1. A storage system coupled to one or more computers, comprising:
a storage device for providing a storage area for data; and
a controller for controlling data to be written to and read from the storage area,
wherein the controller is configured to:
store first data in a first location within the storage area upon reception of a storage request for the first data with a first file identifier for a first file being specified;
hold information for associating the first file identifier, the first location, a retention period of the data, and predetermined first application version information with one another, the predetermined first application version information indicating a predetermined first application version with which the first data is compatible;
store second data in a second location within the storage area upon reception of a storage request for the second data with the first file identifier and second application version information being specified, the second data being derived from the first data to be compatible with a second application version indicated by the second application version information;
hold information for associating the first file identifier, the second location, and the second application version information with one another;
inhibit the first data from being changed before elapse of the retention period of the data; and
inhibit the second data stored in the second location associated with the first file identifier from being changed before the elapse of the retention period of the data.
2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
hold information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of each of the one or more computers coupled to the storage system;
read, upon reception of a reference request for data with the first file identifier being specified from the computer, data stored in a location associated with the identifier of the computer that has transmitted the reference request from among the plurality of locations associated with the first file identifier; and
transmit the read data to the computer.
3. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
hold information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of software;
read, upon reception of a reference request for data with the first file identifier and the identifier of the software being specified from the computer, data stored in a location associated with the specified identifier of the software from among the plurality of locations associated with the first file identifier, the data stored in the location associated with the specified identifier of the software being compatible with the software; and
transmit the read data to the computer.
4. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
avoid deleting, upon reception of a deletion request for data with the first file identifier and the first application version information being specified from the computer, information for associating the first file identifier, the first location, and the first application version information with one another and the first data; and
delete, upon reception of a deletion request for data with the first file identifier and the second application version information being specified from the computer, information for associating the first file identifier, the second location, and the second application version information with one another.
5. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:
hold information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of software; and
transmit, upon reception of a list creation request with a first software identifier and a second software identifier being specified from the computer, the first file identifier to the computer in a case where a plurality of identifiers of the software associated with the plurality of locations within the storage area associated with the first file identifier include the first software identifier and exclude the second software identifier.
6. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller further holds information indicating an attribute common to the first data and the second data.
7. The storage system according to claim 6, wherein the information indicating the attribute comprises information for controlling which one of permission and inhibition is to be given to user-basis access to a file identified by the first file identifier.
8. A method of managing data for a storage system coupled to one or more computers, the storage system comprising:
a storage device for providing a storage area for data; and
a controller for controlling data to be written to and read from the storage area,
the method comprising:
storing, by the controller, first data in a first location within the storage area upon reception of a storage request for the first data with a first file identifier being specified;
holding, by the controller, information for associating the first file identifier, the first location, a retention period of the data, and predetermined first application version information with one another, the predetermined first application version information indicating a predetermined first application version with which the first data is compatible;
storing, by the controller, second data in a second location within the storage area upon reception of a storage request for the second data with the first file identifier and second application version information being specified, the second data being derived from the first data to be compatible with a second application version indicated by the second application version information;
holding, by the controller, information for associating the first file identifier, the second location, and the second application version information with one another;
inhibiting, by the controller, the first data from being changed before elapse of the retention period of the data; and
inhibiting, by the controller, the second data stored in the second location associated with the first file identifier from being changed before the elapse of the retention period of the data.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:
the controller holds information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of each of the one or more computers coupled to the storage system; and
the method further comprises reading, by the controller, upon reception of a reference request for data with the first file identifier being specified from the computer, data stored in a location associated with the identifier of the computer that has transmitted the reference request from among the plurality of locations associated with the first file identifier, and transmitting the read data to the computer.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein:
the controller holds information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of software;
the method further comprises reading, by the controller, upon reception of a reference request for data with the first file identifier and the identifier of the software being specified from the computer, data stored in a location associated with the specified identifier of the software from among the plurality of locations associated with the first file identifier, and transmitting the read data to the computer, and
wherein the data stored in the location associated with the specified identifier of the software is compatible with the software.
