Abstract: A novel automatic record player for playing a phonograph record includes a base, a turntable, an upper hub, a lower hub, a tonearm, a drive unit, a pinion, a control cam, a main arm, an auxiliary arm, first and second micro-switches, a clutch member, a first clutch actuating member, a switch activating member, an actuating pin, a synchronizing unit, a position guide, an angular position setting unit, and an elongated member. With the provision of the angular position setting unit, when the clutch member is actuated by the first clutch actuating member, a forward free end of the tonearm can be more precisely positioned on an outermost groove of the phonograph record.

Abstract: An audio processing device includes: a display control unit, configured to control display of a plurality of audio gears, which are gears movable within a screen, each audio gear corresponding to predetermined audio data; and a playback control unit configured to control synchronized playback of a plurality of audio data; wherein, in the event that a plurality of the audio gears are directly or indirectly meshed, the display control unit rotates the plurality of audio gears, and the playback control unit performs synchronized playback of the plurality of audio data corresponding to the plurality of audio gears.

Abstract: A data medium of the compact disc type may include medium areas of different types configured to define digital content, and a controllable element having two different states corresponding respectively to the two different types of areas. The controllable element may be configured to take selectively one of its states in response to a command, so as to modify in a controllable manner the content of the data medium.

Abstract: To provide an optical disk device, an optical disk control method and an integrated circuit, which are capable of writing a recordable mark by changing the reflectance ratio of a reflective film formed on concave-convex pits without using an industrial special device or a high-power laser light source. A data reproduction controller (103) sets a first rotation speed in a disk rotation speed switching unit (108) and a first laser power in a laser power switching unit (107) when reproducing the concave-convex pits. When writing the recordable mark, a mark recording controller (104) sets in the disk rotation speed switching unit (108) a second rotation speed that is slower than the first rotation speed and the lowest rotation speed at which the concave-convex pits can be reproduced, and sets a second laser power greater than the first laser power in the laser power switching unit (107) in accordance with the emission timing.

Abstract: A reading unit reads sound signals recorded in a recording medium. A buffer unit temporarily stores the sound signals which is read by the reading unit. A recording unit records the sound signal which is temporarily stored in the buffer unit. A reproducing unit reproduces the sound signals which is recorded in the recording unit. A controller controls reading speed of the reading unit. The sound signals include a first set of signals and a second set of signals. The reading unit reads the first set of signals at a first reading speed and reads the second set of signals at a second reading speed which is faster than the first reading speed after reading the first set of signals.

Abstract: An information reproduction device sets, from among a plurality of estimated rotation speeds previously estimated, a set rotation speed in accordance with request-specification information specifying a piece of data requested by an external device and a specified rotation speed specified by the external device for a disc-shaped storage medium storing data, rotates the storage medium at the set rotation speed, reads out data from the storage medium at a readout speed that is determined by the set rotation speed of the storage medium, stores the data in a data storage section, and supplies, from among the stored data, the piece of data corresponding to the request-specification information to the external device.

Abstract: A device and method for reducing power consumption of an optical drive are proposed. The present invention samples a carrier control signal and then compares the samples of the signals with predetermined threshold signals. According to the comparison result, the present invention produces at least one diphase excitation control signal. The diphase excitation control signal comprises at least one impulse signal, and a negative edge of the impulse signal is adjusted to a predetermined level during the period of the diphase excitation control signal. The present invention reduces the time for outputting the control signals and greatly reduces the power consumption of the optical drive thereby.

Abstract: A device and method for reducing power consumption of an optical drive are proposed. The present invention samples a carrier control signal and then compares the samples of the signals with predetermined threshold signals. According to the comparison result, the present invention increases or decreases an output signal index. The variation of the output signal index is used to control phases of diphase excitation control signals so as to control the rotation direction of a motor or make it stop. The present invention need not output the diphase excitation control signals continuously. It only needs to output a predetermined number of the diphase excitation control signals after the output signal index is increased or decreased. Hence, the present invention reduces the time for outputting the control signals and greatly reduces the power consumption of the optical drive thereby.

