Patent ID: 6879457

Claim:
A servo writer for generating a linear servo track timing based servo pattern in a linear direction on a linear data storage medium, said timing based servo pattern comprised of a repeating cyclic periodic sequence of transitions of two different azimuthal orientations that extend laterally of said linear servo track, said timing based servo track sensed during movement of said linear data storage medium in said linear direction by determining lateral positioning with respect to said linear servo track based on a measure of time between two said transitions having different azimuthal orientation as compared to time between two said transitions having parallel azimuthal orientation, said servo writer comprising: at least three spaced apart write elements, two said write elements of parallel azimuthal orientation, and at least one said write element of a different azimuthal orientation than said two write elements of parallel azimuthal orientation; a drive for moving said linear data storage medium in said linear direction across said write elements; and a source of timed pulses coupled to said write elements and providing timed pulses to cause said spaced apart write elements to simultaneously write, thereby writing patterns of transitions on said linear data storage medium corresponding to said spaced apart write elements as said drive moves said linear data storage medium across said write elements, whereby said spaced apart write elements fix a distance between said simultaneously written transitions having different azimuthal orientation and fix a distance between said simultaneously written transitions having parallel azimuthal orientation, wherein said source of timed pulses provides sets of pulses to said write elements, each said set of pulses writing a pattern of said transitions, and spaces said sets of pulses to prevent overwriting of one said pattern of transitions by another; wherein at least one said write element of said different azimuthal orientation is located intermediate said two write elements of parallel azimuthal orientation; and wherein said source of timed pulses additionally spaces said sets of pulses such that, in said repeating cyclic periodic sequence of transitions, said transitions having parallel azimuthal orientation at one end of one pattern continue with said transitions having parallel azimuthal orientation at the opposite end of the next pattern, such that said continuing transitions having parallel azimuthal orientation of said one pattern and said next pattern are combined to have a different number of transitions than the remainder of said repeating cyclic periodic sequence of transitions, thereby providing synchronization of said repeating cyclic periodic sequence of transitions.