Abstract: A pipelined multi-staged logic control device for controlling the movement of information between a number of storage devices and a host computer. The pipelined multi-staged logic control device resides in a controller having a first and a second data bus wherein each of the data buses can access up to four drive ports. Information can flow through either of the data buses to any one of the eight total drive ports. A pair of indentical integrated circuit chips are each coupled individually to a single state machine. Each of the integrated circuit chips act in concert with their associated state machine to examine the state of the drive ports and to decide if a requested drive port can be accessed. The present invention is extremely fast due to the use of state machines. While a pickup head is locating information on a storage device, other requests for information are checked during this time to determine whether additional requests can be satisfied during the pickup head's locate time.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for aligning, mating and unmating connectors as a result of relative motion between apparatus operatively associated with the two parts of the connector is disclosed. Specifically, as the apparatus operatively associated with the two parts of the connector move with respect to each other, the parts of the connector move along at least first and second angularly displaced paths to align, mate and unmate the connector as a result of such motion.