Patent ID: 7529747

Claim:
A method to store, retrieve, and search information, comprising the steps of: supplying a data storage system comprising a system controller, one or more non-holographic data storage media, and a holographic data storage, retrieval, and search system comprising a light source, a spatial light modulator, a holographic data storage medium, a first optical detector positioned to receive data beams emitted from said holographic data storage medium, and a second optical detector positioned to receive reference beams emitted from said holographic data storage medium; encoding information comprising a plurality of datasets in said holographic data storage medium to form an encoded holographic data storage medium; encoding said information on said one or more of said plurality of non-holographic data storage media; selecting a dataset, wherein said dataset is written to a dataset storage address on said non-holographic data storage medium; illuminating said encoded holographic data storage medium with a dataset beam comprising said dataset to produce a dataset reference beam, wherein said dataset reference beam strikes said second optical detector at one or more dataset reference beam coordinates; associating said dataset with said one or more dataset reference beam coordinates and with said dataset storage address.