Scalable composite rectangular/cylindrical automated data storage library system

Abstract

This system includes a base unit having an array of data storage locations mounted in a rectangular form factor along a back wall of the housing and at least one read/write device. The robotic mechanism includes a stationary vertical shaft on which is mounted on a horizontal track, movable in the vertical direction. The horizontal track extends from end to end of the base unit housing. The robotic mechanism includes a rotatable gripper that moves on the horizontal track and swivels on a pivot about an axis that is parallel to the vertical shaft to provide access to all interior surfaces of the base unit housing where data storage locations reside. An expansion module, comprising a rotary carousel of data storage locations, can be connected to either end of the base unit which enables the robotic mechanism to access the data storage elements within the expansion module without modification.

1 . A scalable automated data storage library system comprising: 
 a first base unit comprising: 
 a first base housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements, and  
 a first robotic mechanism traveling exclusively within said first base housing along a horizontal axis from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and also movable along a vertical axis, said first robotic mechanism having a first swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said first base unit;  
   a first expansion module connected to a first end of said first base unit, said first expansion module comprising: 
 a first expansion housing, and  
 a first rotary carousel, located within said first expansion housing, and having a plurality of data storage locations, each accommodating a data storage element; and  
   wherein said first base unit is connected on a first side to a first side of said first expansion module and said first robotic mechanism travels exclusively within said first base housing and said first swiveling gripper of said first robotic mechanism extends into said first expansion module and swivels to access said data storage locations in said first expansion module.    
   
   
       2 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second expansion module comprising: 
 a second expansion housing; and  
 a second rotary carousel, located within said second expansion housing, and having a plurality of data storage locations each accommodating a data storage element; and  
   wherein said second base unit is connected on a first side to a second side of said first expansion module and said first swiveling gripper of said first robotic mechanism extends into said second expansion module and swivels to access said data storage locations in said second expansion module.    
   
   
       3 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said first base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage elements, and    wherein said first swiveling gripper of said first robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       4 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second base unit comprising: 
 a second base housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements,  
 a second robotic mechanism having a second swiveling gripper traveling exclusively within said second base housing along a horizontal axis from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and also movable in a vertical direction, said second robotic mechanism having a second swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said second base unit;  
   wherein said second base unit is connected to said first expansion module and said second swiveling gripper of said second robotic mechanism extends into said first expansion module and swivels to access said data storage locations in said first expansion module.    
   
   
       5 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said second base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage elements, and    wherein said second swiveling gripper of said second robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       6 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  wherein said first base unit and said second base unit are connected to opposing sides of said first expansion module in a right angle configuration.  
   
   
       7 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  wherein said first base unit and said second base unit are connected to opposing sides of said first expansion module in a linear configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a third base unit comprising: 
 a third base unit housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements, and  
   a third robotic mechanism traveling exclusively within said third base housing along a horizontal axis and from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and also movable in a vertical direction, said third robotic mechanism having a third swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said third base unit; and    wherein said third base unit connected to a third side of said first expansion module in a star configuration, wherein said third swiveling gripper extends into said first expansion module to access said data storage locations in said first expansion module.    
   
   
       9 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a fourth base unit comprising: 
 a fourth base unit housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements, and  
 a fourth robotic mechanism traveling exclusively within said fourth base housing along a horizontal axis and from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and also movable in a vertical direction, said fourth robotic mechanism having a fourth swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said fourth base unit; and  
   wherein said fourth base unit is connected to a fourth side of said first expansion module in a star configuration, wherein said fourth swiveling gripper extends into said first expansion module to access said data storage locations in said first expansion module.    
   
   
       10 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a second base unit comprising: 
 a second base housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements,  
 a second robotic mechanism having a second swiveling gripper exclusively traveling within said second base housing along a horizontal axis and from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and also movable in a vertical direction, said second robotic mechanism having a second swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said second base unit;  
   wherein said second base unit is connected to one of said first expansion module and said second expansion module and said second swiveling gripper of said second robotic mechanism extends into said one of said first expansion module and said second expansion module and swivels to access to access said data storage locations in said one of said first expansion module and said second expansion module.    
   
   
       11 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said second base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage elements, and    wherein said second swiveling gripper of said second robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       12 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 11  wherein said second base unit and said first expansion module and said second expansion module are linearly connected.  
   
   
       13 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 11  wherein said second base unit is connected to a side of said one of said first expansion module and said second expansion module in a right angle configuration.  
   
   
       14 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 1  wherein said first base unit further comprises a first means for controlling said first robotic mechanism and a rotation of said first rotary carousel within said first expansion module.  
   
   
       15 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said third base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage elements; and    wherein said third swiveling gripper of said third robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       16 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said fourth base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage elements; and    wherein said third swiveling gripper of said fourth robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       17 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 10  wherein said second base unit further comprises a second means for controlling said second robotic mechanism and a rotation of said first rotary carousel within said first expansion module.  
   
   
       18 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  wherein said second base unit further comprises a second means for controlling said second robotic mechanism and a rotation of said first rotary carousel within said first expansion module.  
   
   
       19 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 8  wherein said third base unit further comprises a third means for controlling said third robotic mechanism and a rotation of said first rotary carousel within said first expansion module.  
   
   
       20 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 9  wherein said fourth base unit further comprises a fourth means for controlling said fourth robotic mechanism and a rotation of said first rotary carousel within said first expansion module.  
   
   
       21 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 a second expansion module comprising: 
 a second expansion housing, and  
 a second rotary carousel, located within said second expansion housing, and having a plurality of data storage locations each accommodating a data storage element; and  
   wherein said second expansion module is connected on a second side to said first base unit and said first swiveling gripper of said first robotic mechanism extends into said second expansion module and swivels to access said data storage locations in said second expansion module.    
   
   
       22 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a third expansion module comprising: 
 a third expansion housing, and  
 a third rotary carousel, located within said third expansion housing, and having a plurality of data storage locations each accommodating a data storage element; and  
   wherein said third expansion module is connected on a second side to said second base unit and said second swiveling gripper of said second robotic mechanism extends into said third expansion module and swivels to access said data storage locations in said third expansion module.    
   
   
       23 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 a third base unit comprising: 
 a third base unit housing,  
 a plurality of data storage locations for storing data storage elements, and  
 a third robotic mechanism traveling within said third base housing along both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, said third robotic mechanism having a third swiveling gripper which swivels about said vertical axis to access said plurality of data storage locations in said third base unit;  
   wherein said third base unit connected to a second side of said second expansion module, said first, second and third base units being connected to said first expansion module, wherein said third swiveling gripper extends into said second expansion module to access said data storage locations in said second expansion module.    
   
   
       24 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 23  further comprising: 
 at least one read/write device, located in said third base unit, for enabling a host computer, connected to said at least one read/write device to read/write data on rewriteable media contained in said data storage element; and    wherein said third swiveling gripper of said third robotic mechanism access said at least one read/write device to transport data storage elements between said plurality of data storage locations and said at least one read/write device.    
   
   
       25 . The scalable automated data storage library system of  claim 23  wherein said third base unit further comprises a third means for controlling said third robotic mechanism and a rotation of said second rotary carousel within said second expansion module.