JPH04319571A - Library device having cleaning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a cleaning cartridge for cleaning a head from being inserted into a cleaning drive for, the libriary provided with a cleaning mechanism. CONSTITUTION:The device is constituted so that when a command for moving a cartridge is received from a host device, an inhibition address table 41 is referred to by a deciding circuit 40, and when it is decided that it is a command for moving the cartridge from a cleaning cartridge cell 42 to a cleaning drive 43, the command is rejected.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a library apparatus having a cleaning mechanism. In recent years, with the increase in the amount of information in computer systems, as a means of storing this information,
A variety of automated mass storage devices are available that do not require operator intervention.

This large-capacity storage device is provided with a storage shelf that accommodates a large number of recording media such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges, and each storage medium is stored in a plurality of cells provided on the storage shelf that store the recording media. An accessor equipped with a mechanical hand takes out the necessary recording medium from the cell of the storage shelf, transports it to the recording/reproducing section, sets it, writes/reads the data, and then writes/reads the data. When the process is completed, the recording medium is taken out from the recording/playback unit again and transported to the cell of the storage shelf to be stored therein, and at the same time, according to instructions from the host device, the recording medium that is no longer needed is transported to the discharge port and the operator takes it out. It is configured as a kind of automatic warehouse in which the recording medium that the operator puts into the input slot is conveyed to a recording/reproducing section and set there, or conveyed to a cell and stored therein.

0003

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a library device. FIG. 6 shows an example of a library device using an optical disk cartridge as a recording medium, in which storage shelves 15 to 17 are provided with a plurality of cells for storing optical disk cartridges 11, and designated storage shelves 15 to 17 are provided. Optical disc cartridge 11 stored in a cell
is picked up and held by a picker 4 (mechanical hand) attached to the accessor 3, conveyed to a drive device 12 or 13 that writes/reads data, and sets the held optical disc cartridge 11 therein.

[0004] When data writing/reading is completed in the drive device 12 or 13, the drive device 1
The optical disk cartridge 11 is taken out from 2 or 13 and carried to a designated cell of storage shelves 15 to 17 to be stored therein.

Therefore, the accessor 3 moves in the direction of arrow AB, moves the picker 4 in the direction of arrow CD,
The picker 4 is positioned at the cell position of the designated storage shelf. Then, move the picker 4 in the direction of arrow E-F,
The optical disc cartridge 11 is taken out and stored.

Therefore, the accessor 3 is guided by the rails 1 and 2, is moved in the direction of arrow AB by the screw 9 driven by the rotation of the motor 8, and is moved by the belt 6 driven by the rotation of the motor 7. The picker 4 is moved in the direction of the arrow CD, and the picker 4 is moved in the direction of the arrow EF by a motor (not shown) provided on the picker support mechanism 5 fixed to the accessor 3.

Furthermore, it is necessary to set the optical disc cartridge 11 horizontally in the drive device 12 or 13, and the storage shelves 15 to 17 store the optical disc cartridge 11 vertically, so the main body of the picker 4 is It can be rotated by a shaft that is driven by a motor 10 and rotates.

[0008] Also, the drive device 12 or 13 can write/write.
When instructed to eject the optical disc cartridge 11 from which reading has been completed to the loading/unloading mechanism unit 14 which also serves as an input port and an output port, the picker 4 moves to the drive device 12 or 13.
The optical disc cartridge 11 taken out from the
It is set in the input/discharge mechanism section 14 that can be pulled out in the direction of.

Further, when instructed to transport the optical disc cartridge 11 set in the loading/unloading mechanism section 14 to a designated cell, the accessor 3 transports the optical disk cartridge 11 set in the loading/unloading mechanism section 14 by the picker 4. When the optical disc cartridge 11 is transported and the picker 4 is positioned at the designated cell position, the optical disc cartridge 11 is stored.

The picker 4 shown in FIG. 6 is shown holding the optical disk cartridge 11. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a conventional library device. The central processing unit 18 operates based on instructions from an OS (operating system). Then, a move command for the accessor 3 is sent to the channel interface circuit 21 of the library device 20 via the channel 19.

The parameters of this move command include 4
Two bytes indicate the source address of the accessor 3, and the next two bytes indicate the destination address of the accessor 3.

