US5487171A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for reading and stopping reading data from magnetic tape into memory in response to mount command and write command respectively from the system processor
Assignee: Storage Technology Corp
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Filing: 1992-09-18
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Granted: 1996-01-23
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Expires: 2012-09-18
Abstract
Abstract In response to the mounting of a magnetic tape on the tape drive, the tape drive begins reading data from the tape into the preload buffer while concurrently signalling the data processor that the tape drive is instantaneously available to read/write data. The data processor can then begin the data transfer operation without incurring the delay occasion by media set up time. The data that is transferred from magnetic tape is stored in the preload buffer in anticipation of the data processor issuing a data read command. Upon receipt of the data read command, the tape drive reads the data out of the preload buffer to the data processor via the data channel while simultaneously reading data from the magnetic tape into the preload buffer.
Inventors
- 👤 William C. Dodt
- 👤 Terry R. Gottehrer
- 👤 Charles A. Milligan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/02; G11B15/026; G11B15/05; G11B15/087; G11B15/16; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B27/00; G11B27/10; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/30; G11B27/3027; G11B27/32; G11B27/322; G11B27/323; G11B27/327; G11B27/328; G11B5/00; G11B5/008; G11B5/00813; G11B5/00847; G11B5/0086; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0673; G06F3/0682; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
In a magnetic tape drive reads and writes a stream of data records, received from e data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, apparatus operationally independent of said data processor for prestalling data records written on said mountable magnetic tape media for said dam processor, comprising: memory means for storing data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive element, for transmitting control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; means for reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory means concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; means, responsive to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, for transmitting said read data records from said memory means to said data processor; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, for disabling said reading means; means for storing data records received from said data processor in said memory means; and means, responsive to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, for writing data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory means on to said mountable magnetic tape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
In a magnetic tape drive reads and writes a stream of data records, received from e data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, apparatus operationally independent of said data processor for prestalling data records written on said mountable magnetic tape media for said dam processor, comprising: memory means for storing data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive element, for transmitting control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; means for reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory means concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; means, responsive to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, for transmitting said read data records from said memory means to said data processor; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, for disabling said reading means; means for storing data records received from said data processor in said memory means; and means, responsive to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, for writing data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory means on to said mountable magnetic tape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means for disabling said reading means when said memory means is full of said data records.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means for disabling said reading means in response to the receipt of a command from said data processor exclusive of said read magnetic tape command.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means, responsive to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, for maintaining said reading means active to transfer data records from said rewriteable media to said memory means until an end of file location, as specified by said data processor in said read magnetic tape command, is reached.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mountable magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said mountable magnetic tape, said control signal transmitting means comprises: means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, for reading said header written thereon; means, responsive to the completion of said header reading, for transmitting control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
233 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes a stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, a method operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape into a memory that stores data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape, comprising the steps of: transmitting, in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive element, control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; transmitting, in response to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, said read data records from said memory to said data processor; disabling in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, said step of reading; storing data records received from said data processor in said memory; and writing, in response to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory on to said mountable magnetic tape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
233 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes a stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, a method operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape into a memory that stores data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape, comprising the steps of: transmitting, in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive element, control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; transmitting, in response to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, said read data records from said memory to said data processor; disabling in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, said step of reading; storing data records received from said data processor in said memory; and writing, in response to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory on to said mountable magnetic tape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: disabling said step of reading when said memory is full of said data records.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: disabling said step of reading in response to the receipt of a command from said data processor exclusive of said read rewriteable media command.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of: maintaining, in response to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, said step of reading active to transfer data records from said magnetic tape said memory until an end of file location, as specified by said data processor in said read magnetic tape command, is reached.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said mountable magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said mountable magnetic tape, said step of transmitting control signals comprises: reading, in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, said header written thereon; transmitting, in response to the completion of said header reading, control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
196 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes e stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, apparatus operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape for said data processor, comprising: memory means for storing data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, wherein said magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said magnetic tape, for reading said header written thereon; means, responsive to the completion of said header reading, for transmitting control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; means for reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory means with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; and means, responsive to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, for transmitting said read data records from said memory means to said data processor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
196 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes e stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, apparatus operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape for said data processor, comprising: memory means for storing data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, wherein said magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said magnetic tape, for reading said header written thereon; means, responsive to the completion of said header reading, for transmitting control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; means for reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory means with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; and means, responsive to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, for transmitting said read data records from said memory means to said data processor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: means for disabling said reading means when said memory means is full of said data records.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: means for disabling said reading means in response to the receipt of a command from said data processor exclusive of said read mountable magnetic tape command.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: means, responsive to a mountable magnetic tape media requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, for disabling said reading means; means for storing data records received from said data processor in said memory means; and means, responsive to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, for writing data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory means on to said mountable magnetic tape.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes a stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, a method operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape in a memory that stores data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; for said data processor comprising the steps of: reading, in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, wherein said magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said magnetic tape said header written thereon; transmitting, in response to the completion of said header reading, control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; and transmitting, in response to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, said read data records from said memory to said data processor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
195 words
In a magnetic tape drive that reads and writes a stream of data records, received from a data processor, on a mountable magnetic tape, a method operationally independent of said data processor for prestaging data records written on said mountable magnetic tape in a memory that stores data records being transmitted between said data processor and said mountable magnetic tape; for said data processor comprising the steps of: reading, in response to a mountable magnetic tape requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive, wherein said magnetic tape has a header written thereon for storing administrative data specific to each of said data records written on said magnetic tape said header written thereon; transmitting, in response to the completion of said header reading, control signals to said data processor indicative of the availability of said mountable magnetic tape on said tape drive; reading data records from said mountable magnetic tape into said memory concomitantly with said control signals being transmitted to said data processor; and transmitting, in response to the receipt of a read magnetic tape command from said data processor, said read data records from said memory to said data processor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of: disabling said step of reading when said memory is full of said data records.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of: disabling said step of reading in response to the receipt of a command from said data processor exclusive of said read mountable magnetic tape command.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of: disabling, in response to a mountable magnetic tape media requested by said data processor being mounted in said tape drive and receipt of a write mountable magnetic tape command from said data processor, said step of reading; storing data records received from said data processor in said memory; and writing, in response to said mountable magnetic tape reaching magnetic tape write speed and position, data records received from said data processor and stored in said memory on to said mountable magnetic tape.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-22 | 1999-07-24 | 2000-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-22 | 2003-07-24 | 2004-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-22 | 2007-07-24 | 2008-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |