Robotic storage library with queued move instructions and method of queuing such instructions

• US 8,457,778 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectra Logic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spectra Logic Corporation
• Inventors: Starr, Matthew Thomas, Goberis, Michael Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US12/192,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 700/214, 700/218, 700247-248, 1983471-3474, 414266-329, 414807-808, 41433101-332
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31378 Queue control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45045 Maintenance, automatic storage and retrieval system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45057 Storage handling for disks or material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A robotic tape library which queues two or more move instructions is described. Generally, the robotic system receives a first move instruction which commands a first robot to move a first tape cartridge from a shelf to a first tape drive to be loaded therein. Though the first move has not actually taken place, the library replies to the host computer that the first tape drive has been loaded with the first tape cartridge, at least to an acceptable level of engagement, at which point, the first move instruction is queued. After receiving a second move instruction from the host to move a second tape cartridge from the shelf to a second tape drive, the library reorganizes and physically carries out the move instructions in a preferred order.

Claims

1. A robotic storage system comprising:

a first and a second robot;

a first and a second mobile storage element;

a shelf system wherein said first and said second mobile storage elements can be disposed;

a first and a second drive adapted to be loaded with either of said mobile storage elements in an engaging relationship whereby storage related operation can occur;

a queue system containing a first and a second move instruction received from a host wherein said first move instruction includes commands to move said first mobile storage element from said shelf system to said first drive and load said first mobile storage element into said first drive via said first robot, said first robot identified by the host, and said second move instruction includes commands to move said second mobile storage element from said shelf system to said second drive and load said second mobile storage element into said second drive via said first robot;

a communication interface that affirms to said host that said first move instruction is completed via a first move response, that said first drive is engaged at a minimum acceptable level with said first mobile storage element via a first load response, that said second move instruction is completed via a second move response, that said second drive is engaged at said minimum acceptable level with said second mobile storage element via a second load response wherein all of said responses are made prior to actual execution of any of said responses; and

an algorithm operatively regulating said queue system to reorganize said first and said second move instructions in said storage system in a preferred order and cause said first and said second robot to physically execute said instructions in said preferred order.

2. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said preferred order is to complete said second move instruction before completing said first move instruction.

3. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said preferred order is to complete said second move instruction via said first robot and said first move instruction via said second robot.

4. The robotic storage system of claim 1 further comprising a means for retaining said first and said second move instructions in said queue system after said robotic storage system is re-energized following an unexpected loss of power before said move instructions have been fully executed.

5. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said queue system includes a table of said instructions maintained by memory disposed within said storage system.

6. The robotic storage system of claim 1 further comprising:

a third mobile storage element disposed in said shelf system and a third drive;

a first partition and a second partition wherein said first and said second drives are associated with said first partition and said third drive is associated with second partition;

a third move instruction from a second host retained in said queue system wherein said third move instruction includes commands to move said third mobile storage element from said shelf system to said third drive and load said third mobile storage element into said third drive via said first robot, and wherein said third move instruction is affirmed to said second host as executed via a third move response and that said third drive is engaged at a minimum acceptable level with said third mobile storage element via a third load response via said communication interface; and

said algorithm further capable of organizing said third instruction with said first and said second instructions in said preferred order.

7. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said first and said second mobile storage element are selected from a group of mobile storage elements consisting of:

a tape cartridge magazine, a mobile disc drive magazine, a solid state memory adapted for mobility, and a disc drive adapted for mobility.

8. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said minimum acceptable level of engagement is when said first or said second mobile storage element is linked with said first or said second drive, respectively, prior to being ready to perform storage related operations.

9. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said minimum acceptable level of engagement is when said first or said second mobile storage element is linked with said first or said second drive, respectively, and ready to perform storage related operations.

10. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said first and said second mobile storage elements are a tape cartridge and said robotic storage system is a tape library.

11. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on efficiency of travel of said robots between said mobile storage elements and said drives.

12. The robotic storage system of claim 11 wherein said efficiency consists essentially of time of travel.

13. The robotic storage system of claim 11 wherein said efficiency consists essentially of distance of travel.

14. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on an urgency to obtain information from at least one mobile storage element.

15. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said preferred order is based at least partly on a priority of customer or other entity associated with information on at least one mobile storage element.

16. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said algorithm organizes said instructions a predetermined amount of time after said queue system receives said first move instruction from said host.

17. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said algorithm organizes said instructions after receiving a predetermined number of move instructions from said host.

