Apparatus and method to write information to and/or read information from an information storage medium

• US 7,111,113 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lynds, Jon A., Thompson, John G., Dahman, Kirby G., Urbanejo, Ricardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bragdon, Reginald G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gu, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US10/652,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/111
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method to write information to an information storage medium. The method creates one or more objects comprising information and provides a first one of those one or more objects. The method writes a header label to an information storage medium, where the header label comprises an object processing indicator. The method assigns a first sequence number to the first object and writes that first object to the information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid. The method writes a trailer label to the information storage medium, where that trailer label comprises an embedded object field count. The method writes an object information block to the information storage medium, where that object information block comprises the first sequence number, the first blockid, and the second blockid.

Claims

1. A method to write information to an information storage medium, comprising the steps of:

creating one or more objects comprising information;

providing a first one of said one or more objects, wherein said first object comprises one or more computer files;

providing an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses;

writing a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

assigning a first sequence number to said first object;

writing said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

writing a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

writing an object information block to said information storage medium,

wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

determining if a user name is assigned to said first object;

operative if a user name is assigned to said first object, writing said user name to said object information block.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a catalog comprising a database of object sequence numbers and volume lists;

determining if a request to catalog said first object is detected;

operative if a request to catalog said first object is detected, writing said first sequence number to said catalog;

operative if a request to catalog said first object is detected and if a user name is assigned to said first object, writing said first sequence number and said user name to said catalog.

3. A method to write information to an information storage medium, comprising the steps of:

creating one or more objects comprising information;

providing a first one of said one or more objects, wherein said first object comprises one or more computer files;

providing an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses;

writing a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

assigning a first sequence number to said first object;

writing said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

writing a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

writing an object information block to said information storage medium, wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

providing a second one of said one or more objects;

assigning a second sequence number to said second object;

writing said second object to said information storage medium, wherein said second object is written beginning at a third blockid and ending at a fourth blockid, wherein said second blockid comprises the (n)th blockid for said information storage medium, and wherein said third blockid comprising the (n+1)th blockid;

writing to said object information block said second sequence number, said third blockid, and said fourth blockid.

4. A method to read information using an information storage device comprising a read head, comprising the steps of:

providing an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses, a header label comprising an object processing indicator, a trailer label comprising an embedded object field count, one or more objects comprising information written between said header label and said trailer label, and an object information block comprising an object sequence number, a volume identifier, a starting blockid, and an ending blockid, for each of said one or more objects;

receiving a request to read a first one of said one or more objects;

mounting said information storage medium in said information storage device;

reading said object information block;

determining the starting blockid and the ending blockid for said first object;

positioning said information storage medium such that said read head is disposed adjacent said information storage medium at the starting blockid for said first object;

reading said first object;

determining if said first object is cataloged;

operative if said first object is cataloged, calling said catalog;

determining a list of volumes comprising said first object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the ending blockid for said first object has been read by said read head;

operative if said ending blockid has not been read by said read head, continuing to read said first object.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said request comprises a first object name, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second request to read one of said one or more objects, wherein said second request comprises a second object name;

determining if said second object name differs from said first object name;

operative if said second object name differs from said first object name reading said second object;

operative if said second object name does not differ from said first object name, determining if concatenation is detected;

operative if concatenation is detected, reading said next concatenated object;

operative if said second object name does not differ from said first object name and if concatenation is not detected, reading said first object.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to write information to an information storage medium, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

creating one or more objects comprising information;

providing a first one of said one or more objects, wherein said first object comprises one or more computer files;

providing an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses;

writing a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

assigning a first sequence number to said first object;

writing said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

writing a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

writing an object information block to said information storage medium, wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

determining if a user name is assigned to said first object;

operative if a user name is assigned to said first object, writing said user name to said object information block.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

providing a catalog comprising a database of object sequence numbers and volume lists;

determining if a request to catalog said first object is detected;

operative if a request to catalog said first object is detected, writing said first sequence number to said catalog;

operative if a request to catalog said first object is detected and if a user name is assigned to said first object, writing said first sequence number and said user name to said catalog.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to write information to an information storage medium, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

creating one or more objects comprising information;

providing a first one of said one or more objects, wherein said first object comprises one or more computer files;

providing an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses;

writing a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

assigning a first sequence number to said first object;

writing said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

writing a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

writing an object information block to said information storage medium, wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

providing a second one of said one or more objects;

assigning a second sequence number to said second object;

writing said second object to said information storage medium, wherein said second object is written beginning at a third blockid and ending at a fourth blockid, wherein said second blockid comprises the (n)th blockid for said information storage medium, and wherein said third blockid comprising the (n+1)th blockid;