11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
transmitting, by the controller, upon reception of a deletion request for data with the first file identifier and the first application version information being specified from the computer, information indicating avoidance of deleting information for associating the first file identifier, the first location, and the first application version information with one another and the first data; and
deleting, by the controller, upon reception of a deletion request for data with the first file identifier and the second application version information being specified from the computer, information for associating the first file identifier, the second location, and the second application version information with one another.
12. The method according to claim 8, wherein:
the controller holds information for associating each of a plurality of locations within the storage area including the first location and the second location with an identifier of software; and
the method further comprises transmitting, by the controller, upon reception of a list creation request with a first software identifier and a second software identifier being specified from the computer, the first file identifier to the computer in a case where a plurality of identifiers of the software associated with the plurality of locations within the storage area associated with the first file identifier include the first software identifier and exclude the second software identifier.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the controller further holds information indicating an attribute common to the first data and the second data.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the information indicating the attribute comprises information for controlling which one of permission and inhibition is to be given to user-basis access to a file identified by the first file identifier.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus for use in processing packaging blanks, said apparatus comprising first upstream conveying means comprising two upstream conveyors for conveying in parallel two respective streams of packaging blanks, second downstream conveying means comprising a first downstream conveyor for receiving the said stream of blanks conveyed by one of said two upstream conveyors and a second downstream conveyor for receiving in parallel to said first downstream conveyor the said stream of blanks convey ed the other of said two upstream conveyors and blank transferring means for transferring blanks between the conveyors of said downstream conveying means; wherein at least said first downstream conveyor is arranged to convey the blanks conveyed thereon at a conveying velocity which is great than the conveying velocity of said one upstream conveyor such that the stream of blanks conveyed by at least said first downstream conveyor has a pitch greater than the respective stream of blanks conveyed by said first upstream conveying means, said blank transferring means being adapted to insert the blanks conveyed by said second downstream conveyor into spaces between the blanks of the stream of blanks conveyed by said first downstream conveyor.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyors of said second downstream conveying means are arranged such that the respective streams of blanks conveyed thereon are staggered with respect to each other.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first downstream conveyor and said second downstream conveyor are each arranged to accelerate the streams of blanks conveyed thereon to a conveying velocity greater than the conveying velocity of the respective conveyors of said first upstream conveying means.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each conveyor of said second downstream conveying means comprises a plurality of substantially equally spaced apart members arranged for engaging a trailing edge of the blanks conveyed thereon.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blank transferring means is arranged to insert the blanks conveyed by said second downstream conveyor into said spaces between the stream of blanks conveyed by said first downstream conveyor so as to provide a stream of blanks comprised alternately of blanks from said first downstream conveyor and said second downstream conveyor.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blank transferring means is arranged to push blanks from said second downstream conveyor onto said first downstream conveyor.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first downstream conveyor and said second downstream conveyor are disposed in a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship and said blank transferring means is arranged to move blanks from said second downstream conveyor to said first downstream conveyor by moving said blanks in a direction normal to the direction of travel of said first downstream conveyor and said second downstream conveyor.
8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising respective deadplates between said conveyors of said first upstream conveying means and said conveyors of said second downstream conveying means.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising applying means for applying an adhesive or at least one adhering element to each blank conveyed by said conveyors of said first upstream conveying means.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said applying means comprises a plurality of applicator wheels for applying an adhesive arranged such that each conveyor of said first upstream conveyor means has a least one applicator wheel associated therewith.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising blank feeding means for feeding blanks one-by-one onto conveyor of said first upstream conveyor means to form said respective streams of carton blanks.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said blank feeding means and said conveyors of said first upstream conveying means are arranged such that said respective streams of blanks have substantially the same pitch and are in an in-phase relationship.