Method and system for writing and reading closely-spaced data tracks

摘要

A method for writing data onto a medium on which data are stored in tracks includes encoding the data into at least one codeword, and writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different tracks on the medium. The writing may include writing a respective portion of each of the at least one codeword onto respective different adjacent tracks on the medium. Another method for reading data includes positioning a plurality of read heads to read codewords that have been written across multiple tracks of a medium. Each read head in the plurality of read heads reads a different portion of the first group of the multiple tracks, and where each different portion of the multiple tracks overlaps at least one other different portion of the multiple tracks. Signals are detected from the plurality of read heads, and the detected signals are decoded.

主权项

1. A method for reading data that have been encoded into codewords, the method comprising:
positioning a plurality of read heads to read codewords that have been written across multiple tracks of a medium, the plurality of read heads being positioned relative to a first group of the multiple tracks so that each read head in the plurality of read heads reads a different portion of the first group of the multiple tracks, wherein each different portion of the multiple tracks overlaps at least one other different portion of the multiple tracks; obtaining data from the plurality of read heads; detecting signals from the obtained data; decoding the detected signals; positioning the plurality of read heads relative to a second group of the multiple tracks so that each read head in the plurality of read heads reads a different portion of the second group of the multiple tracks, wherein each different portion of the second group of multiple tracks overlaps at least one other different portion of the second group of multiple tracks, and wherein the second group of multiple tracks includes the first number of tracks; again obtaining data from the plurality of read heads; again detecting signals, from data obtained during the again obtaining; again decoding signals, from the again detecting; and selecting a better result from between the decoding and the again decoding.