Patent ID: 7480117

Claim:
A method for transducing data on a magnetic recording tape while accommodating tape dimensional changes, comprising: streaming said tape across a tape head that comprises plural arrays of transducer elements having different transducer spacing distances corresponding to different track spacing distances to be transduced; a first one of said arrays having a nominal transducing spacing distance that corresponds to a nominal track spacing distance for use when said tape is in a nominal dimensional condition with nominal track spacing; a second one of said arrays having a reduced transducer spacing distance corresponding to a reduced track spacing distance for use when said tape is in a reduced dimensional condition with reduced track spacing; a third one of said arrays having an enlarged transducer spacing distance corresponding to an enlarged track spacing distance for use when said tape is in an enlarged dimensional condition with enlarged track spacing; determining a dimensional condition of said tape; and selecting one of said transducer arrays for transducing according to which of said transducer spacing distances most closely corresponds to said tape dimensional condition.