Abstract: A method for recording control information on a recording medium. The method includes generating control information for controlling recording/reproducing data on/from the recording medium. The control information includes a first speed information indicating a maximum recording speed, a second speed information indicating a minimum recording speed, and a third speed information indicating one or more basic recording speeds. The third speed information represents whether each of the basic recording speeds are applicable to the recording medium or not. Thereafter, the method calls for recording the control information on a specific area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A method for recording/reproducing data on/from a recording medium. The method provides for reading/recording speed information from a specific area of the recording medium, where the recording speed information includes a first information indicating a maximum recording speed, a second information indicating a minimum recording speed, a third information indicating a predetermined recording speed different from the maximum or minimum recording speed, and a fourth information indicating a basic recording speed. Thereafter, the method provides for recording/reproducing the data on/from the recording medium according to the reading/recording speed information.

Abstract: A method is provided for shifting a rotational speed of a disc. The method includes steps of: detecting a state of a button to determine whether the button is pressed down; counting activating duration if the button is pressed down; determining whether the activating duration is up to a predetermined time; and switching the rotational speed of the disc from a first speed level to a second speed level, if the activating duration is up to a predetermined time. A related disc drive using the method to shift the rotational speed of the disc is also provided.

Abstract: An operation for recording a recording signal onto a disk (1) is interrupted, when an amount of signal data stored in a buffer RAM (11) for temporarily storing the recording signal is less than an interruption setting value during performing of the recording operation. Moreover, when the amount of signal data stored in the buffer RAM (11) increases and indicates a resumption setting value, the signal recorded on the disk (1) before interruption is reproduced, and the recording operation is resumed based on the reproduced signal. Moreover, recording properties are detected by the signal reproduced before resumption of recording.

Abstract: A disc control apparatus handles an even number of disc-shaped recording mediums run in rotation at a constant angular velocity and to which addresses are accorded for incrementing from an inner disc rim side or from an outer disc rim side. The disc control apparatus effectuates data accessing with the disc-shaped recording mediums in terms of a pre-set block as a unit. The control apparatus includes an accessing control unit which effectuates data accessing on the block basis by addressing from the outer disc rim side for one of the disc-shaped recording mediums of the set while effecting data accessing on the block basis by addressing from the inner disc rim side for the other disc-shaped recording medium of the set. During data recording/reproduction, one of two contiguous blocks is recorded/reproduced on the disc-shaped recording medium accessed from the outer disc rim side while the other block is recorded/reproduced on the disc-shaped recording medium accessed from the inner disc rim side.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an index apparatus includes thermally transferring a hot stamped section having a low light reflectance onto an outer peripheral surface of a magnet of a frequency generator for speed detection provided on an outer periphery of the motor. The method also includes thermally transferring a hot stamp section having a high light reflectance and a smaller width than the hot stamp section having a low light reflectance onto the hot stamp section having a low light reflectance. A position mark can be provided in the vicinity of the hot stamp section having a high light reflectance. The position mark serves for detecting a position of the hot stamp section having a high light reflectance.

Abstract: A disk playback apparatus designed such that the linear velocity of the disk is stabilized during a short period corresponding to one to several revolutions of the disk and occurrence therein of vibration and noise is suppressed is disclosed. The apparatus is characterized in that the revolving axis of the turntable on which the disk is mounted is driven by a low-torque spindle motor and the wheel effect of the revolving axis or the spindle motor is made larger.

Abstract: A beat finder is provided for accurately and repeatably setting a speed control on a turntable, for use by a disk jockey in quickly matching the beat of successive music selections using two turntables and a technique for matching the start of each beat, in a "no-pressure" environment, in as much time as required to accurately match the speed of the switchover. The position of the speed control at a the proper transition speed for a current musical selection as well as for a following musical selection is displayed for each of the corresponding turntables. These numbers are recorded on a "program form" to be used as a reference during the actual "real-time" club or disco performance.

Abstract: A self-timing optic lathe, comprising a turntable for rotating an object disc, an offset code track carried by the turntable and embodying an encoded control signal, a read laser for optically reading the encoded control signal from the code track, a write laser for optically recording an information signal on the object disc, an optical carriage for moving the write laser and the read laser in a radial direction across the turntable relative to the code track, and a timing and control circuit connected to the write laser and the read laser for reading the control signal and in response controlling rotation of the turntable and operation of the write laser to record the information signal independently of the speed of rotation of the turntable.

