Patent ID: 6857044

Claim:
A data storage device comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein for recording information on a data storage medium, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect: receiving a first command to record first information on said data storage medium; receiving said first information, wherein said first information comprises a first header label group, first data, a first trailer label group; moving said data storage medium in a first direction; recording said first information beginning at a first time on said moving data storage medium; receiving a first deferred conditional write tape mark command; setting at a second time a first deferred conditional tape mark indicator; writing said first header label group to said moving data storage medium; writing a first tape mark adjacent said first header label group; writing said first data adjacent said first tape mark; writing a second tape mark adjacent said first data; writing said first trailer label group adjacent said second tape mark; writing a third tape mark adjacent said first trailer label group; specifying a deferred conditional tape mark indicator time interval; and writing a third tape mark adjacent said first trailer label group: specifying a deferred conditional tape mark indicator time interval; and maintaining said first deferred conditional tape mark indicator during said deferred conditional tape mark indicator time interval.