GB2232524A - Information storage and retrieval - Google Patents

Information storage and retrieval Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2232524A
GB2232524A GB8905571A GB8905571A GB2232524A GB 2232524 A GB2232524 A GB 2232524A GB 8905571 A GB8905571 A GB 8905571A GB 8905571 A GB8905571 A GB 8905571A GB 2232524 A GB2232524 A GB 2232524A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
disc
data
discs
compartment
drive
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8905571A
Other versions
GB8905571D0 (en
Inventor
Graham Brown-Martin
Adrian Michael Woodward
Neil Adrian Critchell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NEXT TECHNOLOGY CORP Ltd
Original Assignee
NEXT TECHNOLOGY CORP Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NEXT TECHNOLOGY CORP Ltd filed Critical NEXT TECHNOLOGY CORP Ltd
Priority to GB8905571A priority Critical patent/GB2232524A/en
Publication of GB8905571D0 publication Critical patent/GB8905571D0/en
Publication of GB2232524A publication Critical patent/GB2232524A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B17/00—Guiding record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor
    • G11B17/22—Guiding record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor from random access magazine of disc records
    • G11B17/225—Guiding record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor from random access magazine of disc records wherein the disks are transferred from a fixed magazine to a fixed playing unit using a moving carriage
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B19/00—Driving, starting, stopping record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function ; Driving both disc and head
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/002—Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B33/00—Constructional parts, details or accessories not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • G11B33/10—Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/21—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is of read-only, rewritable, or recordable type
    • G11B2220/213—Read-only discs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/25—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
    • G11B2220/2537—Optical discs
    • G11B2220/2545—CDs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/40—Combinations of multiple record carriers
    • G11B2220/41—Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title

Abstract

A data carrier library is described comprising in combination; a plurality of separate optical data disc drives for addressing and reading optically encoded data from optical data discs, a compartmentalised disc carrier system for retaining a plurality of optical data discs in a corresponding plurality of unique compartments, a microprocessor controlled robotic arm movable to any selected one of the unique compartments and any one of the separate optical data disc drives, to retrieval discs from and return them to the compartments and load them into and unload them from, the disc drives, memory means associated with the microprocessor, containing the compartment addresses and data identifying the disc in each compartment, input means whereby the identity of a desired disc can be entered and from which the relevant compartment address can be determined by the microprocessor, drive means operable to move the robotic arm to a selected compartment address, to remove the selected disc therefrom and convey it to a free disc drive, and display means for displaying data obtained by reading the selected disc. A plurality of display means may be provided, each associated with a different disc drive to enable a corresponding plurality of users independently to access data at the same time.

