Graphical user communications interface for an operator in a manual data storage library

Claim 1

In a manually operated data storage library requiring at least one operator, said library having a plurality of data storage bins, each data storage bin capable of storing one data storage medium therein, each data storage medium including at least one data volume, said library further having one or more peripheral data storage devices (PDSDs), each PDSD capable of having a data volume mounted therein, and said library also having a data path from said PDSDs to a host processing control means for controlling said PDSDs, a combination for managing said library comprising: a library manager controller including program memory and a data path to said host processing control means, and further including host interface logic means for communicating with said host processing control means; a display device having a screen and being connected to said library manager controller for alerting said operator of a task to transfer a data volume from a data storage bin to a PDSD and from a PDSD to a data storage bin; graphical user interface means in said library manager controller for constructing graphical user interaction fields on said screen, said fields including an action list window visually presenting library tasks for performance by a human operator, each said library task being selected from a group of tasks comprising exchanging one of said data storage media between a respective data storage bin and a selected PDSD: operator input means for allowing an operator to interact with said user interaction fields; a library management database, coupled to said library manager controller, containing storage data indicative of respective locations of said data storage media in said manually operated data storage library; and library manager program means in said library manager controller program memory for managing bidirectional communication between said host processing control means and an operator through said host interface logic means and said graphical user interface means in order to carry out the operator task of transferring a data volume from a data storage bin to a PDSD and from a PDSD to a data storage bin.

Claim 21

A method for communicating host processor commands to a human operator and for allowing said human operator to communicate with said host processor and at least one peripheral data storage device (PDSD) in a manually operated data storage library, said library including a plurality of data storage bins, each data storage bin capable of storing one data storage medium therein, each data storage medium including at least one data volume, said library further including one or more peripheral data storage devices (PDSDs), each PDSD capable of having a data volume mounted therein, said library also including a library controller apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: maintaining a library management database containing storage data indicative of respective locations of said data storage media in said manually operated data storage library; receiving host processor communication data through host interface logic in said library controller; presenting said host processor communication data to an operator in a form of graphical user interaction fields presented on a display screen by graphical user interface means, said fields including an action list window visually presenting library tasks for performance of a human operator, each said library task being selected from a group of tasks comprising exchanging one of said data storage media between a respective data storage bin and a selected PDSD; receiving operator communication data confirming performance of said library task by said operator, said operator communication data being entered from operator input means through said graphical interface means; presenting said operator communication data to said host processor through said host interface logic; and updating said library management database to reflect any changes in said storage data resulting from performance of said task by said operator.

Claim 22

A method for communicating host processor commands to a human operator and for allowing said human operator to communicate with said host processor and at least one peripheral data storage device (PDSD) in a manually operated data storage library, said library including a plurality of data storage bins, each data storage bin capable of storing one data storage medium therein, each data storage medium including at least one data volume, said library further including one or more peripheral data storage devices (PDSDs), each PDSD capable of having a data volume mounted therein, said library also including a library controller apparatus, said method comprising the steps of: maintaining a library management database containing storage data indicative of respective locations of said data storage media in said manually operated data storage library; receiving host processor communication data through host interface logic in said library controller; presenting said host processor communication data to an operator in a form of graphical user interaction fields presented on a display screen by graphical user interface means, said fields including an action list window visually presenting library tasks for performance of a human operator, each said library task being selected from a group of tasks comprising exchanging one of said data storage media between a respective data storage bin and a selected PDSD; receiving operator communication data confirming performance of said library task by said operator, said operator communication data being entered from operator input means through said graphical interface means; presenting said operator communication data to said host processor through said host interface logic; and updating said library management database to reflect any changes in said storage data resulting from performance of said task by said operator.