Simplified storage media library subsystem

An apparatus for limiting a human operator's access to storage media cartridges stored in a storage library subsystem for purposes of adding or removing said storage media cartridges in said storage library subsystem, said apparatus comprising:

• door means in said storage library subsystem having an open position adapted to permit the operator to access a limited number of storage media cartridges in said storage library subsystem and a closed position adapted to prevent the operator from accessing said storage media cartridges in said storage library subsystem;
• lock means cooperatively engaged with said door means for controllably maintaining said door means in said closed position to prevent the operator from accessing said storage media cartridges;
• access control means cooperatively engaged with said door means and with said lock means for allowing the operator to access said limited number of storage media cartridges only when said moveable means is in a stationary first position and for preventing the operator from accessing said storage media cartridges when said moveable means is not in said stationary first position;
• a plurality of magazine means each having a plurality of slots, each said slot being adapted to receive one of said storage media cartridges, a subset of said slots being designated as reserved for operator access to transfer storage media cartridges into or out of said storage library subsystem;
• rotatable carousel means within said storage library subsystem for holding said plurality of magazine means;
• carousel control means cooperatively engaged with said access control means for controllably rotating said rotatable carousel means,
• wherein said lock means are operable by said access control means to unlock said door means only when the reserved subset of said slots is rotated on said carousel means by said carousel control means into said stationary first position aligned with said door means to permit the operator to access the reserved subset of said slots;
• and
• wherein said lock means are further operable by said access control means to lock said door means when said carousel means is not in said stationary first position in alignment with said door means.

An apparatus for semi-automatic inventory control of additional storage media cartridges stored independent of storage within a storage library subsystem, said storage library subsystem comprising:

• internal storage means for storing storage media cartridges within said storage library subsystem;
• manipulator means for controllably moving said storage media cartridges among various locations internal to said storage library subsystem;
• communication means for requesting manipulation of a particular one of said storage media cartridges;
• and
• control means cooperatively engaged with said manipulator means, with said internal storage means, and responsive to requests from said communication means for retrieving a specific one of said storage media cartridges for further processing within said storage library subsystem,
• said apparatus comprising:
• external storage means independent of said internal storage means for storing said additional storage media cartridges;
• inventory identification means associated with said additional storage media cartridges and cooperatively engaged with said control means for uniquely identifying each one of said storage media cartridges;
• memory means cooperatively engaged with said control means for recording information derived from said inventory identification means associated with said additional storage media cartridges in said external storage means;
• and
• operator information means cooperatively engaged with said control means for communicating with a human operator that a particular one of said additional storage media cartridges requested by said communication means is located in said external storage means requiring operator intervention to retrieve said requested additional storage media cartridge.

A method for adding new storage media cartridges to a storage media cartridge inventory in a storage library subsystem,

• said storage library subsystem comprising:
• rotatable carousel means having a plurality of slots, each said slot being adapted to hold one of said storage media cartridges, a portion of said slots being reserved for temporary storage of said new storage media cartridges;
• cartridge access port means for permitting controlled human operator access to a limited number of said storage media cartridges during normal operation of said storage library subsystem;
• door means for controllably covering said cartridge access port means to limit human operator access to said storage media cartridges, said door means having an open position to permit said human operator to access said limited number of said storage media cartridges through said cartridges access port means, said door means further having a closed position covering said cartridge access port means to prevent said human operator from accessing said storage media cartridges;
• lock means cooperatively engaged with said door means for controllably restricting movement of said door means, said lock means being adapted to controllably lock said door means to prevent said door means from moving to said open position so as to preclude human operator access to said media cartridges, said lock means being further adapted to controllably unlock to permit said door means to be moved to said open position so as to permit said human operator to access said limited number of said storage media cartridges;
• read/write device means to record information on, and to retrieve information from said storage media cartridges;
• moveable robotic gripper means for controllably moving said storage media cartridges within said storage library subsystem;
• operator input means for receiving input from said human operator regarding operation of said storage library subsystem;
• and
• control means cooperatively engaged with said rotable carousel means, with said cartridge access port means, with said door means, with said lock means, with said moveable robotic gripper means, and with said operator input means for controllably gripping, releasing, and moving said storage media cartridges from a first position within said storage library subsystem to a second position within said storage library subsystem,
• said method comprising the steps of:
• rotating said rotable carousel means so that only said reserved slots are aligned with said cartridge access port means;
• controlling said locking means to unlock said door means to permit said human operator to access said reserved slots through said cartridge access port means;
• waiting for said human operator to indicate through said operator input means completion of access to said reserved locations to add said new storage media cartridges to said reserved slots;
• controlling said locking means to lock said door means to prevent said human operator from accessing said media cartridges;
• and
• activating said moveable robotic gripper means and said rotable carousel means to move said new storage media cartridges from said reserved slots in said rotable carousel means to other slots in said rotable carousel means.

A method for removing storage media cartridges from a storage media cartridge inventory in a storage library subsystem,

• said storage library subsystem comprising:
• rotatable carousel means having a plurality of slots, each said slot being adapted to hold one of said storage media cartridges, a portion of said slots being reserved for temporary storage of said storage media cartridges;
• cartridge access port means for permitting controlled human operator access to said storage media cartridges during normal operation of said storage library subsystem;
• door means for controllably covering said cartridge access port means to limit human operator access to said storage media cartridges, said door means having an open position to permit said human operator to access a limited number of said storage media cartridges through said cartridges access port means, said door means further having a closed position covering said cartridge access port means to prevent said human operator from accessing said storage media cartridges;
• lock means cooperatively engaged with said door means for controllably restricting movement of said door means, said lock means being adapted to controllably lock said door means to prevent said door means from moving to said open position so as to preclude human operator access to said media cartridges, said lock means being further adapted to controllably unlock to permit said door means to be moved to said open position so as to permit said human operator to access said storage media cartridges;
• read/write device means to record information on, and to retrieve information from said storage media cartridges;
• moveable robotic gripper means for controllably moving said storage media cartridges within said storage library subsystem;
• operator input means for receiving input from said human operator regarding operation of said storage library subsystem;
• and
• control means cooperatively engaged with said rotable carousel means, with said cartridge access port means, with said door means, with said lock means, with said moveable robotic gripper means, and with said operator input means for controllably gripping, releasing, and moving said storage media cartridges from a first position within said storage library subsystem to a second position within said storage library subsystem,
• said method comprising the steps of:
• waiting for said human operator to indicate through said operator input means which of said storage media cartridges stored within said storage library subsystem are to be removed;
• activating said moveable robotic gripper means and said rotable carousel means to move said indicated storage media cartridges from slots in said rotable carousel means to said reserved slots in said rotable carousel means
• rotating said rotable carousel means so that only said reserved slots are aligned with said cartridge access port means;
• controlling said locking means to unlock said door means to permit said human operator to access said reserved slots through said cartridge access port means;
• waiting for said human operator to indicate through said operator input means completion of access to said reserved locations to remove said indicated storage media cartridges from said reserved slots;
• and
• controlling said locking means to lock said door means to prevent said human operator from accessing said media cartridges.