Multi-disk optical drive
An apparatus for transitioning data contained on multiple memory storage devices, such as optical disks and memory cards, efficiently onto a data network by utilizing data bridges between the memory devices and the target network.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for transitioning data contained on optical disks onto a data network.
2. Description of Related/Prior Art
In other disk drive units that contain more than one optical drive, the units typically only play one disk at a time. Further, in some very rare units that contain more than one optical drive where these drives do play simultaneously, the data on these drives is first converted to analog and then converted back to digital and then the data is placed onto a data network.
In the first instance above there are inefficiencies where the additional optical drives are being used merely for storage as the unit containing the drives only outputs one signal at a time.
In the second instance above where some units do have multiple simultaneous play capabilities, these units are very inefficient and introduce noise and signal degradation at every conversion step from digital to analog and from analog to digital.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGESAccordingly, several objects and advantages of our invention are:
Our multi-disk optical drive provides multiple simultaneous outputs of the digital content contained on the disks. This allows multiple disk drives to be contained in a very small and light-weight package.
Our multi-disk optical drive also provides a direct digital connection to the data network. There is no digital to analog back to digital conversion that could introduce errors in the signal reproduction.
In installations where size and weight are critical, such as in an aircraft, these advantages are of paramount importance.
Further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe invention, a multi-disk optical drive, provides the user with multiple simultaneous streams of data from a very small and light weight unit. This data is output directly from the multi-disk optical drive device onto the data network.
The first digit=the FIGURE number and the second 2 digits indicate the part number
Other data storage devices could also benefit from this implementation. Also in
The data bridges 109a, 109b and 109c could also act as multi-cast data servers. That is, they can broadcast the data from the optical disks or memory card onto a network as multi-cast data streams.
Claims
1) An apparatus for transitioning data contained on optical disks onto a data network comprised of:
- (a) one or more optical disk drives,
- (b) one or more data bridges,
- (d) a power supply
2) The apparatus in claim 1 wherein the data bridge transmits the data onto the network as multi-cast data streams.
3) The apparatus in claim 2 wherein the data is only transmitted when there is actually someone requesting to receive it on the multi-cast data network.
4) An apparatus for transitioning data contained on memory storage devices onto a data network comprised of:
- (a) one or more memory storage devices,
- (b) one or more data bridges,
- (d) a power supply
- Whereby the data from the memory storage device is placed onto the network without going through the intermediary steps of digital to analog conversion and analog to digital conversion.
5) The apparatus in claim 4 wherein the data bridge transmits the data onto the network as multi-cast data streams.
- Whereby the data from the memory storage device is placed onto the network as a multi-cast data stream thereby conserving bandwidth for other network traffic.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 11, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 6, 2008
Applicant: AVION ENGINEERING SERVICES INK DBA AVION PARTNERS (BELLEVUE, WA)
Inventors: Rory G. Briski (Bellevue, WA), Steven R. Galipeau (Redmond, WA), Gregory P. Adams (Renton, WA), James W. Mills (Wylie, TX), Joseph G. Martin (Hanalei, HI)
Application Number: 11/974,222
International Classification: H04L 12/56 (20060101);