Abstract:
A magnetic head assembly, for use in a tape drive wherein a tape is moved past the head assembly in a longitudinal direction and the tape exhibits transverse tape movement correlated with the position of the tape in the longitudinal direction, and wherein a minimum longitudinal distance exists for which the correlation is maintained, has a carrier with first and second gap and coil arrangements disposed on the carrier. The respective gaps in the first and second gap and coil arrangements are disposed on the carrier separated by a spacing which is less than the aforementioned minimum longitudinal distance. If one gap and coil arrangement is used as a write arrangement, and the other gap and coil arrangement is used as a read arrangement for verifying the writing of data by the write arrangement, tracking errors are minimized, or substantially avoided, because the write and read arrangements are so close to each other as to be effectively at the same position in the context of the transverse tape movements.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus is disclosed for fast access to any logical block on a media not containing logical block addressing. Categorizing marks such as filemarks or setmarks are provided on the tape medium at various points along the medium. The medium is divided up into a plurality of physical blocks. To permit fast access to a logical block on the tape, a connection table in the form of a block map is provided which establishes a relationship between logical blocks and the tapemarks, and defines physical positions of at least some of said tapemarks.
Abstract:
A hinged door is provided for covering the slot opening in a magnetic recorder housing through which tape cassettes are loaded and unloaded. The door rotates inwardly of the recorder housing when opened. A specially configured fulcrum device is disposed within the recorder housing and connected to the door to normally bias the door closed. For loading a cassette into the recorder housing, the biasing force exerted by the fulcrum device on the door is overcome by the force of the operator pressing the inwardly facing, leading edge of the cassette against the door. Upon unloading of a cassette from the recorder housing, the bottom surfaces of the cassette engage a cam surface connected on the fulcrum device and the cassette is pressed down on the cam surface so as to again overcome the biasing force on the fulcrum, such that the door is swung open in advance of the cassette being ejected from the recorder housing.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for automatically undertaking power reduction of a monitor in a computer system make use of the fact that, when the computer system is active, synchronization pulses will be transmitted to the monitor. In the method and apparatus herein, it is insured that when the computer system is inactive, transmission of those synchronization pulses ceases. Within the monitor, the reception of these synchronization pulses is detected, and in the absence of synchronization pulses, steps are taken to reduce the power consumption by the monitor. Power can be discontinued to different portions of the monitor as the length of time for which the synchronization pulses are absent increases.