Abstract: An optical disc drive (ODD) includes one or more sensors which detect a user placing a disc in the loading path. In response, a process is triggered for sensing the thickness of a protective layer of the disc even while the disc is moving toward a turntable. An initial determination of the type of the disc (e.g. CD, DVD or Blu-ray®) can be determined based on the thickness and reported to a host computing device. The host, in turn, determines an application to load based on the disc type. The loading of the application can begin sooner than if the ODD waited until the disc was seated on the turntable to detect the disc type. A final determination of the disc type can be made while the disc is seated as well. The host is informed if there is a disagreement between the initial determination and the final determination.

Abstract: An optical disc drive comprises a flash memory, an optical pick-up head, a spindle motor and a control unit. The control unit generates a determination result according to whether the optical disc drive has a disc loaded therein, and stores the determination result into the flash memory when the optical disc drive receives a power. The control unit reads the determination result from the flash memory after receiving the power again, and determines whether to control the optical pick-up head and the spindle motor to execute the disc detection procedure according to the determination result. If the determination result is negative, whether the optical disc drive has a disc loaded therein is determined according to a rotation speed of the spindle motor. If the rotation speed is larger than a threshold value, the control unit determines that no disc is loaded in the optical disc drive.

Abstract: Provided is a method and an apparatus for setting a virtual disc status of an optical disc drive. While set to the virtual disc status, the optical disc drive does not detect if an optical disc is present in the optical disc drive in response to the optical disc drive being powered on. Accordingly, power may be consumed and noise may be reduced.

Abstract: An optical disc device of the present invention comprises an insertion detection optical sensor which detects insertion of an optical disc based on light emitted from a first light emitting element to a first light receiving element being blocked, and an ejection detection optical sensor provided on the downstream side in the carry-in direction to the insertion detection optical sensor to detect ejection of the optical disc based on light emitted from a second light emitting element to a second light receiving element being blocked. The optical disc device is structured such that, in a state that the optical disc is attached onto the turntable, when the light of the first light emitting element is blocked and the light of the second light emitting element is not blocked, the optical disc device recognizes that a lens cleaner is attached onto the turntable as the optical disc, and the optical disc device performs a cleaning operation.

Abstract: A CD player, which comprises a conveying roller, a first sensing rod, a second sensing rod, a linkage member, a first switch and a second switch; wherein the linkage member is used for transmitting the rotation of the first sensing rod to the second sensing rod and provided with a first retaining part, a first clamping part, a second retaining part, a second clamping part; the two retaining parts are respectively arranged on both sides of a centerline of a CD conveying path; when the first sensing rod is prevented from rotating by the first retaining part, the second sensing rod is used for releasing the behavior; and when the second sensing rod is prevented from rotating by the second retaining part, the first sensing rod is used for releasing the behavior. The player can avoid the malfunction of a major-diameter CD detection switch and has a very simple structure.

Abstract: An optical disc drive comprises a flash memory, an optical pick-up head, a spindle motor and a control unit. The control unit generates a determination result according to whether the optical disc drive has a disc loaded therein, and stores the determination result into the flash memory when the optical disc drive receives a power. The control unit reads the determination result from the flash memory after receiving the power again, and determines whether to control the optical pick-up head and the spindle motor to execute the disc detection procedure according to the determination result. If the determination result is negative, whether the optical disc drive has a disc loaded therein is determined according to a rotation speed of the spindle motor. If the rotation speed is larger than a threshold value, the control unit determines that no disc is loaded in the optical disc drive.

Abstract: An information recording medium 100 according to one aspect of the present invention includes a disc substrate 1 formed by a resin, and a thickness thereof in a data area 102 is 0.2 mm or less. The information recording medium 100 includes a step 110 in an inner periphery area 101, the step having a height of 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. The step 110 includes an acute-angle edge portion 111 used for positioning a center of the information recording medium 100 when spinning the information recording medium 100; and an angle ? of an inner side of a cross section of the acute-angle edge portion 111 is 50 degrees or more and 80 degrees or less.

Abstract: A disc identifying device has sliders moving relatively in a direction such that a gap therebetween widens, one sensing switch switching-operated when a large diameter disc or a small diameter disc is inserted, the other sensing switch switching-operated only when the large diameter disc is inserted, and an actuating plate permitting the slider to move from an the initial position via a first position corresponding to the sensing switch to a second position corresponding to the sensing switch only when the large diameter disc is inserted. One end portion of the actuating plate has a stopper portion for preventing the slider from moving to the second position. The other end portion thereof is engaged with the slider.

Abstract: To provide a “disk device” that does not waste a power during waiting for disk insertion and thus can save power consumption. The disk device includes: a casing equipped with an insertion port to which a disk is inserted; a conveying mechanism for conveying a disk, which is provided inside the insertion port; a switching type detecting switch that is switched to a detection state in accordance with a movement force of a disk inserted from the insertion port in an insertion direction; and an optical detecting member that is switched to a detection state when a disk inserted from the insertion port blocks an optical path, wherein when the detecting switch is switched to a detection state, power supply to the optical detecting member is started.

