ROTARY HEAD DATA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

A head carriage unit in a data storage and retrieval system and method has a substantially planar working surface and multiple heads disposed at the working surface. The head carriage unit is adapted for rotational motion about an axis oriented substantially normal to the working surface. A tape drive unit moves a tape media past the working surface of the head carriage unit, the tape media having a width approximately equal to a width of the working surface of the head carriage unit. The multiple heads record multiple data tracks on or retrieve multiple data tracks from the tape media as the head carriage unit rotates while the tape media moves past the working surface of the head carriage unit.