| 摘要 |
A tape drive (10, fig.1) and a method of operation of the tape drive, includes obtaining the circumferences of a pair of spools of tape 30, 32. The pair of spools 30, 32 including a supply spool 30 upon which tape is initially wound, and a take-up spool 32 for receiving tape unwound from the supply spool 30. Each spool 30, 32 is mounted upon a respective rotatable spool support 12, 14 mounted in a housing (11, fig.1), such that tape extends along a tape path between the spools 30, 32. The method includes determining a length of tape fed into the tape path by the supply spool 30 during a measurement period using a sensor assembly 16, monitoring the angle through which each of the spool supports 12, 14 has rotated during the measurement period, regulating the length of the tape in the tape path, such that the length of the tape in the tape path at the start of the measurement period and the length of the tape in the tape path at the end of the measurement period are substantially the same. Finally using knowledge of the length of tape fed into the tape path during the measurement period and the angle through which each of the spool supports 12, 14 rotated during the measurement period to obtain the circumferences of the supply spool 30 and the take-up spool 32.
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