Abstract: A disk device is capable of quickly identifying an inserted optical disk. A reading portion obtains disk surface information from an optical disk that is passing, and stores the obtained disk surface information in a storing portion provided in a disk playing device. An identifying portion decides whether or not the disk playing device is able to play the optical disk, based on the surface information.

Abstract: An optical disc device compatible with optical discs of different types having different track pitches, having a light detecting means (104) disposed in the path of diffracted light from the recording tracks on the optical disc (101), on which a light beam from a light emitting section (103) is incident. During the loading of the optical disc, the optical disc device discriminates the type of optical disc from the detection output of the light detecting means (104) and the positional relation between the optical disc (101) and the light detecting means (104). A simple structure thus enables the optical disc type to be discriminated.

Abstract: A recording medium drive includes a disc ejecting mechanism that ejects an optical disc disposed on a turntable to a slot. The disc ejecting mechanism is provided with a first disc feeding mechanism disposed on a rear side in a drive unit body and a second disc feeding mechanism (a disc guide mechanism) that is disposed on a slot side relative to the first disc feeding mechanism and continuously feeding the optical disc fed by the first disc feeding mechanism in a direction toward the slot. The optical disc having a small diameter can be transferred from the turntable to the slot by the first disc feeding mechanism and the second disc feeding mechanism which are respectively disposed on the rear side and a front side of the slot, thereby ejecting the optical disc to the outside.

Abstract: A disk device includes: a disk detecting member 17 pushed and moved by a disk; a rotation body 20 driven by the movement of the disk detecting member 17 to move a slide member 11; a tubular body 23 provided coaxially on the surface of the rotation body 20 and having an axially cutaway section; and an arm section 24 provided on the slide member 11 and abutted against the peripheral surface of the tubular body to cause the moving force exerted on the slide member 11 to act on the center of the rotation body 20.

Abstract: A slot-in disk drive device and a method thereof. The device includes a drive unit for providing power to move a slider. A loading unit moving with the slider drives a loading stick to push a disc into the device. The slider has a sliding slot. An ejecting unit with a bar-linkage mechanism has one end driven by the sliding slot, and the other end for rotating an ejecting bar to guide or push the disc out. A receiving unit has a receiving bar for guiding the disc, and has a positioning bar disposed between the loading unit and the ejecting unit. A sensing unit includes a plurality of sensing switches respectively disposed near the moving paths of the receiving bar, the ejecting unit and the positioning bar. The drive unit is enabled to load the disk is determined according to the order of actuating the switches.

Abstract: A disk unit comprising a limit switch, the limit switch being adapted to operate when a tip of a guide arm pivots to excess in a centripetal direction relative to a predetermined position at which it should stop while supporting a side portion of a small-diameter disk, the guide arm functioning to conduct a large- or small-diameter disk being conveyed to a predetermined position while supporting a side portion of the disk, a disk unloading operation being started upon operation of the limit switch to permit discharge of a disk of a deformed shape. The disk unit is a slot-in type disk unit permitting automatic loading and drive of two types of disks different in diameter, wherein a disk of a deformed shape inserted by mistake is discharged automatically to prevent damage of a recording surface of the disk and a mechanical damage of the disk unit.

Abstract: A method for detecting a size of an optical disk loaded in an optical disk drive is disclosed. The optical disk drive has an optical pickup head, and the initial position of the optical pickup head is located on the outer side of a track. The steps of the method are described as follows. First, the optical disk is loaded. Then, the optical pickup head is moved from the initial position to a first position, and a laser beam is irradiated simultaneously. The laser beam reflected by the optical disk is received by the optical pickup head. According to the condition of the reflected laser beam received by the optical pickup head, the size of the disk can be determined.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a disc guiding apparatus including a logic apparatus and a first and a second disc guiding elements. The logic apparatus has a rod, a first and a second guiding elements, and a first and a second moving parts. The first and the second disc guiding elements are connected to the first moving part and the second moving part, respectively. The first and the second moving parts move along the extended direction of the rod by the first and the second guiding elements. The rod has a central portion and two ends, wherein the width of the central portion is narrower than each of the two ends. The first and the second moving parts are disposed at the different ends of the rod.

Abstract: A rotary switch rotates about an axis which is at acute angles to a lower cartridge surface and a cartridge end so that a first display surface and a second display surface may be independently accessed by disparate components residing in disparate planes. The display surfaces are generally orthogonal to each other and can have multiple facets, with each facet containing a subset of information. To aid this optical interrogation, the display surfaces may be generally orthogonal to the disparate interrogating components.

Abstract: An optical disk drive which decreases unit costs and reduces the size of a product. The optical disk drive includes a frame, a base chassis rotatably installed on the frame, a spindle motor and a pick-up device installed on the base chassis, a tray moving into and out of the frame when a disk cartridge is mounted on the tray, a loading device for operating the tray and the base chassis, and a disk cartridge recognizing device for sensing whether or not recognition holes formed through a disk cartridge case are opened or closed to display data of the disk cartridge. The disk cartridge recognizing device includes switches fixed to a front part of the frame, and a switch operating portion for operating the switches according to whether or not the recognition holes are opened or closed.

