JPS63164078A - Magnetic tape device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To early detect the deterioration of a magnetic tape medium and maintenance information of a device by providing a counting means for counting errors arising during a read or write operation, a readout means for reading out the resultant count, a searching means and a printing means. CONSTITUTION:A counter 5 counts the number of times of an error generated during a period from commencing the readout or write of contents of a magnetic tape 6 from the logical start-up point in the tape 6 by the magnetic tape device 1 to starting the operation of rewinding or unloading the tape 6 by the command of a host device. When the rewinding or unloading command is inputted into a control section 2, the control section 2 reads out the resultant count made by the counter 5 and acts to print the count on a back surface of a reel flange of the tape 6 by means of a printing section 3. Before giving the print instruction, the control section 2 instructs a searching section 4 to search the matching of the printing section 3 with a printing part by moving the printing section 3 up and down or rotating the tape 6. In this way, the operator can be informed of the degree of deterioration of a tape and the maintenance information for the device 1, and an early detection can be performed to find how the magnetic tape 6 is deteriorated in its performance and also the maintenance requirement for the device 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic tape device, and more particularly to a magnetic tape device that displays the number of errors on a reel flange of a magnetic tape.

Conventional technology Conventionally, this magnetic tape device does not have a means for counting or displaying the number of errors that have occurred during reading or writing operations on a magnetic tape medium, so error details are displayed at a higher level. It only notified the device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned conventional magnetic tape devices do not display the number of errors that occur during reading or writing operations on the magnetic tape, so deterioration in the performance of the magnetic tape cannot be detected. There is a drawback that maintenance information for the tape device cannot be obtained early.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional situation,
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel magnetic tape device which makes it possible to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages inherent in the conventional technology.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above objects, the magnetic tape device according to the present invention is capable of rewinding or unwinding the medium according to an instruction from a host device after reading or writing on the medium from the logical start end of the magnetic tape. a counting means for counting the number of errors that have occurred before loading; a reading means for reading out the counting results; a searching means for searching for a printed portion on the back side of the reel 7 lunge of the medium; 1i' for controlling the entire magnetic tape device including a printing means for printing the counting result on the printing section searched by the searching means, the counting means, the reading means, the printing means and the searching means;
I1m section.

Embodiment Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

! 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a printed portion provided on the back surface of a reel of a magnetic tape according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a control unit receives an execution command from a higher-level jAfft via a control signal 10, and receives data from the higher-level device via a data line J as necessary, or transfers data to the higher-level device. conduct. In parallel with the above operation, the control section receives control signal 13.
Data is written to the magnetic tape 6 through the data line and the data line, and data is read from the magnetic tape 6 or the magnetic tape base is positioned.

The control unit also counts the number of errors detected during the period from the logical start end of the magnetic tape to the time when the medium is read or written and until the medium is rewinded or unloaded by a command from a host device.

The counter S is controlled using the control signal //. After receiving the above-mentioned rewind or unload command, the counting result is read through the data line λ/, transferred to the printing unit 3 via the control signal /, and the magnetic tape-based reel is sent to the printing unit 3. Print instructions on the back side of the flange.

Before instructing the printing unit 3 to print, the control unit KO instructs the search unit DA to search for a position on the magnetic tape to be printed via the control signal /lI. Then, it waits for a response from the control signal 15, which is a completion signal, from the search MS Hiro.

The printing section 3 is mounted so as to be movable up and down at a position corresponding to the printing section 7 shown in FIG. Then, the control unit KO and the search unit DA are controlled so that printing is performed on the printing area by a control signal IO from the control unit KO.

The search unit receives the % control signal LD, detects the printing area shown in FIG. 2, and positions the area to be printed next. The positioning uses the control signal /3 as a completion signal, and the search unit l reports completion to the control unit -.

The counter 5 is cleared, counted up, or its contents are read out by a control signal // from the control section.

Next, the operation when an error occurs while reading the contents of the magnetic tape base will be explained.

When the operator sets the magnetic tape 6 on the magnetic tape device l, the control unit y sets the magnetic tape's logical starting point c and below.
) is detected. Control unit λ that detected BOT
clears the contents of counter j via control signal //.

Next, the control unit KO, which has received a read command from the host device via the control signal IO, reads out the data of IO block recorded on the magnetic tape base via the control signal 13 and the data line -, and reads the data from the data line J and It is transferred to the host device via the control signal 10. The above operations continue to be repeated until a logical end point (usually a tape mark) is detected.

During the above operation, the control section j detects an error in the data line -, and adds 7 to the contents of the counter j via the control signal // in order to count the number of errors. Then, for the host device,
The content of the failure and data are reported via the control signal 10 and data line. When the higher-level device that has received the report determines that the failure is one that can be retried, it receives an alignment command for re-reading the block that has just been read via the control signal 10 to the magnetic tape device/, and sends the control signal/3 and The alignment command is executed via the data line. The host device that has received the alignment completion report via the control signal 10 issues a visual reading command again and performs reading.

In this manner, the control unit continues to count the number of errors (including during retry) detected from the logical start of the magnetic tape base to the completion of processing (reception of a rewind or unload command from the host device).

On the other hand, upon receiving the rewind or unload command, the control unit 3 instructs to read the result of the counter 3 via the control signal /1 and reads it via the data line 1. The result of counting the number of errors obtained in this way is stored in the control section.
After the rewind or unload command for the magnetic tape medium 6 is completed, it is sent to the printing unit 3 via the control signal /2, and the printing unit 3 prints on the back side of the reel flange of the magnetic tape base.

Before setting the side control signal /U, the control unit 4 issues an instruction to the search unit 4 (i/() via the control signal LD to search for the printed area shown in FIG. 1.

Upon receiving the instruction, the searching section moves the printing section 3 up and down or rotates the magnetic tape 6 to search for alignment between the printing section 3 and the printing section 7 shown in Figure 1, and when the search is completed, it sends a control signal l! Reports to the control department via.

Similarly, when a write command is issued to the magnetic tape from the host device and an error is detected because the control unit is busy processing the command, the counter ! count up and
As described above, this counting result is printed on the back side of the reel flange of the magnetic tape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, reading or writing errors that occur during operation are counted, and the counting results are printed on the back side of the reel flange of the magnetic tape medium on which the reading or writing operation was performed. By doing this and notifying the operator of the defective media and maintenance information of the magnetic tape device, it is possible to know early on whether the medium is defective and the level of maintenance required for the device, thereby providing a highly reliable system. Effects can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. l...magnetic tape device, c...control unit, 3...printing unit. l...Exploration Department!・・・Counter, 6...Magnetic tape, ri...Printed part, 10. //, /ko, /3. /
DA, IS... Control signal, 〃, CO/,, 2U... Data line Patent applicant NEC Corporation Representative Patent attorney Yutabe Kumagai Figure 1 Figure W12

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a magnetic tape device controlled by a command from a host device, a process from the logical start of a magnetic tape medium until rewinding or unloading the medium after reading or writing to the medium by a command from a host device. counting means for counting the number of errors that have occurred during the time; reading means for reading out the counting results of the counting means; searching means for searching for a printed portion on the back side of the reel flange of the medium; and searching means for searching the back side of the reel flange of the medium. It is characterized by comprising: printing means for printing the counting result on the printing section searched by the means; and a control section for controlling the entire magnetic tape device including control of the counting means, reading means, printing means, and searching means. magnetic tape device.