Tape library apparatus and information management method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737993-B2
Application number	US-201514955140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2015
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A tape library apparatus includes a tape drive, a robot unit, and a second processor. The tape drive includes a first access mechanism and a first processor. The first access mechanism is configured to read position information from a non-contact type memory within a tape cartridge. The position information indicates a position of data recorded in a magnetic tape within the tape cartridge. The first processor is configured to perform positioning for the data. The robot unit includes a robot arm and a second access mechanism configured to access the non-contact type memory. The robot arm is configured to store the tape cartridge in the robot unit, and move the tape cartridge to the tape drive. The second processor is configured to control the second access mechanism to read the position information from the non-contact type memory, and store the position information in a non-volatile memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tape library apparatus, comprising:
a tape drive including:
a first access mechanism configured to access a non-contact type memory within a tape cartridge to read position information from the non-contact type memory, the position information indicating a position of data recorded in a magnetic tape within the tape cartridge, and
a first processor configured to perform positioning for the data;

a robot unit including:
an accessor configured to store the tape cartridge in the robot unit,
a robot arm configured to move the tape cartridge to the tape drive, and
a second access mechanism configured to access the non-contact type memory; and

a second processor configured to
control the second access mechanism to read the position information from the non-contact type memory, and
store the position information in a non-volatile memory.

2. The tape library apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor is configured to transmit a transfer request to the second processor when the first access mechanism fails to read the position information from the non-contact type memory, the transfer request requesting to transfer position information stored in the non-volatile memory, and
the second processor is configured to transmit the position information stored in the non-volatile memory to the tape drive in response to reception of the transfer request.

3. The tape library apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the second processor is configured to control the robot arm to store a first tape cartridge in the robot unit in response to reception of a load instruction instructing to load the first tape cartridge stored in a cell or a cartridge access station.

4. The tape library apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processor is configured to transmit first position information of first data recorded in a first magnetic tape within a first tape cartridge to the second processor in response to reception of an unload instruction instructing to unload the first tape cartridge inserted into the tape drive, and
the second processor is configured to store the first position information received from the tape drive in the non-volatile memory.

5. The tape library apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the first processor is configured to notify the second processor of a tape alert regarding the first tape cartridge when the first access mechanism fails to write the first position information to the non-contact type memory, and
the second processor is configured to control the second access mechanism to write the first position information stored in the non-volatile memory to the non-contact type memory in response to reception of the tape alert.

6. An information management method, comprising:
accessing, by a first access mechanism included in a tape driver, a non-contact type memory within a tape cartridge to read position information from the non-contact type memory, the position information indicating a position of data recorded in a magnetic tape within the tape cartridge;
performing positioning for the data by a first processor included in the tape driver;
storing the tape cartridge in a robot unit by an accessor included in the robot unit;
moving the tape cartridge to the tape drive by a robot arm included in the robot unit;
accessing the non-contact type memory by a second access mechanism included in the robot unit;
controlling, by a second processor, the second access mechanism to read the position information from the non-contact type memory; and
storing the position information in a non-volatile memory by the second processor.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Hikita Minoru

Classifications

• Y10S901/02

  Arm motion controller · CPC title

• B25J9/1679 Primary

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• G11B15/06

  by sensing auxiliary features on record carriers or containers, e.g. to stop machine near the end of a tape · CPC title

• G11B27/10

  Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel · CPC title

• G11B15/689

  Control of the cassette changing arrangement · CPC title