Synchronous mounting and dismounting method and system for multiple accessor storage libraries

• US 6,393,335 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ostwald, Timothy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/617,883
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/216, 700/217, 414/273, 414/275, 901/1, 901/8, 901/50
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6835 the cassettes being transferred to a fixed recorder or player using a moving carriage
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/225 wherein the disks are transferred from a fixed magazine to a fixed playing unit using a moving carriage

Abstract

An automated storage library for the storage and retrieval of cartridges and an associated method includes a frame having cartridge storage cells for storing cartridges and at least one cartridge player for playing a cartridge. At least two robotic mechanisms are each movable within the frame to mount a cartridge from a cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player and to dismount a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell. A controller controls the robotic mechanisms to move in a first direction around the frame along a closed loop such that one of the robotic mechanisms dismounts a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell while another one of the robotic mechanism mounts another cartridge from another cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player. The controller controls the robotic mechanisms such that the one of the robotic mechanisms unloads the cartridge from the cartridge player prior to the other one of the robotic mechanisms loading the other cartridge into the cartridge player.

Claims

1. An automated storage library for the storage and retrieval of cartridges, the storage library comprising:

a frame having cartridge storage cells for storing cartridges and at least one cartridge player for playing a cartridge;

at least two robotic mechanisms each movable within the frame to mount a cartridge from a cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player and to dismount a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell; and

a controller for controlling the robotic mechanisms to move in a first direction around the frame along a closed loop travel path without reversing the course of movement such that the robotic mechanisms avoid contention with access to the cartridge storage cells and the cartridge player, wherein the controller controls one of the robotic mechanisms to dismount a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell while another one of the robotic mechanisms mounts another cartridge from another cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player, wherein the controller controls the one of the robotic mechanisms to unload the cartridge from the cartridge player prior to the other one of the robotic mechanisms loading the other cartridge into the cartridge player.

2. The storage library of claim 1 wherein:

the frame includes a closed loop concentric row of cartridge storage cells and a cartridge player, wherein the controller controls the robotic mechanisms to move in the first direction around the closed loop concentric row of cartridge storage cells and the cartridge player.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller provides a dismount drive command to a first robotic mechanism and a mount drive command to a second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to dismount the first cartridge while the second robotic mechanism mounts the second cartridge.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the controller provides a mount drive command to the first robotic mechanism and a dismount drive command to the second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to mount a third cartridge while the second robotic mechanism dismounts the second cartridge after the first robotic mechanism has dismounted the first cartridge and the second robotic mechanism has mounted the second cartridge.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein:

the controller provides a dismount drive command to the first robotic mechanism and a mount drive command to the second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to dismount the third cartridge while the second robotic mechanism mounts a fourth cartridge.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein:

the first robotic mechanism in response to the dismount drive command moves in the first direction along the closed loop to the cartridge player, removes the first cartridge from the cartridge player, moves in the first direction along the e closed loop from the cartridge player to the first cartridge storage cell which is to house the first cartridge, and then loads the first cartridge into the first cartridge storage cell.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein:

the second robotic mechanism in response to the mount drive command moves in the first direction along the closed loop to the second cartridge storage cell housing the second cartridge, removes the second cartridge from the second cartridge storage cell, moves in the first direction along the closed loop from the second cartridge storage cell to the cartridge player, and then loads the second cartridge into the cartridge player.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the frame is a round frame and the closed loop is a closed circular loop.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the frame is a rectangular frame and the closed loop is a closed rectangular loop.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the closed loop is a closed serpentine loop.

11. A method for the storage and retrieval of cartridges in an automated storage library having a frame provided with cartridge storage cells for storing cartridges and at least one cartridge player for playing a cartridge and at least two robotic mechanisms each movable within the frame to mount a cartridge from a cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player and to dismount a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell, the method comprising:

controlling the robotic mechanisms to move in a first direction around the frame along a closed loop travel path without reversing the course of movement such that the robotic mechanisms avoid contention with access to the cartridge storage cells and the cartridge player such that one of the robotic mechanisms dismounts a cartridge from the cartridge player into a cartridge storage cell while another one of the robotic mechanisms mounts another cartridge from another cartridge storage cell into the cartridge player; and

controlling the robotic mechanisms such that the one of the robotic mechanisms unloads the cartridge from the cartridge player prior to the other one of the robotic mechanisms loading the other cartridge into the cartridge player.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the frame includes a closed loop concentric row of cartridge storage cells and a media player, wherein controlling the robotic mechanisms to move in a first direction include controlling the robotic mechanisms to move in the first direction around the closed loop concentric row of cartridge storage cells and the cartridge player.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing a dismount drive command to a first robotic mechanism and a mount drive command to a second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to dismount the first cartridge while the second robotic mechanism mounts the second cartridge.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

providing a mount drive command to the first robotic mechanism and a dismount drive command to the second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to mount a third cartridge while the second robotic mechanism dismounts the second cartridge after the first robotic mechanism has dismounted the first cartridge and the second robotic mechanism has mounted the second cartridge.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing a dismount drive command to the first robotic mechanism and a mount drive command to the second robotic mechanism for the first robotic mechanism to dismount the third cartridge while the second robotic mechanism mounts a fourth cartridge.