Apparatus for identifying a mis-oriented tape cassette in a loader mechanism

摘要

The orientation of a tape cassette is automatically determined as it is being loaded into the tape drive by the transport mechanism. A reference edge of the cassette (for example, a predetermined lower edge of a DAT tape cassette) is characterized by a distinctive non-symmetrical profile of transparent and opaque edge portions, and a radiation source and sensor are positioned within the transport mechanism along a radiation axis that intersects an adjacent edge of the cassette as it is being loaded into the tape drive. The sensor output thereby produces a signal from which it can be determined whether the cassette is oriented with its reference edge intersecting the radiation axis. In a preferred embodiment, the output of the sensor is converted into a digital signature which is compared with a stored signature corresponding to the distinctive profile associated with the reference edge. The tape cassette may be ejected for possible manual re-orientation if the output signal from the sensor indicates the tape cassette is not properly oriented.