servo pattern containing multiple HD tracks having a repeating periodic waveform.

9. A computer program product for characterizing nonlinearity in a timing-based servo pattern, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a controller to cause the controller to perform a method comprising:

applying, by the controller, a static head skew to a magnetic tape head for misaligning first and second readers in a direction perpendicular to a tape travel direction thereacross;

positioning, by the controller, the first reader at a first y-position relative to a servo pattern in a servo band;

measuring, by the controller, y-positions of the second reader relative to the servo pattern in the servo band while the first reader is at the first y-position;

averaging, by the controller, the measured y-positions;

repeating, by the controller, the following process several times:

moving, by the controller, the first reader to a next y-position,

measuring, by the controller, y-positions of the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position,

averaging, by the controller, the y-positions measured by the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position;

calculating, by the controller, a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values using the respective average y-position value; and

storing and/or outputting, by the controller, the calculated nonlinearity values.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to an average y-position of the second reader during the immediately previous measuring.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein calculating a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values includes calculating a difference between the average y-position values and linearized y-positions.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11 , wherein the linearized y-positions are calculated based on the first y-position and a last average measured y-position.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 12 , wherein each of the linearized y-positions correspond to a different position along a linear function that extends between the first y-position and the last average measured y-position.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the process stops when an end of the servo band is reached.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to a predefined step size from the y-position of the first reader during the immediately previous measuring.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to:

apply a static head skew to a magnetic tape head for misaligning first and second readers in a direction perpendicular to a tape travel direction thereacross;

position the first reader at a first y-position relative to a servo pattern in a servo band;

measure y-positions of the second reader relative to the servo pattern in the servo band while the first reader is at the first y-position;

average the measured y-positions;

repeat the following process several times:

move the first reader to a next y-position,

measure y-positions of the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position,

average the y-positions measured by the second reader while the first reader is at the next y-position;

calculate a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values using the respective average y-position value; and

store and/or output the calculated nonlinearity values.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to an average y-position of the second reader during the immediately previous measuring.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein calculating a unique nonlinearity value of the servo pattern in the servo band for each of the average y-position values includes calculating a difference between the average y-position values and linearized y-positions.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18 , wherein the linearized y-positions are calculated based on the first y-position and a last average measured y-position.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the next y-position corresponds to a predefined step size from the y-position of the first reader during the immediately previous measuring.