Automated cartridge system

• US 4,928,245 A
• Filed: 08/24/1989
• Issued: 05/22/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Storage Technology Corp (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technology Corp (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Sellke, Richard G., Bray, Stuart W., Kutasy, Eugene, Lucchesi, Raymond L., Goodknight, Frank A., Studebaker, Thomas J., Munro, Frederick G., Moy, Michael E., Beavers, Kelly J., Kummli, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen
• Application Number:
  US07/398,280
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468, 364/478, 364/513, 369/39, 242/180, 360/71, 360/92
• US Class Current: 700/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0682 Tape device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/688 the cassettes being transferred to a fixed recorder or player using a moving carriage
• 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 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• 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 storage and retrieval subsystem in a data processing system includes a plurality or magnetic tape cartridges, a host computer, and a library storage module storing the plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in substantially upright positions. The library storage module includes a first cylindrical array of storage cells centered about a vertical axis, a second cylindrical array concentrically arranged about the first array, and a library tape unit including a plurality of tape drives, each of the tape drives being adapted to receive one of the magnetic tape cartridges in a substantially horizontal transducing position. A robot within the library storage module is used to transfer selected ones of the magnetic tape cartridges between their substantially upright positions and the substantially horizontal transducing positions at a selected tape drive. A first controller outboard the channel communicating with the host computer is adapted to receive commands from the host computer for interfacing between the host computer and the library storage module, and a second controller inboard of the channel is adapted to receive commands from the outboard controller for interfacing between the outboard controller and the robot.

Claims

1. In a data storage and retrieval subsystem of a data processing system, the subsystem including a library storage module for storing a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in a pair of substantially cylindrical arrays disposed concentrically about a vertical axis, a robot for transferring the cartridges comprising:

an arm mounted for rotation about the vertical axis;

means, attached to the end of said arm, for raising and lowering the cartridges parallel to the vertical axis;

a turntable mounted for rotation upon said raising and lowering means;

a pair of hands mounted for extension and retraction in an opposed relationship upon said turntable, said hands being adapted for rotation about their axes of extension and restraction;

means for rotating said turntable; and

means for rotating said hands;

wherein each of said arms, said means for raising and lowering the cartridges, said turntable, said hands, and said rotating means act independently one from the other thereby minimizing diagnostic control.

2. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tooling holes formed respectively in said arm, said means for raising and lowering the cartridges, said turntable, and said hands, each said tooling hole being adapted for insertion of a pin registering its respective component for individual alignment.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said retrieving means further includes:

means for rotatably connecting said grasping and extending means to said transporting means to enable said grasping and extending means to access said object storage locations in both said first and said second cylindrical arrays.

3. An object handling system for robotically storing and retrieving a plurality of objects therein comprising:

first cylindrical array of object storage locations centered about a vertical axis;

second cylindrical array of object storage locations concentrically arranged about said first cylindrical array;

one or more access means located in said second cylindrical array for transferring objects into/out of said object handling system;

robot means for transporting objects between said object storage locations and said one or more access means.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said object storage locations in said first and said second cylindrical arrays include a front opening to accept objects to be stored therein, with said front opening of said object storage locations in said first cylindrical array outwardly directed in a radial direction and said front opening of said object storage locations in said second cylindrical array inwardly directed in a radial direction, said robot means is mounted for rotation about said vertical axis and includes:

means, positioned between said first and said second cylindrical arrays, for retrieving said objects stored in said first and second cylindrical arrays.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said robot means further comprises:

a support column centered on said vertical axis;

arm means connected to said support column and rotatable around said vertical axis;

said retrieving means being connected to the distal end of said arm means.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said retrieving means includes:

means for grasping one of said objects stored in one of said object storage locations.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said retrieving means further includes:

means for extending said grasping means into and out of said object storage locations.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said retrieving means further includes:

means for transporting said grasping and extending means along said vertical axis between said first and said second cylindrical arrays.

10. An object handling system for robotically storing and retrieving a plurality of objects therein comprising:

a polygonal array of object storage locations, piecewise approximating a cylinder, centered about a vertical axis;

a second polygonal array of object storage locations, piecewise approximating a cylinder, concentrically arranged inside of said polygonal array wherein said front opening of said object storage locations in said second polygonal array are outwardly directed in a radial direction;

one or more access means located in said polygonal array for transferring objects into/out of said object handling system;

robot means for transporting objects between said object storage locations and said one or more access means.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of said object storage locations in said polygonal array include a front opening that is inwardly directed in a radial direction to accept objects to be stored therein, said robot means includes:

a support column centered on said vertical axis;

arm means connected to said support column and rotatable around said vertical axis;

means connected to the distal arm of said arm means for retrieving said objects stored in said polygonal array.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said retrieving means includes:

means for grasping one of said objects stored in one of said object storage locations.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said retrieving means further includes:

means for extending said grasping means into and out of said object storage locations.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said retrieving means further includes:

means for transporting said grasping and extending means along said vertical axis juxtaposed to said front openings in said object storage locations in said polygonal array.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said retrieving means are positioned between said polygonal array and said second polygonal array.