Tape drive apparatus

Abstract

A tape drive apparatus has a data transfer apparatus for transferring data between a loaded tape medium and the tape drive apparatus. A data processing apparatus is coupled to the data transfer apparatus for formatting the loaded tape medium. The formatting of the tape medium is performed using an identifier of the tape medium. For example, the identifier is written together with the formatting information onto the tape medium for later reference.

1 . Tape drive apparatus comprising: 
 data transfer apparatus for transferring data between a media device and the tape drive apparatus, the media device comprising a tape medium,    a reader for reading a pattern from the media device, decoding the pattern and using the decoded pattern for defining a tape medium identifier,    data processing apparatus coupled to the data transfer apparatus, the data processing apparatus being operable to process data according to a format such that the data transferred to the tape medium includes the tape medium identifier.    
   
   
       2 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a counter, the data processing apparatus using a counter value provided by the counter for defining the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       3 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing a tape drive identifier, the data processing apparatus being adapted to use the tape drive identifier for defining the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       4 . The data processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first reader for reading tape medium format information from the media device, the data processing apparatus being adapted to use the tape medium format information for defining the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       5 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second reader for reading a pattern from the tape medium, the data processing apparatus operable to decode the pattern and use the decoded pattern for defining the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       6 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , the data processing apparatus being operable to format the data into fragments, each fragment having at least a control portion.  
   
   
       7 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 6 , the data processing apparatus being operable to select a sub-set of the fragments, wherein the tape medium identifier is written to respective control portions of the fragments of the sub-set.  
   
   
       8 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , the data processing apparatus being operable to use at least first and second data for defining the tape medium identifier and to select a first sub-set of the fragments for writing the first data to the respective control portions and selecting a second sub-set of the fragments for writing the second data into the respective control portions.  
   
   
       9 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 8 , the data processing apparatus being operable to calculate a modulus of a fragment index for selection of the at least first and second sub-sets of the fragments.  
   
   
       10 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 1 , the data processing apparatus being operable to receive a re-format command and to read the tape medium identifier from the tape medium for re-use of the same tape medium identifier for the reformatting.  
   
   
       11 . A method of formatting a tape media device in a tape drive apparatus, the media device comprising a tape medium, the method comprising: 
 reading data from a pattern of the tape media device,    using the data for defining a tape medium identifier,    using the tape medium identifier to format the tape medium.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising decoding the pattern, wherein the decoded pattern is used for defining the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pattern is a pattern of recognition holes formed in a cartridge housing of the media device.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pattern is an optically readable pattern being attached to the tape of the tape medium.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising formatting the tape medium into fragments, each fragment having at least a control portion for receiving formatting data.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting a sub-set of the fragments, wherein the tape medium identifier is written to the control portions of the fragments of the sub-set.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting at least first and second sub-sets of the fragments for writing respective first and second components of the tape medium identifier to the control portions.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , each fragment having a fragment index, and further comprising calculating a modulus of the fragment indices for selection of the at least one sub-set.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product for controlling a tape drive apparatus, the computer program product comprising instructions for performing a method in accordance with any one of the  claims 11  to  18 .  
   
   
       20 . Tape drive apparatus comprising: 
 data transfer apparatus for transferring data between a tape medium and the tape drive apparatus,    data processing apparatus being coupled to the data transfer apparatus,    the data processing apparatus being operable to read formatting information from the tape medium, the formatting information comprising a tape medium identifier,    the tape medium being formatted into fragments and each fragment having a fragment number, the data processing apparatus operable to calculate a modulus of the fragment number for identification of a sub-set of the fragments carrying the tape medium identifier.    
   
   
       21 . The tape drive apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising an event log, each entry in the event log comprising the tape medium identifier.  
   
   
       22 . A library for storing and retrieving removable information storage elements, the removable information storage elements having format information comprising an information storage element identifier, the library comprising: 
 an array of storage cells for storing the removable information storage elements,    at least one drive for reading the format information from the removable information storage elements,    an accessor for transporting the removable information storage elements between the storage cells and the at least one drive,    a controller operable to:    a) direct the accessor to move one of the removable information storage elements from its storage cell to the at least one drive,    b) direct the drive to provide the format information comprising the information storage element identifier,    c) enter the information storage element identifier into a cartridge map.    
   
   
       23 . The library of  claim 22  the controller operable to inventory the array by performing the steps (a) to (c) for all removable storage elements stored in the array.  
   
   
       24 . Apparatus for reading data from a sequential storage medium, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for transferring data between the secondary storage medium and the apparatus,    means for defining an identifier of the secondary storage medium using at least a decoded pattern,    means for formatting the secondary storage medium using the identifier.    
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , the means for formatting the secondary storage medium being adapted to format the secondary storage medium into segments, each segment having a segment number, and further comprising means for selecting a sub-set of the segments using the segment numbers for writing the identifier to the sub-set of the segments.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising means for calculating a modulus of the segment number for selection of the sub-set.