Scalable integrated high-density optical data/media storage delivery system

Abstract

An apparatus and system for recording, playing, handling, and storing a plurality of media disks in a plurality of configurations and a device for moving any disk into and out of a media disk storage mechanism and into or out of a selected media player/recorder on demand, and a controller for directing operation of the device for moving the disks and controlling selection of operation of the media disk storage mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor;
 a memory interoperably coupled to the processor and having computer code stored thereon; 
   a persistent memory device interoperably coupled with a first media-disk-receptacle unit and in communication with the processor when the first media-disk receptacle unit is engaged with a persistent memory-device connector;   wherein contents of the persistent memory device comprise a content listing of a first media disk within the first media-disk-receptacle unit;   wherein the computer code comprises library control software that manages and coordinates operation of the first media-disk-receptacle unit, a second media-disk-receptacle unit, and the first media disk within the first media-disk-receptacle unit;   wherein playback of the first media disk occurs concurrently with maintenance of a second-media-disk content listing stored on the persistent memory device; and   wherein the contents of the persistent memory device are maintained independent of system use.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a media-disk manipulator mechanism operable to transport the media disk between the first media-disk-receptacle unit and the second media-disk-receptacle unit. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the persistent memory-device connector comprises at least one of a USB interface, an Ethernet interface, a Fibre channel interface, a SCSI interface, and a wireless interface. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the persistent memory-device connector is wireless. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the persistent memory device is a solid-state memory device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer code comprises an automated cycle-counting inventory software application that provides content verification of the first media disk as the content listing is read from the persistent memory device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer code comprises a disk catalog component and a disk catalog associated with the disk catalog component. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the disk catalog component stores and retrieves disk information from the persistent memory device and manages metadata concerning files on each of a plurality of media disks within the first media-disk-receptacle unit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer code comprises library control software interoperably coupled with the disk catalog component and a disk catalog associated with the disk catalog component. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer code comprises a metadata catalog component and a metadata catalog associated with the metadata catalog component. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the metadata catalog component manages application metadata and provides file-associated metadata to an application. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the metadata catalog component provides query mechanisms to enable location and retrieval of file-associated metadata instances meeting search criteria from an application database. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the library control software comprises data transfer software, control software, and a user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein responsive to attachment of the first media-disk-receptacle unit to the system, an operation is performed on the content listing, the operation comprising at least one of reading, updating, and analyzing. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein storage information and a physical location of a first media disk within the first media-disk-receptacle unit is recognized by the processor responsive to the engagement of the first media-disk-receptacle unit with the system. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer code comprises a data monitor component interoperably coupled with the library control software and an application. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the data monitor component observes record and playback functions of the application and controls system read and write functions. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the data monitor component is interoperably coupled with:
 a disk catalog component and a disk catalog associated with the disk catalog component; and   a metadata catalog component and a metadata catalog associated with the metadata catalog component.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer code comprises a file service component intercepting directory or file open requests. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 archiving, via an archive component, a file stored on a temporary storage;   cataloging, via a disc-catalog component, a location of the file;   removing the file from the temporary storage;   intercepting, via a file-service component, an open request for the file;   determining, via the file-service component, if the file is offline; and   if the file is offline, locating, via the archive component and the disc-catalog component, the file.