The processor 24 operates by reading a program stored in the control memory 25, and based on the move command sent by the central processing unit 18 via the channel interface circuit 21 and its parameters, the processor 24 moves the program to the accessor via the accessor interface circuit 27. The movement source and destination of the accessor 3 are instructed to the control circuit 29 to instruct the movement of the accessor 3.

When the accessor control circuit 29 moves the picker 4 of the accessor 3 from the current position to the designated movement source address by driving each motor of the accessor 3 and picker 4 as described above, the optical disc is placed in the picker 4. The cartridge 11 is taken out.

[0014] Then, the accessor 3 is moved to the specified destination.
and moves the picker 4 to position the picker 4 at the specified address. That is, for example, if the source address is the cell number X and the destination is the drive device number Y, the picker 4 is moved according to the predetermined number of each cell provided in the storage shelves 15 to 17. The optical disc cartridge 11 is positioned in the cell with the designated number and taken out. If the drive device number Y is 12, the picker 4 is positioned in the drive device 12 and the optical disc cartridge 11 is set.

When the processor 24 is notified of the completion of the medium movement by the accessor control circuit 29 via the accessor interface circuit 27, it notifies the central processing unit 18 via the channel interface circuit 21 and the channel 19 of the completion of the command.

The optical disk library device is a large capacity storage device, and in order to eliminate the limit of its storage capacity, it is required to make the medium replaceable. Therefore, in order to make the medium replaceable, a sealed structure cannot be achieved, and dust adheres to the medium and the head, causing errors during reading and writing. Therefore, a cleaning drive that cleans the medium and a cleaning cartridge that cleans the head are required.

[0017] Therefore, when having both a cleaning drive and a cleaning cartridge, if the cleaning cartridge is inserted into the cleaning drive, there is a risk that the cleaning cartridge or the cleaning drive may be damaged due to their structure. It is necessary to take measures to prevent this from happening.

[0018]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, when a cleaning cartridge for cleaning the head is inserted into a cleaning drive for cleaning the medium of an optical disk library device, the cleaning cartridge and the cleaning drive may be damaged. was there. In view of these points, the present invention aims to provide a means for safely operating an optical disc library device by preventing a cleaning cartridge for cleaning the head from being inserted into a cleaning drive for cleaning the medium. purpose.

[0019]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above problems are solved by a library apparatus having a cleaning mechanism configured as follows. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

A plurality of cells 34 each storing a plurality of recording media, a recording and reproducing section 32 that records/reproduces data on the recording medium, an accessor 3 that transports the recording medium, and transportation of the accessor 3. Operation and the recording/reproducing section 3
2, a cleaning cartridge cell 42 that stores a cleaning cartridge for cleaning the head and a cleaning drive 4 for cleaning the medium.
3, a prohibited address table 41 for registering the addresses of the cleaning cartridge cell 42 storing the cleaning cartridge and the cleaning drive in the control means 30, and the prohibited address table 41 when a command to move the cartridge is received. 41 and determines whether the address matches the registered address. When a command to move the cartridge is received from the host device, the determination circuit 40 refers to the prohibited address table 41 and determines whether the address matches the registered address. from the cartridge cell 42 to the cleaning drive 4
The configuration is such that the command is rejected when it is determined that the command is to move the computer to 3.

[0021]

[Operation] When a command to move a cartridge is received from a host device, the determination circuit refers to the prohibited address table and rejects the command if it is determined that the command is to move the cartridge from the cleaning cartridge to the cleaning drive.

[0022]

[Embodiment] The present invention provides an optical disc library device that has both a cleaning cartridge and a cleaning drive, and provides a prohibited address table in which the address of the cleaning cartridge (cell address) and the address of the cleaning drive are registered. The purpose is to determine these addresses when a cleaning cartridge is sent, and to prevent the cleaning cartridge from being inserted into the cleaning drive.

FIG. 5 shows the parameter section of a move command for transporting a medium. This parameter consists of the current position address of the medium to be moved and the destination address, and the medium is moved according to these addresses. These addresses are assigned to cells that store the medium, drive devices that read and write information recorded on the medium, or medium input/output ports that take the medium in and out of the device. In the present invention, the addresses of the cleaning cartridge and cleaning drive are registered in advance in the library device, and when a move command is sent, the parameter part of the command is compared with the registered address. , commands to move the cleaning cartridge to the cleaning drive will not be accepted.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention. When a move command is sent from the host device (central processing unit 18 and channel 19), the processor 24 in the library device 20 interprets the command, and the determination circuit 40 changes the parameter part (address) of the command to a prohibited address. Compare with the values in table 41.

