Dual purpose media drive providing control path to shared robotic device in automated data storage library
US7289885B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 9, 2005 |
| Grant date | Oct 30, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 20, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2220/90
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A dual purpose media drive exchanges data with removable media items. The drive includes at least one port to receive various control signals, including (1) data exchange commands directing the drive to read and/or write data to a media item mounted by the drive, and (2) robotic device management commands. The drive includes a processor that responds to incoming data exchange commands by reading and/or writing to the loaded media item. The processor responds to at least some robotic device management signals by forwarding them to a robotic media transport device. The processor withholds the data exchange commands from the robotic device, since they are only pertinent to operations of the drive itself. The robotic device may be configured to restrict host access to library components according to predefined logical partitions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.