Material or article handling – Plural – static structures for supporting discrete loads and... – Load-underlying members
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-04-10
Keenan, James W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Plural, static structures for supporting discrete loads and...
Load-underlying members
C414S275000, C414S807000, C700S218000, C901S047000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213705
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to storage libraries used in the computer data storage arts and, more particularly, to a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source for performing multiple tape cartridge sensing functions.
BACKGROUND ART
Storage libraries provide large capacity secondary storage to modern computing requirements. Such storage libraries typically employ robotic control mechanisms used by a host computer to physically manage tape media cartridges. A plurality of tape cartridges are stored within a storage library. Each tape cartridge is in a particular slot in the storage library. Each slot is identifiable by its physical position in the storage library. Each tape cartridge is typically uniquely identified by a machine readable label. The storage library maintains inventory information to associate a particular tape cartridge with a particular slot in the storage library. Responsive to a host computer request, a robotic mechanism physically retrieves an appropriate tape cartridge from its associated slot in the storage library, moves the tape cartridge to an appropriate read/write device for processing, and inserts the tape cartridge into the device.
The robotic mechanism typically includes a hand or gripper mechanism positioned on a movable arm. To retrieve a tape cartridge, the arm moves to position the gripper near the slot holding the desired tape cartridge. The gripper then extends and grips the tape cartridge and retracts to take the tape cartridge out of the slot. The arm with the hand gripping the tape cartridge moves to the device and the hand then extends and inserts the tape cartridge into the device. Conversely, when the use of the tape cartridge is complete, the robotic mechanism retrieves the tape cartridge from the read/write device, moves the tape cartridge adjacent its associated slot according to the inventory maintained by the storage library, and inserts the tape cartridge into the storage slot of the storage library ready for future use in response to another host computer request.
A problem with prior designs which contributed to their relatively higher complexity and resultant higher costs relates to the multiplicity and complexity of various sensing mechanisms used to sense several parameters of the operating storage library. A first sensing mechanism determines if there are any obstructions in the path of movement of the gripper which could damage the gripper, the obstruction, or the tape cartridges. A second sensing mechanism independently senses the presence or absence of a tape cartridge in a storage slot. A third sensing mechanism independently reads machine readable labels on tape cartridges (bar code labels or other optically encoded labels). A fourth sensing mechanism independently distinguishes between labeled and unlabeled tape cartridges. A fifth sensing mechanism independently calibrates the position of the robotic mechanism.
What is needed is a simpler, lower cost apparatus to sense the presence of robotic mechanism path obstructions, to sense the presence and absence of tape cartridges in their associated slots, to read the labels of the tape cartridges, to distinguish between labeled and unlabeled tape cartridges, and to calibrate the position of the robotic mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source for performing multiple tape cartridge sensing functions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the camera reads the labels of tape cartridges stored in slots of a storage library.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the proximity sensor senses the presence and absence of tape cartridges in slots of a storage library.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the proximity sensor distinguishes between labeled and unlabeled tape cartridges stored in slots of a storage library.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the reach safe sensor senses the presence of obstructions in the path of the gripper in a storage library.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the proximity sensor calibrates the position of the gripper in a storage library.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a tape storage library apparatus having a gripper for handling tape cartridges and an integrated camera, proximity sensor, and reach safe sensor operable with a common light source in which the light source is calibrated to ensure proper tape cartridge sensing functions.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects, the present invention provides a tape storage library apparatus for a storage library containing tape cartridges stored in slots. The apparatus includes a housing having an entry and a gripper for handling tape cartridges. The gripper is movable through the entry between an extended position out of the housing and a retracted position within the housing. The gripper extends to grip a tape cartridge stored in a slot in the storage library and retracts to remove a gripped tape cartridge from the slot. An optical source is mounted to the housing for transmitting optical signals. The optical source transmits optical signals towards the slots in the storage library. A tape cartridge stored in a slot reflects an optical signal transmitted from the optical source as a reflected optical signal having a magnitude above a given magnitude threshold.
A camera is mounted to the housing behind the optical source for sensing reflected optical signals from tape cartridges stored in the slots to read labels attached to labeled tape cartridges. A proximity sensor is mounted to the housing above the optical source for sensing reflected optical signals from the slots in the storage library. Upon sensing a reflected optical signal having a magnitude above the given magnitude threshold the proximity sensor determines the presence of a tape cartridge in a slot. A reach safe sensor is mounted to the housing above the optical source for receiving optical signals from the optical source across the entry. An obstruction in the entry prevents the reach safe sensor from receiving optical signals from the optical source. The reach safe sensor determines the presence of an obstruction in the entry when received optical signals from the optical source are absent.
The proximity sensor upon sensing a reflected optical signal having a magnitude below the given magnitude threshold determines the absence of a tape cartridge in a slot. Preferably, the apparatus further includes a processor for determining the given magnitude threshold as a function of the optical signal received by the reach safe sensor.
A labeled tape cartridge stored in a slot reflects an optical signal transmitted from the optical source a
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Keenan James W.
Storage Technology Corporation
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