Patent ID: 6286079
Filing Date: 2001-09-04
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
A method for conducting an inventory of transportable data storage media stored in a mass data storage library having a plurality of storage shelves for storing said media, having a robot for transporting said media to, from and between said storage shelves, and having a sensor for conducting said inventory by identifying said media at said storage shelves, comprising the steps of:organizing said plurality of storage shelves into a plurality of subsets of storage shelves for the purpose of conducting said inventory;conducting an inventory of said media stored in said subsets of storage shelves, in a predetermined order by subset;upon completion of said inventory of each subset of storage shelves, posting that completion of said inventory to a subset list;detecting newly received commands, and upon detecting a command for a non-inventory process, interrupting said inventory of said subsets of storage shelves, stopping said inventory of said subsets of storage shelves;conducting said non-inventory process; andupon completion of said non-inventory process, resuming said step of conducting said inventory.