The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 29, 1996
Hirofumi Kanai, Hiratsuka, JP;
Kenji Toki, Odawara, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A library apparatus has a recording and reproducing unit and a storing rack having a number of shelves each adapted to store a recording medium and a carry robot is moved between shelves of the storing rack or between the recording and reproducing unit and a shelf of the storing rack to load/unload a target recording medium to/from a shelf or the recording and reproducing unit. A photosensor is mounted to the tip of a hand of the carry robot. The carry robot is moved to the target shelf in two-step control. Namely, a robot controller calculates the position of the target shelf and moves the robot to the calculated position in a coarse control. Then, a position of a framework relating to the target shelf of the storing rack is detected accurately based on the signal from the photosensor and a position recognition controller determines a displacement of an actual position of the target shelf from the calculated position to apply positional correction to the target position and causes the robot controller to position the robot hand to the actual position in a fine control. Resulting position correction information is stored in a storing rack position information memory to decrease the operation time in the second and ensuing positioning operations.