Automatic library system including history collecting unit

Details Automatic library system including history collecting unit Automatic library system including history collecting unit

1998-07-02

2001-05-22

Dinh, Tan (Department: 2651)

Dynamic information storage or retrieval

Information location or remote operator actuated control

Selective addressing of storage medium

Reexamination Certificate

active

06236626

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a library system for storing a plurality of information recording media such as magnetic tape cartridges and for recording information on any selected one of the recording media or playing back any selected one of the recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a large amount of information used for processing with a computer was stored with the use of magnetic tapes. Recently, due to the wide spread use of computers, the amount of information to be processed by computers has drastically increased, so that the number of magnetic tape cartridges used for storage of the increased information has also increased drastically. Under this situation, there has been an increasing need for a fully automated tape library system.
For better understanding, a typical prior art library system is now described with reference to
FIGS. 8 and 9
of the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 8
schematically illustrates the physical or mechanical arrangement of the library system
51
, whereas
FIG. 9
is a circuit block diagram representing a control wiring arrangement used for controlling the library system.
As shown in
FIG. 8
, the library system
51
comprises two shelf-type stockers
66
(only one shown in
FIG. 8
) each having a plurality of divided compartments for exchangeably accommodating magnetic tape cartridges
64
. Each of the stockers
66
is disposed on a respective side of a common transfer track
65
used for movement of two accessors (ACC)
55
R,
55
L each of which is a carrier robot. The transfer track
65
may include a pair of rails. Each of the ACCs
55
R,
55
L makes access to each of the stocker compartments for transferring a selected tape cartridge from one position to another within the library system
51
while running on the track
66
. The two accessors
55
R,
55
L, instead of one, are provided for increasing the processing speed while availing one of the accessors for continuation of the process even if the other accessor fails.
In addition to the stockers
66
, the ACCs
55
R,
55
L and the transfer track
65
, the library system
51
further comprises two accessor directors (ADR)
52
R,
52
L (see FIG.
9
), two accessor mechanism controllers (AMC)
53
R,
53
L, two control servos (CSV)
54
R,
54
L, a cartridge access station (CAS)
56
, a direct entry-exit (DEE)
57
, and a tapedrive mount unit (TMU)
58
. The TMU
58
includes a plurality of drive monitors (DM)
59
and a plurality of magnetic tapedrive units (MTU)
60
. The ADRs
52
L,
52
R are connected to a host computer
62
. Though not shown, each of the ADRs
52
R,
52
L, the AMCs
53
R,
53
L, the CSVs
54
R,
54
L, the CAS
56
, the DEE
57
, the DMs
59
and the MTUs
60
has a MPU of its own.
The ADRs
52
R,
52
L control the AMCs
53
R,
53
L and the DM
59
under the instructions of the host computer
62
. The AMCs
53
R,
53
L control the CSVs
54
R,
54
L, the CAS
56
and the DEE
57
under the instructions of the ADRs
52
R,
52
L. The CSVs
54
R,
54
L control the drive motors (not shown) of the respective ACCs
55
R,
55
L under the instructions of the AMCs
53
R,
53
L. Thus, the ADRs
52
R,
52
L, the AMCs
53
R,
53
L, the CSVs
4
R,
4
L and the ACCs
55
R,
55
L are connected in hierarchy for controlling purposes.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, each of the CAS
56
, the DEE
57
and the TMU
58
may be respectively installed in a suitable stocker portion not used for cartridge storage. The CAS
56
(cartridge access station) is a unit which is used by the outside operator (not shown) for loading an individual tape cartridge into the library system
51
and for unloading an individual tape cartridge from the library system, whereas the DEE
57
(direct entry-exit) is a unit which is used by the outside operator for loading and unloading a batch of tape cartridges (e.g. ten cartridges) housed in a case.
The TMU
58
(tapedrive mount unit) is a unit for mounting the plurality of DMs
59
(drive monitors) and the plurality of MTUs
60
(magnetic tapedrive units). The DMs
59
monitor the operational states of the MTUs
60
, whereas each of the MTUs
60
drives a tape cartridge for recording and playback.
Normally, the right ADR
52
R controls the TMU
9
and both of the AMCs
53
R,
53
L (used also for controlling the CAS
56
and the DEE
57
). However, when the right ADR
52
R fails, the left ADR
52
L takes the place of the right ADR
52
R for controlling the TMU
58
and both of the AMCs
53
R,
53
L.
Though not shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, each of the ADRs
52
R,
52
L, the AMCs
53
R,
53
L, the CSVs
54
R,
54
L, the CAS
56
, the DEE
57
and the DMs
59
incorporates a micro processing unit (MPU) and a RS-232C connector of its own. The RS-232 connector is provided for realizing the function of a field maintenance device (FMC). More specifically, when one or more of the ADRs
52
R,
52
L, the AMCs
53
R,
53
L, the CSVs
54
R,
54
L, the CAS
56
, the DEE
57
and the DMs
59
fail, a personal computer is connected to the RS-232C connector of each failed element for extracting the operation history data from the relevant MPU. The extracted history data are used for analyzing the cause for the failure and for debugging the MPU.
With the above-described prior art library system
51
, however, an operator must go to the location of the library system for connecting a personal computer to the connector of each of the failed elements and repeat a similar operation as many times as the number of the failed elements. Thus, the history extraction is relatively laborious and time-taking.
Further, since each of the ADRs
52
R,
52
L, the AMCs
53
R,
53
L, the CSVs
54
R,
54
L, the CAS
56
, the DEE
57
and the DMs
59
does not have a special memory dedicated only for storing the history data, the history data of each MPU need to be stored in a RAM. Thus, unless the history extraction is performed immediately after the occurrence of a failure, the history data once stored in the RAM may be unexpectedly lost by overwriting before analysis if the RAM becomes full. Moreover, the history data stored in the RAM may be also lost at the time of a power failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a library system which is capable of conveniently and quickly extracting history data from various elements of the library system as required for removal of a cause for an operation error or failure.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a library system for information recording media comprising: a loading-unloading unit for loading the recording media into the library system and for unloading the recording media out of the library system; a stocker for storing the recording media; a recording-playback unit for recording information on each of the recording media and for playing back each of the recording media; a transfer unit for transferring each of the recording media within the library system; a controller for controlling the loading-unloading unit, the recording-playback unit and the transfer unit; a group of control lines for connecting the controller to the loading-unloading unit, the recording-playback unit and the transfer unit; a group of maintenance lines provided separately from the group of control lines for extracting history data from the loading-unloading unit, the recording-playback unit and the transfer unit, respectively; and a maintenance interface network connected to the group of maintenance lines for output of the extracted history data.
Various advantages obtainable by the above-described library system will be specifically described hereinafter in connection with the preferred embodiment given with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Each of the information recording media may be typically a magnetic tape cartridge. However, the recording medium may be a magneto-optical disc instead.
The stocker may be a shelf-type stocker having a plurality of compartments divided by fixed shelves. Alternatively, th

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