IBM Assigned Six Patents

Read order determination on tape
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12271626) developed by Abe; Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, Hasegawa; Tohru, Tokyo, Japan, Mitsuma; Shinsuke, Machida, Japan, Itagaki; Hiroshi, Yokohama, Japan, Yamamoto; Noriko, Tokyo, Japan, Miyamura; Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, and Correia Villa Real; Lucas, Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a “read order determination on a tape.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A computer implemented method includes receiving a list of areas on a subject tape to be read, wherein each area of the list of areas is indicated by a first record number and a last record number corresponding to the area, identifying parameters of a tape drive configured to read the subject tape, wherein the identified parameters of the tape drive contribute to a speed with which the tape drive can read the list of areas, creating a directed graph of the areas on the subject tape based on the identified parameters, wherein the directed graph indicates how long the tape drive will take to read the areas on the subject tape, and determining a fastest reading order of the areas on the subject tape, based, at least in part, on the directed graph and the identified parameters. A computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-09-15 (17/932312).

Managing access to tape cartridges at tape archival service provider
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12267410) developed by Abe; Atsushi, Ebina, Japan, Miyamura; Tsuyoshi, Taguchi; Kohei, Yokohama, Japan, Mikuni; Kenji, Inzai, Japan, and Kamenoue; Tsuyoshi, Adachi-ku, Japan, for a “managing access to tape cartridges at a tape archival service provider.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for managing access to tape cartridges at a tape archival service provider. A determination is made as to whether a non-volatile memory of the tape cartridge stores a key encryption key comprising an encrypted user encryption key associated with a user. In response to determining that the non-volatile memory of the tape cartridge stores the key encryption key, the key encryption key is decrypted to produce the user encryption key. The user encryption key, resulting from the decrypting, is provided to an encryption engine of the tape drive to encrypt plain-text data read from the tape medium in the tape cartridge with the user encryption key to return to a read request.”

The patent application was filed on 2022-12-09 (18/064217).

Reworkable tape track following actuator
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12266387) developed by Lantz; Mark Alfred, Adliswil, Switzerland, Haeberle; Walter, Waedenswil, Switzerland, Furrer; Simeon, Altdorf, Switzerland, and Harper; David, Vail, AZ, for a “reworkable tape track following actuator.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “An apparatus for a reworkable tape track following actuator includes a spring actuator, a head module, a voice coil, and a mounting body, where the spring actuator is coupled to the mounting body and the mounting body is removable from a tape drive assembly. The apparatus further includes the head module being coupled to a middle section of the spring actuator and the voice coil being positioned beneath the head module.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-11-30 (18/524046).

Digital tape storage optimization
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12236983) developed by Zhang; Xizhuo, Ren; Jing, Wang; Zhao Yu, Ma; Yi Jie, and Chen; Jing Wen, Beijing, China, for a “digital tape storage optimization.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Various systems and methods are presented regarding interrupting a write operation to enable a read operation to be performed on a digital tape system. An initial write operation to the tape can be paused, a read operation performed on a previously written data file conducted, and upon completion of the read operation, the write operation can be recommenced. Interrupt points can be positioned within respective data blocks. Based upon knowledge of the amount of data written during the initial write operation, a position P can be determined (relative to the location of the nearest prior interrupt point) such that when the tape is advanced to place the tape head in a position to recommence the write operation after the read operation has been performed, the tape can be positioned such that the tape head is at position P. Accordingly, interruption of the write operation enables random access of the tape.”

The patent application was filed on 2023-11-02 (18/500368).

Tape drive write across write error
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12217776) developed by Miyamura; Tsuyoshi, Yokohama, Japan, and Masuda; Setsuko, Toshima-ku, Japan, for a “tape drive write across write error.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method for writing to tape by a tape drive is provided. The method includes, in response to identifying a write error during a write to a tape in a certain HRTD region, repositioning the tape to a next HRTD region. The method further includes continuing the write at the next HRTD region.”

The patent application was filed on 2024-01-04 (18/404197).

Adjusting skew angle and lateral position of tape head to reduce track placement errors
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, has been assigned a patent (12217778) developed by Furrer; Simeon, Altdorf, Switzerland, Kronig; Luzius, Zürich, Switzerland, and Lantz; Mark Alfred, Adliswil, Switzerland, for “adjusting a skew angle and lateral position of a tape head to reduce track placement errors.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Provided are a tape head controller, tape drive, and method for adjusting a skew angle and lateral position of a tape head to reduce track placement errors. A tape head is rotated at a nominal skew with respect to a tape medium to position servo readers in servo patterns. Data writers are located in a first plane of the tape head and the servo readers are located in a second plane in the tape head. The first and the second planes are separated by a distance. Repeatedly determining a skew angle comprising the nominal skew adjusted by a delta angle, at which to rotate the tape head to position the servo readers in the servo patterns. Repeatedly determining a lateral position error based on the distance and the delta angle. Repeatedly adjusting a lateral position of the tape head using the lateral position error to position the data writers in target data track locations at which to write data.”

The patent application was filed on 2024-03-20 (18/611293).