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:
May. 04, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2001
John Edward Kulakowski, Tucson, AZ (US);
Rodney Jerome Means, Tucson, AZ (US);
Jesse Lee Thrall, Tucson, AZ (US);
Daniel James Winarski, Tucson, AZ (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Provided is a library system apparatus including an array of storage cells and a plurality of storage devices. The storage devices include a storage medium and a data interface through which data on the storage medium is transferred. A gripper assembly includes extended members capable of engaging one storage device, movement electronics capable of moving the gripper assembly to the storage cells and engaging one storage device located within one storage cell, and a data interface. Data communication is enabled between the gripper assembly and storage device data interfaces when the gripper assembly is engaged with the storage device. Further, a library controller is in communication with the gripper assembly and executes logic to receive an input/output (I/O) request with respect to data in one target storage device in one storage cell and send commands to the gripper assembly to move to the storage cell including the target storage device and engage the target storage device in the storage cell. Data related to the I/O request is transferred between the target storage device and the library controller via the gripper assembly and storage device data interface.