Patent Document ID: 7831869
Application ID: 10986976

Base Claim:
1. A method of writing a block of user data to a tape storage medium, said method comprising: arranging said block of user data into an array of bytes, said array comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of said bytes; applying an error correction code to individual ones of said rows of bytes, such that said error correction coded rows each comprise four code words, wherein each of the four code words in each corresponding error correction coded row includes data bytes and error correcting bytes; in each of said error correction coded rows, interleaving said four code words of the row; and writing said error correction coded rows each comprising four code words into a diagonal track that extends diagonally across a width of the tape storage medium.

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Claim 2:
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: wherein interleaving said four code words in each of said error correction coded rows causes each code word to extend substantially along the entire length of said row.