Description

Title: Information Storage and Retrieval Field of the Invention This invention concerns information storage and retrieval systems particularly multi user systems employing optical disc storage of data. Such systems will be referred to as a data carrier library.
Background to the Invention One of the first commercially available systems, Laservision, was produced by Philips and the same company went on to develop, in conjunction with Sony, the Compact Disc - Digital Audio (CD-DA) disk. Other optical storage techniques are being developed, but the general principles underlying all of these systems are similar information is encoded onto the surface of a disk via a laser (directly or indirectly) and this can be retrieved by monitoring the beam of another laser reflected from the encoded surface.
One particular form of data storage is the Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) and this is of the same generic family as the CD-DA. One single CD-ROM can store over 6O0Mbytes of data. With this system it is possible to store vast amounts of information in a very small space, for example, the pages from a set of encyclopaedias would occupy only some 200Mb of disk space. More and more information is now being published on CD-ROM and systems are now required to access this vast quantity of information in a controlled and logical manner.
Current optical storage systems have a number of limitations: - Few if any offer the ability to store different forms of optical storage media within the same system.
- Those that provide multi-user access do not provide for automatic loading and unloading of the discs.
- Those which have an automatic loading and unloading facility do not provide for simultaneous multi-user access.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a data carrier library that will automatically find and retrieve information stored over a large number of optical disks and will provide multi-user access.
Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the present invention a data carrier library comprises, in combination; (1) a plurality of separate optical data disc drives for addressing and reading optically encoded data from optical data discs, (2) a compartmentalised disc carrier system for retaining a plurality of optical data discs in a corresponding plurality of unique compartments, (3) a microprocessor controlled robotic arm movable to any selected one of the unique compartments and any one of the separate optical data disc drives, to retrievel discs from and return them to the compartments and load them into and unload them from, the disc drives, (4) memory means associated with the microprocessor, containing the compartment addresses and data identifying the disc in each compartment, (5) input means whereby the identity of a desired disc can be entered and from which the relevant compartment address can be determined by the microprocessor, (6) drive means operable to move the robotic arm to a selected compartment address, to remove the selected disc therefrom and convey it to a free disc drive, and (7) display means for displaying data obtained by reading the selected disc.
Where the data includes or comprises encoded sound signals, a loud speaker or equivalent audio signal reproducing means may be provided in place of, or in addition to, the display means.
Where it is desirable that two or more users shall be capable of accessing data simultaneously and independently, a corresponding plurality of display means (with or without audio replay means) are provided, each associated with a different disc drive.
Conveniently the robotic arm includes a pair of hands mounted on a carrige assembly which is adapted to move vertically and horizontally under control signals related to X and Y coordinates, so that any position (within the extremes of the values permissable) on the X and Y axes can be accessed by supplying the appropriate X and Y coordinate signals to the drive means.
For convenience RAM storage may be provide as a buffer memory into which signals, derived by reading a selected disc in one of the disc drives, can be downloaded.
Subsequent interrogation and display of the data from the selected disc is then possible by addressing the RAM and displaying the read-out from the RAM.
If the RAM capacity per disc drive is adequate, the entire contents of a disc may be downloaded for subsequent user interrogation, although in view of the data transfer time which would be required, it is more preferable to provide a smaller RAM storage device and merely store a selected part of the data from the disc.
The compartments are conveniently arranged in a plurality of rows and columns so as to resemble horizontally subdivided shelves, with one disc in each compartment.
Preferably each disc includes a central aperture which locates over a protrusion upstanding from the floor of each compartment, to retain the disc laterally therein.
Conveniently the protrusions are apertured with the apertures in each column of compartments aligned to allow an elongate locking pin to be pushed therethrough for transit, the purpose of the pin being to prevent any disc from jumping off its retaining protrusion during transit.
In a preferred arrangement the disc drives are mounted one above the other at one end of the array of rows and columns of compartments and the disc retrieval system is mounted so as to extend over one face of the array of compartments to enable the hands to move freely in the X and Y directions. Movement in the Z direction (perpendicular to the X,Y plane), enables the hands to enter a compartment and grip the edges of a disc to lift it off its protrusion and remove if from its compartment, for subsequent transit in the X and Y mode to a position in alignment with one of the disc drives, into which it can be inserted by appropriate motion in the Z direction.
Conveniently two pairs of hands are provided each being independently movable and operable to allow a disc within a drive to be removed (by the free pair of hands) and for the disc held by the other pair of hands to be positioned and loaded into the now free disc drive.
It is to be noted that where two such pairs of hands are provided, the disc removed from the drive may if desired be retained in close proximity to the vacated drive so that if called for subsequently (and assuming access to the loaded disc is not required at the same time), the discs can be interchanged to allow the original disc to be read once again.
It will be seen that by providing an appropriate hierarchy among display units and input means, the system will admit multi-user access.
The compartment X,Y coordinates and the disc identity data (which is searched after a given search field has been entered via the input means), may be stored in a look-up table under the control of the microprocessor.
The invention also lies in a method of retrieving optically encoded data stored on a plurality of discs, comprising the steps of: selecting a compartment within which a given disc is stored, moving a disc retrieval device into juxtaposition with the compartment and removing the desired disc, identifying a free disc drive and entering the disc therein, and reading data from the disc and reproducing the encoded signals therefrom either visually or audibly (or both).
In a method allowing simultaneous access by two or more users, a corresponding number of drive units are provided and the robotic arm is operated by the microprocessor as instructions are received from the different user controlled input means, to locate, retrieve and load disc from the compartments into the different disc drives, to enable data (and/or sound) to be reproduced from the disc in the channel associated with the user input means which has called up each disc concerned.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a data carrier library embodying the invention Figure 2 is a perspective view to an enlarged scale of one of the disc carrier columns, and Figure 3 shows a disc seated on the floor of its relevant compartment with the central aperture of the disc located on a corresponding shaped protrusion.
The data carrier library shown in the drawings provides the facility to store and retrieve over 250 compact discs automatically and access the data contained on these discs under the control of a Personal Comupter (PC) (not shown).
