JP2992170B2 - Magnetic tape unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for managing a tape running time of a magnetic tape apparatus for recording and reproducing information by using a magnetic tape as a recording medium, and more particularly to an apparatus for recording maintenance information by integrating a tape running speed. To a magnetic tape device. In recent years, there is a severe demand for improvement in reliability of a magnetic tape device used as a computer external storage device, and there is a demand for guaranteeing reliability through actual operation of the device.

In order to guarantee the reliability of such an apparatus, the apparatus itself manages and determines the time to clean the head and the like and the time to replace consumable parts, and performs appropriate maintenance when necessary. There is a need.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of managing a tape running time of a magnetic tape device used as a subsystem of a computer system, another circuit in which a motor driving current flows at the same time when a capstan motor driving current flows is created. On this circuit, a time indicator for displaying the traveling time by moving a blank portion in the mercury shown in FIG. 10 is used.

In the time display shown in FIG. 10, mercury 122 and 124 are sealed in a glass tube 120 with an aqueous acid solution 130, and a motor drive current is applied to electrodes 126 and 128 with the polarity shown in the drawing. When a current flows between the electrodes 126 and 128, electrolysis occurs in a portion of the mercury in contact with the aqueous solution 130, and mercury ions Hg ⁻ generated at the mercury 120 on the negative electrode 124 side pass through the aqueous solution 130 and a positive electrode. 12
It is drawn to mercury 122 on the 6 side.

[0005] Therefore, the amount of mercury 124 gradually decreases, and the amount of mercury 122 gradually increases, and moves to the left side of the aqueous solution 130 in the glass tube 120. If the aqueous solution 130 is colored red, for example, the red pointer of the aqueous solution 130 moves to the left with respect to the time scale, and indicates the tape running time displayed on the scale 132 in units of 10,000 hours.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional method for managing the running time of a tape, the time indicator is only one standard and the accuracy is low. Judgment of the timing of component replacement is too large because it is too variable, and it is not possible to measure a long time. It was not suitable for judging. Further, there is a disadvantage that a space for installing a time indicator in the apparatus must be secured. An object of the present invention is to use a signal from a sensor that detects a rotation of a reel used for speed control of a tape or the like,
Provided is a tape device which can easily calculate and record a tape running time with almost no need for additional hardware.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention. First, the tape running time management device of the magnetic tape device according to the present invention includes a first rotation pulse generating means 90 for generating a plurality of pulse signals per rotation as one reel 66 rotates, and a rotation of the other reel 68. For example, 1
A second rotation pulse generating means 94 for generating one pulse signal per rotation is provided.

Generated from second rotation pulse generating means (94)
1st until just before reset
The number of pulses of the inversion pulse generating means (90) is determined by a radius ratio detecting means.
102 counts and detects the counted value as a radius ratio (RRC). Detected radius ratio radius ratio detector 102 (RRC) is supplied to the traveling amount calculating means 104, magnetic tape
An operation determined by the loop structure is performed to determine the current tape running distance. Subsequently, the integration recording means 106 obtains the integrated value of the tape travel amount up to the present time based on the calculation result of the travel amount calculation means 104, and stores the integrated value in the nonvolatile memory 38.

The determination means 108 reads the integrated travel distance from the non-volatile memory 38 at a predetermined determination cycle, and determines whether or not a predetermined cleaning or component replacement threshold has been reached. If the determination unit 108 determines that the threshold has been reached, the display unit 110 outputs a request for a corresponding operation based on the determination result, for example, a cleaning request message or a component replacement request message.

Here, each of the pair of reels 66, 68 independently has a drive motor 86, 88, and the first rotation pulse generating means 90 generates, for example, 500 pulses in one rotation of one of the reels 66, and generates the second rotation pulse. The pulse generating means 94 generates one pulse signal by rotation of the other reel 68. In this case, the radius ratio detection means 102 is constituted by a counter that inputs and counts the pulse signal of the first rotation pulse generation means 90 as a clock signal and inputs the pulse signal of the second rotation pulse generation means 94 as a reset signal. , And outputs the count value immediately before reset counted by the counter as a radius ratio (RRC) for each rotation.

