Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, to systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features and improved user interfaces. For instance, a smart search may be provided, e.g., where search results vary based on the popularity of songs within the venue, in dependence on songs being promoted, etc. As another example, a tile-based approach to organizing groupings of songs is provided. Groupings may involve self-populating collections of songs that combine centrally-promoted songs, songs in a given genre that are popular across an audiovisual distribution network, and songs that are locally popular and match up with the given genre (e.g., because of shared attributes such as same or similar genre, artist, etc.). Different tile visual presentations also are contemplated, as are different physical jukebox designs. In certain example embodiments, a sealed core unit with the “brains” of the jukebox is insertable into a docking station.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, to systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features and improved user interfaces. For instance, a smart search may be provided, e.g., where search results vary based on the popularity of songs within the venue, in dependence on songs being promoted, etc. As another example, a tile-based approach to organizing groupings of songs is provided. Groupings may involve self-populating collections of songs that combine centrally-promoted songs, songs in a given genre that are popular across an audiovisual distribution network, and songs that are locally popular and match up with the given genre (e.g., because of shared attributes such as same or similar genre, artist, etc.). Different tile visual presentations also are contemplated, as are different physical jukebox designs. In certain example embodiments, a sealed core unit with the “brains” of the jukebox is insertable into a docking station.

Abstract: A magazine-based data storage library is described that includes plurality of chambers each adapted to hold a magazine, that in turn, is adapted to hold a plurality of tape cartridges. The storage library further includes a tape drive adapted to read and write data to and from tape cartridges. The storage library further includes a vacant chamber that shifts from a first chamber when a recently used magazine is disposed therein to a second chamber when a new magazine is withdrawn there from. The recently used magazine most recently being withdrawn from a different chamber than the first chamber where it is later disposed.

Abstract: A library apparatus, includes: a plurality of cells in each of which a cartridge-type recording medium is attachably and detachably accommodated; a robot including a hand configured to handle the recording medium; and an information reading unit which is attachably and detachably accommodated in the cells and includes a plurality of readers configured to read information of the recording medium, wherein when the information reading unit is pulled into a portion of the hand, the plurality of readers project to be capable of reading the information of the recording medium.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provides systems for a tape library shelf. In one embodiment, a tape library shelf is disclosed including a chassis, which contains tape cartridge slots for storing one or more tape cartridges. The tape library shelf includes at least one tape drive module, a control unit, and a moving device coupled to the chassis. The moving device is operatively connected to the control unit to move the chassis according to instructions received from the control unit.

Abstract: There is provided a cartridge including a plurality of optical information recording media having unique information recorded thereon, an accommodation body configured to accommodate the plurality of optical information recording media, and an identification device configured to store the unique information of the plurality of optical information recording media and supply the unique information to a changer in a non-contact manner, the identification device being provided in the accommodation body.

Abstract: A data library apparatus capable of changing the mounting positions of disks on the basis of information recorded in the disks and the access histories of the disks. Disks expected to be accessed next are mounted in advance on data recording/reproducing devices, on slots nearer to the data recording/reproducing devices, or on a disk carrying device, etc. In addition, disks relevant to currently active disks are mounted on positions so that the optical disk carrying device can bring out the relevant disks at a time without being moved, and hereby the time necessary for disk access in the data library apparatus can be reduced.

Abstract: A method of providing interactivity over a set of multiple optical storage media (90, 91) is disclosed. A logical unit, such as a playitem of a playlist is provided on a storage medium (90) of the set of optical storage media (90, 91), comprising information about contents stored on at least one other storage medium (91) of said set of optical storage media. Furthermore, a corresponding optical disc reading apparatus, optical storage medium, and a computer-readable medium, are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid material comprising an immobilized mixture of two or more proteorhodopsins, two or more bacteriorhodopsins, or one or more bacteriorhodopsin and one or more proteorhodopsins. The proteorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing proteorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing proteorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The bacteriorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing bacteriorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing bacteriorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The present invention also provides an optical information carrier, such as an optical data storage material and a fraud-proof optical data carrier, comprising the above-described solid material and a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, and plastic material, wherein said solid material is deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for recording, playing, handling, and storing a plurality of media disks in a plurality of configurations and a device for moving any disk into and out of a media disk storage mechanism and into or out of a selected media player/recorder on demand, and a controller for directing operation of the device for moving the disks and controlling selection of operation of the media disk storage mechanism.

