# US 2019/0168876 A1 · Methods and systems for transfer of data storage components in an automated data storage system using drones > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168876 A1 - Document ID: US20190168876A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/828,815 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Brian G. Goodman; Tom Haberman; Michael P. McIntosh; Shawn M. Nave; Kenny Nian Gan Qiu; George G. Zamora - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168876A1 ## CPC - B64D 1/22: Taking-up articles from earth's surface - B60L 50/40: using propulsion power supplied by capacitors - B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles - B60L 50/70: using power supplied by fuel cells (in combination with batteries B60L50/75) - B60L 53/10: characterised by the energy transfer between the charging station and the vehicle - B60L 53/35: Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles - B60L 53/36: by positioning the vehicle - B60L 53/80: Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries - B64D 1/08: the articles being load-carrying devices - G06F 3/0604: {Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management} - G06F 3/0619: {in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors} - G06F 3/0629: {Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems} - G06F 3/065: {Replication mechanisms} - G06F 3/0683: {Plurality of storage devices} - G06F 3/0686: {Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox} - B60L 2200/10: Air crafts - B60L 2200/40: Working vehicles - B64U 30/20: Rotors; Rotor supports - B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors - B64U 2101/60: for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons - B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A data storage system that moves and transfers components (e.g., the data storage cartridges, data storage magazines, etc.) utilizing drone systems is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises at least one data storage library for storing, reading, and writing of data to or on a plurality of data storage cartridges and at least one drone vehicle. The system also includes a processing device and a non-transitory, computer-readable memory containing programming instructions. The programming instructions are configured to cause the processing device to receive a request to transfer a data storage component to a destination location, in response to receiving the request, instruct a drone vehicle to perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location, and by the drone vehicle, perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location. In accordance with another embodiment, a drone vehicle for transferring data storage components is disclosed. According to yet another embodiment, a method of transferring data storage components within a data storage system utilizing drones is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A data storage system, the system comprising: at least one data storage library for the storage, reading, and writing of data on a plurality of data storage cartridges; at least one drone vehicle; a processing device; and a non-transitory, computer-readable memory containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the processing device to: receive a request to transfer a data storage component to a destination location, in response to receiving the request, instruct a drone vehicle to perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location, and by the drone vehicle, perform at least part of the transfer of the data storage component to the destination location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one data storage library comprises: a data storage drive; a plurality of data storage slots; a library controller; at least one of the group consisting of an import/export (I/O) station, a pass-through portal, a magazine slot and combinations thereof; and a docking station configured to associate with a drone vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The data storage system of claim 2, wherein the docking station comprises: a docking structure; and a power source configured to supply power to a drone vehicle associated with the docking station. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The data storage system of claim 2, wherein the data storage library further comprises at least one robotic accessor configured to transfer a data storage component within the data storage library. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The data storage system of claim 2, wherein the docking station further comprises a coupling interface configured to operably couple the docking station to a frame of the data storage library. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The data storage system of claim 3, wherein the docking structure comprises one or more docking aids configured to engage one or more landing structures of a drone vehicle and form a stable attachment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The data storage system of claim 6, wherein the one or more docking aids are selected from at least one of the group consisting of: slots, brackets, wedges, channels, tethers, grooves, recesses, latches, hooks, pins, and magnetic docking aids configured to exert an electromagnetic field, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drone vehicle comprises: a flight assembly; a frame; one or more landing structures; a power source; a package holding assembly; and a control unit comprising a processing device and a memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The data storage system of claim 8, wherein the package holding assembly comprises a gripper assembly configured to perform at least one of the group consisting of: retrieving, releasing, and holding a data storage component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The data storage system of claim 8, wherein the package holding assembly further comprises at least one of the group consisting of a storage slot, a magazine slot, and a holding structure for holding a data storage component during transfer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The data storage system of claim 8, wherein the at least one drone vehicle further comprises a scanner module configured to read information from a data storage component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the destination location comprises at least one of the group consisting of a storage slot of a data storage library, a magazine slot of a data storage library, a data storage drive of a data storage library, an I/O station of a data storage library, a robotic accessor of a data storage library, and a pass-through portal of a data storage library. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The data storage system of claim 1, wherein the data storage system further comprises a vault storage configured for long-term storage of a plurality of data storage cartridges. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The data storage system of claim 13, wherein the destination location comprises at least one of the group consisting of a vault storage cell, a vault magazine slot, a vault pass-through portal, and a vault I/O station. ### Claim 15 A drone vehicle for transferring data storage components in a data storage system, the drone vehicle comprising: a flight assembly; a frame; at least one landing structure; a package holding assembly configured to hold and release a data storage component; a power source; a processing device; and a non-transitory, computer-readable memory containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the processing device to: receive a command for transferring a data storage component from a source location to a destination location in a data storage system, by the package holding assembly, cause the drone vehicle to hold the data storage component, and by the flight assembly, cause the drone vehicle to move to a location that is not the source location, wherein the drone vehicle is configured to move and transfer data storage components within the data storage system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The drone vehicle of claim 15, wherein the at least one landing structure comprises one or more landing sensors, wherein the landing sensor comprises at least one of the group of the following: an optical sensor; a radio sensor; a contact sensor; a proximity sensor; an acceleration sensor; a magnetic sensor; a pressure sensor; and combinations thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The drone vehicle of claim 15, wherein the package holding assembly comprises a gripper assembly configured to perform at least one of the group consisting of: retrieving, releasing, and holding a data storage component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The drone vehicle of claim 15, wherein the package holding assembly further comprises a holding structure for holding a data storage component during transfer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The drone vehicle of claim 15, wherein the drone vehicle is further configured to move and transfer data storage components to and from a vault storage in the data storage system. ### Claim 20 A method for transferring data storage components within a data storage system, the method comprising: instructing a drone vehicle, by a processing device, to transfer a data storage component to a destination location; and by the drone vehicle, transferring the data storage component to the destination location, wherein the destination location comprises at least one of the group consisting of a storage slot of a data storage library, a magazine slot of a data storage library, a data storage drive of a data storage library, an I/O station of a data storage library, a robot accessor of a data storage library, a pass-through portal of a data storage library, a vault storage cell, a vault magazine slot, a vault pass-through portal, and a vault I/O station.