Method and apparatus for operating a tape storage device

摘要

An apparatus for operating a tape storage device comprises a tape skew estimation unit 4 for estimating a value related to a skew of a tape storage medium arranged in the tape storage device relative to a head module of the tape storage device. A servo pattern decoder 3 is configured to decode information encoded in a servo pattern written to one or more servo bands of the tape storage medium. The decoding is based on read-back signals RB1, RB2 of at least two servo readers of the tape storage device arranged for reading the servo pattern from the one or more servo bands and based on the estimated skew related value. The information can include longitudinal position (LPOS). The skew related value may be in the form of a time offset and the servo pattern decoder may include delay units 311, 312 for delaying a read back signal determined to be ahead in time before combining the read back signals. The read back signals may be weighted by a signal quality index (SDR).