Linear optical disk changer with side switching capabilities
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorDean A. Klein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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 handling mechanism bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.
Claims41
An optical disk changer for reading a first and a second side of an optical disk comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a disk bin coupled to said base for holding the optical disk;
- (c) a transfer mechanism slidably and rotatably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said disk bin and positioning the disk to be read;
- and
- (d) an optical disk reader attached to said base for loading a disk from said transfer mechanism and reading the disk.
An optical disk changer for reading a first and a second side of an optical disk comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a disk bin coupled to said base for holding the optical disk;
- and
- (c) an optical disk reader slidably and rotatably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said disk bin, reading the disk, and returning the disk to said disk bin.
An optical disk changer for reading a first and a second side of an optical disk comprising:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a disk bin coupled to said base for holding the optical disk;
- (c) a transfer mechanism slidably and rotatably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said disk bin and positioning the disk to be read;
- and
- (d) an optical disk reader slidably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said transfer mechanism and reading the disk.
A method of reading data from an optical disk comprising:
- (a) holding the optical disk in a bin;
- (b) delivering the optical disk from the bin to a transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a first direction;
- (c) delivering the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to an optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in a first direction;
- (d) reading data from a first side of the optical disk;
- (e) delivering the optical disk to the transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a second direction;
- (f) rotating the transfer mechanism about a vertical axis;
- (g) loading the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to the optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in the first direction;
- and
- (h) reading data from a second side of the optical disk.
- (h) reading data from a second side of the optical disk.
A method of translating an optical disk having a first side and a second side comprising:
- (a) holding the optical disk in a disk bin;
- (b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk to a first location in a first direction;
- and
- (c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk to a second location in the first direction, rotating the optical disk, and translating the optical disk to the first location in the first direction.
A method of reading data from an optical disk comprising:
- (a) holding the optical disk in a disk bin;
- (b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, delivering the optical disk through a first side of an optical disk reader, and reading the data;
- and
- (c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, rotating the optical disk reader, delivering the optical disk through a second side of the optical disk reader, and reading the data.
A method of reading data from an optical disk comprising:
- (a) holding the optical disk in a bin;
- (b) delivering the optical disk from the bin to a transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a first direction;
- (c) rotating the transfer mechanism;
- (d) delivering the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to an optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
- (e) reading data from a first side of the optical disk;
- (f) delivering the optical disk to the transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a fourth direction substantially parallel with the third direction;
- (g) rotating the transfer mechanism about a vertical axis;
- (h) loading the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to the optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in the third direction;
- and
- (i) reading data from a second side of the optical disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.