Patent · US Expired

Graphical user communications interface for an operator in a manual data storage library

US5664146A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
22References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 26, 1996
Grant dateSep 2, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B2220/90
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An operator to host communications interface for managing a manual data storage library. A host processor controls Peripheral Data Storage Devices (PDSDs) in the library. Displayed operator interaction fields are presented by a graphical user interface on the screen of a display device connected to a library manager controller. Library manager program code loaded in program memory in the library manager controller is provided with interface logic, for communicating with external devices, as well as the PDSDs through the host processor. The operator communications interface is an integral component of the library and thus may be used for: alerting an operator of the need to mount or demount a particular data medium; alerting an operator with coherent and succinct messages thus improving the quality of messages provided to operators; and alerting an operator with a minimum number of messages. Additionally, the operator may use the communications interface to access the status of PDSDs and to schedule maintenance activities, such as cleaning of the PDSDs.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.