JP2010067316A - Library device, method of detecting position of recording medium, and magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a library device storing a plurality of recording media in a medium insertion/removal direction and managing the position of the recording medium with a simple mechanism, and to provide a method of detecting the position of the recording medium, and a magazine. <P>SOLUTION: The library device includes a self-propelled mechanism 80 movable in a two-dimensional direction, and a magazine 160 for housing a plurality of recording media 20 and 21 in an insertion/removal depth direction. The magazine 160 includes: a first medium position detection mechanism 40 and a second medium position detection mechanism 41 having a first color filter 30 and a second color filter 31 not transmitting light of a specific wavelength and an arm rotating mechanism 42 in contact with the recording media 20 and 21 to rotate the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31; and an optical mirror 90 for reflecting light emitted from a light source 81 and passing through the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31. The self-propelled mechanism 80 includes a storage state detection part 82 for receiving light reflected from the optical mirror 90 and detecting the storage states of the recording media 20 and 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a library apparatus, a recording medium position detection method, and a magazine, and more particularly, to a library apparatus that can realize position management of a recording medium storing a plurality of recording media in a medium insertion / extraction direction with a simple mechanism, and the recording medium of the recording medium The present invention relates to a position detection method and a magazine.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-133867 discloses a technique for accurately and quickly performing a batch registration process for recording media without requiring special equipment for a storage shelf in a library apparatus.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, the accessor of the transfer robot includes a reflective optical sensor and a barcode reader. The accessor scans continuously in the arrangement direction of the plurality of cells in the storage shelf. The medium presence / absence recognition device discriminates the presence / absence of a recording medium in each cell based on the detection level of reflected light of the light irradiated to the cell and the recording medium from the reflective optical sensor during scanning and the position information of the accessor To do. By continuously performing the process of reading the barcode label affixed to the recording medium detected inside the cell by the barcode reader, the library apparatus performs the registration process of a large number of recording media in the storage shelf at once. Do it.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 describes a technique that can reliably detect the presence or absence of a recording medium in a medium storage in an automatic loading device.

  In the technology described in Patent Document 2, the automatic loading device includes a medium storage having a plurality of cells divided in the vertical direction, a medium transport mechanism that can move up and down along the medium storage, and a medium storage A medium feeding mechanism that holds the recording medium stored in the cell and feeds it to the medium transport mechanism, and a medium pushing mechanism that pushes the recording medium into the cell. The medium transport mechanism includes a medium presence / absence confirmation sensor that detects whether or not a recording medium is stored in the cell.

  In the automatic loading apparatus configured as described above, after the recording medium is pushed into the cells in all stages of the medium storage by the medium pushing mechanism, the recording medium is accommodated in each cell by the medium presence / absence confirmation sensor. Detect whether or not.

JP 09-091930 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-134461

  The techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 both store only one recording medium in the insertion / extraction direction (depth direction) of the recording medium of a plurality of cells provided in the medium storage shelf (medium storage). It is a configuration.

  In Patent Document 1, when a plurality of recording media are stored in a cell in the insertion / extraction direction of the recording medium in order to read a barcode label attached to the recording medium detected inside the cell by a barcode reader. Therefore, it is impossible to determine the presence or absence of the recording medium stored in the back side without retracting the recording medium on the near side.

  Further, Patent Document 2 is provided with a medium presence / absence confirmation sensor (reflective photosensor) for detecting whether or not a recording medium is stored in a cell in a medium transport mechanism, and a plurality of recordings are performed in the recording medium insertion / extraction direction. When the medium is stored in the cell, it is impossible to determine the presence or absence of the recording medium stored in the back side without evacuating the recording medium on the near side.

  Therefore, the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can determine whether or not there is a recording medium on the front side when a plurality of recording media are stored in the cell with respect to the insertion / extraction direction of the recording medium. There is a problem that it is impossible to determine the presence or absence of a recording medium stored in the back side without evacuating.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a library device, a recording medium position detection method, and a magazine that solve the above-described problems.

  The library apparatus of the present invention is a library apparatus having a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction and a magazine that stores a plurality of recording media in the depth direction to be inserted and removed. And a medium position detecting mechanism having an arm rotating mechanism that rotates the color filter in contact with the recording medium, and an optical mirror that reflects the light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the color filter. The running mechanism has a light source and a storage state detection unit that receives reflected light from the optical mirror and detects the storage state of the recording medium, and the medium position detection mechanism corresponds to the number of storage positions of the recording medium in the depth direction. It is characterized by providing.

