SERVO PATTERN BASED ON TIMING INCORPORATING BAND CODING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for improving the efficiency of information stored in a servo track, by storing track identification in additional data which are other than a timing part. SOLUTION: A surface to be coded, at least one servo track on the surface, and a servo pattern based on a plurality of timings written on at least one servo track are included, a plurality of first parts of at least one servo pattern are similar, and a plurality of second parts of at least one servo pattern are synchronized along tape length but are set to be different. A servo track is identified, by adding one or more addition signal to at least some track write elements on a servo recording head. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI