Patent ID: 6624961
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
A tape drive apparatus comprising:tape drive means for recording or reproducing information to or from a magnetic tape when a tape cassette containing the magnetic tape is loaded, wherein the tape cassette is provided with a memory; memory drive means for storing in the memory management information to manage recording or reproducing to or from the magnetic tape, and for reading or writing the management information from or to the memory; tape running means for running the magnetic tape; tape running amount detecting means for detecting a length of the magnetic tape run by the tape running means; tape running amount calculating means for calculating a tape running amount corresponding to a capacity of a data area of a partition to be formed on the magnetic tape and on tape thickness information included in the management information stored in the memory; and control means for controlling the tape drive means, memory drive means, tape running amount detecting means, tape running amount calculating means, and the tape running means, wherein when at least each of first to (nâˆ’1)-th partitions (where, â€œnâ€  is the number of the partitions to be formed) are formed on the magnetic tape and after a first management information area is formed on a first position on the magnetic tape, tape running is executed by the tape running means until the tape running amount calculated by the tape running amount calculating means is detected by the tape running amount detecting means, and thereafter, a second management information area is formed on the magnetic tape so that the partition is formed, and the recording or reproducing of data is performed by moving the magnetic tape to a target partition from a present position on the magnetic tape based on identification information indicating a forming system of the partition included in the management information stored in the memory until the tape running amount calculated by the tape running amount calculating means is detected by the tape running amount detecting means, so that a recording position or a reproducing position on the magnetic tape is found.