Data storage device monitoring system, method and removable data carrier use with data storage systems

• US 20030016609A1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Watkins, Mark Robert, Rae, Simon, Rushton, Nigel Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,075,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/53.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/10595 Control of operating function
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/04 Preventing, inhibiting, or warning against accidental erasing or double recording G11B15/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/07 on containers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/655 Memory in cassette [MIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/288 Protecting disks from being written or overwritten
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/30 with provision for auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

A data storage device comprises a removable and replaceable magnetic tape cassette provided with a software control write protect switch. The switch is adapted to have a first condition in which data may be written to said magnetic tape and a second condition in which said switch is adapted to cause the blocking of a write operation to said tape. The switch is contained within a non-volatile electronic memory device and is electronically configurable between its first and second conditions remotely via a control signal.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a data storage device having a removable data storage medium comprising the steps of:

i) writing a data element to a memory element associated with the data storage device, the data element being indicative of at least one of;

(I) the utility of a data storage medium of the data storage device;

(II) a parameter or value associated with the level of usage of the data storage device;

ii) reading said data element from said memory element; and

iii) executing an action in response to an evaluation of said data element.

2. A method according to claim 1 comprising preventing the writing of further data to the data storage medium.

3. A method according to claim 1 comprising displaying the result of the evaluation to a user of the device.

4. A method according to claim 1 comprising providing within said data element information relating to any one of the following:

i) load count

ii) guide usage

iii) tape pulling hours

iv) error correction rates

v) write pass counter

vi) number of updates

vii) end of data

viii) hard failure count

5. A method according to claim 1 comprising providing said data storage device in any one of the following forms:

i) a cassette containing magnetic tape

ii) a magnetic disc

iii) CD

iv) a magneto-optical disc

v) a mini-disc

6. A method according to claim 1 comprising providing the memory element in the form of a non-volatile memory element.

7. A method according to claim 1 comprising providing the memory element in the form any one of the following:

i)E²PROMii)flash card

8. A method of data storage device monitoring comprising the steps of:

i) reading a data element of the device from a memory element associated with the data storage device, said data element being indicative of at least one of (I) the utility of a data storage medium of the device;

(II);

a parameter or value associated with the level of usage of the data storage device; and

ii) executing an action in response to an evaluation of said data element.

9. A method according to claim 8 comprising preventing the writing of further data to the data storage medium.

10. A method according to claim 8 comprising displaying the result of the evaluation to a user of the device.

11. A method according to claim 8 comprising providing within said data element information relating to any one of the following:

i) load count

ii) guide usage

iii) tape pulling hours

iv) error correction rates

v) write pass counter

vi) number of updates

vii) end of data

viii) hard failure count

12. A method according to claim 8 comprising providing said data storage device in any one of the following forms:

i) a cassette containing magnetic tape

ii) a magnetic disc

iii) a CD

iv) a magneto-optical disc

v) a mini-disc

13. A method according to claim 8 comprising providing the memory element in the form of a non-volatile memory element.

14. A method according to claim 8 comprising providing the memory element in the form any one of the following:

i) E²PROM

ii) flash card

15. A method according to claim 8 comprising generating a history of the usage of the storage device from said data element

16. A method according to claim 15 comprising containing in said history timestamps, date stamps and writer identifications for each time the device was written to.

18. A method according to claim 17 comprising informing a user of the device that the utility of the data storage medium is outside the threshold value.

19. A method according to claim 17 comprising preventing the writing of further data to the data storage medium.

20. A method according to claim 17 comprising setting a flag associated with the memory element so as to prevent the writing of data to the storage medium.

21. A method according to claim 17 comprising reading the data element from the memory element via any one of the following:

i) a radio frequency data link

ii) an inductive data link

iii) a direct electrical connection.

