Patent ID: 7505221

Claim:
A data storage system for writing data onto a tape, the tape having a width, the data storage system comprising: a first head section having a first plurality of write elements and a first plurality of read elements, the first plurality of write elements operative to simultaneously write a first plurality of data tracks onto the tape, the first plurality of read elements operative to simultaneously read a second plurality of data tracks from the tape; a second head section having second plurality of write elements and a second plurality of read elements, the second plurality of write elements operative to simultaneously write the first plurality of data tracks onto the tape, the second plurality of read elements operative to simultaneously read the second plurality of data tracks from the tape, the second head section positioned across the tape width separately from the position of the first head section across the tape width; and a third head section having a third plurality of write elements, the third plurality of write elements operative to simultaneously write a third plurality of data tracks onto the tape different from the first plurality of data tracks, the third head section positioned across the tape width separately from the position of the first head section and the second head section across the tape width.