Magazine-based data cartridge library

Abstract

The present invention provides a magazine-based data cartridge library that, in one embodiment, comprises a plurality of shelves that are capable of holding a plurality of data cartridge magazines, one or more drives, a magazine transport for moving magazines within the cabinet, and a cartridge transport for moving data cartridges between a magazine and a drive.

1 . A data cartridge library comprising: a frame; a shelf system, operatively attached to the frame, for supporting at least a first and second cartridge magazine wherein each of the cartridge magazines possesses a plurality of data cartridges; a drive adapted to cooperate with either the first or the second cartridge magazine; a magazine transport device adapted to move the a magazine from the shelf system to the drive and there between; a cartridge transport adapted to move one of the data cartridges between one of the data cartridge magazines and the drive, the cartridge transport comprising a grasper adapted to grasp and release one of the data cartridges, the grasper comprising a housing capable of accommodating a first data cartridge with a first height or a second data cartridge with a second height that is greater than the first height, with the height of a data cartridge being the distance between the two substantially parallel faces of the data cartridge that have the greatest surface area. 
   
   
       2 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises: a first member possessing a first planar surface; a second member possessing a second planar surface that is separated from the first member by a distance that is greater than the first depth and less than the second depth; the first member is adapted to move relative to the second member so that the second member is separated from the first member by a distance that is greater than the second depth. 
   
   
       3 . The data cartridge library of  claim 2  wherein the first member is adapted to move relative to the second member via a spring. 
   
   
       4 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge transport comprises: a grasper transport which horizontally displaces the grasper such that the grasper is able to insert and remove one of the data cartridges into and from one of the magazines. 
   
   
       5 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge transport comprises a means for rotating the grasper about a horizontal axis. 
   
   
       6 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge transport comprises a means for rotating the grasper about a vertical axis. 
   
   
       7 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge transport comprises a means for vertically moving the grasper relative tone of the data cartridge magazines so that the grasper is capable of displacing one of the data cartridges within a substantially vertical plane. 
   
   
       8 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge transport comprises a means for horizontally moving the grasper relative to one of the magazines to facilitate displacing one of the data cartridges within a substantially vertical plane via the grasper. 
   
   
       9 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  wherein the cartridge magazine transport device comprises a cartridge magazine picker; and an elevator wherein the cartridge transport comprises the elevator. 
   
   
       10 . The data cartridge library of  claim 1  further comprising a means for reading a first label and a second that are each potentially associated with one of the magazines wherein the first label is associated with the first magazine and is disposed on a first plane and the second label is associated with at least one of the data cartridges and is disposed on a second plane that is different than the first plane. 
   
   
       11 . A grasper device confined to a data cartridge library, the grasper comprising:
 a housing that accommodates a first data cartridge with a first form factor and a second data cartridge with a second form factor that is different from the first form factor wherein either the first data cartridge or the second data cartridge are retained by the grasper device;   a coupling device that couples the grasper device to a magazine transport wherein the magazine transport is adapted to support a data cartridge magazine that possesses a plurality of data cartridges,   the first data cartridge or the second data cartridge movable from the data cartridge magazine to a tape drive and inserted therein via the grasper device wherein the tape drive is substantially disposed in the data cartridge library.   
   
   
       12 . The grasper device of  claim 11  wherein the grasper device grasps and withdraws the first data cartridge from the data cartridge magazine vertically. 
   
   
       13 . The grasper device of  claim 12  wherein the grasper device delivers and inserts the first data cartridge to the tape drive horizontally. 
   
   
       14 . The grasper device of  claim 13  wherein the grasper device rotates between moving the first data cartridge vertically to moving the data cartridge horizontally. 
   
   
       15 . The grasper device of  claim 11  wherein the grasper device grasps and withdraws the second data cartridge from a different data cartridge magazine that accommodates the second form factor vertically. 
   
   
       16 . The grasper device of  claim 15  wherein the grasper device delivers and inserts the second data cartridge to a different tape drive horizontally. 
   
   
       17 . A method for grasping one of a plurality of data cartridges comprising steps of:
 providing a first data cartridge magazine that accommodates at least two of the plurality of data cartridges, a grasper, a magazine transport, a first tape drive and a second tape drive;   grasping a first data cartridge having a first form factor via the grasper;   withdrawing the first data cartridge vertically from the first data cartridge magazine;   rotating the first data cartridge horizontally while the first data cartridge is retained in the grasper;   moving the first data cartridge to the first tape drive;   inserting the first data cartridge in the first tape drive; and   grasping a second data cartridge having a second form factor that is different from the first data cartridge form factor via the grasper.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 withdrawing the second data cartridge vertically from a second data cartridge magazine via the grasper;   rotating the second data cartridge horizontally while the second data cartridge is retained in the grasper;   moving the second data cartridge to the second tape drive; and   inserting the second data cartridge in the second tape drive.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the grasper is integrated with the magazine transport. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the steps are performed in the order presented.