Library apparatus

A library apparatus comprising:

• memory reproducing means for performing reading and writing operations for a portable memory medium;
• inlet/outlet means for inserting and ejecting said memory medium into and out of the apparatus;
• medium stocking means for storing a plurality of said memory media;
• at least one medium conveying means for conveying said memory medium between said medium stocking means and said memory reproducing means or between the medium stocking means and said inlet/outlet means;
• first control means for receiving medium conveyance information from an upper-order unit through a plurality of channel paths and for returning a status response to said upper-order unit, said medium conveyance information including a moving command, a moving side address, and a moving destination address;
• and
• second control means for generating an operating command to said medium conveying means and for controlling said medium conveying means on the basis of said medium conveyance information from said upper-order unit via said first control means,
• wherein said first control means has
• machine number control table means for registering a correspondence relation between a logical machine number address indicated by the moving command from the upper-order unit and a channel system which generated said moving command,
• first activation processing means for receiving the moving command from the upper-order unit, for registering the correspondence relation between said logical machine number address (#N) and the channel system into said machine number control table means, for notifying the reception of the moving command to said second control means, and for returning a status response indicating whether a command parameter of said moving command may be transmitted to the upper-order unit on the basis of said response, and
• first idle processing means for clearing said machine number control table means and performing an end response to the upper-order unit when a notification signalling the completion of an execution of the medium conveyance is received from said second control means,
• and said second control means has
• queuing table means for storing a plurality of said medium conveyance information generated from said upper-order unit subsequent to said moving command,
• executing state management table means indicative of an operating state of said medium conveying means,
• second activation processing means for judging whether there is a vacancy in said queuing table means each time a receipt notification of the moving command is received from said first control means, for returning a response indicating that information can be stored if there is a vacancy, for storing the medium conveyance information transferred subsequently from the upper-order unit, and for returning a busy response when there is no vacancy, and
• second idle processing means for generating and executing an operating command to said medium conveying means that is vacant with reference to said executing state management table means in a state in which at least one medium conveyance information has been stored in said queuing table means.