Abstract: A calibration system includes a moveable arm configured for movement within an optical disc storage system. A disc kicker device includes an actuator and an actuator tip that contacts an optical disc. The disc kicker device is connected to the moveable arm. The calibration system performs a calibration operation to calibrate the actuator at the actuator tip to correct displacement error.

Abstract: Data recording and reproduction systems, apparatus, and methods provide efficient recording of and reproduction from storage media having multiple surfaces. In particular, a grouping processing unit groups data based on several factors. The grouped data can then be efficiently stored on storage media having multiple sides to increase the efficiency of storage and retrieval of such data. For example, data belonging to the same group is not stored on two surfaces of the same storage media to avoid having to remove and reverse the direction of the storage media in order to store data on or retrieve data from the other side of the storage media.

Abstract: Technology is provided for a disc drive for use in a disc drive module having two or more opposed disc drives. The disc drive comprises a disc drive housing and a disc tray movable in and out of the disc drive housing between an open position and a closed position. A support tab is pivotably coupled to the disc tray and pivotable between an extended position and a stowed position. The support tab is biased toward the extended position and is mateable with an opposing disc drive when the disc tray is in the open position. A bumper is positioned in the disc drive housing to abut the support tab and rotate the support tab toward the stowed position when the disc tray is moved from the open position to the closed position.

Abstract: In an optical disc library apparatus having a cartridge storing discs; a drive carrying out recording and playback with respect to the discs; and a robot carrying out disc movements between the aforementioned cartridge and the aforementioned drive; wherein: the periphery of a disc is point restrained in three places during disc movement.

Abstract: A holding portion includes at least three pressing members which are operable to press an inner peripheral of a hole formed on the medium. The pressing members are movable between first positions where the pressing members do not come in contact with the inner peripheral and second positions where the pressing members come in contact with and press the inner peripheral. Each of the pressing members is adapted to interlockingly move with each other when moving toward the first positions and to press the inner peripheral independently from the other members when positioning the second positions.

Abstract: A disc drive unit is configured with a plurality of disc drives as one unit. At least one of a pair of opposed disc drives arranged on an identical horizontal plane is provided with a tray support member for supporting a front end of a tray of the other disc drive when the tray is ejected. The tray support member is capable of protruding from the one disc drive and withdrawing into the same.

Abstract: A disc device supplies a disc to each of a plurality of disc drives. The disc device includes a carrier which retains a plurality of discs being stacked in such a stacked state, which separates one disc from the retained plurality of discs above a tray ejected from an arbitrary one of the disc drives, and which places the separated disc on the tray. The carrier includes a plurality of claw portions holding the inner circumferential portion of the bottommost disc out of the plurality of discs, and a disc press pressing the topmost disc out of the plurality of discs so as to be in parallel to the disc placing face of the tray.

Abstract: A holding portion includes at least three pressing members which are operable to press an inner peripheral of a hole formed on the medium. The pressing members are movable between first positions where the pressing members do not come in contact with the inner peripheral and second positions where the pressing members come in contact with and press the inner peripheral. Each of the pressing members is adapted to interlockingly move with each other when moving toward the first positions and to press the inner peripheral independently from the other members when positioning the second positions.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration.

Abstract: A holding mechanism is operable to hold a top medium from a plurality of plate-shaped media accommodated in a stacker in a stacked manner. A transport arm supports the holding mechanism. When the lift mechanism lifts down the transport arm, one of a first elastic pressing force and a second elastic pressing force greater than the first elastic pressing force is selectively applied from the holding mechanism to an upper surface of the top medium.

Abstract: A cartridge drive apparatus for a disc cartridge having upper and lower shells which are separatably joined to each other to form a cartridge body is disclosed, in which a accommodated disc is able to be inserted or ejected by separating the upper and lower shells vertically. The cartridge drive apparatus includes a cartridge holder which, by inserting the cartridge body, has an upper holder supporting the upper shell and a lower holder supporting the lower shell, and a holder moving mechanism which separates the upper holder and the lower holder of the cartridge holder to separate the upper shell and the lower shell and thus is able to allow the disc to be inserted or ejected.

Abstract: A media processing device does not execute a media transportation process if the height of media stacked in a media storage unit is at an over capacity level, and reliably prevents problems such as damage to the media transportation mechanism caused by collision with the stacked media. If in the media processing device 200 the height of media stacked in a media storage unit 121, 122 is at a full stack level or over capacity level (step S33 returns yes or step S35 returns yes), an appropriate warning is output (step S34 or step S36) and collision accidents of the media transportation mechanism 131 can be prevented.