18. The robotic storage system of claim 1 wherein said algorithm organizes said instructions upon either (a) a predetermined amount of time after said queue system receives said first move instruction from said host or (b) after receiving a predetermined number of move instructions from said host, whichever occurs earlier.

19. A method for executing instructions in a robotic storage system comprising:

providing a first robot and a second robot, a shelf system supporting a first storage element and a second storage element, a first drive and a second drive;

receiving a first request from a host to move said first storage element from said shelf system to said first drive and load said first storage element in a cooperating relationship with said first drive via said first robot, wherein said host identifies said first robot;

responding to said host that said first storage element has been moved to said first drive and that said first storage element is engaged at said minimum acceptable level with said first storage drive;

queuing said first request;

receiving a second request from said host, after said first request, to move said second storage element from said shelf system to said second drive and load said second storage element in a cooperating relationship with said second drive via said first robot;

responding to said host that said second storage element has been moved to said second drive and that said second storage element is engaged at said minimum acceptable level with said second drive;

computing a strategy that reorganizes said first and said second requests in a desired order; and

carrying out said strategy via said first and said second robots.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising queuing said second request.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

providing a third storage element, a third robot and a third drive;

receiving a third request from said host to move said third storage element from said shelf system to said third drive and load said third storage element in a cooperating relationship with said third drive via said first robot;

responding to said host that said third storage element has been moved to said third drive and that said third storage element is engaged at said minimum acceptable level with said third storage drive;

queuing said third request;

computing said strategy to include said third request; and

carrying out said strategy via said first, said second and said third robots.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

providing a third storage element, a third robot and a third drive;

receiving a third request from a second host to move said third storage element from said shelf system to said third drive and load said third storage element in a cooperating relationship with said third drive via said first robot;

responding to said second host that said third storage element has been moved to said third drive and that said third storage element is engaged at said minimum acceptable level with said third storage element;

;

queuing said third request;

computing said strategy to include said third request; and

carrying out said strategy via said first, said second and said third robots.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein said desired order is for said second robot to move said first storage element and said first robot to move said second storage element.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein said first robot carries out said strategy while said second robot is carrying out said strategy.

25. A robotic storage system comprising:

a queue system containing a first move instruction received from a host and a second move instruction received from said host wherein said first move instruction commands said first robot to move a first mobile storage element from a shelf system to a first drive, said first robot identified by said host, and load said first mobile storage element into said first drive, and said second move instruction commands said first robot to move a second mobile storage element from said shelf system to a second drive and load said second mobile storage element into said second drive, said second move instruction received by a host after said storage system makes known to said host that said first mobile storage element has been moved to said first drive and that said first mobile storage element is engaged at a minimum acceptable level with said first drive, prior to actually physically completing said first move instruction;

a means for reorganizing said first and said second move instructions in said storage system in a preferred order via said queue system and wherein said first robot and said second robot physically carry out said first and said second move instructions based on said preferred order.

26. A method for use in a robotic storage library, the method comprising:

a) receiving a first move instruction from a host computer directing a first robot to move a first storage element from a shelf to a first drive, wherein said host has knowledge of said first robot;

b) in reference to said first move instruction, responding to said host that said first drive is in possession of said first storage element in a minimal acceptable engaged relationship in anticipation of a second move instruction regardless of whether, in actuality, said first drive possesses said first storage element;

c) receiving a second move instruction from said host computer directing a second robot to move a second storage element from said shelf to said first drive;

d) in reference to said second move instruction, responding to said host that said second drive is in possession of said second storage element in a minimal acceptable engaged relationship regardless of whether, in actuality, said second drive possesses said second storage element;

e) queuing said first and said second move instructions;

f) reorganizing said first and said second move instructions in a preferred order; and

g) carrying out said preferred order via said first and said second robots within said robotic storage library.

27. A robotic storage library including:

a plurality of mobile storage elements;

a plurality of robots;

at least one drive adapted to receive one of said mobile storage elements in an at least minimally acceptable operative engagement;

a queue system that is adapted to receive a plurality of move instructions from a host computer, each of said move instructions to move one of said storage elements via only one of said robots to said at least one drive for operative engagement therewith, wherein said one robot is targeted by said host computer, to initially organize said instructions in an order essentially as chronologically received, and to reorganize said instructions according to a pre-established algorithm that includes at least two of said plurality of robots.