22. A method according to claim 17 comprising providing within said data element information relating to any one of the following:

i) load count

ii) guide usage

iii) tape pulling hours

iv) error correction rates

v) write pass counter

vi) number of updates

vii) end of data

viii) hard failure count

23. A method according to claim 17 comprising providing said data storage device in any one of the following forms:

i) a cassette containing magnetic tape

ii) a magnetic disc

iii) a CD

iv) a magneto-optical disc

v) a mini-disc

24. A method according to claim 17 comprising providing the memory element in the form of a non-volatile memory element.

25. A method according to claim 17 comprising providing the memory element in the form any one of the following:

i) E²PROM

ii) flash card

26. A method according to claim 17 comprising generating a history of the usage of the storage device from said data element

27. A method according to claim 26 comprising containing in said history timestamps, date stamps and writer identifications for each time the device was written to.

29. A method according to claim 28 comprising informing a user of the device that the utility of the data storage medium is outside the threshold value.

30. A method according to claim 28 comprising preventing the writing of further data to the data storage medium.

31. A method according to claim 28 comprising setting a flag associated with the memory element so as to prevent the writing of data to the storage medium.

32. A method according to claim 28 comprising reading the data element from the memory element via any one of the following:

i) a radio frequency data link

ii) an inductive data link

iii) a direct electrical connection.

33. A method according to claim 28 comprising providing within said data element information relating to any one of the following:

i) load count

ii) guide usage

iii) tape pulling hours

iv) error correction rates

v) write pass counter

vi) number of updates

vii) end of data

viii) hard failure count

34. A method according to claim 28 comprising providing said data storage device in any one of the following forms:

i) a cassette containing magnetic tape

ii) a magnetic disc

iii) a CD

iv) a magneto-optical disc

v) a mini-disc

35. A method according to claim 28 comprising providing the memory element in the form of a non-volatile memory element.

36. A method according to claim 28 comprising providing the memory element in the form any one of the following:

i) E²PROM

ii) flash card

37. A method according to claim 28 comprising generating a history of the usage of the storage device from said data element.

38. A method according to claim 37 comprising containing in said history timestamps, date stamps and writer identifications for each time the device was written to.

40. A device according to claim 39 wherein the device comprises a casing.

41. A device according to claim 40 wherein the memory element is associated with said casing.

42. A device according to claim 39 wherein the device comprises a cassette.

43. A device according to claim 42 wherein the memory element is associated with said cassette.

44. A device according to claim 39 wherein the memory element is any one of the following:

i) an E²PROM

ii) a flash card.

45. A device according to claim 39 wherein the memory element is arranged, in use, to store data relating

i) the performance of the data storage medium

ii) the usage of the data storage medium

iii) both i) and ii).

46. A device according to claim 39 wherein the memory element is arranged to store any data type from the following non-exhaustive list:

i) load count

ii) guide usage

iii) tape pulling hours

iv) error correction rates

v) write pass counter

vi) number of updates

vii) end of data

viii) hard failure count.

47. A device according to claim 39 wherein the memory element has contact pads.

48. A device according to claim 39 wherein The memory element may be arranged to communicate with a data transfer head, in use.

49. A device according to claim 48 wherein the memory element is arranged to communicate with the data transfer head via any of the following:

i) radio frequency link

ii) inductive link

iii) direct electrical connection.

50. A device according to claim 39 wherein The data storage device may be any of the following:

i) tape (e.g. magnetic tape)

ii) CD

iii) magnetic disc

iv) magneto-optical disc.

51. A data storage device monitoring system adapted for use with a data storage device according to claim 39 comprising a first data transfer device arranged to transfer data between a data source and the data storage medium, in use, and a second data transfer device arranged to transfer data between the monitoring system and the memory element, in use.

52. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 51 wherein the first data transfer device comprises any of the following:

i) a plurality of read heads

ii) a plurality of write heads

iii) both i) and ii).

53. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 51 wherein the second transfer device comprises any of the following:

i) a radio frequency transceiver

ii) an inductive transceiver

iii) an electrical contact.

54. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 51 comprising a comparator.

55. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 54 comparator is arranged to store threshold data therein.

56. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 54 wherein the comparator forms part of a control unit or a processor.

57. A data storage device monitoring system according to claim 51 wherein the data retrieval system may forms part of any of the following:

i) a magnetic tape drive

ii) a CD drive

iii) a magnetic disc drive

iv) a magneto-optical disc drive

v) a mini disc drive.

58. A data retrieval system comprising a data storage device according to claim 39, a first data transfer device arranged to transfer data between a data source and the data storage medium, in use, and a second data transfer device that is arranged to transfer data between the data retrieval system and the memory element, in use.

59. A data retrieval system according to claim 58 wherein the second data transfer device comprises any of the following:

i) a radio frequency transceiver

ii) an inductive transceiver

iii) an electrical contact.

60. A data retrieval system according to claim 58 wherein The data retrieval system is any one of the following:

i) a magnetic tape drive

ii) a CD drive

iii) a magnetic disc drive

iv) a magneto-optical disc drive

v) a mini disc drive.

61. A data retrieval system according to claim 58 wherein the data retrieval system is a library.

62. A data retrieval system according to claim 61 wherein the library includes a plurality of data reading devices.

63. A data retrieval system according to claim 61 wherein the library includes a plurality of data storage devices.

64. A data retrieval system according to claim 52 wherein the library includes a robot arranged to transfer a storage device to a reading device, in use.

17. A data storage device monitoring method comprising the steps of;

i) writing at least one of (a) a data element indicative of the utility of a data storage medium of the device to a memory element associated with the data storage device;

(b) a data element indicative of the level of usage of the data storage medium of the device to a memory element associated with the data storage device;

ii) reading said data element from said memory element;

iii) comparing said data element with a reference; and

iv) executing an action if said data element has a value outside a threshold related to the reference.

28. A data storage device monitoring method comprising the steps of:

i) reading a data element from a memory element associated with the data storage device, said data element being indicative of at least one of (a) the utility of a data storage medium of the device;

(b) the level of past usage of the data storage device;

ii) comparing said data element with a reference; and

iii) executing an action if said data element has a value outside a threshold related to the reference.

39. A data storage device comprising a data storage medium and a memory element wherein the memory element is arranged to retain data indicative of the utility or level of past usage of the data storage medium.

65. A data storage device comprising a removable and replaceable magnetic tape cassette provided with a software control write protect switch, said switch being adapted to have a first condition in which data may be written to said magnetic tape and a second condition in which said switch is adapted to cause the blocking of a write operation to said tape, and wherein said switch is electronically configurable between its first and second conditions remotely via a control signal.

66. A data storage device according to claim 65 wherein said cassette has a non-volatile electronic memory device.

67. A data storage device according to claim 66 wherein said memory device is not be magnetic tape.

68. A data storage device according to claim 66 wherein said memory device is a semiconductor chip.

69. A data storage device according to claim 66 wherein said memory device comprises said write protect switch.

70. A data storage device according to claim 66 wherein said cassette has encoded on said memory device any one of the following:

(i) historic usage data indicative of the amount of use that said tape (device) has had;

(ii) historic tape performance data indicative of the level of problems experienced by said tape (device) in being read from or written to;

(iii) both (i) and (ii).

71. A reader, or a writer, device adapted to read from, or write to, a removable data carrier having at least one of data carrier usage data or data carrier performance data, said device having a data transfer head and a control processor adapted to receive signals from said data transfer head, the data transfer head being adapted to read from the data carrier the data carrier usage or performance data and provide said data to said control processor, and wherein said control processor is adapted, in use, to evaluate the data carrier usage or performance data to establish whether the data carrier has exceeded a permissible level of usage and/or level of performance problems, and upon establishing that said data carrier has exceeded said permissible level of usage or problems to generate a write protect signal and transmit said write protect signal to said removable data carrier.