  The position detection method of the library apparatus of the present invention is a recording medium position detection method of a library apparatus having a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction and a magazine that stores a plurality of recording media in the depth direction of insertion and removal. The magazine includes a step of providing a medium position detection mechanism corresponding to the number of storage positions of the recording medium in the depth direction, a contact with the recording medium by the medium position detection mechanism, and rotation of the color filter by the arm rotation mechanism, so that light of a specific wavelength is obtained. The self-propelling mechanism receives the reflected light from the optical mirror and receives the reflected light from the optical mirror, and the recording medium receives the reflected light from the optical mirror. The storage state detection unit has a step of detecting the storage state.

  The magazine of the present invention is a magazine that stores a plurality of recording media in a depth direction in which a recording medium is inserted and removed by a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction, and a color filter that does not transmit light of a specific wavelength and the recording medium A medium position detection mechanism having an arm rotation mechanism that rotates the color filter in contact with the optical filter, and an optical mirror that reflects the light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the color filter. A storage state detection unit that receives reflected light from the mirror and detects the storage state of the recording medium, and the medium position detection mechanism is provided corresponding to the number of storage positions of the recording medium in the depth direction. .

  The library apparatus according to the present invention detects, with a simple mechanism, the presence or absence of a recording medium stored in the back side without evacuating the recording medium on the near side in the position management of the recording medium storing a plurality of recording media in the medium insertion / extraction direction. There is an effect that can be done.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a schematic configuration perspective view showing an embodiment of a library apparatus 200 according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration block diagram of a storage state detection unit 82 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a light diagram in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the shaft 50, the first medium position detection mechanism 40, the second medium position detection mechanism 41, and the recording media 20, 21, and FIG. 4 shows the optical axis 50, the optical mirror 90, and the light reception. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the relationship with the unit 72, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the wavelength transmission characteristics of the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a library apparatus 200 of the present invention includes a self-propelled mechanism 80 (also referred to as an accessor) that can move in the X direction 501 and the Z direction 502, and a plurality of recording media in the depth direction (Y direction 503) to be inserted and removed. And a magazine 160 for storing 20 and 21.

  The magazine 160 includes the storage cell 10, the first medium position detection mechanism 40, the second medium position detection mechanism 41, and the optical mirror 90. In FIG. 1, the number of storage positions of the recording media 20 and 21 in the depth direction (Y direction 503) is the first storage position 11 and the second storage position 12, so the first medium position corresponds to the number of storage positions. A detection mechanism 40 and a second medium position detection mechanism 41 are provided.

  The magazine 160 has a structure including a plurality of storage cells 10 in the Z direction 502, but is not shown.

  1 and 3, the first medium position detection mechanism 40 includes a first color filter 30 and an arm rotation mechanism 42 that rotates the first color filter 30 in contact with the side surface 20 a of the recording medium 20. The second medium position detection mechanism 41 includes a second color filter 31 and an arm rotation mechanism 42 that rotates the second color filter 31 in contact with the side surface 21 a of the recording medium 21. The arm rotation mechanism 42 includes a roller 43 that rotates in contact with the side surfaces 20 a and 21 a of the recording media 20 and 21 at the tip of the arm portion 44. The arm rotation mechanism 42 rotates and moves the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31 on the optical axis 50 of the emitted light from the white light emitting element 81 (light source) in accordance with the presence or absence of the recording media 20 and 21. Or a mechanism (not shown in detail) for rotating or moving to a position off the optical axis 50. The recording media 20 and 21 are magnetic tape media. The magnetic tape medium is included in the cartridge case, and the magnetic tape medium including the magnetic tape medium in the cartridge case is referred to as recording media 20 and 21.

  Here, the wavelength transmission characteristics of the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 5, the first color filter 30 is not transmissive to light in the red wavelength band λR (transmittance: T11) and is transmissive to light in the blue wavelength band λB (transmittance: T12). With characteristics. The second color filter 31 has characteristics of being non-transmissive to light in the blue wavelength band λB (transmittance: T22) and transmissive to light in the red wavelength band λR (transmittance: T21). The first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31 have wavelength characteristics such that T11 and T22 are 5% or less and T12 and T21 are 95% or more.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the optical mirror 90 reflects light emitted from the white light emitting element 81 and transmitted through the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31. Further, the optical mirror 90 is provided so as to be inclined at an angle (θ degree in FIG. 4) at which the light emitted from the white light emitting element 81 can be received by the light receiving unit 72 of the color camera 71.

  Next, the self-propelled mechanism 80 will be described in detail.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the self-propelled mechanism 80 includes a white light emitting element 81 and a storage state detection unit 82 that receives reflected light from the optical mirror 90 and detects the storage state of the recording media 20 and 21.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the storage state detection unit 82 includes a color camera 71, a color separator 101, a red intensity detector 110, a blue intensity detector 111, a reference value setting unit 130, a comparator 120, A medium presence / absence determination unit 140 and an output unit 150 are provided.

  The color camera 71 receives the reflected light from the optical mirror 90, and the light intensity detector 73 detects the light intensity of the red wavelength band λR and the blue wavelength band λB.

  The color separator 101 splits the light in the red wavelength band λR and the light in the blue wavelength band λB.

  The red intensity detector 110 detects the light intensity in the red wavelength band λR, and the blue intensity detector 111 detects the light intensity in the blue wavelength band λB. Note that the red intensity detector 110 and the blue intensity detector 111 may digitize the red light intensity and the blue light intensity, respectively.

  The reference value setting unit 130 stores the preset first reference value 131 and second reference value 132 in a memory (not shown).

  Here, the set values of the first reference value 131 and the second reference value 132 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Assuming that the first reference value 131 is B1, the second reference value 132 is B2, the red light intensity is W1, and the blue light intensity is W2, α × W1 × T11 <B1 <β × W1 × T21, α × W2 × It is assumed that T22 <B2 <β × W2 × T12. However, W1 and W2 are measured values obtained in advance by experiments. In the experiment, the measurement may be performed in a state where both the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31 exist on the optical axis 50. Further, α and β are constants for more reliably performing the determination by the medium presence / absence determination unit 140 in consideration of variations of various components constituting the optical system from the white light emitting element 81 to the light receiving unit 72. . Specifically, for example, if 1.2 <α <1.5 and 0.5 <β <0.8, the presence / absence determination of the recording media 20 and 21 can be performed completely without room for erroneous determination. It becomes.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, the comparator 120 compares the light intensity of the red intensity detector 110 with the first reference value 131, the light intensity of the blue intensity detector 111 and the second intensity. And a second comparator 122 that performs comparison with a reference value 132.

  The medium presence / absence determination unit 140 determines the presence / absence of the recording medium 20 or 21 at each storage position of the storage cell 10 from the comparison result 142 between the first comparator 121 and the second comparator 122.

  The output unit 150 outputs the determination result of the presence / absence of the recording media 20 and 21. FIG. 6 shows an example of the medium presence / absence determination result 141 to be output. The determination result may be stored in a memory (not shown) and displayed on the display device.

  Next, the operation of the library apparatus 200 configured as described above will be described.

  As an example, a case where the recording media 20 and 21 are present in both the first storage position 11 and the second storage position 12 of the storage cell 10 will be described.

  1 and 4, first, the self-propelled mechanism 80 moves and is positioned in the X direction 501 and the Z direction 502 with respect to the storage cell 10 that determines the presence or absence of the recording media 20 and 21.

  After being positioned, the white light emitting element 81 emits white light. The emitted light passes through the first color filter 30 and the second color filter 31 in this order, and reaches the optical mirror 90.

  The emitted light is transmitted through the first color filter 30 by T11% for the light in the red wavelength band λR and T12% for the light in the blue wavelength band λB, and at the position of the second color filter 31, the blue wavelength band λB. T12 × T22% is transmitted through the light and T11 × T21% is transmitted through the red wavelength band λR.

  The outgoing light that has passed through the second color filter 31 is reflected by the optical mirror 90 and enters the light receiving portion 72 of the color camera 71.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the color camera 71 detects the light intensity of the red wavelength band λR and the blue wavelength band λB of the light received by the light receiving unit 72.

  The color separator 101 splits the light in the red wavelength band λR and the light in the blue wavelength band λB.

  The red intensity detector 110 detects the light intensity of the divided red wavelength band λR, and the blue intensity detector 111 detects the light intensity of the divided blue wavelength band λB.

  The first comparator 121 compares the red light intensity W1 detected by the red intensity detector 110 with B1 that is the first reference value 131. In this embodiment, W1 <B1.

  The second comparator 122 compares the blue light intensity W2 detected by the blue intensity detector 111 with B2 that is the second reference value 132. In this embodiment, W2 <B2.

