Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-18
2004-01-06
Crawford, Gene O. (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S214000, C700S254000, C700S259000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06675063
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for calibrating a multi-gripper equipped accessor in an automated data storage library. More particularly, the invention is directed to an apparatus for calibrating a multi-gripper equipped accessor in an automated data storage library, wherein each gripper is calibrated to reduce tolerances in the system. Moreover, the invention is further directed to a method for calibrating a multi-gripper equipped accessor in an automated data storage library, wherein one or more additional grippers are calibrated in relation to the original calibration of a first gripper. In addition, the invention also contemplates the provision of an apparatus with multiple grippers in which each gripper is capable of being calibrated independently of the other gripper or grippers.
In the data processing technology, automated data storage libraries are frequently utilized for the storage of various data media which are employed in data processing systems. Generally, such data processing systems necessitate the provision of considerable amounts of data storage capacity which, upon occasion, may be needed rapidly, and stored in memory and hard disk drives, and whereby the various data may not be necessarily provided in a rapid manner. Consequently, data which is not required to be employed in an immediate manner may constitute frequently accessed data whereby the storage thereof may be in removable data storage media, such as magnetic tape cartridges, optical disk cartridges or the like, which are stored in automated data storage libraries.
Ordinarily, such libraries provide an adequate amount of access to considerable quantities of the data storage media, the latter of which are generally stored in storage shelves and are accessed by one or more accessors and delivered by therewith associated grippers or pickers to data storage drives in the automated data storage libraries. Potentially, an automated data storage library may store in excess of 6,000 cartridges, which although not frequently accessed, may be needed rapidly at certain times. Basically, the accessors for conveying and transferring the data storage media, for example; such as storage automation devices in the form of as the 3584 Ultra Scalable Tape Library (a registered ™ of IBM), employ cartridge and handling assemblies which are frequently referred to as either grippers or pickers in the technology. These electromechanical devices, in effect will grab or engage a cartridge for transport from one location to another whereby some type of calibration sensor is frequently mounted on the cartridge gripper so as to be able to measure the relationship between the theoretical position and the actual position of the gripper. This, in essence, reduces the numerous physical tolerances encountered in the construction and functioning of the automatic data storage library, and as a result reduces structural and operating expenditures, while concurrently improving upon the reliability in the handling and transporting of the tapes.
Some currently installed automated data storage libraries utilize an accessor having a single gripper or cartridge picker having some form of calibration sensor mounted thereon, various libraries employ two or even greater numbers of grippers for redundancy or for handling different types of cartridges and data storage media. This type of design entails being subjected to higher degrees of physical tolerance and necessitates the application of special design considerations inasmuch as, generally, a calibration sensor can normally be only used in being physically and operatively associated with a single one of the grippers of the multiplicity of grippers.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Although various types of automated storage libraries have been developed for use in the data storage technology, these are generally still subject to limitations in providing the necessary designs adapted to reduce tolerances and to take cognizance of the various design considerations due to the installation of calibration sensors operatively associated with only a single gripper in a multi-accessor and gripper automated data storage library system.
Gallo U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,648, which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses a system and a method for the non-invasive accessor recalibration of a data storage library, in conjunction with multiple targets such as fiducials, media storage cells and one or more media drives provided with the library. A storage unit which contains stored coordinates aligns an accessor with the targets, wherein one of the fiducials is predefined as a master fiducial. Upon recalibrating, the assessor is used to determine new master coordinates which currently define the master fiducial, and a positional difference is derived between the new master coordinates and the stored coordinates in the master fiducial. This may be implemented in conjunction with suitable sensing structure associated with the accessor for recalibration thereof.
Fosler, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,919, which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses an arrangement and a method for rapidly switching to a second accessor upon the failure of a first accessor in an automated data storage library. Consequently, each of the first or second accessors may be selectively designated as an active accessor and the other as a standby accessor, and wherein suitable switches are provided to operate the second accessor; as the active accessor which allows maintenance and servicing of the first accessor simultaneously with operation of the second accessor.
Carmichael et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,327, discloses a method and apparatus for on-the-fly cataloging of library cell contents in an automatic robotic tape library, which enables the decoupling of a robotic arm motion/tape cartridge label scanning process from the image processing software/hardware. This not only facilitates reading of the tape cartridge labels at maximum camera line speed, but facilitates the use of robotic arm calibration data to be read on-the-fly so as to allow for continual and rapid verification and calibration of robotic arm positioning. In essence, the automatic data storage library in this publication utilizes only a single accessor for manipulating the data storage media.
Similarly, Carmichael et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,034 describes a robotic arm calibration system for a single accessor employed with a video line scan camera vision system in conjunction with a plurality of novel targets in an automated tape storage library. This type of data which is provided enables calculation of reference point on the robotic arm with respect to each other to thereby obtain precise robotic arm calibration in relation to the library system work space. Again, this only relates to a single accessor being utilized in conjunction with an automatic data storage library system.
Finally, Wolfe U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,777 relates to a robot arm calibration system for an automatic data storage library and retrieval system wherein actual locations are different from expected or theoretically ideal locations due to tolerances of the structure encountered in the components and assembly thereof. Consequently, a bar code scanner which may be utilized to read the identity of items storage in the system, is adapted to locate and scan each target, and transmit to a control a specific message containing precise information to enable calibration adapted to compensate for any offset in the bar code scanner.
Although the foregoing prior art publications each to various degrees describe the calibration of various accessors, such as robotic arms or the like employed in automatic tape data libraries so as to be able to compensate for tolerances encountered in the various components and in the assembly thereof, none of these enable the reduction of tolerances in any significant degrees in the employment of an automated data storage library in which there are utiliz
Bosley Jonathan Edward
Goodman Brian Gerard
Thorn Jeffrey Lawrence
Barkley, Esq. Jean M.
Crawford Gene O.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
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