The travel distance calculating means 104 calculates the tape travel distance as the number of sectors S representing the physical position of the tape,
The integration recording means 106 obtains the integrated amount of tape travel as the number of integrated sectors and stores it in the nonvolatile memory 38. Specifically, the number of sectors (S) is calculated using the radius ratio (RRC) obtained at the present time: S = A · (RRC) −K where A is a conversion constant and K is an offset. For example, one of the American National Standards (ANSI)
When a magnetic tape of a 1/2 inch standard cartridge is used, the number of sectors (S) is calculated as S = 62.5 · (RRC) −34 using the radius ratio (RRC) obtained at the present time.

The integration recording means 106 is a means for calculating travel distance 1
Each time the number of sectors (S _n ) is calculated in step 04, the absolute value (ΔS) of the difference between the previously calculated number of sectors (S _n-1 ) and the current calculated number of sectors (S _n ) is calculated. A new integrated sector number (ST) is obtained by adding to the previous integrated sector number read from the memory 38.

[0013]

According to the magnetic tape device of the present invention having such a configuration, each of a pair of reels driven by an independent motor is provided with a rotation detection device for speed control and the like.
For example, the supply reel is provided with a rotation sensor (tachometer) that generates 500 pulses per rotation in two phases. The take-up reel is provided with a sensor that outputs one pulse of an index signal indicating one rotation.

Using the signals from these sensors, the ratio of the number of sectors to the radius of the reel can be obtained as a value that matches the reciprocal of the number of revolutions. Therefore, it is not necessary to add new hardware to the calculation of the radius ratio RRC used for the calculation of the tape running time, and the sector position (sector) of the tape currently positioned on the head depending on the tape running amount can be easily and accurately determined. Number).

If the sector position of the tape is known for each rotation of one reel as described above, the absolute value ΔS is obtained by subtracting the current sector position from the previous sector position. This shows an increase from the number ST _n−1 , and by repeating this, the tape running time can be converted into the number of sectors and integrated. In this case, the number of integrated sectors is stored in the non-volatile memory, and is maintained even when the apparatus is stopped. In addition, the number of accumulated sectors for cleaning and the number of accumulated sectors for component replacement are separately stored in a non-volatile memory, and each accumulated sector number is compared with a unique threshold value, and a message prompting cleaning time or component replacement is displayed and output.

As a result, the tape running time can be calculated without increasing the cost, the tape running time can be more accurately managed, the tape running time can be verified, and the tape can be removed only with a cleaning tape (dry type). It is possible to know the cleaning time of the sticky dust and the like attached to the tape path that cannot be removed and the replacement time of the life component of the tape traveling system.

[0017]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the entire apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, the magnetic tape device 10
Is connected to a control unit 12 via a device interface 11, and the control unit 12 is connected to a higher-level device via a channel device.

In this embodiment, the magnetic tape device 10 is provided with three processors: a transfer control processor 14, a drive control processor 24, and a display control processor 48. The transfer control processor 14 exchanges commands and data with the control unit 12. The internal bus 16 of the transfer control processor 14 is provided with a ROM 18 storing a control program, a RAM 20 used as control storage, and a data buffer 22 for temporarily storing transfer data.

The internal bus 28 of the drive control processor 24 is provided with a ROM 28 storing a control program, a RAM 30 used as control storage, a hardware register 32, a nonvolatile RAM 38, a timer 40, and a drive interface 42. The sensor unit 34 and the actuator unit 36 are connected to the hardware register 32. The sensor unit 34 is provided with various sensors such as a light receiving element of a photocoupler provided in the magnetic tape device 10, stores a detection signal from the sensor in a register in the hardware register 32, and drives the register by a drive. The control processor 24 refers to the detection signal and takes in the detection signal.

The actuator unit 36 is provided with actuators necessary for driving various magnetic tape devices 10, such as solenoids. For the register corresponding to the actuator in the hardware register 32,
By setting control data from the drive control register 24, on / off control of a solenoid provided in the actuator unit 36 can be performed.

The non-volatile RAM 38 stores the integrated value obtained by converting the tape running time by converting the number of sectors. In this embodiment, the integrated number of cleaning sectors ST1 and the number of integrated sectors for component replacement ST2 are individually stored. I remember. The timer 40 measures the period T of the rotation pulse of the tape reel, for example, by counting clock pulses. A drive unit 44 is connected to the drive interface 42. For example, by setting a 1/2 inch standard cartridge of the American National Standard (ANSI) in the drive unit 44, a running control for recording / reproducing to / from a magnetic tape is performed. .

