Hie Electronics Receives Second Patent

The TeraStack Solution from Hie Electronics, Inc. has been granted approval of its second patent by the U.S. Commerce Department's Patent and Trademark Office.



The TeraStack Solution is a scalable, integrated optical data and media storage delivery system. The technology captures, stores and archives terabytes of data in a device about the size of a two-drawer file cabinet.

While the first patent covered the mechanical portion of the TeraStack Solution, the second patent includes system and software functions with 17 claims covering:

• TeraStack flash storage device
• Disk catalog software
• Software application metadata management
• Data transfer control software
• Disk manipulator software
• Library control software
• Cycle counting inventory code
• Metadata catalog and query

The software allows the TeraStack Solution to create a backup on a Blu-ray disc contained in the TeraStack 6.25. The back-up TeraStack 6.25 can the either remain in the TeraStack Solution or be taken offsite to provide more data security.

Utilizing Hie Electronics' disc cataloging technology, the user can identify the TeraStack 6.25 that contains the required information. The software can then randomly access the data without having to rehydrate the rest of the TeraStack 6.25 or even the rest of the disc. This process uses less power, is faster, and requires less interaction between the user and the media than other forms of data management.

The Blu-ray media used in the TeraStack Solution provides 50 to 100 years of data integrity. Blu-ray media is resilient and guards data against harm from temperature fluctuations, moisture, water damage, power interruption or spiking, magnetic variations, critical system failures and aging. However, the Blu-ray discs would not be as effective without the disc manipulator software that limits human contact with the discs themselves. The reduced human contact ensures data integrity.

All of this technology is available to users through a java middleware interface, which enables data access with minimal training. The 'data center in a box' technology associated with the TeraStack Solution is integrated into markets such as law enforcement, medical PACs storage, geospatial data management and video surveillance.