Abstract: A disc loading mechanism transporting a disc between a disc cartridge and a recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a loading arm having at a leading end thereof claw members which comes into contact with an outer circumference of the disc and performs drawing of the disc into the recording and reproducing apparatus and insertion of the disc into the disc cartridge; an arm driving mechanism which slides the loading arm in a disc transport direction; a disc extruding lever which extrudes the disc up to a contact position with the claw members when discharging the disc; and a lever driving mechanism which drives the extrusion lever, wherein each of the claw members includes a draw-in surface portion and an insertion surface portion provided at the opposite side to the draw-in surface portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved automation disk feeding device, comprising: a base, a pushing member, two disk feeding members, and a cover, wherein the base has a operation space, a supporting member and a disk exporting hole. In the present invention, a driving device is used to drive the pushing member to slide forward and backward on the operation space, such that a disk stored in a disk storing district of the cover is able to be exported via the disk exporting hole; Moreover, the disk feeding members are not formed integrally with the base but capable of being assembling to and disassembling from the base, so that, the applications of the improved automation disk feeding device can be increased by way of changing the disk feeding members with different shaped slide ways.

Abstract: The media storage status of a target medium stacker is reported to the user through a host computer. In response to a height measurement command for measuring the height of blank media stacked in a blank media stacker and processed media stacked in a processed media stacker, a height measurement step measures the height of blank media and processed media based on operation of the media transportation arm, and a measurement transmission step sends the measurement acquired in the height measurement step to the host computer in response to a measurement transmission request from the host computer.

Abstract: A burner system capable of inverting an optical disc has a control module, a burning module, a mechanical arm and an inverter. The control module controls the mechanical arm to grab the optical disc from a burner in the burning module and release the optical disc into the inverter. The optical disc passes through the inverter due to gravity, one side of the optical disc is tilted by the inverter so the optical disc is inverted. Therefore, the burner system automatically inverts the optical disc for double-sided data processing.

Abstract: A media transportation mechanism control method and a media processing device can accurately detect the last disc or other media stored in a media storage unit. A transportation arm 36 is lowered to the media stacker 21, the transportation arm 36 is paused when the media detection mechanism 200 detects the media, and the transportation arm 36 is then raised and the position where the media detection mechanism 200 stops detecting the media is stored as media height H. After the transportation arm 36 descends again, picks a disc M from the media stacker 21, and then rises, the media height H is compared with a prescribed threshold limit ?. If the media height H is less than the threshold limit ?, the number of media left in the media stacker 21 is determined to be a prescribed count (such as zero).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing data from a recording medium are disclosed. The method and apparatus calls for downloading data associated with data read from the recording medium. The downloaded data is stored in a local storage using an organization ID directory. The downloaded data from the local storage and the data from the recording medium are ultimately bound together to form a virtual package.

Abstract: A disk-feeding apparatus includes a base, two or more than two disk-feeding devices and an intermediate conveyer associated with the disk-feeding devices. The disk-feeding devices are mounted on the base and hold respectively stacks of disks. An intermediate conveyer is mounted between each pair of adjacent disk-feeding devices to convey a disk from a first disk-feeding device to a second disk-feeding device of each pair of adjacent disk-feeding devices.

Abstract: A disk carrier device for carrying an optical disk having a plate in the center, which plate is capable of being attracted by a magnetic force, is disclosed. The disclosed disk carrier device includes an attracting unit including a permanent magnet that attracts and thereby holds the plate; and a holding mechanism configured to detachably hold the attracting unit.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a disc autochanger without any disc reversing mechanism by using on A-side recording and reproducing apparatus and a B-side recording and reproducing apparatus while using a sheet-like optical disc in which both surfaces can be recorded and reproduced. The disc autochanger is constituted by a cartridge storing a plurality of sheet-like optical discs in which both surfaces are recorded and reproduced in a state of putting in a tray, the A-side recording and reproducing apparatus in which a moving table of an A-side recording and reproducing portion is arranged in an upper side of a tray take-out mechanism and a moving table of a cap is provided in a lower side thereof, and the B-side recording and reproducing apparatus in which a moving table of a B-side recording and reproducing portion is arranged in a lower side of the tray take-out mechanism and a moving table of a cap is provided in an upper side thereof.

Abstract: A printer with an embedded multimedia server is described that includes a processor primarily allocated for print control and another processor for executing a multimedia server for interfacing with hardware and/or software interfaces for various forms of media. Examples of such interfaces include, a network interface, a VGA port, transcoding hardware, wireless interfaces and a (USB) port. Examples of types of media processed include video, audio and text. The multimedia server performs multimedia content processing, particularly for time-based data, examples of which include editing, formatting, scheduling capture of content, searching, recognition, and event detection. Additionally, the printer can provide a multimedia storage database. The printer provides a user interface on its chassis that can provide a web browser, so that a user can interact directly with the printer for indicating preferences for multimedia content processing and/or selection for printing onto a desired output medium.

Abstract: A disk accommodating unit accommodates a plurality of disk trays for holding a disk. A disk processing unit reproduces data from or records data to a loaded disk. A loading mechanism loads a selected disk together with the disk tray from the disk accommodating unit to a position of the disk processing unit. The loading mechanism includes a tray drawing pinion provided in the disk processing unit; a disk tray that includes a tray rack engaged with the tray drawing pinion; and a rack plate that includes a tray drawing rack engaged with the tray drawing pinion, and draws a tray in at a first half process of the loading and stops the tray at a second half process of the loading.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a storage case storing disc-shaped recording media, disc trays holding the disc-shaped recording media and moved toward one and another sides to be inserted into and extracted from the storage case, and tray levers causing the disc trays to move toward the another side. First, second, and third direction are respectively defined as thickness direction of the disc-shaped recording media, moving direction of the disc trays, and direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. Each disc tray includes a tab which projects in the second direction. Each tray lever includes a pushing portion which pushes the tab toward the another side when the disc tray is to be extracted. The tabs of the disc trays disposed next to each other in the first direction are at different positions in the third direction. The tray levers are positioned near the respective tabs.

Abstract: A disk-storing disk device includes a mechanism base provided at a position beyond the perimeter of a disk stored in a disk storing region provided vertically within a middle portion of a casing, and a switchover member which moves following an arc path is provided on the mechanism base. Switching operations of various types of mechanisms can be performed by this switchover member. Also, other switchover members can be disposed vertically overlapping the mechanism base. Accordingly, the vertical movement region for holding disks can be made larger, and also, the planar area of the casing can be reduced. This allows a greater number of disks to be stored within the casing, while reducing the size of the casing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disk drive with a compact size that makes it possible to effectively utilize space within a disk drive and permits a straightforward layout of members. The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that has a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed by raising and lowering the holder plates 11. The opening amount of the disk holder 10 by the rise and fall of the holder plates 11 is fixed. The height of insertion of disk D into the disk holder 10 is on the upper side between the highest holder plate 11 and the lowest holder plate 11 when the disk holder 10 is open.

Abstract: A media drive system includes a housing and a drive unit at least partially disposed within the housing. A media handler arrangement defines a plurality of queuing positions for media objects, and a receiving area within the housing receives storage units defining at least one other queuing position. The drive system reduces latency through the use of the queuing positions to speed transfer and access to media objects.

Abstract: A disk drive and drive unit driving mechanism includes a disk holder with a plurality of holder plates that can receive individual hold disk in a stacked configuration. Disk selectors can form a space above and below a desired disk to be played by contacting and raising and/or lowering the holder plates. A drive base can move a drive unit into the space that is formed between the holder plates. Disk selectors can be provided with cams of a web shaped configuration to co-act with the protrusion provided whereby the holder plates can be moved in a vertical direction.

Abstract: A disc changer has a disc pushing device that can be accommodated within a limited space and can securely push out a disc from a disc accommodation section in a simple structure. The disc pushing device includes: a rotation axis fitted to a casing of the disc changer; a first lever section having a first lever with a small turning radius provided in projection on a cylindrical body having the rotation axis; and a second lever section having a base connected to a cylindrical body using the rotation axis, with a part of the base slidably superimposed on the upper part of the first lever section, and a turning radius of the front end larger than a turning radius of the first lever. A driving mechanism first turns the first lever section, and thereafter turns the second lever section, thereby pushing out a disc from the disc accommodation section.

Abstract: Logic circuits and operations respond to received various control signals, including (1) data exchange commands directing the drive to read and/or write data to a media item mounted by the drive, and (2) robotic device management commands. The logic responds to incoming data exchange commands by reading and/or writing to the loaded media item. The processor responds to at least some robotic device management signals by forwarding them to a robotic media transport device. The processor withholds the data exchange commands from the robotic device, since they are only pertinent to operations of the drive itself. The robotic device may be configured to restrict host access to library components according to predefined logical partitions.

