Easily configurable and swappable multicomponent library system

Abstract

An easily expandable and interchangeable library system is achieved by integrating several storage library modules which are specifically designed to allow easy transfer of storage media there between. Each library module is equipped with an integral elevator track which is capable of directing and accommodating the movement of a storage media elevator between the various modules. The storage elevator is appropriately designed to easily travel between the storage library modules, without the need for additional components or additional equipment. The use of wireless communication between an elevator controller and a library controller allows for the controlled movement an interaction of the elevator between library modules, thus creating an expandable library system within which storage capacity can be easily and economically increased without the need for additional equipment.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A library module for incorporation into an expandable library system, comprising: 
 a housing having an upper surface and lower surface, at least one of the upper surface or the lower surface having a reclosable opening adapted for expansion of the library system;    a plurality of media storage compartments within the housing, each adapted to contain a single piece of storage media;    a media drive to at least read data from the storage media;    a picker mechanism adapted to selectively transport the storage media from a selected media compartment to the media drive; and    an elevator support structure within the housing and adjacent the reclosable opening, the elevator support structure adapted to cooperate with a media elevator, the elevator support structure having a guiding rail adapted to guide the movement of the media elevator, the guiding rail positioned to allow the media elevator to travel in and out of the housing though the reclosable opening, and to position the media elevator to cooperate with the picker mechanism.    
     
     
         2 . The library module of  claim 1  wherein the elevator support structure includes a gear track adapted to couple with a gear drive mechanism in the media elevator.  
     
     
         3 . The library module of  claim 1  wherein the elevator support structure is positioned adjacent the media storage compartments.  
     
     
         4 . The library module of  claim 1  wherein the guiding rail has a plurality of guiding grooves adapted to interact with cooperating tabs in the elevator mechanism.  
     
     
         5 . The library module of  claim 1  wherein the storage media is contained in a storage cartridge.  
     
     
         6 . The library module of  claim 1  wherein the guiding rail is positioned such that a media transport compartment carried by the elevator mechanism and adapted to contain at least one of the storage media is positioned adjacent the plurality of storage compartments.  
     
     
         7 . An expandable data storage library system, comprising: 
 a plurality of mountable library modules, each module adapted to house and read data from a plurality of data storage media, each module including a housing with at least one expansion opening adapted to be selectively opened;    a media elevator system adapted to travel between the plurality of library modules using the at least one expansion opening in the library module, wherein the media elevator system comprises an elevator designed to interact with an elevator support track positioned within each module such that the elevator support track in each of the plurality of library modules will be cooperatively aligned when the plurality of modules are mounted.    
     
     
         8 . The library system of  claim 7  wherein the elevator travels along the elevator support track.  
     
     
         9 . The library system of  claim 8  wherein the elevator includes a media transport bin to carry storage media between the various library modules.  
     
     
         10 . The library system of  claim 9  wherein the elevator further comprises a support coupling designed to couple with the elevator support track so that movement of the elevator is guided by the elevator support track, and a motor to drive the movement of the elevator.  
     
     
         11 . The library of  claim 10  wherein the elevator further comprises drive gears coupled to the motor, the drive gears designed to interact with track gears which exist on the elevator support track.  
     
     
         12 . The library system of  claim 10  further comprising an elevator controller operatively coupled to the motor so as to control the movement of the elevator, and a communication transceiver operatively coupled to the elevator controller, thus allowing the elevator controller to communicate with a library controller.  
     
     
         13 . The library system of  claim 12  wherein the transceiver is an infrared transceiver.  
     
     
         14 . The library system of  claim 12  wherein the transceiver is a optical transceiver.  
     
     
         15 . The library system of  claim 12  wherein the transceiver is an acoustic transceiver.  
     
     
         16 . The library system of  claim 10  wherein the elevator support track includes an electrically energized power contact which is electrically isolated from the elevator support track, and the elevator includes a pickup contact connected to the motor so as to provide power to the motor whenever the coupling support is coupled to the support track, thus causing the pickup contact to be in contact with the power contact.  
     
     
         17 . A storage library module for incorporation into a modular storage library system, comprising: 
 a housing having at least one elevator opening therein;    a media storage bin positioned within the housing and capable of storing a plurality of storage media;    a storage drive within the housing for reading the storage media;    a picker mechanism for the selective transportation of storage media between the media storage bin and the storage drive;    an elevator support track attached to and within the housing, the elevator support track positioned adjacent the elevator opening; and    an elevator coupled to the elevator support track so as to travel along the support track and capable of traveling out of the housing through the elevator opening, the elevator having a media transport bin positionable within the housing such that media can be place in or removed from the media storage bin by the picker.    
     
     
         18 . The library module of  claim 17  wherein the elevator includes an elevator controller and a motor coupled to the controller, wherein the controller communicates with motor so as to control the motion of the elevator.  
     
     
         19 . The library module of  claim 18  wherein the elevator further includes a communication device to receive signals from a library system controller, the communication device connected to the controller so as to provide communication between the library system controller and the elevator controller.