Abstract: A visualized indicator is applied to a slot-in optical reproducing apparatus. By providing a display window on the housing of the apparatus and a visualized indicator inside the housing, a first portion or a second portion of the visualized indicator can be alternatively shown through the display window to tell if a disk is inside the apparatus or not.

Abstract: The disk carrying apparatus includes a lifting portion which carries a disk onto a turntable, a chuck which holds the carried disk on the turntable, and a third switch which detects an intermediate position between a holding operation start position where the chuck starts a disk holding operation and a holding operation end position where the chuck finishes the disk holding operation. After completion of an initial disk holding operation, the chuck returns to the intermediate position detected by the third switch and retries the disk holding operation.

Abstract: A disc drive apparatus according to the present invention has a tray formed of an optically transparent material and has disc receiving portions. The tray is movable in an ejection and a retraction direction with respect to a casing. A light source is mounted inside the tray at the ejection direction side thereof. The light source emits light toward the ejection direction of the tray to cause the light to propagate within the optically transparent material from the retraction direction side through the ejection direction side of the tray with respect to the disc receiving portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for discriminating discs includes a loading mechanism transporting discs at an entrance of a disc drive. A sensor unit close to the loading mechanism starts or stops the loading mechanism according to the detection. The center of the receptor disposes a limiting pin to limit the moving distance of the receptor based on the disc size discriminated by the sensor unit. Two ends of a receptor dispose two symmetric positioning posts for positioning automatically. The disc size can be discriminated by counting sensors on for judging increases or decreases, and counting loading time for comparing with the predetermined time.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a cartridge identification system includes a cartridge type detection station in which a cartridge can be inserted, and apparatus that determines the extent to which the cartridge protrudes from the detection station, the extent of protrusion being indicative of the cartridge type.

Abstract: A disc drive apparatus according to the present invention has a tray formed of an optically transparent material and has disc receiving portions. The tray is movable in an ejection and a retraction direction with respect to a casing. A light source is mounted inside the tray at the ejection direction side thereof. The light source emits light toward the ejection direction of the tray to cause the light to propagate within the optically transparent material from the retraction direction side through the ejection direction side of the tray with respect to the disc receiving portion.

Abstract: A disk device including a first disk holder movable with disk conveyance, a second disk holder opposed to a groove portion formed in the first disk holder and holding a disk grippingly in cooperation with the first disk holder when the first disk holder holds the disk, and a supporter which supports the first disk holder and which causes a support position for the first disk holder to be shifted in accordance with the movement of the first disk holder to be shifted in accordance with movement of the first disk holder, realizes reducing in size and number of parts, prevention of damage to disks, shortening operation time for plurality of operations, improved vibration resistance and less expensive manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A disc drive apparatus is provided which determines a recording medium enabling type and recordability for various types of discs. The discs are housed in a cartridge and each cartridge has at least a first and second detection hole formed therein. The second detection hole (H1) is variably opened and closed by an opening/closing device, and the first detection hole (H0) is in an open state at all times. The disc drive apparatus determines the disc type using a light signal reflected from the loaded recording medium. The disc drive apparatus also determines disc determining parameters (for example, recordability of a disc) based on information received about the disc type and the open/closed state of one or more detection holes formed in the cartridge.

Abstract: An on-screen calibration system for disc drives and the operating method thereof. The calibration system includes an autocollimator detecting the inclined angle of the stage of a disc drive. A control module is connected to the on-screen display module and a bar code scanner to receive the bar code of the pick-up module and compute a predetermined position data. A monitor displays a moving point according to the inclined angle and a target point according to the predetermined position data through an on-screen display module. The tilt-adjusting mechanism supporting the pick-up module is adjusted to shift the moving point overlapping the target point.

Abstract: A disc detection apparatus for a slot-in optical disc drive. The apparatus includes a body, a light emitting device, a rolling unit, and a light receiving device. The light emitting device is disposed on the body, as is the rolling unit. The light receiving device is disposed on the rolling unit, wherein the light receiving device and the rolling unit are integral, conserving considerable deployment space.

Abstract: A disk loading for loading either a first or second, smaller, disk. The disk loading device comprises a main chassis, a power transmission unit, a slider, a first and second linkage mechanism, a sub-chassis, and a locking lever. The first linkage mechanism guides the first disk to a chucking position while being pushed and moved by the first disk, and moves the slider in connection with the power transmission unit when the first disk is being introduced. The second linkage mechanism connects the slider to the power transmission unit while being pushed and moved by the second disk when the second disk is moved to the chucking position. The sub-chassis is linked to a guide unit which separates the first linkage mechanism from the first disk or the second disk placed on the chucking position. The locking lever selectively locks the movement of the first linkage mechanism or releasing the locking of the first linkage mechanism.