Tape drive corrosion protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10734036-B2
Application number	US-201916541636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A computer program product, including a storage device storing computer readable program code executable by a processor to implement a method for corrosion protection of a tape drive based on a tape drive corrosion protection system that includes a tape drive, a temperature sensor, a heating entity, and a controller. Humidity information is determined via a humidity sensor. Temperature information, indicative of a temperature in or within the tape drive, is established via the temperature sensor. The temperature information is received at the controller. The heating entity is activated in a manner dependent on the temperature information established via the temperature sensor in order to prevent corrosion within the tape drive. Activating the heating entity is in response to a determination that the relative humidity is above a specified relative humidity threshold value and a temperature drop is above a specified temperature drop value within a specified period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said computer readable storage device not being a signal, said program code containing instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for corrosion protection of a tape drive based on a tape drive corrosion protection system, said system comprising the tape drive, a temperature sensor, a heating entity and a controller for activating the heating entity, said method comprising:
determining, by the processor via a humidity sensor, humidity information;
establishing, by the processor via the temperature sensor, temperature information indicative of a temperature in an area of, or within, the tape drive;
receiving, by the processor, the temperature information at the controller; and activating, by the processor, the heating entity in a manner dependent on the temperature information established via the temperature sensor in order to prevent corrosion within the tape drive, said activating the heating entity being in response to a determination that the humidity information determined via the humidity sensor indicates that the relative humidity is above a specified relative humidity threshold value and the established temperature information indicates a temperature drop above a specified temperature drop value within a specified period of time.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein said establishing temperature information comprises establishing temperature information indicative of temperatures T t1 and T t2 in the area of, or within, the tape drive at different consecutive points in time t 1 and t 2 , respectively, wherein t 2 is later in time than t 1 , and wherein the method further comprises:
determining, by the processor, whether or not T t2 is less than T t1 .

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , said method further comprising:
activating, by the processor using the controller, the heating entity such that a drop of ambient air temperature of an environment surrounding the tape drive from a first temperature value to a second temperature value is reduced within the tape drive.

4. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said computer readable storage device not being a signal, said program code containing instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for corrosion protection of a tape drive based on a tape drive corrosion protection system, said system comprising the tape drive, a temperature sensor, a heating entity and a controller for activating the heating entity, said method comprising:
establishing, by the processor via the temperature sensor, temperature information indicative of a temperature in an area of, or within, the tape drive;
receiving, by the processor, the temperature information at the controller; and
activating, by the processor, the heating entity in a manner dependent on the temperature information established via the temperature sensor in order to prevent corrosion within the tape drive;
providing, by the processor to the controller, temperature information regarding a temperature drop from a first temperature value to a second temperature value; and
providing, by the processor using the heating entity, heat to the tape drive such that the temperature within the tape drive rises to a temperature value above the second temperature value but below the first temperature value.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Asmussen Ole
• Beiderbeck Robert
• Rueger Erik
• Schaefer Markus

Classifications

• G11B33/144 Primary

  by detection, control, regulation of the temperature · CPC title

• G11B5/40

  Protective measures on heads, e.g. against excessive temperature  (G11B5/31 takes precedence; protection against wear G11B5/255  {; protective structure of the head: see under structures, e.g. G11B5/3106}) · CPC title

• G11B25/06

  using web-form record carriers, e.g. tape · CPC title

• G11B33/1453

  by moisture · CPC title

• G11B5/82

  Disk carriers · CPC title