International Business Machines Corporation

David John Butka

Raymond Yardy

Brian Gerard Goodman

Michael Philip McIntosh

Leonard George Jesionowski

Steven L Felde

Robin Daniel Roberts

In a mass storage library, a module storage array includes a back plate having 'T' shaped apertures patterned to form a cartridge storage together with cell blocks that have 'T' shaped protrusions to fit into the openings in the back plate. A column of cell blocks are held in place between a shelf and a spring load. Interlocking surfaces molded into the cell blocks assist in holding the column of cell blocks in place with the &#x201c;T&#x201d; shaped protrusions and openings in the back plate. The cell blocks are stacked on the shelf with the &#x201c;T&#x201d; shaped protrusions inserted into the openings in the back plate and their mating surfaces interlocked. The spring load clamps the cell against the shelf. The cell blocks form cavities that hold the cartridges in the storage array. A plurality of columns of cell blocks provide the complete storage array. Calibration targets are provided to align the cell blocks to the library accessor and reader. One strip the length of the storage cell stack contains a bar-code viewable through each cartridge storage cell and scannable by an accessor scanner to identify the individual cell blocks.

Storage cell mounting and alignment for cartridge system libraries

A power management system and method for multiple redundant power supplies. The present invention provides management and control of N&plus;M power supplies, where N represents the minimum number of power supplies required and where M is the number of redundant power supplies (M>1), where any one of the power supplies may be capable of supplying power to all the loads of the power subsystems. In the preferred embodiment each power subsystem includes a power supply and a controller coupled to a power bus. A communication bus is provided common to each power subsystem. During reset or power-on periods, the controllers are programmed to uniquely delay the start time of each power supply, thereby protecting against an overcurrent/overvoltage condition on the power bus during reset periods. A master controller is provided to monitor normal operating conditions of the power subsystems and communication bus. The master controller is programmed to ensure that a predetermined number of power supplies are coupled to the power bus, even in the event of total or partial communication failure.

Autonomic control of power subsystems in a redundant power system

The detection threshold of an optical sensor is dynamically calibrated by measuring the maximum and minimum levels of the analog output produced by the sensor's light detector and setting the detection threshold of the sensor at an intermediate level between the two. The new detection threshold thus established is then used as the voltage reference that determines the logic state of the system. The invention may be implemented using analog-to-digital converter hardware already embedded in the system. Alternatively, the invention may be implemented using digital-to-analog converter hardware that may also be already present in the system.

Optical position sensor with threshold updated dynamically by interpolation between minimum and maximum levels of output signal

An automated data storage system which comprises one or more robotic accessors movably disposed therein, each such accessor including a revolving memory buffer and a velocity control program, wherein the velocity control program stores operational data regarding the gripping and pivot mechanisms disposed on the accessor. A method to diagnose the cause of an accessor failure by downloading and analyzing the operational data stored on the defective accessor's revolving memory buffer.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

David John Butka