  The medium presence / absence determination unit 140 determines the presence / absence of the recording medium 20 or 21 at each storage position of the storage cell 10 from the comparison result 142 of the first comparator 121 and the second comparator 122.

  The medium presence / absence determination unit 140 has the recording medium 20 in the first storage position 11 of the storage cell 10 when W1 <B1, and does not have the recording medium 20 in the first storage position 11 of the storage cell 10 when B1 <W1. Is determined. When W2 <B2, it is determined that there is a recording medium 21 at the second storage position 12 of the storage cell 10, and when B2 <W2, it is determined that there is no recording medium 21 at the second storage position 12 of the storage cell 10.

  In this embodiment, since W1 <B1 and W2 <B2, it is determined that the recording medium 20 is present at the first storage position 11 and the recording medium 21 is also present at the second storage position 12.

  The output unit 150 outputs a medium presence / absence determination result 141 as shown in FIG.

  As described above, the library apparatus 200 stores the recording medium 20 on the back side without retracting the recording medium 20 on the near side in the position management of the recording media 20 and 21 in which the plurality of recording media 20 and 21 are stored in the medium insertion / extraction direction. There is an effect that the presence or absence of the recording medium 21 can be accurately detected with a simple mechanism. A first color filter 30 and a second color filter 31 having different wavelength transmission characteristics are provided, and the received red light intensity W1 and blue light intensity W2 are compared with the first reference value 131 and the second reference value 132, respectively. This is because the presence or absence of the recording media 20 and 21 is detected.

  Further, the library apparatus 200 has an effect that the presence / absence of the recording media 20 and 21 can be detected without providing complicated circuits and mechanisms. By the arm rotation mechanism 42 of the first medium position detection mechanism 40 and the second medium position detection mechanism 41, the first color filter is positioned on the optical axis 50 in a position deviated from the optical axis 50 in conjunction with the presence or absence of the recording medium 20, 21. 30 because the second color filter 31 can be rotated.

  In the above description, the recording media 20 and 21 are described as magnetic tapes. However, it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained as an optical disk instead of the magnetic tape, and it is included in the present invention. Nor.

1 is a schematic configuration perspective view showing an embodiment of a library apparatus of the present invention. It is a schematic block diagram of the storage state detection part in FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a relationship among an optical axis, a first medium position detection mechanism, a second medium position detection mechanism, and a recording medium in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between an optical axis, an optical mirror, and a light-receiving part. It is a figure for demonstrating the wavelength transmission characteristic of a 1st color filter and a 2nd color filter. It is a figure which shows an example of a medium presence determination result.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Storage cell 11 1st storage position 12 2nd storage position 20, 21 Recording medium 20a, 21a Side surface 30 1st color filter 31 2nd color filter 40 1st medium position detection mechanism 41 2nd medium position detection mechanism 42 Arm rotation mechanism DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 43 Roller 44 Arm part 50 Optical axis 71 Color camera 72 Light receiving part 73 Light intensity detection part 80 Self-propelled mechanism 81 White light emitting element 82 Storage state detection part 90 Optical mirror 101 Color separator 110 Red intensity detector 111 Blue intensity detector 120 Comparator 121 First comparator 122 Second comparator 130 Reference value setting unit 131 First reference value 132 Second reference value 140 Medium presence / absence determination unit 141 Medium presence / absence determination result 142 Comparison result 150 Output unit 160 Magazine 200 Library device 501 X Direction 502 Z direction 503 Y direction λR Red Wavelength band λB Blue wavelength band W1 Red light intensity W2 Blue light intensity

Claims (16)

