Patent ID: 6459540
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method for preventing the recording of a thin track on a magnetic medium by a magnetic tape drive, said magnetic tape drive comprising a tape transport mechanism comprising a supply reel, a takeup reel, a recording head, and a capstan which moves a magnetic tape between said supply reel and said takeup reel in a path across said recording head, said capstan comprising a capstan tachometer which maintains a capstan tach count proportional to a number of revolutions of said capstan that have occurred relative to a beginning-of-tape position of said magnetic tape in said drive, said method comprising the steps of:determining a reference position of a track based upon a current tape speed; measuring a current position of said track based upon said current tach count of said capstan; determining a current track spacing, said current track spacing comprising the distance between a first track and a second adjacent track; calculating a current track spacing error from said reference position and said current position; and if said current track spacing error is below an acceptable track spacing error threshold: setting said reference position to said current position; setting said current track spacing error to zero.