IP Library Granted Patent US 7,684,140
Granted Patent B2
US 7,684,140 · App. 12/040,410 · Granted Mar 23, 2010

Determining angular position of a tape reel using timing based servo format

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,684,140
App. No.
12/040,410
Granted
Mar 23, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are techniques for determining an angular position of a tape reel. A first edge of a hall sensor is identified. A number of format transitions on a timing based servo formatted tape are counted until detecting a predetermined edge of the hall sensor. A reel circumference is determined. A radius is determined using the determined reel circumference. A new circumference of a next revolution is determined using the determined radius and a tape thickness. A current angular position is determined using the determined new circumference and the counted format transitions.

Claims (62)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a first edge of a hall sensor, wherein the hall sensor changes state as poles of a motor pass by, and wherein there is an edge associated with each pole of the motor;

counting a number of magnetic format transitions on a timing based servo formatted tape until detecting a predetermined edge of the hall sensor, wherein the predetermined edge is a number of edges after the first edge of the hall sensor, wherein a servo format is formed by the magnetic format transitions written on a tape medium;

determining a reel circumference;

determining a radius using the determined reel circumference;

determining a new circumference of a next revolution using the determined radius and a tape thickness; and

determining a current angular position using the determined new circumference and the counted magnetic format transitions, wherein the current angular position is an amount of rotation from an origin of a tape reel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined edge is an eighth edge.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reel circumference is determined using a sensor that detects a single revolution of a reel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a servo format of the timing based servo formatted tape has parallel lines representing magnetic format transitions and wherein counting the magnetic format transitions comprises counting using the parallel lines.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the reel circumference further comprises:

generating a first value by multiplying a first number of magnetic format transitions by a distance;

generating a second value by multi in a second number of magnetic format transitions by the distance; and

adding the first value and the second value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the radius further comprises:

calculating ReelCircumference/(2*π).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the new circumference further comprises:

calculating 2*π*(radius+tape_thickness).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current angular position further comprises:

determining an expected reel circumference.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed by a processor on a computer causes the computer to:

identify a first edge of a hall sensor, wherein the hall sensor changes state as poles of a motor pass by, and wherein there is an edge associated with each pole of the motor;

count a number of magnetic format transitions on a timing based servo formatted tape until detecting a predetermined edge of the hall sensor, wherein the predetermined edge is a number of edges after the first edge of the hall sensor, wherein a servo format is formed by the magnetic format transitions written on a tape medium;

determine a reel circumference using the counted magnetic format transitions;

determine a radius using the determined reel circumference;

determine a new circumference of a next revolution using the determined radius and a tape thickness; and

determine a current angular position using the determined new circumference and the counted magnetic format transitions, wherein the current angular position is an amount of rotation from an origin of a tape reel.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined edge is an eighth edge.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the reel circumference is determined using a sensor that detects a single revolution of a reel.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein a servo format of the timing based servo formatted tape has parallel lines representing magnetic format transitions and wherein counting the magnetic format transitions comprises counting using the parallel lines.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein when determining the reel circumference, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

generate a first value by multiplying a first number of magnetic format transitions by a distance;

generate a second value by multiplying a second number of magnetic format transitions by the distance; and

add the first value and the second value.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein when determining the radius, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

calculate ReelCircumference/(2*π).

15. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein when determining the new circumference, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

calculate 2*π*(radius+tape_thickness).

16. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein when determining the current angular position, the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine an expected reel circumference.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

an integrated circuit performing operations, the operations comprising:

identifying a first edge of a hall sensor, wherein the hall sensor changes state as poles of a motor pass by, and wherein there is an edge associated with each pole of the motor;

counting a number of magnetic format transitions on a timing based servo formatted tape until detecting a predetermined edge of the hall sensor, wherein the predetermined edge is a number of edges after the first edge of the hall sensor, wherein a servo format is formed by the magnetic format transitions written on a tape medium;

determining a reel circumference using the counted magnetic format transitions;

determining a radius using the determined reel circumference;

determining a new circumference of a next revolution using the determined radius and a tape thickness; and

determining a current angular position using the determined new circumference and the counted magnetic format transitions, wherein the current angular position is an amount of rotation from an origin of a tape reel.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined edge is an eighth edge.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the reel circumference is determined using a sensor that detects a single revolution of a reel.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein a servo format of the timing based servo formatted tape has parallel lines representing magnetic format transitions and wherein counting the magnetic format transitions comprises counting using the parallel lines.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations for determining the reel circumference further comprise:

generating a first value by multiplying a first number of magnetic format transitions by a distance;

generating a second value by multiplying a second number of magnetic format transitions by the distance; and

adding the first value and the second value.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations for determining the radius further comprise:

calculating ReelCircumference/(2*π).

23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations for determining the new circumference further comprise:

calculating 2*π*(radius+tape_thickness).

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations for determining the current angular position further comprise:

determining an expected reel circumference.

Assignments (8)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (REEL 062079, FRAME 0677) Recorded Mar 3, 2026
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: X CORP. (F/K/A TWITTER, INC.)
Reel/Frame 075015/0574 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: X CORP. (F/K/A TWITTER, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071127/0240 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: X CORP. (F/K/A TWITTER, INC.)
Reel/Frame 070670/0857 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2022
From: TWITTER, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 062079/0677 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2022
From: TWITTER, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 061804/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2022
From: TWITTER, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 061804/0086 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2014
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: TWITTER, INC.
Reel/Frame 032075/0404 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2008
From: TAYLOR, MARK ALLAN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020729/0882 →