Abstract: A recording-and-reproducing apparatus for managing content data recorded on a removable recording medium includes: a device configured to acquire reproduction information required for reproducing the content data; a device configured to generate a first management file for individually managing the content data; a device configured to register control information for the content data in a second management file collectively managing the content data. Further, the apparatus includes a device configured to read out the control information in the second management file recorded on the recording medium; a memory in which the control information of the second management file read out by the read-out device is expanded; a device configured to compare the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory and the content data recorded on the recording medium; and a device configured to update the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory.

Abstract: A recording medium and having efficiency of a reading and a writing process. Audio annual ring data, video annual ring data, low-resolution annual ring data, and meta annual ring data extracted from data series of metadata, an audio file, a video file, and low resolution data are written to a free space on an optical disk in order of a body, a footer, and a header in order to improve the convenience of the recording medium by enabling a quick edit process. For example, the efficiency of the reading and writing process is improved by preventing occurrence of an unnecessary writing process.

Abstract: When data of image information is compressed and is recorded on a recording medium, additional information about the image information is recorded in a conveniently usable state. There is provided read/write unit information as a unit of reading and writing the compressed image information to the recording medium. The read/write unit information contains a plurality of units of decoding and reproducing unit information that comprises one frame (or one field) of the image information. At least one piece of decoding and reproducing unit information is subject to compression encoding through the use of only image information in the decoding and reproducing unit. In the read/write unit information, there is multiplexed and recorded additional information about the decoding and reproducing unit information for a plurality of units within the read/write unit in an extractable manner separately from the compressed image information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a program, and a recording medium that facilitate, for example, identification of information recorded on an recording medium. In a disc formatting process 211, a disc-metadata-file creating unit 181 creates a disc-metadata file including various types of label information, using a PROAV-ID copying unit 192 and a representative-image setting unit 194. Furthermore, in a disc-metadata updating process 212, a disc-metadata-file managing unit 182 updates the disc-metadata file, for example, using the representative-image setting unit 194. A disc-metadata-file recording controller 183 executes a process of comparing PROAV IDs using a PROAV-ID comparing unit 193, and records the disc-metadata file on a disc 132 when the PROAV IDs match. The present invention can be applied to an editing apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for controlling data access rate of an optical disc player. The method includes steps of (1) utilizing a micro-controller to decide whether an action of an instruction of a predetermined data processing is an extraction operation or a play operation; (2) driving the spindle motor and a pick-up head to retrieve data from an optical disc at a first data access rate by the micro-controller while the action of the instruction of the predetermined data processing is an extraction operation; and (3) driving the spindle speed and the pick-up head to retrieve data from the optical disc at a second data access rate which is less than the first data access rate by the micro-controller while the action of the instruction of the predetermined data processing is a play operation.

Abstract: A disc changer is provided which can perform a disc check in a short time which involves checking whether or not each disc loaded in the disc changer is reproducible in loading CDs on the changer. File system data is selected from management data of a selected disc and reproduced by a file system data selector. The selected file system data is analyzed by a file system data analyzer, and a condition of the analysis is monitored by a reproducible file detector. When a reproducible file is detected, the analysis is suspended, a result of a disc check is generated, and a next disc may be checked.

Abstract: The invention relates to disc drive mechanism (100) which comprises an actuator (113) controlling a radial movement of a lens (109). An actuator controller (115) generates an actuator control signal which is fed to the actuator (113). An activation time processor (125) determines an amplitude variation characteristic of the actuator control signal. Specifically, the activation time processor (125) determines how the amplitude varies as a function of the rotation angle. The activation time processor (125) determines an activation time for a position change actuator signal component which causes the actuator (113) to move the lens (109) to jump to a different track. The position change actuator signal component is added to the actuator control signal in the actuator controller (115) thereby generating a combined actuator control signal which both tracks the disc and effectuates a jump. The activation time is selected such that the dynamic range of the actuator control signal is reduced.

Abstract: A recording-and-reproducing apparatus for managing content data recorded on a removable recording medium includes: a device configured to acquire reproduction information required for reproducing the content data; a device configured to generate a first management file for individually managing the content data; a device configured to register control information for the content data in a second management file collectively managing the content data. Further, the apparatus includes a device configured to read out the control information in the second management file recorded on the recording medium; a memory in which the control information of the second management file read out by the read-out device is expanded; a device configured to compare the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory and the content data recorded on the recording medium; and a device configured to update the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory.

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 disk drive includes a plurality of optical heads corresponding to a plurality kind of disks, and a disk distinction device for distinguishing whether a set disk is a first disk or a second disk when a disk is set on a disk tray, a first disk tray conveying mechanism for the first disk and/or the second disk tray conveying mechanism for the second disk conveys the disk tray to a first tray position in which recording and/or reproducing is performed on the first tray or the second tray position in which recording and/or reproducing is performed on the second tray, according to a result distinguished by the disk distinction device, thereby, an optical head corresponding to a disk set to the disk tray is selected correctly and a recording or reproducing operation is performed on the disk.

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: A computer-server rack enclosure fault light diagnostic system and a method for providing an overall rack level fault indicator of a fault incurred by a unit of electronic equipment housed in the rack. The rack may be an EIA standard rack holding constituent components complying with EIA standards.

Abstract: A method for managing copy protection information of a recording medium is disclosed. A data stream encrypted using copy protection information is recorded in a data area of an optical disc such as a write once optical disc or a rewritable optical disc, while the copy protection information and a drive ID are recorded together in a key locker of the optical disc. When a data stream of an optical disc is reproduced, reading and decryption of the copy protection information is selectively performed depending on whether the drive ID recorded in the key locker and a drive ID managed in an optical disc drive, into which the optical disc is inserted, are identical. This prevents contents such as broadcast programs recorded in an optical disc from being illegally duplicated.

Abstract: A method for managing copy protection information of a recording medium is disclosed. Copy protection information for decrypting A/V data encrypted and recorded in a data area of an optical disc is recorded in a key locker of the disc. Information of makers that have manufactured optical disc drives, drive maker keys of each maker and flags indicating whether drive keys are valid or not is included in association with each other in the key locker. To reproduce the A/V data, the copy protection information is read and decrypted by comparing a drive key managed in the optical disc drive with the key renewal information recorded in the optical disc. Accordingly, illegally duplicated optical disc drives can no longer perform a normal playback operation, thereby effectively suppressing illegal duplication of optical disc drives, which also prevents optical disc drives of all makers from being duplicated at once.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus comprises an information obtaining device which obtains necessary information for reproduction from a loaded recording medium and a reproduction control device which exerts control to reproduce recorded information from the recording medium based on the obtained information, and the apparatus prompts a user to select a type of the recording medium, accepts selection of the type of the recording medium from the user, and obtains the necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the selected type of the recording medium.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus comprises a determination device which determines a type of a loaded recording medium, an information obtaining device which obtains necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the determined type of recording medium and a reproduction control device which exerts control to reproduce recorded information from the recording medium based on the obtained information, and the apparatus prompts a user to select the type of the recording medium in the case where the determination device cannot determine the type of the recording medium or the information obtaining device cannot normally obtain the necessary information for reproduction, and accepts selection of the type of the recording medium from the user, and obtains the necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the selected type of the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical recording method is designed for recording data on a recordable optical disk by use of a laser beam of a present recording apparatus under a desired recording condition. The method detects identification information which is reserved in the optical disk and which is indicative of a type of a previous recording apparatus. The detected identification information is compared with a plurality of identification information which are previously stored in correspondence to various types of recording apparatuses. As results of the comparison, the method determines whether the detected identification information matches with one of the stored identification information which does not correspond to the type of the present recording apparatus. Upon the determining of matching, the method retrieves a recording condition which is previously stored in association with the matching identification information.

Abstract: When an instruction to enter information unqualified for programmed reproduction is accepted, an optical disc reproducing apparatus according to the present invention gives a notification indicating that that information cannot be entered in a program. The disc detection unit 204 detects and decides a type of each optical disc, whether or not the disc can be entered in the program, and also detects the largest track number, the system controller 501 directs the disc information memory unit 502 to store the types of optical discs, information about possibility of entry in the program, and the largest track number associated with disc accommodation locations.

Abstract: An audio reproduction apparatus randomizes or shuffles the playback order of tracks from a prerecorded media such as a compact disc within a multiple-disc changer. Shuffle sequences are generated using a linear congruential random number generator (LCRNG). The shuffle sequence does not have to be stored since a next track in the sequence can always be generated from the LCRNG using a particular set of parameters. The parameters are determined in response to the number of track (or discs) in a sequence and include elements obtained from a lookup table and elements that are randomly selected so that the same sequence is not always generated for a certain sequence length.

Abstract: An automated storage library structure, a structure of at least one robot operating within the automated storage library, and a method of connecting the robot to test equipment to facilitate testing. The robot is operative to move about the automated storage library on a guide structure. The test equipment is disposed in a diagnostics center associated with the automated storage library. Communication between the robot and the diagnostics center is provided through a main connector, disposed adjacent to the guide structure at a predetermined position and electrically connected to the diagnostics center, and a test connector mounted on the robot's chassis and electrically connected to the robot's electronics. A second robot may be used to support testing of a sick robot.

Abstract: A data reproducing unit reproduces data read by a first reading unit from a storage medium. A storage unit stores added information corresponding to data stored on the storage medium. The added information is read by the second reading unit and reproduced by an added information reproducing unit. A control unit controls such that the data is reproduced by the data reproducing unit in synchronism with the reproduction of the added information by the added information reproducing unit.

Abstract: An audio reproduction apparatus randomizes or shuffles the playback order of tracks from a prerecorded media such as a compact disc within a multiple-disc changer. Shuffle sequences are generated using a linear congruential random number generator (LCRNG). The shuffle sequence does not have to be stored since a next track in the sequence can always be generated from the LCRNG using a particular set of parameters. The parameters are determined in response to the number of track (or discs) in a sequence and include elements obtained from a lookup table and elements that are randomly selected so that the same sequence is not always generated for a certain sequence length.

Abstract: A recording-medium management apparatus includes a playback unit and a recording-medium management unit. The playback unit includes a reading unit for automatically reading an identifier from a recording medium when data is played back and a transmission unit for transmitting the read identifier to the recording-medium management unit. The recording-medium management unit includes a setting information management unit for managing setting information corresponding to the identifier, a check unit for checking whether or not the setting information corresponding to the identifier received from the playback unit is managed by the setting information management unit, and an obtaining-and-transmitting unit for obtaining the setting information corresponding to the identifier from the setting information management unit and transmitting the setting information to the playback unit.

Abstract: A portable audio player stores a large amount of compressed audio data on an internal disk drive, and loads a portion of this into an internal random access memory (RAM) which requires less power and less time to access. The audio player plays the data stored in RAM and monitors the amount of unplayed data. When the amount of unplayed data falls below a threshold, additional data is copied from the disk drive into RAM. When the portable audio player is turned off, a predetermined amount of audio data is stored in a fast-access non-volatile flash memory unit. When the audio player is turned back on, and play is resumed, a suitable portion of this data can be played while data is being loaded from the disk drive into RAM, thus reducing the amount of time a user must wait before receiving data in response to a play request.

Abstract: The present invention is a reproducing apparatus that reproduces data from a record medium on which text information such as a title of a program is recorded in a plurality of languages and identifiers for identifying recorded languages are recorded as codes wherein a language that has been designated is used as a default language. Thus, without need to designate a language, text information in the default language is automatically read from a record medium and displayed.