writing to said object information block said second sequence number, said third blockid, and said fourth blockid.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to read information from an information storage medium, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

retrieving an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses, a header label comprising an object processing indicator, a trailer label comprising an embedded object field count, one or more objects comprising information written between said header label and said trailer label, and an object information block comprising a starting blockid and an ending blockid for each of said one or more objects;

receiving a request to read a first one of said one or more objects;

mounting said information storage medium in an information storage device comprising a read bead;

reading said object information block;

determining the starting blockid and the ending blockid for said first object;

positioning said information storage medium such that said read head is disposed adjacent said information storage medium at the starting blockid for said first object;

reading said first object

determining if said first object is cataloged;

operative if said first object is cataloged, calling said catalog;

determining a list of volumes comprising said first object.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

determining if said ending blockid has been read by said article of manufacture;

operative if said ending blockid has not been read, continuing to read said first object by said article of manufacture.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein said request comprises a first object name, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving a second request to read one of said one or more objects, wherein said second request comprises a second object name;

determining if said second object name differs from said first object name;

operative if said second object name differs from said first object name, reading said second object;

operative if said second object name does not differ from said first object name, determining if concatenation is detected;

operative if concatenation is detected, reading said next concatenated object;

operative if said second object name does not differ from said first object name and if concatenation is not detected, reading said first object.

13. A computer readable medium having a computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code embodied therein to read information from an information storage medium, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a first object comprising information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to removeably dispose an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses in a information storage device;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to assign a first sequence number to said first object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write an object information block to said information storage medium, wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if a user name is assigned to said first object;

computer readable program code which, if a user name is assigned to said first object, causes said programmable computer processor to write said user name to said object information block.

14. A computer readable medium having a computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code embodied therein to read information from an information storage medium, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a first object comprising information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to removeably dispose an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses in a information storage device;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write a header label to said information storage medium, wherein said header label comprises an object processing indicator;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to assign a first sequence number to said first object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write said first object to said information storage medium beginning at a first blockid and ending at a second blockid;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write a trailer label to said information storage medium, wherein said trailer label comprises an embedded object field count;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write an object information block to said information storage medium, wherein said object information block comprises said first sequence number, said first blockid, and said second blockid;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if a request to catalog said first object is detected;

computer readable program code which, if a request to catalog said first object is detected, causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve a catalog comprising a database of object sequence numbers and volume lists and write said first sequence number to said catalog;

computer readable program code which, if a request to catalog said first object is detected and if a user name is assigned to said first object, causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve a catalog comprising a database of object sequence numbers and volume lists and to write said first sequence number and said user name to said catalog.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program product further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a second object comprising information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to assign a second sequence number to said second object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write said second object to said information storage medium, such that said second object is written beginning at a third blockid and ending at a fourth blockid, and such that said second blockid comprises the (n)th blockid for said information storage medium, and such that said third blockid comprising the (n+1)th blockid;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to write to said object information block said second sequence number, said third blockid, and said fourth blockid.

16. A computer readable medium having computer readable program code usable with a programmable computer processor embodied therein to read information using an information storage device comprising a read head, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve an information storage medium comprising a plurality of blockid addresses, a header label comprising an object processing indicator, a trailer label comprising an embedded object field count, one or more objects comprising information written between said header label and said trailer label, and an off object information block comprising a starting blockid and an ending blockid for each of said one or more objects;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a request to read a first one of said one or more objects;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to mount said information storage medium in said information storage device;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to read said object information block;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine the starting blockid and the ending blockid for said first object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to position said information storage medium such that said read head is disposed adjacent said information storage medium at the starting blockid for said first object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to read said first object;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said first object is cataloged;

computer readable program code which, if said first object is cataloged, causes said programmable computer processor to operative call said catalog;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine a list of volumes comprising said first object.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if the ending blockid for said first object has been read by said read head;

computer readable program code which, if said ending blockid has not been read by said read head, causes said programmable computer processor to continue to read said first object.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a second request to read one of said one or more objects, wherein said second request comprises a second object name;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said second object name differs from said first object name;

computer readable program code which, if said second object name differs from said first object name, causes said programmable computer processor to read said second object;

computer readable program code which, if said second object name does not differ from said first object name, causes said programmable computer processor to determine if concatenation is detected;

computer readable program code which, if concatenation is detected, causes said programmable computer processor to read the next concatenated object;

computer readable program code which, if said second object name does not differ from said first object name and if concatenation is not detected, causes said programmable computer processor to read said first object.