Pass-through mechanism for linear tape library
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsAndrew Stuart Green, Frank Krick, Shawn Michael Nave, Raymond Yardy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- maintaining a pass-through mechanism in an overhead position over a first linear tape library string and a second linear tape library string, wherein the pass-through mechanism couples the first linear tape library string to the second linear tape library string;
- and
- placing, by a first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string, a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism, wherein the first and the second tape library strings are included in a plurality of linear tape library strings that are coupled by a plurality of pass-through mechanisms, and wherein a selected tape can be moved from one linear tape library string to another over a plurality of paths by using one or more of the plurality of pass-through mechanisms.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of linear tape library strings comprising a first linear tape library string and a second linear tape library string;
- a plurality of pass-through mechanisms comprising at least a pass-through mechanism that couples the first linear tape library string to the second linear tape library string;
- a first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string;
- a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor executes operations, the operations comprising:
- maintaining the pass-through mechanism in an overhead position over the first linear tape library string and the second linear tape library string;
- and
- placing, by the first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string, a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism, wherein the plurality of tape library strings are coupled by the plurality of pass-through mechanisms, and wherein a selected tape can be moved from one linear tape library string to another over a plurality of paths by using one or more of the plurality of pass-through mechanisms.
An article of manufacture including code, wherein the code when executed by a processor performs operations, the operations comprising:
- maintaining a pass-through mechanism in an overhead position over a first linear tape library string and a second linear tape library string, wherein the pass-through mechanism couples the first linear tape library string to the second linear tape library string;
- and
- placing, by a first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string, a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism, wherein the first and the second tape library strings are included in a plurality of tape library strings that are coupled by a plurality of pass-through mechanisms, and wherein a selected tape can be moved from one tape library string to another over a plurality of paths by using one or more of the plurality of pass-through mechanisms.
A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating machine-readable code into a machine, wherein code is combination with the machine is capable of performing:
- maintaining a pass-through mechanism in an overhead position over a first linear tape library string and a second linear tape library string, wherein the pass-through mechanism couples the first linear tape library string to the second linear tape library string;
- and
- placing, by a first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string, a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism, wherein the first and the second tape library strings are included in a plurality of tape library strings that are coupled by a plurality of pass-through mechanisms, and wherein a selected tape can be moved from one tape library string to another over a plurality of paths by using one or more of the plurality of pass-through mechanisms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.