Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for reading data contained in blocks arranged in a number of tracks on a storage medium, wherein movement of the storage medium causes the tracks to deviate from a nominal path, are disclosed. In the method and apparatus, a set of multiple read elements is disposed relative to the storage medium so that each of the read elements covers at least a portion of the expected area in which a track to be read will be found, given movement of the storage medium. Each of the read elements has a read channel uniquely associated therewith, and all of the read elements are used simultaneously to read the data blocks. The read channels are monitored, and a first arriving, correctly read block is selected from among the channels, the selected block being the next block in a sequence, following a previously selected block. The data blocks are then stored at memory locations correlated to their position in the sequence on the storage medium.

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First Claim