Adaptive compensation circuit for moving data storage media

Claim 2

In a data storage system having a moving media with associated read/write apparatus and a data synchronization circuit having a frequency variable oscillator tuned to the frequency of the data pulses stored on said moving media for recovering and reproducing data pulses stored on said moving media, adaptive velocity compensation apparatus interposed between said read/write apparatus and said data synchronization circuit for compensating for variations in the velocity of said moving media comprising: means responsive to a clock signal for generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval; means connected to said data synchronization circuit frequency variable oscillator and responsive to said periodic timing signal and a clock signal produced by said frequency variable oscillator for determining the variation in the moving media velocity from a nominal velocity; and means responsive to said determining means for reproducing data pulses received from said read/write apparatus as data pulses having a bit period of frequency to match said moving media velocity.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reproducing means comprises: pulse generating means responsive to a data pulse received from said read/write apparatus for producing a data pulse of nominal and variable duration; and means responsive to said variation determination for adjusting said pulse generating means to vary the duration of said data pulse to match the duration of said bit period.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said reproducing means comprises a variable pulsewidth single shot.

Claim 5

In a data storage system having a moving media with associated read/write apparatus and a data synchronization circuit for recovering and reproducing data pulses stored on said moving media, adaptive velocity compensation apparatus interposed between said read/write apparatus and said data synchronization circuit for compensating for variations in the velocity of said moving media comprising: means responsive to a clock signal for generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval; means connected to said data synchronization circuit and responsive to said periodic timing signal for determining the variation in the moving media velocity from a nominal velocity including: means responsive to clock signals output by said data synchronization circuit for storing a count of the number of said clock signals received during said nominal framing interval as an indication of media velocity, means responsive to said stored count for generating a signal indicative of the variation of said media velocity from said nominal velocity; and means responsive to said determining means for reproducing data pulses received from said read/write apparatus as data pulses having a bit period of frequency to match said moving media velocity.

Claim 6

In a data storage system having a moving media with associated read/write apparatus and a data synchronization circuit for recovering and reproducing data pulses stored on said moving media, adaptive velocity compensation apparatus interposed between said read/write apparatus and said data synchronization circuit for compensating for variations in the velocity of said moving media comprising: means responsive to a clock signal for generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval; means connected to said data synchronization circuit and responsive to said periodic timing signal for determining the variation in the moving media velocity from a nominal velocity including: means responsive to clock signals output by said data synchronization circuit for storing a count of the number of said clock signals received during said nominal framing interval as an indication of media velocity, means responsive to said stored count for generating a signal indicative of the variation of said media velocity from said nominal velocity; and means responsive to said determining means for reproducing data pulses received from said read/write apparatus as data pulses having a bit period of frequency to match said moving media velocity.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said determining means comprises a digital tachometer.

Claim 8

In a data storage system having a moving media and a voltage controlled oscillator synchronized to the bit frames stored on said media, velocity compensation apparatus comprising: means responsive to a clock signal for generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval; means connected to said voltage controlled oscillator and responsive to clock signals output by said voltage controlled oscillator for storing a count of the number of said clock signals generated during said nominal framing interval; means connected to said storing means for converting said count to an analog signal whose magnitude is proportional to said count; and means responsive to said analog signal and a data pulse read from said moving media for reproducing said data pulse as a pulse whose pulsewidth is controlled by said analog signal to match half said bit frame duration.

Claim 9

In a data storage system having a moving media and a voltage controlled oscillator synchronized to the bit frames stored on said media, velocity compensation apparatus comprising: means responsive to a clock signal for generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval; means connected to said voltage controlled oscillator and responsive to clock signals output by said voltage controlled oscillator for storing a count of the number of said clock signals generated during said nominal framing interval; means connected to said storing means for converting said count to an analog signal whose magnitude is proportional to said count; and means responsive to said analog signal and a data pulse read from said moving media for reproducing said data pulse as a pulse whose pulsewidth is controlled by said analog signal to match half said bit frame duration.

Claim 10

In a data storage system having a moving media with associated read/write apparatus and a data synchronization circuit for recovering and reproducing data pulses stored on said moving media, a method for compensating for variations in the velocity of said moving media comprising the steps of: determining the variation of the moving media velocity from a nominal velocity, including the steps of: generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval, comparing said periodic timing signal to clock signals output by said data synchronization circuit, determining said variation as a result of said comparison.; and reproducing data pulses received from said read/write apparatus as data pulses of duration varying from a nominal duration by an amount equivalent to said determined variation.

Claim 11

In a data storage system having a moving media with associated read/write apparatus and a data synchronization circuit for recovering and reproducing data pulses stored on said moving media, a method for compensating for variations in the velocity of said moving media comprising the steps of: determining the variation of the moving media velocity from a nominal velocity, including the steps of: generating a periodic timing signal indicative of a nominal framing interval, comparing said periodic timing signal to clock signals output by said data synchronization circuit, determining said variation as a result of said comparison.; and reproducing data pulses received from said read/write apparatus as data pulses of duration varying from a nominal duration by an amount equivalent to said determined variation.