Patent ID: 8520332

Claim:
A method, comprising: sensing a servo sensor while a longitudinal tape is moved past a magnetic head, wherein the servo sensor is configured for sensing a lateral position of the magnetic head with respect to at least one defined servo track of the longitudinal tape; determining position error between the magnetic head and a desired position related to the at least one defined servo track; providing signals to operate a fine actuator to translate the magnetic head laterally in a manner to reduce the determined position error, wherein the fine actuator is configured to translate the magnetic head laterally with respect to the longitudinal tape; transitioning from a write state to a monitor state when the determined position error is greater than a threshold error value; transitioning from the monitor state to a stop write state when the determined position error is greater than the threshold error value for a first predetermined period; and transitioning from the monitor state to the write state when the determined position error is less than the threshold error value for a second predetermined period, wherein write operations are enabled and signals are provided to operate the fine actuator to translate the magnetic head laterally in a manner to reduce the determined position error while in the write state, wherein write operations are disabled and signals are provided to operate the fine actuator to translate the magnetic head laterally in a manner to reduce the determined position error while in the monitor state, and wherein write operations are disabled and signals are not provided to operate the fine actuator while in the stop write state.