Patent ID: 7265930
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A method for measuring the offset amount, which measures the offset amount for a discrete track type of magnetic recording medium including a discrete area that has a plurality of magnetic tracks where data can be recorded and that has a non-magnetic track where the data can not be recorded located between the plurality of adjacent magnetic tracks; and an offset amount measurement area formed only by magnetic material where data can be recorded, the offset amount measurement area being separated from the discrete area, the method for measuring the offset amount comprising: recording the measurement data with the recording head while the reproducing head is positioned at a predetermined track in the offset amount measurement area; reproducing the measurement data with the reproducing head while the reproducing head and the recording head are moved in a direction crossing the magnetic track and storing the reproduced measurement data in a storage unit; and performing a plurality of reproducing movements of the reproducing head in a plurality of different positions of the reproducing head and determining the offset amount based on a plurality of measurement data reproduced by the reproducing head and a plurality of measurement data stored in the storage unit, including determining whether a current offset amount for a currently reproduced measurement data is a maximum amount, and when the determining determines that the current offset amount is the maximum, storing the determined offset amount as an optimum offset amount.