Further, the internal bus 50 of the display control processor 48 is provided with a ROM 52 storing a control program, a RAM 54 used as control storage, and a display drive interface 56. Display drive interface 56
Is connected to a character display 58. The character display 58 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, and can display, for example, 10 characters in a horizontal line.

The exchange of commands and data between the transfer control processor 14 and the drive control processor 24 is performed using the communication RAM 46, and between the transfer control processor 14 and the display control processor 48. The exchange of commands and data is performed using the communication RAM 60. Further, the drive control processor 24
The exchange of commands and data between the display control processor 48 and the display control processor 48 can be performed using the communication RAMs 46 and 60. As the communication RAMs 46 and 60 used for such communication between processors, a dual-port RAM is used.

FIG. 3 shows details of the drive unit 44 provided in the magnetic tape device 10 shown in FIG. 2. The control unit includes the transfer control processor 14, the drive control processor 24, and the display control processor 48. The system is shown as a processor unit 100. In FIG. 3, the tape mechanism 62 is loaded with a 1 / 2-inch standard cartridge 64 of the U.S.
4. Pull out the magnetic tape 70 from the supply reel 66 in 4,
It is wound around a take-up reel 68 provided in advance as a machine reel in the tape mechanism 62.

The path of the magnetic tape 70 from the supply reel 66 to the take-up reel 68 is provided by a roller guide 72 and a guide 7.
4, a tape cleaner 76, a recording / reproducing head 78, a tape cleaner 80, a guide 82, and a roller guide 84 are provided. The supply reel 66 is driven to rotate by a motor 86, and the take-up reel 68 is also driven to rotate individually by a motor 88.

Supply reel 6 rotated by motor 86
A tachometer 90 is provided on the rotation shaft 6. Two-phase tachometer signals E <b> 20 and E <b> 30 are output from the tachometer 90 as the supply reel 66 rotates, and supplied to the tachometer receiving circuit 92. The tachometer receiving circuit 92 includes two-phase tachometer signals E20 and E20 from the tachometer 90.
30 is shaped to generate two tachometer signals E2 and E3 having a phase difference and output to the processor unit 10.

In this embodiment, the tachometer 90 generates tachometer signals E2 and E3 of 500 pulses per rotation of the supply reel 66 with a phase difference of 1/4 cycle. The take-up reel 68 is provided with a photo sensor 94, and an issuance element (not shown) is provided facing the photo sensor 94. A slit formed in the take-up reel 68 allows the take-up reel 68 to rotate once. Once, the slit passes through the light receiving surface side of the photo sensor 94, so that one
The received light output is generated in the photosensor light receiving circuit 96. For this reason, the take-up reel 6 is
The index signal E1 is output to the processor unit 100 once in one rotation of 8.

The motor 86 of the supply reel 66 converts control data from the processor unit 100 into an analog control signal by a D / A converter 112, and a motor drive circuit 114 controls a motor drive current based on the control signal. Similarly, the motor 88 of the take-up reel 68 transmits control data from the processor unit 100 to the D / A converter 1.
The signal is converted into an analog control signal at 16 and the motor drive circuit 11
In step 8, the drive current of the motor 88 is controlled based on the analog control signal.

The processor unit 100 is provided with the functions of a radius ratio detecting unit 102, a running amount calculating unit 104, an integrating recording unit 106, a determining unit 108, and a display controlling unit 110 for the tape running time determining process of the present invention. I have. A speed controller 140 for controlling the speed of the motors 86 and 88;
Magnetic tape 7 between supply reel 66 and take-up reel 68
A torque control unit 150 is provided for applying a predetermined tension to the magnetic tape 70 for the traveling of zero.

FIG. 4 shows an index signal E1 output from the photosensor light receiving circuit 96 on the take-up reel 68 shown in FIG.
5 is a timing chart showing tachometer signals E2 and E3 output from the tachometer receiving circuit 92 on the supply reel 66 side. In FIG. 4, first, an index signal E1 is generated for each rotation of the take-up reel 68 based on a light-receiving output of a photo sensor 94 provided on the take-up reel 68 side.