Abstract: A media transportation mechanism control method and a media processing device can accurately detect the last disc or other media stored in a media storage unit. A transportation arm 36 is lowered to the media stacker 21, the transportation arm 36 is paused when the media detection mechanism 200 detects the media, and the transportation arm 36 is then raised and the position where the media detection mechanism 200 stops detecting the media is stored as media height H. After the transportation arm 36 descends again, picks a disc M from the media stacker 21, and then rises, the media height H is compared with a prescribed threshold limit ?. If the media height H is less than the threshold limit ?, the number of media left in the media stacker 21 is determined to be a prescribed count (such as zero).

Abstract: An optical disk changer that is capable of automatically playing both sides of a dual-sided optical disk. By coordinated rotation and delivery of disks taken from a linear disk storage bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a guide mechanism for guiding conveyance of a disk so that the disk can be advanced or retracted in a direction of conveyance of the disk, rotary members rotatably disposed on both ends of the guide mechanism, a disk conveying mechanism disposed opposite to the guide mechanism between the rotary members, and a rotating mechanism for, when retracting the guide mechanism toward a disk insertion/ejection opening, rotating the rotary member so as to move the disk conveying mechanism in a direction which intersects with the direction of conveyance of the disk.

Abstract: A disk-feeding apparatus for information storage disks includes a body and a disk-feeding mechanism. The body has a disk-feeding hole. The disk-feeding mechanism is mounted in the body and includes a driving assembly, a transmission member and multiple disk-feeding wheels. The transmission member is connected to and driven by the driving assembly. The disk-feeding wheels are rotatably mounted in the body and extend partially through an interior surface of the disk-feeding hole to hold disks over the disk-feeding hole, and has a cut edge and a feeding thread. A single disk is lo moved through the cut edges and the feeding threads to pass through the disk-feeding hole when the disk-feeding wheels are rotated, and the disk is eventually pulled down by gravity.

Abstract: An optical disk drive comprises a drive body, a spindle motor, an optical pickup device, a sled motor, a tray, a loading motor, and a controller. When the loaded optical disk is ejected, the controller controls the sled motor and the loading motor so that the returning of the optical pickup device and the opening of the tray are performed in non-chronological order. Accordingly, the time for the ejection of the optical disk is reduced.

Abstract: A disk device includes a disk tray capable of accommodating disks by stacking; a first driving motor for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction; a driving unit including an optical head for reading out data recorded in the disks, and a supporting component for supporting the rotation of the disks; a second driving motor for selectively transferring the driving unit between a playback position where the driving unit overlaps with the disks in the disk-stacking direction and a retracted position where the driving unit does not overlap with the disks in the disk-stacking direction; disk detectors for determining whether the disk tray accommodates disks at predetermined positions; and a controlling section for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction while the driving unit is kept at the playback position when the disk tray does not accommodate disks at predetermined positions on the basis of detection results of the disks during disk checks.

Abstract: A height-determining method of an elevating device comprises following steps. Firstly, the disc changer determines whether a disc storage cartridge is inserted into the disc changer or not. Secondly, the CPU resets the elevating device in the case that the disc storage cartridge is inserted into the disc changer. Then, the CPU calculates each level height of the disc storage cartridge, and so the elevating device can move according to the calculated level heights.

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: An optical disk changer that is capable of automatically playing both sides of a dual-sided optical disk. By coordinated rotation and delivery of disks taken from a linear disk storage bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.

Abstract: A disk holder springing-out prevention device is constituted by utilizing an existing loading block LB. A disk holder 3 is restricted to an accommodated position within a magazine M by means of a stopper 1a provided on a holder guide rail 1. In general, the initial position of the loading block LB is adapted to be a raised/lowered position corresponding to the uppermost disk holder 3 and the stopper 1a is adapted to be superimposed in the vertical direction with an engagement projection 2a of a holder extracting member 2 when the holder extracting member 2 is in the initial position in the feed direction. In this way, positional restriction of the uppermost disk holder 3 is effected by the holder extracting member 2 whereas the stopper 1a performs positional restriction of the remaining disk holders 3. As a result, springing out of the disk holders 3 from the magazine M can be reliably prevented.

Abstract: A disk device realizing 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 is provided. The disk device capable of storing a plurality of disks includes an operation setting means to actuate the disk holding means according to an operation mode of the disk, and an operation mode switching means to switch the operation mode of the operation setting means based on contents of disk operation.

