INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

• US 3,732,546 A
• Filed: 02/04/1971
• Issued: 05/08/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David G. Ronkin, David J. Schwartz
• Original Assignee: David G. Ronkin, David J. Schwartz
• Inventors: Ronkin, David G., Schwartz, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henon, Paul J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vandenburg, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/112,542
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5 353/25,26 214/11
• US Class Current: 360/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0012 with more than one selection steps, e.g. selection of a record carrier from a selected compartment of a compartmented storage storage devices for articles B65G1/0407

Abstract

Disclosed is a high capacity, random access, alterable magnetic memory system employing sets of rotatable annular arrays of multi-track tape cassettes serving as the storage media. Under control of a data controller, containing a small programmable computer and direct access storage disc or drum, the cassette arrays are each rotated to bring addressed cassettes into engaging relationship with respective tape transports which receive the requisitioned cassette, position a read/write, write/read head assembly in registration with the addressed track, and drive the tape. An interface system in the controller couples the memory system to one or more host computers of the user for reading data from or writing data on the tape, without the need to stop the tape at the addressed data block site.

Claims

1. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

1. an annular rotatable array of tape cassettes, each with a plurality of tracks;

2. a tape transport and a cassette loader each fixed relative to said array and to each other but each moveable relative to a cassette in said array;

3. means for addressing a cassette in said array;

4. means for positioning said addressed cassette in operative relation to said cassette loader;

5. means, including said cassette loader, for loading said addressed cassette into said transport;

6. means for addressing one of said plurality of tracks on said addressed cassette;

7. means for positioning the transport head assembly in operative relation to said addressed track; and

8. means for driving said tape relative to said head assembly to thereby effect read/write operations.

2. at least two tape transport stations fixed relative to each other and to said array but moveable relative to a cassette in said array, each said station including tape transducer means;

3. at least two tape transport stations associated with each of said arrays, said stations being fixed relative to each other and to the associated array, but moveable relative to a cassette in said array, each said station including transducer means;

4. means for rotating said array and for positioning a cassette addressed by said processor at said station;

5. means for displacing said addressed cassette from said addressed array into operative relation to said associated transducer means;

6. means responsive to said processor for positioning said transducer at said track having data blocks recorded thereon;

7. means for driving said tape relative to said transducer to effect read/write operations.

8. means for driving said tape relative to said head assembly to thereby effect read/write operations.

9. A system according to claim 6 in which said means for rotating and positioning said cassette includes servomechanism means responsive to a digital command from said data controller and further includes detent means for aligning said addressed cassette at said station.

10. In an on-line mass data Storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein said tape transducer means includes at least two tape transport stations associated with each said array.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said transport stations are separately positioned.

13. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said means for positioning said addressed cassette at said nearest vacant station includes a programmable processor for calculating the nearest vacant station.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said processor includes means for storing the location of the next addressed cassette, means for storing the location of the currently addressed cassette and computing means for calculating the difference between said stored locations.

16. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein said cassettes including lengths of tape normally positioned approximately at their mid-points.

18. A system according to claim 16 wherein the tape includes data blocks recorded thereon and said means for driving said tape includes means for locating a desired data block.

19. A system according to claim 16 wherein said data controller also includes a direct access Storage means, said addressed track includes data blocks recorded thereon, and said means for effecting read/write operations includes means for reading at least one data block from said track for subsequent temporary storage by said processor in said direct access storage means.

20. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein said data controller includes direct access storage means and wherein said data transmitted to said host computer is first stored in said direct access storage means.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein at least two transducer stations are associated with each cassette bin and separately situated.

23. A system according to claim 22 wherein said means for positioning said addressed bin includes means for positioning said bin to the nearer vacant one of said two stations.

24. A system according to claim 20 wherein said means for positioning said bin includes servomechanism means for approximately positioning said addressed cassette at said station, and detent engagement means for accurately positioning said addressed cassette at said station.

25. A system according to claim 24 wherein servomechanism means includes means responsive to a digital address command for converting said command to an analog synchro position error signal and said detent engagement means includes means for monitoring said error signal and means for actuating said detent means when the monitored error signal is within predetermined limits.

26. A system according to claim 20 wherein said transducer means includes a head assembly including read/write/write/read heads jointly positionable along one of said plurality of tracks for effecting search/erase/read/verify operations on the fly.

27. A system according to claim 20 wherein said storage/retrieval unit includes electronic control means for time sharing data read/write electronics with a plurality of transducer stations.

28. A system according to claim 20 wherein said storage/retrieval unit includes means for simultaneously effecting read operations from a plurality of addressed cassettes.

29. A system according to claim 20 wherein said tape cassettes contain tape lengths approximately positioned at about their mid-points.

30. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

31. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including:

32. A system according to claim 31 wherein said data controller includes direct access storage means, said read/write operations include data modification operations and said tape cassettes include data blocks recorded thereon, the system further including a. means, including a transport station, for reading an addressed data block from an addressed cassette, b. means for temporarily storing said data block in said direct access storage means, c. means, including said processor, for modifying said data block in accordance with commands from a host computer;

and d. means, including said transport station, for writing the modified data block on said addressed cassette.

33. In an on-line mass data storage and retrieval system, the combination including: