Abstract: An automatic disk reproducing apparatus includes a chassis body, a duplicating device, a disk feeding device, a disk conveying device and a disk holder. The duplicating device is mounted in the chassis body and has a tray. The disk feeding device is mounted on the chassis body to hold a stack of compact disks in position and allows gravity to pull the compact disk at the bottom of the stack of compact disks into the tray for duplication. The disk conveying device includes two conveying members and two arms connected respectively to the conveying members to elevate the recorded compact disk from the tray after the duplication of the compact disk and convey the recorded compact disk to the disk holder.

Abstract: An automatic disk reproducing apparatus includes a chassis body, a duplicating device, a disk feeding device, a disk conveying device and a disk holder. The duplicating device is mounted in the chassis body and has a tray. The disk feeding device is mounted on the chassis body to hold a stack of compact disks in position and allows gravity to pull the compact disk at the bottom of the stack of compact disks into the tray for duplication. The disk conveying device includes two conveying members and two arms connected respectively to the conveying members to elevate the recorded compact disk from the tray after the duplication of the compact disk and convey the recorded compact disk to the disk holder.

Abstract: The system comprises one or more storage devices (34) for storing data media, particularly CDs, a read/writer (50), a picking and transfer device (42), a series of rotary platters (22) stacked one on top of the other and each associated with a drive device (60, 62) acting on the periphery of platters to rotate these between a position in which the disks are stored and a position in which the disks can be accessed. Each platter has a slot (28) and when all the platters (22) are in the storage position, the slots (28) define an open channel which allows the transfer device (42) to move vertically.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method of operating a multi-changer of an optical disc player which restricts an initial operation of the multi-changer of the optical disc by referring to a disc chucking and tray open/close states. According to the method, it is determined whether a type of a disc, which is currently mounted in the disc mounting unit, has been determined before, if a tray open or close key is inputted. If it is determined that the type of the disc has not been determined before, the tray is opened or closed. Then, if the tray is closed, the type of the disc is determined after chucking the disc which is currently mounted in the disc mounting unit. According to the method, it is possible to stabilize a player by restricting an initiating operation of the multi-changer of the optical disc, which occurs needlessly due to a tray open/close key, when a disc is not yet chucked.

Abstract: A compact disc processing system allows for more efficient processing of compact discs. The system included a transporter mechanism that can grip and transport more than one compact disc at a time. As such, a second disc can be gripped while a first disc is being processed. This eliminates the need to wait for processing operations, such as recording or printing, to be completed prior to transporting the second disc. The system includes a gripping head with at least two vacuum controlled mechanisms for selectively gripping the discs. A disc organizer can be provided which includes trays that can be used to store discs for selective retrieval. The organizer eliminates the difficulty encountered in locating a processed disc from a large stack of discs.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of reducing a program selection time in an optical disc multi-changer by determining whether a disc is mounted on a disc mounting unit before it is determined whether the disc is chucked and a type of the disc is discriminated. The method of operating the optical disc multi-changer having a tray with disc mounting units, includes receiving a signal to determine whether a disc is mounted on a current disc mounting unit of the disc mounting units, outputting a command signal to move to a next disc mounting unit of the disc mounting units where the received signal indicates that no disc is mounted on the current disc mounting unit, and receiving a program selection signal where the received signal is received from all disc mounting units. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce a program selection time by determining whether the disc is mounted on the disc mounting unit before the disc chucking and discrimination of the type of the disc are performed.

Abstract: This system includes a base unit having an array of data storage locations mounted in a rectangular form factor along a back wall of the housing and at least one read/write device. The robotic mechanism includes a stationary vertical shaft on which is mounted on a horizontal track, movable in the vertical direction. The horizontal track extends from end to end of the base unit housing. The robotic mechanism includes a rotatable gripper that moves on the horizontal track and swivels on a pivot about an axis that is parallel to the vertical shaft to provide access to all interior surfaces of the base unit housing where data storage locations reside. An expansion module, comprising a rotary carousel of data storage locations, can be connected to either end of the base unit which enables the robotic mechanism to access the data storage elements within the expansion module without modification.

Abstract: The invention relates to a motion control system for driving a motor-driven device precisely to a predetermined position in a short time. More particularly, this invention relates to a CD-carousel loader having a precise and short access to the next information medium. The object of the invention is to provide a motion control system for a platter of a CD carousel which requires little outlay and satisfies the requirements in respect of high positioning accuracy, short motion duration and self-locking. According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a drive system comprising a motor driving circuit and a braking circuit having a common input terminal responsive to a pulse signal during a deceleration period in front of a predetermined position of the motor-driven device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is preferably made to contain hardware components of plural turntables, plural head units, plural decoding units, at least one encoding unit, and a system control unit. These components are adapted in such a manner as to afford (1) true multitasking in information reading and writing, (2) direct communication for information to be exchanged directly within the information processing apparatus, (3) disc removability for information to be stored as off-line archives and to become transportable between computer systems, (4) separation of user-created data from program files for eliminating time-consuming file-defragmentation processing and for conveniently safekeeping the user-created data, and (5) capability of launching favored software programs directly from original software discs.

Abstract: A storage/retrieval device for optical disk comprises a casing and a disk shelf rotatably mounted in the casing, the disk shelf comprising plural storage grooves each for receiving an optical disk. An ejecting/placing mechanism is mounted in the casing for proceeding with storage/retrieval of the optical disk. A control/display device is operably connected to a drive device for driving the disk shelf to turn. The control/display device comprises a detecting circuit for detecting a position of an associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf for receiving the optical disk to be stored/retrieved. The optical disk is automatically ejected out of the casing via a window in the casing from the associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf or placed into the associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf upon opening of the window of the casing.

Abstract: Provided are: a turn table for storing a disk shaped recording medium Dn to be vertically placed; a disk drive unit disposed at the center part of the table, the disk drive unit mounting a recording medium Dn to record and/or reproduce an information signal SIN; disk carrying means for carrying the recording medium Dn between the disk drive unit and the turn table; and a control device, wherein the control device controls the turn table and disk carrying medium so as to detect whether or not the recording medium Dn is stored in the disk storage unit, judge an information recording face of the recording medium Dn removed from the disk storage unit, and based on the judgment result, mount the recording medium Dn intact on the disk drive unit or invert the recording medium Dn, thereby remounting the medium on the disk drive.

Abstract: A CD master production system (1) has a pre-recording station (2) with a central robotic arm (6) for loading and unloading discs onto a succession of processing devices (19-24) including washing and resist application devices. An LBR station (3) performs laser recording on up to four substrate discs (D) at a time, mounted on spindles (41). There is real time recording head (51) height adjustment for focusing the recording beam to compensate for disc surface level variations. A sensing beam reflected from the disc is compared with a reference beam so that the phase difference indicates level variations. A post-recording station (4) performs post-recording operations, again with disc load/unload performed by a central rotating robotic arm (9). The recording station (4) is mechanically isolated from the pre and post-recording stations (2, 4).

Abstract: The present invention improves the conventional information reproduction practice by providing a high-performance optical information processing apparatus having various hardwares for arriving at multitasking capability as well as means for achieving disc-loading and -unloading flexibility, thereby allowing a user to launch a software program or simultaneously several software programs directly from an optical disc and/or several optical discs stored therein, eliminating tedious and time-consuming software installation, affording a kind of copy-right protection to softwares, and alleviating the burden of a hard-disk drive during the process of information reproducing. 1 References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,375,113 December 1994 Pollard et al. 369/30 5,335,218 August 1994 Osada 369/178 5,253,235 October 1993 Isobe et al. 369/37 5,251,192 October 1993 Liu 369/36 5,193,079 March 1993 Ko et al.

Abstract: Both when disc reproducing means is performing a reproduction operation on a disc, and when the disc reproducing means is not performing a reproduction operation on a disc, a tray on which a rotary table is disposed can be moved by tray driving means to a accommodating position and a discharging position. In this configuration, when the disc reproducing means is performing a reproduction operation on a disc, the tray driving means moves the tray at a low speed (step S2), and, when the disc reproducing means is not performing a reproduction operation on a disc, the tray driving means moves the tray at a high speed (step S11).

Abstract: A storage/retrieval device for optical disk comprises a casing and a disk shelf rotatably mounted in the casing, the disk shelf comprising plural storage grooves each for receiving an optical disk. An ejecting/placing mechanism is mounted in the casing for proceeding with storage/retrieval of the optical disk. A control/display device is operably connected to a drive device for driving the disk shelf to turn. The control/display device comprises a detecting circuit for detecting a position of an associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf for receiving the optical disk to be stored/retrieved. The optical disk is automatically ejected out of the casing via a window in the casing from the associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf or placed into the associated one of the storage grooves of the disk shelf upon opening of the window of the casing.