Using a rechargeable power source for tape cartridge handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10615634-B2
Application number	US-201615276858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2016
Priority date	Sep 27, 2016
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A charge level for a first rechargeable power source, a second rechargeable power source, and a third rechargeable power source is determined. The first rechargeable power source is determined to be below a threshold level of charge. In response to determining that the first rechargeable power source is below a threshold level of charge, a switch is made from the first rechargeable power source to the second rechargeable power source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for replacing a rechargeable power source in an automated tape library, the method comprising:
transmitting, by an access point of a controller, movement data wirelessly to a power-control of the automated tape library that is separate from the controller, the power-control being connected to an x-y-z driver of a rail system, wherein the x-y-z driver is configured to position a gripper by moving an x-slider horizontally along an x-rail and a y-slider vertically along a y-rail and the power-control instructs movement of the x-y-z driver, and the power-control comprises a rechargeable power device cage comprising a first slot holding a first rechargeable power source, a second slot holding a second rechargeable power source, a tray holding the rechargeable power device cage, said tray serving as a power pass-through allowing power to pass from the rechargeable power device cage to the x-y-z driver, and a transceiver configured to receive the movement data from the access point;
determining, by the controller wirelessly communicating with the power-control, a charge level of the first rechargeable power source and the second rechargeable power source, wherein the charge level for the first rechargeable power source, and the second rechargeable power source is a numeric value within a range of charge from zero percent charge to one hundred percent charge, exclusive;
determining whether the charge level of the first rechargeable power source is below a threshold level of charge needed to complete a remaining number of movements in an instruction queue; and
responsive to determining that the charge level for the first rechargeable power source is below the threshold level of charge to complete the remaining number of movements in the instruction queue, switching, by one or more computer processors of the controller, a source of power to the x-y-z driver from the first rechargeable power source to the second rechargeable power source within the rechargeable power device cage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
replacing, by the one or more computer processors, the first rechargeable power source with a third rechargeable power source in the automated tape library.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a location of the third rechargeable power source in the automated tape library is a tape slot in a plurality of tape slots in the automated tape library.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more computer processors, an indication to remove the third rechargeable power source from one charging station of a plurality of charging stations; and
sending, by the one or more computer processors, a request to place the third rechargeable power source in one tape slot of the plurality of tape slots for storage.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of replacing, by the one or more computer processors, the first rechargeable power source with the third rechargeable power source, comprises:
receiving, by the one or more computer processors, a first instruction to move the first rechargeable power source from the first slot of the rechargeable power device cage to an empty charging station or to an empty tape slot; and
receiving, by the one or more computer processors, a second instruction to move the third rechargeable power source, from a charging station with the third rechargeable power source or a tape slot with the third rechargeable power source, to the first slot of the rechargeable power device cage.

6. A computer program product for replacing a rechargeable power source in an automated tape library, the computer program product comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to transmit, by an access point of a controller, movement data wirelessly to a power-control of the automated tape library that is separate from the controller, the power-control being connected to an x-y-z driver of a rail system, wherein the x-y-z driver is configured to position a gripper by moving an x-slider horizontally along an x-rail and a y-slider vertically along a y-rail and the power-control instructs movement of the x-y-z driver, wherein the power-control comprises a rechargeable power device cage comprising a first slot holding a first rechargeable power source, a second slot holding a second rechargeable power source, a tray holding the rechargeable power device cage, said tray serving as a power pass-through allowing power to pass from the rechargeable power device cage to the x-y-z driver, and a transceiver configured to receive the movement data from the access point;
program instructions to determine by the controller wirelessly communicating with the power-control, a charge level of the first rechargeable power source and the second rechargeable power source, wherein the charge level for the first rechargeable power source, and the second rechargeable power source is a numeric value within a range of charge from zero percent charge to one hundred percent charge, exclusive;
program instructions to determine whether the charge level of the first rechargeable power source is below a threshold level of charge needed to complete a remaining number of movements in an instruction queue; and
responsive to determining that the charge level for the first rechargeable power source is below the threshold level of charge to complete the remaining number of movements in the instruction queue, program instructions to switch, via the controller, a source of power to the x-y-z driver from the first rechargeable power source to the second rechargeable power source within the rechargeable power device cage.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, to:
replace the first rechargeable power source with a third rechargeable power source in the automated tape library.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein a location of the third rechargeable power source in the automated tape library is a tape slot in a plurality of tape slots in the automated tape library.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, to:
receive an indication to remove the third rechargeable power source from one charging station of a plurality of charging stations; and
send a request to place the third rechargeable power source in one tape slot of the plurality of tape slots for storage.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the
program instruction to replace the first rechargeable power source with the third rechargeable power source in the automated tape library, comprises:
program instructions to receive a first instruction to move the first rechargeable power source from the first slot of the rechargeable power device cage to an empty charging station or to an empty tape slot; and
program instructions to receive a second instruction to move the third rechargeable power source, from a charging station with the third rechargeable power source or a tape slot with the third rechargeable power source, to the first slot of the rechargeable power device cage.

11. A computer system for replacing a rechargeable power source in an automated tape library, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
a controller comprising an access point placed in communication with the one or more computer processors;
a power-control pl

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Asmussen Ole
• Beiderbeck Robert
• Krick Frank
• Schaefer Markus

Classifications

• G11B5/00813

  magnetic tapes · CPC title

• H02J7/0027

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J9/061 Primary

  for DC powered loads · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/50 Primary

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title