Light conduit for a storage device carrier assembly
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsDavid Youngquist, Alexander F. Cruz, David R. Knaub
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carrier assembly for a storage device includes a body portion for mounting to the storage device, a side extension of the body portion extending laterally beyond the first lateral side of the storage device, and a light conduit provided on the side extension. The light conduit is adapted to transmit light signals from a first end of the light conduit to a second end of the light conduit. The first end of the light conduit positioned to receive the light signals from a light source positioned laterally adjacent to the first lateral side of the storage device.
Claims23
A carrier assembly for a storage device having a substantially rectangular shape including a front, a back, a top, a bottom, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side, said carrier assembly comprising:
- a body portion for mounting to the storage device;
- a side extension of the body portion, said side extension extending laterally beyond the first lateral side of the storage device;
- and
- a light conduit provided on the side extension and adapted to transmit light signals from a first end of the light conduit to a second end of the light conduit, said first end of the light conduit positioned to receive the light signals from a light source positioned laterally adjacent to the first lateral side of the storage device.
A data processing system, comprising:
- an enclosure;
- at least one device bay in the enclosure, each device bay having a light source provided therein;
- and
- at least one storage device assembly, each storage device assembly being removably mounted in one of the at least one device bays and comprising:
- a storage device having a substantially rectangular shape including a front, a back, a top, a bottom, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side;
- and
- a carrier assembly mounted to the storage device, said carrier assembly comprising:
- a body portion for mounting to the storage device;
- a side extension of the body portion, said side extension extending laterally beyond the first lateral side of the storage device;
- and
- a light conduit provided on the side extension and adapted to transmit light signals from a first end of the light conduit to a second end of the light conduit, said first end of the light conduit positioned to receive the light signals from the light source provided in the device bay into which the storage device assembly is inserted, the light source being positioned laterally adjacent to the first lateral side of the storage device.
A method of operating a data processing system, comprising:
- mounting a storage device assembly into a storage device bay in a data processing system chassis, said storage device assembly including a body portion mounted to the storage device, a side extension of the body portion, said side extension extending laterally beyond the first lateral side of the storage device, and a light conduit provided on the side extension;
- performing input/output (I/O) operations on a storage device provided in the storage device assembly;
- emitting a light signal from a location laterally adjacent to the first lateral side of the storage device to indicate a status of operation for the storage device;
- receiving the light signal at a first end of the light conduit;
- and
- transmitting the light signal from a first end of the light conduit to a second end of the light conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.