Patent ID: 8134797

Claim:
In a servo system for positioning a head laterally to follow lateral motion of a longitudinal tape having at least one longitudinal defined servo track, said servo system comprising a servo element configured to sense lateral position of said head with respect to defined servo tracks, a fine actuator configured to translate said head laterally with respect to said longitudinal tape, a coarse actuator configured to translate said fine actuator laterally with respect to said longitudinal tape, and a position error signal loop configured to sense said servo element to detect servo signals and acquire at least one said defined servo track, to determine position error between said head and a desired position related to an acquired said at least one defined servo track, and to operate said fine actuator to translate said head laterally in a manner to reduce said determined position error, a method comprising: if said servo element is positioned away from said at least one defined servo track, applying a continuous position error offset signal to said fine actuator in a direction towards said at least one defined servo track, whereby said fine actuator translates said head in accordance with said continuous position error offset signal; and in response to said servo system acquiring said at least one defined servo track, discontinuing said continuous position error offset signal; wherein said applying step comprises integrating said continuous position error offset signal to operate said fine actuator to continuously translate said head laterally towards said at least one defined servo track.