Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Cartridge system
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-03
2004-03-09
Matecki, Kathy (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Cartridge system
C242S357000, C360S132000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06702215
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to the field of tape cartridges having memory elements, and in particular, to a tape cartridge having a memory element that is adjustable and/or repositionable relative to the tape cartridge housing to align the memory element with a mating transceiver in a tape-handling device to facilitate communication exchange therebetween.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Digital data is stored on tape cartridges that include a magnetic tape media wound between a pair of tape reels as data is transferred to or from the media. In the art of data storage, the physical space required to store data on tape cartridges is an important concern. To conserve space, tape-handling devices, e.g. tape drives, often use a single reel tape cartridge design, which utilizes a supply reel located within a removable tape cartridge and a take-up reel located within the tape-handling device.
In addition to the tape media, tape cartridges often include a memory element, e.g. an integrated circuit chip, for storing information related to the cartridge and/or its contents that is more readily accessible by the tape-handling device. The communication between the tape-handling device and the memory element is primarily provided by one of two methods. According to a first method, the memory element is mounted to the cartridge in a manner that provides contact between one or more electrical conductors connected to the memory element and mating conductors within the tape-handling device. This is commonly referred to in the art as a “contact” memory element design. In this case, when a cartridge including the memory element is inserted into the tape-handling device, a read/write device makes contact with the memory element conductors. The read/write device via the conductors is then able to provide power to the memory element and read and/or write data to the memory element.
According to a second method, a non-contact interface, such as a Radio Frequency (“RF”) link, between the memory element and an RF device, e.g. RF transceiver, in the tape-handling device is utilized. In this case, the memory element may be read from and written to by the RF transceiver, which additionally provides power to the memory element eliminating the need for physical contact between the memory element and the transceiver. This is commonly referred to in the art as a “contactless” chip design.
Unfortunately, it is a problem in the art of cartridge memory elements to provide a single memory element that may be accessed by a variety of tape-handling devices having a variety of architectures, e.g., tape drives and tape library pickers. For instance, in the case of a tape library system, it is desirable to read a memory element from one face, e.g., a side of the cartridge, when the cartridge is in the tape drive, while being able to read the memory element from another face, e.g., the front of the cartridge, when the cartridge is located in the library storage rack.
One conventional cartridge system addresses this problem, in the case of “contactless” memory elements, by providing a single memory element internally mounted within the cartridge. The memory element is oriented at substantially a forty-five degree angle to each of the front and bottom cartridge faces so that the contents may be accessed either from the front or bottom of the cartridge. According to this approach, however, the memory element, and specifically the antenna portion, is positioned further from the drive transceiver than would be the case if the memory element is mounted flush with one of the cartridge sides. In this regard, the additional distance when the memory element is positioned at a forty-five degree angle may be defined by the average distance of the memory element from the cartridge sides. Since the power received by the memory element transceiver rapidly drops off as the transceiver distance is increased, the method results in an increased RF transmission power that further results in an increase in electromagnetic interference within the drive. The antenna is also oriented at an angle relative to the tape drive transceiver, reducing the effective size of the communication interface from the perspective of the tape drive transceiver. Additionally, if the memory element and tape drive transceiver are not properly aligned, communication exchange is affected and often not possible.
Another problem in the art of cartridge memory elements is that the memory elements are typically permanently attached to the cartridge and cannot be removed without cartridge damage or total destruction of the cartridge. In this regard, the memory elements are typically integrated circuit chips formed on a brittle substrate material, such as a silicon wafer, that may be damaged if the cartridge is dropped or roughly handled, thereby rendering an otherwise operational cartridge non-operational.
In addition, a related problem with such designs, e.g. permanently fixed cartridge memory elements, is that the memory element is mandatory for proper operation of the cartridge in the drive. If the memory element becomes damaged, the drive is unable to access the cartridge, even to read or write data to the tape media, thus rendering the cartridge useless.
Finally, it is often desirable in the art of tape cartridges to have the ability to configure existing cartridges in the marketplace with a memory element. In this regard, there are millions of tape cartridges presently in use, that do not include a memory element, but that because of hardware upgrades etc., are being utilized with tape-handling devices configured with the capability to utilize such memory elements. Furthermore, not all customers desire tape cartridges with a memory element, primarily because of the added cost of such cartridges. Thus, it is desirable to have a tape cartridge that will operate regardless of whether or not a memory element is included, and have the ability to retrofit the same tape cartridge with a memory element at some point in the future, e.g. the memory element may be added to the cartridge at any time and the cartridge is functional in a tape drive with or without the memory element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, a broad object of the present invention is to improve communication between a memory element in a tape cartridge and the tape cartridge handling device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory element that may be easily and efficiently added to a tape cartridge subsequent to manufacturing of the cartridge (e.g. the memory element may be added even after the sale and use of the cartridge by a customer). Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge that includes the option of having a memory element, but that is functional in a tape drive with or without the inclusion of the memory element. Another objective of the present invention is to provide for the attachment of a memory element to a tape cartridge in a manner whereby the memory element is easily removable from the cartridge, e.g. in the event of damage the memory element is replaceable. Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for repositioning a memory element in a tape cartridge relative to a mating tape-handling device transceiver, e.g. to align the memory element and transceiver to facilitate communication exchange between the memory element and tape-handling device.
In relation to a tape cartridge according to the present invention, each of the various aspects discussed in more detail below generally includes a cartridge housing. At least one supply reel that includes a magnetic tape media spooled thereon is rotatably connected within the cartridge housing. The tape cartridge generally includes a memory element associated with the cartridge housing to communicate with a tape cartridge handling device via a wireless connection. For instance, the memory element may be a radio frequency memory element that includes a transceiver to exchange information with a corresponding transceiver
Kim Chan
Mallick Satya
Stamm Stephen
Langdon Evan
Matecki Kathy
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Quantum Corporation
LandOfFree
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