On the other hand, two-phase tachometer signals E and E3 are generated based on the output of the tachometer 90 provided on the supply reel 66. In this embodiment, the tachometer signals E2 and E2 are generated by one rotation of the supply reel 66. E3 generates 500 pulses. Also, with reference to the tachometer signal E2, the tachometer signal E3 has a phase difference of T / 4 cycle.

The processor unit 100 generates a rotation signal E4 indicating the rotation state of the supply reel 66 by detecting the rise and fall of each of the tachometer signals E2 and E3, and generates a rotation signal E4 based on the rotation signal E4. Process. Here, tachometer signals E2 and E
Since 3 is 500 pulses per rotation of the supply reel 66, the rotation signal E4 is 2000 pulses per rotation of the supply reel 66, and higher resolution can be obtained.

Further, the period T of one tachometer signal E2 in FIG. 4 is measured by the timer 40 of the drive control processor 24 shown in FIG. 2 to be used for controlling the speed of the motor. FIG. 5 shows changes in the tachometer signals E2 and E3 when the rotation direction is reversed with respect to FIG. 4, and when the tachometer signal E2 is used as a reference, the phase of the tachometer signal E3 is reversed by T / 4 period in the reverse rotation. It is only shifted. For example, when the period T in FIG. 4 is divided into four regions by T / 4, the logical sum of the tachometer signals E2 and E3 is "1110", whereas in the case of FIG. 110
1 ". Therefore, the rotation direction can be identified from the phase relationship between the tachometer signal E3 and the tachometer signal E3.

4 and 5, the take-up reel 6
Although the timing of the index signal E1 on the side 8 and the timing of the tachometer signals E2 and E3 and the rotation signal E4 on the side of the supply reel 66 are shown to be coincident, one rotation of the supply reel 66 and the take-up reel 68 actually depends on the radius of the tape. , The timings of the signal waveforms match only when the tape radii of both reels match, but otherwise have unique timings according to the tape radii.

Next, the principle of converting the tape running time into the number of sectors by the radius ratio detecting unit 102 and the running amount calculating unit 104 provided in the processor unit 100 of FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the radius ratio detection unit 102 provided in the processor unit 100 of FIG. In FIG.
The radius ratio detector 102 has a function of counting, as a clock pulse, the rotation pulse signal E4 in FIG. 4 obtained based on a tachometer signal from a tachometer 90 provided on the supply reel 66. The counting result of the radius ratio detecting unit 102 is reset by an index signal output once per rotation of the take-up reel 68 based on a light receiving signal from a photo sensor 94 provided on the take-up reel 68.

The radius ratio detector 102 immediately before being reset by the index signal E1 from the take-up reel 68
Pulse signal E4 from the supply reel 66 counted at
Is output as the radius ratio RRC. Thus, the detected radius ratio (RRC) output from the radius ratio detection unit 102
3, the travel amount detection unit 104 of the processor unit 100 shown in FIG. 3 calculates the sector number S as a physical position where the magnetic tape 70 is currently in contact with the recording / reproducing head 78 in the tape mechanism unit 62, and S = 62 0.5 × (RRC) −34 (1) where RRC is calculated as a radius ratio. Here, the conversion coefficient 6 on the right side of the equation (1)
2.5 and offset value 34 are based on U.S. Standards (ANS
It is a constant for expressing the number of sectors S from 0 to 70 in the 1/2 inch standard cartridge of I).

Next, the reason why the number of sectors S of the magnetic tape is obtained by the equation (1) based on the radius ratio (RRC) will be described. Now, as shown in FIG.
_S, when the tape radius of the take-up reel 68 and R _M, also the rotational speed of the supply reel 66 when the take-up reel 68 rotates N _M and N _F, between the two N _F / N _M = R _M / R _F (2) That is, there is an inversely proportional relationship between the ratio of the tape radius of the supply reel 66 to the take-up reel 68 and the ratio of the number of rotations. This ratio is defined as the radius ratio (RRC). The (2) the radius ratio (RRC) is the show for tape running amount performed in one revolution of the take-up reel 68, the 2.pi.R _M = relation _{(N F / N M) ·} 2πR F (3).

