Recording medium library device and control method thereof

A method of determining completion of loading of a recording medium in a recording medium library device which comprises:

• a drive console including one or more recording and reproducing means for performing at least either recording or reproduction of information by using a removable recording medium;
• a basic console for importing said recording medium to the library device and for exporting said recording medium from the library device;
• recording medium housing means having a plurality of housing sections, each capable of housing the recording medium;
• carrying means for carrying the recording medium between any one of the housing sections in the recording medium housing means and the recording and reproducing means;
• detecting means for detecting carriage of the recording medium by the carrying means to the recording and reproducing means;
• and control means for controlling the carrying means and the recording and reproducing means,
• wherein the control means sends to the carrying means a request to load the recording medium housed in the housing section in the recording medium housing means into the recording and reproducing means and, when the detecting means detects the carriage of the recording medium to the recording and reproducing means, determines that the loading of the recording medium has been completed, without waiting for completion of a preparing operation in the recording and reproducing means after the recording medium has been loaded;
• whereby said drive console and said basic console are selectively connected to one another so that the respective positions of said drive console and said basic console can be readily changed;
• and
• whereby said preparing operation is performed after it is determined that the loading of the recording medium has been completed and said preparing operation includes determining at least one address of data recorded on the recording medium.

A method of notifying completion of loading of a recording medium in a recording medium library device which comprises:

• a drive console including one or more recording and reproducing means for performing at least either recording or reproduction of information by using a removable recording medium;
• a basic console for importing said recording medium to the library device and for exporting said recording medium from the library device;
• recording medium housing means having a plurality of housing sections, each capable of housing the recording medium;
• carrying means for carrying the recording medium between any one of the housing sections in the recording medium housing means and the recording and reproducing means;
• detecting means for detecting carriage of the recording medium to the recording and reproducing means;
• and control means for controlling the carrying means and the recording and reproducing means in response to a request from a client,
• wherein in the control means, when a request to load the recording medium housed in the housing section in the recording medium housing means into the recording and reproducing means is received from the client and the carriage of the recording medium to the recording and reproducing means is detected by the detecting means, it is determined that the loading of the recording medium has been completed, without waiting for completion of a preparing operation in the recording and reproducing means after the recording medium is loaded, and the completion of loading of the recording media is notified to the client;
• whereby said drive console and said basic console are selectively connected to one another so that the respective positions of said drive console and said basic console can be readily changed;
• and
• whereby said preparing operation is performed after it is determined that the loading of the recording medium has been completed and said preparing operation includes determining at least one address of data recorded on the recording medium.