In a library apparatus having a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction and a magazine that stores a plurality of recording media in the depth direction to be inserted and removed, the magazine includes a color filter that does not transmit light of a specific wavelength, and the magazine A medium position detection mechanism having an arm rotation mechanism that rotates the color filter in contact with a recording medium; and an optical mirror that reflects light that is emitted from a light source and transmitted through the color filter. The light source, and a storage state detection unit that receives reflected light from the optical mirror and detects a storage state of the recording medium, and the medium position detection mechanism includes the number of storage positions of the recording medium in the depth direction. A library apparatus characterized by being provided corresponding to The library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a white light emitting element. The arm rotation mechanism has means for moving the color filter on the optical axis of the emitted light of the light source or moving it to a position off the optical axis in accordance with the presence or absence of the recording medium. The library apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm rotation mechanism has a roller in contact with a side surface of the recording medium at a tip of the arm portion. 5. The magazine includes a storage cell that stores the two recording media in the depth direction, a first medium position detection mechanism and a second medium position detection mechanism corresponding to the storage position of the recording medium, The medium position detection mechanism includes a first color filter that transmits or does not transmit light in a red wavelength band, and the second medium position detection mechanism transmits or does not transmit light in a blue wavelength band. The library apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second color filter. The storage state detection unit receives a reflected light from the optical mirror, detects a light intensity of the red wavelength band and the blue wavelength band, a light of the red wavelength band and a light of the blue wavelength band A color separator that divides light, a red intensity detector that detects light intensity in the red wavelength band, a blue intensity detector that detects light intensity in the blue wavelength band, and a light intensity of the red intensity detector A first comparator that compares the light intensity of the blue intensity detector with a second reference value that is set in advance, and the first comparison A medium presence / absence determination unit that determines the presence / absence of the recording medium relative to the storage position from a comparison result between the storage device and the second comparator, and an output unit that outputs a determination result of the presence / absence of the recording medium. The library apparatus according to claim 5. The library apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical mirror includes means for tilting the light emitted from the light source at an angle at which the light is received by the color camera. The library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium includes a magnetic tape. In the method for detecting the position of a recording medium in a library apparatus, which has a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction and a magazine that stores a plurality of recording media in the depth direction to be inserted and removed, Providing a medium position detection mechanism corresponding to the number of storage positions; contacting the recording medium by the medium position detection mechanism; rotating the color filter by an arm rotation mechanism; And a step of reflecting the light emitted from the light source and transmitted through the color filter by an optical mirror, wherein the self-propelled mechanism receives the reflected light from the optical mirror and stores the recording medium. A method for detecting a position of a recording medium of a library apparatus, comprising a step of detecting a state by a storage state detection unit. The magazine includes storing two recording media in the depth direction of the storage cell, and providing a first medium position detection mechanism and a second medium position detection mechanism corresponding to the storage position of the recording medium. And having the first medium position detection mechanism make the red wavelength band light non-transmissive with the first color filter, and the second medium position detection mechanism with respect to the blue wavelength band light. The method for detecting a position of a recording medium in a library apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a step of making non-transmission with a two-color filter. The storage state detection unit receives reflected light from the optical mirror, detects a light intensity of the red wavelength band and the blue wavelength band by a color camera, and the light of the red wavelength band and the blue wavelength. Dividing the light into a band of light by a color separator, detecting the light intensity of the red wavelength band by a red intensity detector, detecting the light intensity of the blue wavelength band by a blue intensity detector, The first comparator compares the light intensity of the red intensity detector with a preset first reference value, and the comparison of the light intensity of the blue intensity detector with a preset second reference value is performed first. A step performed by two comparators, a step of determining the presence / absence of the recording medium with respect to the storage position by a medium presence / absence determining unit from a comparison result between the first comparator and the second comparator, Position detecting method of the recording medium library apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises a step of outputting a judgment result of the presence or absence of the recording medium. 12. The method for detecting the position of a recording medium in a library apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the optical mirror has a step of tilting the light emitted from the light source at an angle at which the light emitted from the light source is received by the color camera. In a magazine containing a plurality of recording media in the depth direction in which the recording media are inserted and removed by a self-propelled mechanism that can move in a multidimensional direction, a color filter that does not transmit light of a specific wavelength is in contact with the recording media. A medium position detection mechanism having an arm rotation mechanism that rotates the color filter; and an optical mirror that reflects light that is emitted from a light source and transmitted through the color filter, and the self-propelled mechanism includes the light source, A storage state detection unit that receives reflected light from the optical mirror and detects the storage state of the recording medium, and the medium position detection mechanism is provided corresponding to the number of storage positions of the recording medium in the depth direction. Magazine characterized by. The arm rotation mechanism has means for moving the color filter on the optical axis of the emitted light of the light source or moving it to a position off the optical axis in accordance with the presence or absence of the recording medium. The magazine according to claim 13. The magazine according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the arm rotation mechanism has a roller in contact with a side surface of the recording medium at an end of the arm portion. A storage cell that stores two recording media in the depth direction; a first medium position detection mechanism and a second medium position detection mechanism corresponding to the storage position of the recording medium; Has a first color filter that transmits or does not transmit light in the red wavelength band, and the second medium position detection mechanism transmits or does not transmit light in the blue wavelength band. The magazine according to any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising a filter.

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