Here, the supply reel 66 and the take-up reel 68
Tape distribution on the reels by a tape of the phase between, i.e. tape radius will vary, since the unchanged total amount of tape, the tape radius R ₀ when taped total amount on the reel, the complete tape reel radius in a state unwound in When R _i, the relationship of the tape volume is determined by the following equation. ^{_{W (πR o 2 -πR i 2}} ) = W (πR F 2 -πR i 2) + W (πR M 2 -πR i 2) (4) where, R _o tape radius R _i at full tape state empty When the reel core radius W of tape state to organize tape width equation ^{_{(4), R o 2 + R i 2}} = R M 2 + R F 2 = C 2 (5) , and the radius constant C C = √ ( R _o ² + R _i ² ) (6)

[0039] Furthermore, (5) a deformation and _{^{R M 2 = R o 2 +}} R i 2 -R F 2 (7), and rearranging the tape radius R _M of the take-up reel 68 side, R _M = √ ( _{^{R o 2 + R i 2 -R}} F 2) (8) represents the (tape radius R _M of a given take-up reel 68 side 8) (2) radius ratio is substituted into equation (RRC), which the have expressed the equation (1) S = 62.5 × (√ (R o 2 + R i 2 -R F 2) / R F) -34 (9). That is, the number of sectors S has a value uniquely determined by obtaining the tape radius R _F of the supply reel 66.

In the present invention, since it is difficult to actually determine the tape radius R _F of the supply reel 66,
The radius ratio (RRC) shown in the expression (2) is obtained from the rotation pulse signals of the take-up reel 68 and the supply reel 66, and the number of sectors S is calculated by the expression (1). The radius ratio (RRC) is, as apparent from the equation (2), RRC = N _F / N _{M The} number of rotations N _F of the supply reel 66 and the number of rotations N _M of the take-up reel 68 are obtained and the ratio is obtained. Can also be calculated. However, in the present invention, in order to easily realize the calculation processing for calculating the radius ratio (RRC) by a counter without using the calculation, as shown in FIG. The counter that realizes the radius ratio detection unit 102 by providing a photo sensor 94 that generates two is cleared.

On the other hand, the supply reel 66 is provided with a tachometer 90 for generating a rotation pulse signal E4 of, for example, 2,000 pulses in one rotation, and the rotation pulse signal E4 is used as a clock to count by a counter constituting the radius ratio detection unit 102. For this reason, the counter constituting the radius ratio detection unit 102 counts the rotation pulse signal E4 output from the supply reel 68 while the take-up reel 68 makes one rotation, and the rotation pulse signal E4 immediately before resetting by the index signal E1. Can be directly obtained as a radius ratio (RRC).

FIG. 7 schematically shows a change in the value of the radius ratio RRC with respect to a change in the tape radius of the supply reel 66 and the take-up reel 68 when counting the 2000 pulse rotation pulse signal E4 per rotation of the supply reel 66 of FIG. Is shown.
In a state where the tape radii R _F and R _M of the supply reel 66 and the take-up reel 68 in FIG.
The rotation pulse signal E from the supply reel 66 obtained by rotation
4 equals 2000 pulses per revolution, RRC
= 2000. On the other hand, when the tape radius R _F of the supply reel 66 in FIG. 7A increases, the number of rotation pulse signals E4 output from the supply reel 66 for one rotation of the take-up reel 68 is reduced. Since it becomes smaller, the radius ratio RRC becomes a value smaller than 2000.

[0043] Conversely, as shown in FIG. 7 (c), when the tape radius R _M of the take-up reel 68 is large, the rotation pulse from the supply reel 66 obtained in one rotation of the take-up reel 68 Since the signal E4 is one rotation or more, the radius ratio R
RC is a value larger than 2000. The number of sectors S detected by the radius ratio detection unit 102 of the processor unit 100 in this way is supplied to the travel distance calculation unit 104, and the number of sectors indicating the tape travel time is detected.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the details of the detection processing by the travel distance calculation unit 104 and the integration processing by the integration recording unit 106 provided in the processor unit 100 of FIG. In FIG. 8, first, in step S1, the take-up reel 6
The presence / absence of the input of the index signal E1 obtained every one rotation of 8 is monitored, and when the index signal E1 is input, the value RRC of the radius ratio counter obtained at that time is taken. When the counter value RRC has been acquired,
The radius ratio counter is reset. Then the process proceeds to step S3, wherein the (1) the current number of sectors S _n based on the formula,
Calculation is performed using the detected radius ratio RRC.

