# US 8,544,032 B2 · Disc device, a multimedia apparatus including a disc device, and a method of driving the disc device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,544,032 B2 - Document ID: US8544032B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/291,413 - Filed: 2011-11-08 - Published: 2012-05-10 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-08 - Assignees: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Korea Corporation - Applicants: Cheol-woong Ahn - Inventors: Cheol-woong Ahn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8544032B2 ## CPC - G11B 17/0515: {adapted for discs of different sizes} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A disc device that includes a loading unit configured to load an storage medium into the disc device, a chucking unit configured to accommodate the loaded storage medium thereon, an ejection unit configured to eject the storage medium, and a controller configured to control the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit. The ejection unit moves the storage medium to a loading position for loading the storage medium onto the chucking unit when the storage medium is initially inserted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disc device comprising: a loading unit configured to load a storage medium into the disc device; a chucking unit configured to accommodate the loaded storage medium thereon; an ejection unit configured to eject the storage medium; a controller configured to control operation of the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit, wherein the ejection unit moves the storage medium to a loading position for loading the storage medium onto the chucking unit in response to the storage medium being initially inserted, and comprises an ejection lever and a bracket that are configured to rotate coaxially. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, wherein the election lever is configured to engage the storage medium, the ejection unit further comprises an absorbing spring that is configured to exert an elastic force onto the ejection lever, and the bracket is configured to support the absorbing spring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The disc device of claim 2, wherein the absorbing spring exerts the elastic force onto a predetermined region of the ejection lever in response to the ejection lever rotating the storage medium in a direction in which the storage medium is loaded. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, further comprising a driving switch that is interconnected with the ejection unit and is connected to a circuit that is configured to drive the loading unit, wherein the driving switch maintains an on-state in response to the storage medium being initialized. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, wherein, in response to the storage medium being initialized, the loading unit loads the storage medium onto the chucking unit without initializing a reset operation of the system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, wherein, in response to the storage medium being inserted, if the controller is driven, the controller controls the loading unit and the chucking unit to load the storage medium onto the chucking unit. ### Claim 7 A multimedia apparatus comprising: a disc device comprising a loading unit that is configured to load a storage medium into the disc device, a chucking unit that is configured to accommodate the loaded storage medium thereon, an ejection unit that is configured to eject the storage medium and to move the storage medium to a loading position for loading the storage medium to the chucking unit in response to the storage medium being inserted, and a controller that is configured to control operation of the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit; and an output unit that is configured to output a signal provided from the disc device, wherein the ejection unit comprises an ejection lever and a bracket that are configured to rotate coaxially. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The multimedia apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ejection lever is configured to engage the storage medium, the ejection unit further comprises an absorbing spring that is configured to exert an elastic force onto the ejection lever, and the bracket is configured to support the absorbing spring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The multimedia apparatus of claim 8, wherein the absorbing spring exerts the elastic force onto a predetermined region of the ejection lever in response to the ejection lever rotating the storage medium in a direction in which the storage medium is loaded. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The multimedia apparatus of claim 7, wherein, in response to the disc device not being used, the disc device is powered off, and wherein, in response to a storage medium being inserted into the disc device, the disc device is driven by supplying power to the disc device. ### Claim 11 A method of driving an disc device comprising a loading unit that is configured to load a storage medium into the disc device, a chucking unit that is configured to accommodate the loaded storage medium thereon, an ejection unit that is configured to eject the storage medium for moving the storage medium to a loading position for loading the storage medium onto the chucking unit in response to the storage medium being initially inserted, and a controller that is configured to control operation of the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit, the method comprising: supplying power to the disc device; determining whether the storage medium is in the loading position; if it is determined that the storage medium is inserted, loading the storage medium by the loading unit without initialization of the ejection unit; and initializing the loading unit when the storage medium is not inserted, wherein the ejection unit comprises an ejection lever and a bracket that are configured to rotate coaxially. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the ejection lever is configured to engage the storage medium, the ejection unit further comprises an absorbing spring that is configured to exert an elastic force onto the ejection lever, and the bracket is configured to support the absorbing spring. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the absorbing spring exerts the elastic force onto a predetermined region of the ejection lever only in response to the ejection lever rotating the storage medium in a direction in which the storage medium is loaded. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein, in response to the storage medium being inserted into the disc device, the power is supplied to the disc device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the disc device is connected to a multimedia apparatus comprising an output unit, and wherein, in response to the storage medium being inserted into the disc device, the power is supplied from the multimedia apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein, in response to the disc device not being used, the multimedia apparatus shuts power to the disc device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An electronic device, the electronic device including the disc device of claim 1. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the electronic device is one of a portable game console, a portable/personal multimedia player (PMP), a portable lap-top PC, a desktop PC, a game console, a high definition television (HDTV), an optical disc player/recorder, and a set top box. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, the disc device further comprising a plurality of switches each of which detects the state of at least one of the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit; wherein the controller controls operation of the loading unit, the chucking unit, and the ejection unit based on states of the switches at least a subset of the plurality of switches. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The disc device of claim 19, wherein in response to power being initially supplied to the disc device, the controller determines whether the storage medium is inserted, and based on such determination, if the storage medium is inserted then the loading unit loads the storage unit without initialization of the ejection unit; and if the storage medium is not inserted then the loading unit is initialized. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The disc device of claim 1, the disc device further comprising a guide lever comprising a first link and a second link rotatably attached by a lever hinge for guiding the storage medium onto the chucking unit in response to the storage medium being initially inserted.