PowerFile, Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100287576 | Optical Disc Storage System - Embodiments provide methods and systems for handling optical discs in a media library appliance and for replacing optical drives in the field. In one embodiment, the media library appliance comprises optical disc handling robotics developed for slim form factor slot load drives in a vertical orientation located on both sides of the robotics within a 19 inch rackable appliance. On the system level, the optical disc storage system provides modularity and scalability. The drives reside in field replaceable units (“FRUs”) that are oriented vertically on a horizontal backplane. The disc handling robotics access discs on each side stored in horizontal stacks within large disc cartridges. A small disc shuttle cartridge attaches to a large disc cartridge to provide a means to import and export a smaller number of discs from the disc cartridge. | 11-11-2010 |
20100287142 | ACCESSING, COMPRESSING, AND TRACKING MEDIA STORED IN AN OPTICAL DISC STORAGE SYSTEM - Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for accessing and compressing data stored in a media library, as well as tracking optical media with media tags and cartridge manifests within a library. In one embodiment, a simulation layer of a hybrid storage appliance allows libraries of optical media with write-once read-many (WORM) properties to look like logical block devices with non-WORM characteristics. In another embodiment, data from a user's files is compressed by the media library appliance in chunks in such a way that coarse granularity seeking is possible within a compressed user file. In another embodiment, a media cloud is used by a hybrid storage appliance to seamlessly recover from failures in optical media, library robotics, optical drives, and network connections during the creation, recovery, and distribution of data. In another embodiment, cartridge manifests and media tags are used to track optical media within a library. | 11-11-2010 |
20090282425 | OPTICAL DISC HANDLING FOR STANDARD SLIM DRIVE - A media library appliance comprises optical disc handling robotics developed for dual standard slim drives in a vertical orientation. The disc handling robotics comprise a disc transfer assembly for transferring discs to and from a rotatable circular carousel surrounding the optical drives. Each slim drive resides in a separate field-replaceable unit (“FRU”) that can be replaced by a customer in the field without powering down the appliance. The FRU includes various features that allow accurate 3-axis alignment and registration of the optical drive within the appliance. | 11-12-2009 |
20090259894 | ERROR CORRECTION FOR DISK STORAGE MEDIA - Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for improving the reliability of data stored on disk media. Logical redundancy is introduced into the data, and the data within a logical storage unit is divided into sectors that are spatially separated by interleaving them with sectors of other logical storage units. The logical redundancy and spatial separation reduce or minimize the effects of localized damage to the storage disk, such as the damage caused by a scratch or fingerprint. Thus, the data is stored on the disk in a layout that improves the likelihood that the data can be recovered despite the presence of an error that prevents one sector from being read correctly. | 10-15-2009 |