Next, in step S4, the change ΔS in the number of sectors between the previous time and this time is calculated. That is, since the difference between the current number of sectors S _n and the previous number of sectors S _n-1 is the number of sectors indicating the tape running amount made in one revolution of the take-up reel 68,
The difference between the two is calculated as ΔS. Since ΔS has a negative value depending on the tape running direction, the absolute value of the difference between the previous and current sector numbers is calculated as ΔS.

Subsequently, in step S5, the integrated cleaning sector number ST1 stored in the nonvolatile RAM 38 in FIG. 2 in advance.
Is read and updated by adding the change ΔS in the number of sectors calculated in step S4. Also, in step S6, the number of integrated sectors for component replacement ST2, which is also stored in the non-volatile RAM 38, is read and updated by adding the change ΔS in the integrated number added in step S4.

[0047] Incidentally, the current sector number S _n calculated in step S3, after having undergone the calculation of the number of sectors changes ΔS at step S4, is replaced with the previous number of sectors S _n-1. By repeating the calculation of the number of sectors S shown in steps S1 to S6 and the updating of the cumulative number of sectors for cleaning ST1 and the number of parts exchange ST2, the respective tape running times are continuously recorded as the cumulative number of sectors. Can be.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing details of the processing functions of the determination unit 108 and the display control unit 110 shown in the processor unit 100 of FIG. In FIG. 9, first, it is monitored whether or not it is a predetermined determination timing in step S1. The time interval for determining the determination timing can be appropriately determined as needed. For example, take-up reel 6
The determination process may be performed by determining the input of the index signal E1 obtained for each rotation of No. 8 or may be performed at any time interval set by the timer.

If it is determined in step S1 that the determination timing has been reached, the flow advances to step S2 to read the integrated number of cleaning sectors ST1 stored in the non-volatile RAM 38 in FIG. 2 and compare it with the threshold value TH1 in step S3. . If the integrated sector number ST1 is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH1, the process proceeds to step S4, and a cleaning request message is displayed.

More specifically, since the drive control processor 24 shown in FIG. 2 executes the determination processing shown in FIG. 9, the cleaning request is transmitted to the communication R in step S4.
A notification is sent to the display control processor 48 via the AMs 46 and 60, and the display control processor 48 that has received the cleaning request reads out the message data for the cleaning request stored in the RAM 54 in advance, and the display drive interface 56 "Mount / cleaning tape" is displayed on the character display 58 via the, and a request is made to load a previously prepared cleaning cartridge.

In the character display 58 shown in FIG. 2, the number of display characters on one line is limited to, for example, 10 characters.
Since the request message cannot be displayed on one line, by moving the message on the display screen and displaying it,
A series of message sentences can be displayed continuously even if the sentence is long. If the message of the cleaning request is displayed in step S4, it is checked in step S5 whether or not the cleaning cartridge is used. When the system engineer or the like looks at the message display of the cleaning request performed in step S4 and loads the cleaning cartridge into the magnetic tape device, it is detected that the cartridge is a cleaning cartridge at the time of cartridge loading by a sensor or the like, and cleaning is performed. Is set.

Therefore, in step S5, a flag indicating the use of the cleaning cartridge is checked. If the flag is set, it is determined that cleaning is completed. In step S6, the integrated sector number ST1 is reset to ST1 = 0, and a new cleaning cartridge ST1 is reset. The counting of the number of integrated sectors is started. Step S2
When the process related to cleaning shown in S6 is completed, the process proceeds to step S7, where the number ST2 of component replacement sectors stored in the nonvolatile RAM 38 shown in FIG. 2 is read, and compared with a threshold value TH2 predetermined in step S8. If the number of component replacement sectors ST2 is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH2, the process proceeds to step S9, and a message of a component replacement request is displayed.

In the tape mechanism 62 shown in FIG. 3, when the tape running time reaches the end of the service life, a device requiring replacement is, for example, a brushed DC motor used as the motors 86 and 88. Includes brush replacement of a DC motor. If the message of the parts replacement request is displayed in step S9, it is checked whether or not the parts replacement has been performed in step S10. If the parts replacement is completed, the integrated sector number ST2 is set to ST2 = 0 in step S11.
To reset the recording of the cumulative number of sectors for the replaced new part.