Abstract: A disk device capable of storing a plurality of disks therein includes a disk holder capable of changing its vertical position to hold a disk, a driver to drive the disk holder, and the disk holder performs a rotational movement and the changing of its vertical height by means of the same driving mechanism of the driver. The disk device realizes a reduction in size and number of parts, prevention of damage to disks, a shortened operation time for a plurality of operations, improved vibration resistance, and a reduced manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A CD or DVD disc processor, as shown, a recorder or duplicator (it could be a printer) has a pivoting picker mechanism having only one degree of freedom when driven for handling the discs for recording and stacking recorded discs. The picker mechanism picks the disc from the top of a supply stack of blank discs and places the disc on a loading tray of a recorder. The disc is moved into the recorder drive and removed after recording. The picker mechanism then picks the disc from the tray apparatus, the tray is retracted into the recorder, and the picker mechanism pivots beyond the tray to deposit the completed discs on a completed stack storage space below the tray level.

Abstract: A disc device comprising a transfer unit operable to provide a transferring force to a disc inserted from the outside to transfer the disc into a storage area in the device, a sensor unit for detecting the position of the inserted disc, and a control unit for controlling a operational speed of the transfer unit. The control unit controls the operational speed of the transfer unit in the disc loading direction at a low-speed until the disc inserted from the outside reaches the transfer unit. The control unit then adjusts the operational speed of the transfer unit in the disc loading direction from a low-speed to a high-speed when the sensor unit detects that the disc is inserted into the position in which a transferring force from the transfer unit is given to the disc, or after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Accordingly, the disc device reduces operation noise and resistance when the disc is inserted.

Abstract: A changer-type disk device includes a disk storage section holding disks arranged in the axial direction of the disks; a drive unit for reproducing and/or recording information from/in a disk selected from the disks in the disk storage section; a drive activating mechanism for moving the drive unit back and forth between a drive position where the selected disk is driven and a retracted position where no disk is driven; and pressing members. The pressing members come into pressure contact with the circumferential edges of the waiting disks held in the disk storage section to push them toward the disk storage section from the outside in the radial direction, and are separated therefrom when the drive unit is moved from the drive position to the retracted position. Accordingly, the waiting disks can be locked in the radial direction; thus, a rattle noise occurring from the waiting disks during driving of the selected disk can be reduced.

Abstract: Disk changer apparatus employs a commercially-available drive device that includes a sliding tray having an opening preformed therein. Disk elevator section has a portion movable through the opening of the sliding tray and thereby allows a disk to be transferred between a disk transport section and the sliding tray of the drive device utilizing the opening of the sliding tray.

Abstract: A scanning device for magazine-type storage media, especially magazine player for optical disks, and a method to drive such player, the player being provided to cooperate with a magazine-type container having extremely dense packaging of storage media, where the storage media are secured against damages even when they are removed from the container. The disks are coupled to trays of the container. For playback the container is inserted into a playback device, a tray of the container is moved into a playback position, a disk is released from the tray and coupled to a mechadeck for playback.

Abstract: A disk device realizing reducing in size and number of parts, prevention of damage to disks, shortening operation time for plurality operations, improved vibration resistance and less expensive manufacturing cost is provided. The disk device capable of storing a plurality of disks loosely fitted and supported at its inner diameter, including separable loose mandrel mechanisms, when the mandrel mechanism is loosely fitted to the disk, the disk holder holds the disk, and one end of the a second mandrel mechanism is connected to another end of a first mandrel mechanism in a state that the disk is raised to a height abutting upon a support of a ceiling side formed on the first mandrel mechanism.

Abstract: To provide a disc changer capable of working without any malfunctions in spite of a reduced number of switches, it includes a mode-detecting mechanism having means for identifying an operation, cams respectively operated by powers supplied from a first and second motors, each cam provided with said identifying means, sensors for detecting said identifying means moving according to the operation of said cam, each composed of a set of a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, a control section for receiving operation signals detected by said sensors to control the operation of the disc changer, and transmission gears for driving said cams, said transmission gears interlocking with a transporting gear meshing with a rack of said main tray for carrying the main tray out with the subtray put thereon.

Abstract: A disk device realizing 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 is provided. In the disk device when a disk is reproduced, a disk reproducing mechanism is moved to become a center of disk coincident with a center of turntable thereof, a first disk holding mechanism is moved downward to load the disk on the disk reproducing mechanism, then a disk clamping mechanism is moved to clamp the disk loaded on the disk reproducing mechanism, and the disk is reproduced after the first and second disk holding mechanism release the disk and are taken away from the disk.