In the prohibited address table 41, the addresses of the cleaning cartridge cell 42 and the cleaning drive 43 are registered, and when an address for transporting the cleaning cartridge to the cleaning drive 43 is sent, The command is not executed for the accessor 3, and the rejection of the command is reported to the upper layer. If the address of the command does not match the value in the prohibited address table 41, the processor 24 issues a command to the accessor 3 to transport the medium, and reports to the upper layer that the command has been successfully received.

FIG. 3 shows a cleaning drive for cleaning the medium of an optical disc library device and a cleaning cartridge for cleaning the head. Since optical disc devices use laser light to perform reading, there is no contact between the drive device and the optical disc cartridge. However, since the cleaning drive that cleans the media removes dust, its cleaning part comes into contact with the media cartridge to remove dust from the media, and the cleaning cartridge also removes dust from the drive device. The cleaning portion is configured to come into contact with the drive device to remove dust. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning cartridge and the optical head section, in which the cleaning brush 46 provided on the substrate 47 of the cleaning cartridge 44 comes into contact with the optical head 45 of the drive device 12 and removes dust. Indicates that the removal of .

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning drive and the optical disc cartridge section.
8 is inserted, and the cleaning head 51 of the cleaning drive 43 rises in the direction of the arrow toward the optical disc 49 of the optical disc cartridge, and the cleaning brush 50 contacts the optical disc 49 and adheres to the optical disc 49. Indicates that dust is to be removed.

As explained above, the library device 20
With only a slight change from the conventional technology of providing a table for registering the addresses of the cleaning cartridge cell and the cleaning drive in the control circuit and comparing them, it is possible to prevent the device from being damaged by inserting the cleaning cartridge into the cleaning drive. can be prevented.

[0029]

As is clear from the above description, the present invention has a remarkable industrial effect in that even if there is a bug in the software, damage to the device can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1] Principle diagram of the present invention

[Figure 2] Configuration diagram of a library device according to an embodiment of the present invention

[Figure 3] Explanatory diagram of cleaning cartridge and cleaning drive

[Figure 4] Configuration diagram of conventional library device

[Figure 5]
Move command parameter format

[Figure 6]
Diagram illustrating a configuration example of a library device

[Explanation of symbols]

1,2 rail
3 Accessor 4 Picker
5 Picker support mechanism 6 Belt
7, 8, 10 Motor 9 Screw
11 Optical disc cartridge 12, 13 Drive device
14 Input/discharge mechanism section 15, 16, 17 Media shelf
18 Central processing unit 19 Channel
20 Library device 21 Channel interface circuit
22 Buffer memory 23 Buffer control circuit
24 Processor 25 Control memory
26 Drive interface circuit 27 Accessor interface circuit 2
8 Drive control circuit 29 Accessor control circuit
30 Control means 32 Recording and reproducing section
34 Cell 40 Judgment circuit
41 Prohibited address table 42 Cleaning cartridge cell 43
cleaning drive

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of cells (34) each storing a plurality of recording media, a recording/reproducing unit (32) for recording/reproducing data on the recording medium, and an accessor (3) for transporting the recording medium. ) and a control means (30) for controlling the transportation operation of the accessor (3) and the recording/reproducing operation of the recording/reproducing section (32), in which a cleaning cartridge for head cleaning is stored. a cleaning cartridge cell (42) for storing the cleaning cartridge in the control means (30) and a cleaning drive (43) for cleaning the medium; A prohibited address table (41) for registering addresses, and a determination circuit (40) for referring to the prohibited address table (41) when receiving a command to move a cartridge and determining whether the address matches a registered address. When a command to move the cartridge is received from the host device, the determination circuit (40) refers to the prohibited address table (41) and moves the cartridge from the cleaning cartridge cell (42) to the cleaning drive (43). A library device having a cleaning mechanism that rejects a command when it is determined that the command is a command.