The judgment of the number of accumulated sectors and the request display based on the judgment result in FIG. 9 are based on the example of cleaning and component replacement. A determination may be made that the request has been reached, and a corresponding request display may be performed. FIG. 9 shows an example in which the number of replacement parts is one. However, by recording and managing the total number of sectors for each of a plurality of parts, a request message is sent when the replacement time has come. Can be displayed.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, the running time of the tape actually used can be recorded and held as an integrated value of the number of sectors, and the tape running time can be managed by the apparatus itself. Further, by comparing the cumulative number of sectors indicating the tape running time with a cleaning threshold value or a component replacement threshold value, cleaning magnetism and component replacement magnetism are determined, and a cleaning request and a component replacement request are made. By performing cleaning or component replacement in accordance with the maintenance request of the above, the reliability and durability of the apparatus can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment showing an overall apparatus configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment showing the configuration of the drive unit in FIG. 2 together with a tape running time measurement function provided in a processor unit.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing signals from the tachometer of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing a signal from a tachometer when the rotation is reversed with respect to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a principle of detecting a radius ratio in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a change in a radius ratio with respect to a tape radius.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of detecting and integrating a tape running amount according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a time chart showing a tape traveling amount determination process according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional travel time display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Magnetic tape device 12: Control unit 14: Rotation control processor 16, 26, 50: Internal bus 18, 28, 52: ROM 20, 30, 54: RAM (control storage) 22: Data buffer 24: Drive control Processor 32: Hardware register 34: Sensor unit 36: Actuator unit 38: Non-volatile RAM 40: Timer 42: Drive interface 44: Drive unit 46, 60: Communication RAM (dual port RAM) 48: Display control processor 56: Display drive Interface 58: Character display 62: Tape mechanism 64: Cartridge 66: Supply reel 68: Take-up reel 70: Magnetic tape 72, 84: Guide roller 74, 82: Guide 76, 80: Tape cleaner 78: Note Sanction heads 86, 88: drive motor 90: tachometer 92: tachometer receiving circuit 94: photo sensor 96: photo sensor light receiving circuit 100: processor unit 102: radius ratio detecting unit 104: running amount calculating unit 106: integration recording unit 108: judgment Unit 110: Display control unit 112, 116: D / A converter 114, 118: Motor drive circuit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G11B 15/093 311 G11B 15/00 311 G11B 27/11

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] In a magnetic tape device for recording and reproducing information using a magnetic tape as a recording medium, first rotation pulse generating means (90) for generating a number of pulse signals proportional to the rotation of one of the reels (66). A second rotation pulse generating means (94) for generating one pulse signal per rotation of the other reel (68); and a pulse generated from the second rotation pulse generating means (94).
The first rotation path until just before the reset.
The number of pulses of the loose generating means (90) is counted, and the counted number is counted.
A radius ratio detection means (102) for detecting the count value as a radius ratio (RRC); and a radius ratio (RR) detected by the radius ratio detection means (102).
Calculations based on the structure of the magnetic tape based on C)
The travel distance calculating means (1) for determining the current tape travel distance
An integrated recording means (106) for obtaining an integrated value of the tape running amount up to the present time based on the calculation result of the running amount calculating means (104) and storing the integrated value in the nonvolatile storage means (38); A determination means (108) for reading the integrated travel amount from the non-volatile storage means (38) for each determination cycle and determining whether or not a predetermined threshold value has been reached; and that the determination means (108) has reached the threshold value. And a display unit (110) for outputting a request for a corresponding operation based on the determination result when the determination is made. 2. A tape travel time management device for a magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein said travel distance calculation means comprises:
4) The running time management of the magnetic tape device, wherein the number of sectors (S) is calculated as S = 62.5 × (RRC) −34 using the radius ratio (RRC) obtained at the present time. apparatus. 3. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein
The integration recording means (106) is configured to calculate a running integration amount (ST1).
Is calculated and stored in the non-volatile storage means (38), and the determination means (108)
8) is compared with a preset cleaning threshold value (TH1) and a preset total travel amount for component replacement (ST2), and the display means (110)
From the determination means (108), the accumulated running amount (ST1) is determined to be the cleaning threshold (TH1) and / or the component replacement threshold (TH1).
A magnetic tape device, which outputs a message indicating a cleaning operation and / or a component replacement when a determination result indicating that the condition has been reached is received.