Transferring storage devices within storage device testing systems

• US 8,160,739 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Teradyne Incorporated
• Inventors: Toscano, John, Polyakov, Evgeny, Garcia, Edward, Truebenbach, Eric L., Merrow, Brian S., Whitaker, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Ramya
• Application Number:
  US12/424,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20090265032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/213, 700/228, 369/30.48, 369/30.56, 369/30.5, 369/30.6, 369/30.71, 369/30.42, 369/30.55, 369/30.86, 369/30.28
• US Class Current: 700/214
• 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: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules

Abstract

A method of transferring storage devices within a storage device testing system includes actuating an automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve multiple storage devices presented for testing, and actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously deliver each retrieved storage device to a respective test slot of the storage device testing system and substantially simultaneously insert each storage device in the respective test slot.

Claims

1. A method of transferring storage devices within a storage device testing system, the method comprising:

actuating an automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve multiple storage devices presented for testing; and

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously deliver the retrieved storage devices to respective test slots of the storage device testing system and to substantially simultaneously insert each storage device in their respective test slot.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve multiple storage device transporters;

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve the storage devices presented for testing by carrying each of the storage devices with respective storage device transporters; and

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously deliver the storage device transporters, each carrying one of the storage devices, to the respective test slots.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising inserting each storage device transporter substantially simultaneously into its respective test slot, engaging the carried storage device with a respective connector of the storage device testing system, the inserted storage device transporters providing closure of their respective test slots.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein automated transporter uses transporter couplers to engage and couple to the storage device transporters, the transporter couplers arranged in at least a one-dimensional array.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising carrying the retrieved storage devices substantially parallel to one another.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transporter couplers are arranged substantially parallel to one another and spaced at least one of horizontally and vertically from each other.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the storage devices are presented in a storage device tote presented to the storage device testing system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the automated transporter retrieves multiple storage devices substantially simultaneously from the storage device tote with corresponding storage device transporters by positioning the storage device transporters below their respective storage devices, lifting the storage devices each off a storage device support of the storage device tote, and carrying the storage devices in the storage device transporters away from the storage device tote.

9. The method of claim 1, further the automated transporter comprises a manipulator configured to transport multiple storage devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the manipulator comprises:

a manipulator body; and

multiple couplers disposed on the manipulator body and arranged in at least a one-dimensional array, each coupler being configured to releasably attach to a storage device transporter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the couplers are arranged substantially parallel to one another for holding storage devices substantially parallel to one another.

12. A method of transferring storage devices within a storage device testing system, the method comprising:

actuating an automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve storage devices from respective test slots of the storage device testing system; and

actuating the automated transporter to deliver the retrieved storage devices to a station and substantially simultaneously release each storage device at the station.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve multiple storage device transporters;

actuating the automated transporter to substantially simultaneously retrieve the storage devices from their respective test slots using storage device transporters to carry the storage devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the automated transporter uses transporter couplers to engage and couple to the storage device transporters, the transporter couplers arranged in at least a one-dimensional array.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising carrying the retrieved storage devices substantially parallel to one another.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transporter couplers are arranged substantially parallel to one another and spaced at least one of horizontally and vertically from each other.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the automated transporter comprises a manipulator, the manipulator comprising:

a manipulator body; and

multiple couplers disposed on the manipulator body and arranged at least a one-dimensional array, each coupler being configured to releasably attach to a storage device transporter.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising releasing the storage devices in a storage device tote presented to the storage device testing system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the automated transporter releases multiple storage devices substantially simultaneously in the storage device tote by positioning storage device transporters carrying the respective storage devices above respective storage device supports of the storage device tote, lowering the storage devices onto the storage device supports, and moving the storage device transporters away from the storage device tote.

20. A storage device testing system comprising:

an automated transporter;

at least one rack arranged about the automated transporter for access by the automated transporter;

multiple test slots housed by each rack, each test slot being configured to receive a storage device for testing;

a transfer station arranged for access by the automated transporter, the transfer station presenting multiple storage devices for testing; and

a manipulator attached to the automated transporter, the manipulator comprising multiple couplers arranged in at least a one-dimensional array, each coupler being configured to transport a storage device.

21. The storage device testing system of claim 20, wherein each coupler is arranged substantially parallel to one another for holding storage devices substantially parallel to one another.

22. The storage device testing system of claim 20, wherein each coupler is configured to releasably attach to a storage device transporter.

23. The storage device testing system of claim 20, wherein the manipulator comprises:

a manipulator body; and

multiple couplers disposed on the manipulator body and spaced from one another in an arrangement that corresponds to at least one of;

a test slot layout, allowing the manipulator to substantially simultaneously service multiple test slots, and

a tote receptacle layout, allowing the manipulator to substantially simultaneously service multiple tote storage device receptacles of a storage device tote presented to the storage device testing system.

24. The storage device testing system of claim 20, wherein the transfer station comprises a transfer station housing configured to receive and support multiple storage device totes in a presentation position for servicing by the automated transporter, wherein each storage device tote comprises a tote body defining multiple storage device receptacles configured to each house a storage device.

25. The storage device testing system of claim 20, wherein the transfer station comprises a conveyor.

26. A manipulator for a storage device testing system, the manipulator comprising:

a manipulator body; and

multiple couplers disposed on the manipulator body and spaced from one another in an arrangement that corresponds to a storage device servicing layout, allowing the manipulator to substantially simultaneously service multiple storage device at once.

27. The manipulator of claim 26, wherein the storage device servicing layout comprises a test slot layout of the storage device testing system, allowing the manipulator to substantially simultaneously service multiple test slots.

28. The manipulator of claim 26, wherein the storage device servicing layout comprises a tote receptacle layout, allowing the manipulator to substantially simultaneously service multiple tote storage device receptacles of a tote that carries storage devices.

29. The manipulator of claim 26, wherein the storage device servicing layout comprises arranging the couplers in at least a one-dimensional array according to a coupler spacing, allowing the manipulator to transport storage devices substantially parallel to one another.

30. The manipulator of claim 29, wherein each coupler is arranged substantially parallel to one another for holding storage devices substantially parallel to one another.