Abstract: A data storage system comprised of a plurality of disc drives which each comprise a plurality of data storage discs rotated by a polyphase motor. Each disc drive has a servo system for radially positioning transducer heads proximate the disc surfaces and generating an index signal for a selected orientation of the discs. A reference signal generator in each disc drive produces a reference signal at each of a succession of time intervals equal to the desired period of rotation of the discs and the disc drives are interconnected to enable each disc drive to sense a reference signal generated by any other disc drive. Each disc drive includes a microcomputer that is periodically interrupted and, during the interrupt, transmits the reference signal generated by the disc drive to the other disc drives in the absence of reception of a reference signal from another disc drive prior to the interrupt to provide a common reference signal for all of the disc drives.

Abstract: A method for selecting additional data storage media for demount in an idle automated storage library, and an automated storage library and program product therefor are disclosed. The method permits the advanced demount of storage media when one or more of the occupied peripheral storage devices remains inactive for a relatively long predetermined time. Storage media may be demounted to service a pending mount request, provided the peripheral storage devices in which the media are mounted are inactive. A storage medium may also be demounted to create an unoccupied peripheral storage device, even though no mount request is pending, when all of the peripheral storage devices are occupied and one or more of such devices remains inactive for a relatively short predetermined time.

Abstract: An optical disk recording/reproducing device in accordance with the present invention has a controller that, during recording, performs the rotation control of the optical disk in Constant Linear Velocity according to reproduced signals of pre-recorded information that was pre-recorded on the optical disk, during reproduction, performs the rotation control according to reproduced signals of recorded information, and when the rotation control based on the reproduced signals of the recorded information is infeasible, switches the rotation control and performs the rotation control based on the reproduced signals of the pre-recorded information during reproduction also. As a result, a suitable and appropriate CLV control may be executed during recording and during reproduction.

Abstract: A method of controlling the rotational velocity of an information recording disk having one or more tracks in which patterns and marks are formed, the marks including at least one specific pattern having a predetermined length, which method comprises: measuring a time during which each of the patterns passes; detecting each of the marks on the basis of the values of the measured times; and controlling the rotational velocity of the disk on the basis of the measured time of the specific pattern of the detected mark, thereby making the linear velocity of the detected mark constant.

Abstract: An optomagnetic disk recording and reproducing apparatus includes an optomagnetic disk having a vertical magnetic film capable of recording and reproducing an information signal, a recording and reproducing head unit for recording an information signal in the optomagnetic disk and reproducing an information signal recorded in the optomagnetic disk, a spindle motor for rotationally driving the optomagnetic disk, and means for controlling the spindle motor such that a rotational speed of the optomagnetic disk upon reproducing of an information signal recorded in the optomagnetic disk performed by the recording and reproducing head unit is set higher than the rotational speed of the optomagnetic disk upon recording of an information signal in the optomagnetic disk performed by the recording and reproducing head unit.

Abstract: A disc drive control system for controlling the drive of a disc carrying a binary digital signal including clock information of a predetermined frequency wherein the digital signal includes an information signal portion to be recorded and an synchronizing signal portion which includes successive maximum periods of inversion (transitions). The system includes a detection means for detecting the period of the transition of the synchronizing signal and producing a detection signal, (frame sync servo signal) disc a control means for producing a disc drive control signal for controlling a disc drive means. The drive control signal is produced in accordance with the detection signal prior to a period in which the drive control signal is produced in accordance with a reproduced clock signal (playback clock and playback frame sync signals), whereby eliminating the problem that the driving speed of the disc may be controlled in accordance with an erroneously reproduced clock signal.

Abstract: A digital audio disc (DAD) reproducing apparatus comprises pulse width detection and pulse width-to-voltage conversion means for detecting a signal having a predetermined pulse width such as a maximum or minimum pulse width of code modulated digital data signals reproduced by a pickup and converting the detected signal to a voltage proportional to the pulse width, and pulse width error detection means for detecting an error between the converted voltage and a reference voltage corresponding to a reference pulse width. Since the pulse width of the digital data signal changes with a clock rate, the error from the reference voltage represents an error in the clock rate.

Abstract: A rotation control system is used in an apparatus for reproducing information signals from a rotary recording medium by use of a reproducing stylus, wherein the rotary recording medium having the information signals recorded thereon so that the relative velocity between a recording element and the rotary recording medium is maintained constant.

Abstract: In a disc record reproducing apparatus for reproducing a disc on which a PCM (pulse code modulation) signal in the form of an RLLC (run length limited code) is recorded, a reproduced PCM signal therefrom is frequency-divided at a constant frequency dividing ratio, a frequency-divided PCM signal is compared with a reference frequency signal, and then the rotation of the disc record is controlled by a compared output.