The system provides storage for over 150,000 Mb of computer data or 72 million pages of text or 4 million colour pictures of 10 days worth of motion video or a combination of all these things. What is more, the system can be linked to more data carrier libraries to provide practically unlimited storage capability. Each can contain up to eight data drives which could, for example, either all be CD-ROM drives or be a mixture of drives for various form of optical storage media.
The data carrier library represents the future of information retrieval where the contents of an entire large high street library could be stored on a single system no large than a standard personal computer. Using such a system the user could have all the information, text, pictures and sound at their finger tips for almost immedate access. A simple request for information on practically any subject in the world could result in a rich multi-media presentation providing the user with a more effective means of researching and understanding a particular topic.
The unit comprises three main parts (see Figure 1), a set of optical data disc drives (1), a robot disc handling system plus controller/interface unit (2) and a carrier system for the discs (3).
For CD-ROM based media, the disc drives are similar to a CD-Audio player but have improved performance and additional technology to verify the information on the disc. The drives have been specially modified to operate in an automated fashion.
The robot consists of a small computer which holds the intelligence, and some mechanics which include a pair of hands (4) mounted on a vertical moving carriage (5) which in turn is mounted on a horizontal moving carriage (6).
In one particular embodiment, the disc carrier (3) is in the form of a set of closely spaced 'shelves' (7) arranged in columns. The discs locate horizontally on a boss (8) on the shelves and there is also provision for the discs to be locked in place during transit by passing a rod (not shown) through the holes (9) in the columns of discs and shelves. The drives are located at one end of the carrier.
The system is best described in detail by considering the sequence of operation in conjunction with Figures 1-3 attached.
The unit is connected to a standard PC or Local Area Network (LAN) (not shown) via a RS 232 interface and the PC is used to control and access the data stored on the discs within the unit. The retrieval software on the PC sends instructions to the robot inside the unit to load and unload the required discs.
Discs are loaded into the unit in two ways; manually, by loading the discs directly into the carrier through the side panel of the unit (not shown), or singly into the loading drawer (not shown) at the front. When loaded into the loading drawer the discs are taken, automatically into the unit removed from the closed drawer by the robot hand (4) and placed onto the appropriate storage shelf(7). The PC retrieval software package logs the stored position of each disc for future reference.
When a request for a particular piece of data is made via the retrieval package on the PC, the robot hand is instructed to move to the appropriate disk storage position. The horizontal (10) and vertical (11) axes of the robot are each fitted with a motor and linear encoder system to enable the hands to be positioned accurately in relation to the appropriate disc(3) and subsequently to the appropriate drive (1). An edge detector on each hand (not shown) checks the presence or not of the disc before the hand is rotated in a horizontal plane to position the fingers (12) adjacent to the selected disc. The fingers then close onto the grip the selected disc. An optical proximity detector mounted in the fingers (not shown) signals to the controller that the disc is gripped and the hand and disc are then swung clear of the disc carrier.
The disc is then moved by the robot to a position adjacent to the target disc drive and once in position the hand swings the disc over the drive. An instruction is then sent from the controller to the drive and the disc- clamp (not shown) is activated to clamp the disc to the drive head. Once the disc is clamped to the drive head the fingers release their grip on the disc and the hand swings clear of the drive. If, then the robot approaches the target drive, there is already a disc loaded onto that drive, the lower hand (4b) first removes the disc occupying the drive and then moves clear to allow the upper hand (4a) first removes the disc occupying the drive and then moves clear to allow the upper hand (4a) to load the new disc. Subsequently, the disc that has been removed from the lower hand (4b) is returned to its storage shelf.
When the required data has been retrieved from a disc, the robot hand moves to a position adjacent to the appropriate drive and swings in to locate the fingers adjacent to the disc. The fingers close to grip the disc and the drive is instructed by the controler to release the disc. The hand then swings the disc clear to the drive and returns the disc to the appropriate disc storage location, swinging the disc onto the shelf and releasing the disc on to the location boss of the shelf (8). The hand then retracts clear of the carrier to await the next disc change request when the above cycle of operations is repeated.
When a user logs onto the unit and enters his user number, the retrieval software mounted on the PC allocates a priority code to that user. For example, a priority 1 user, say, would be allocated a single drive dedicated to their own use. On the other hand a priority 2 user, say, would be allocated a single drive dedicated to their own use. On the other hand a priority 2 user, say, would have to share access to a single drive with another user is all of the system drives were occupied and other users required access to the system.
The PC controlling the unit is also provided with a disc caching facility such that each user is allocated a portion of fixed disc storage on the PC or in the PC's RAM. Each time that the user requests data from an optical disc within the unit, that disc is retrieved as described above and the requested data is downloaded from the optical disc into the user cache allocated to that user on the PC fixed disc. This method provides the user who is, say, browsing through a journal to have on the screen of the PC the current page whilst the preceding two pages and the subsequent two pages are stored in the cache ready for rapid access as the user scrolls through the document.
The above described access sequence means that it is not necessary to have continuous access to the optical disc.
Therefore, should all of the drives be occupied and an additional user wishes to access the system, it is possible for that user or more additional users to access any of the optical discs mounted on any of the drives. It is also possible for any of these additional users to access other optical discs which are not currently mounted on any of the drives by adopting the following procedure: In the column of storage 'shelves' adjacent to the drives, certain 'shelves' are allocated to each drive as temporary disc storage. These temporary stores for each drive are on the same level as the drives such that the minimum of movement is required to transfer a disc from a particular temporary store, These temporary stores are not allocated for the storage of discs other than on a temporary basis. The sequence of operation is now described.
If all of the drives are in use and an additional user logs on to the system and requests data from an optical disc that -is not in use elsewhere in the system, the PC retrieval system selects a drive being used by a priority 2 user (eg lg). As this user already has their data stored in their system cache, the upper robot hand (4a) can select the newly requested disc from the main disc store and carry it to the drive (lg). The lower hand (4b) removes the disc already on the drive enabling the upper hand (4a) to load the new disc on to the now vacant drive.
The hands now wait adjacent to the drive until either a user logs off the system or another request to swop discs is received.
If a user logs off, the robot removes the disc from the drive that the user had been allocated and replaces it with the disc in temporary store, Should no users log off before the system is requested to swop a disc, the disc is held in temporary store in the robot hand is placed onto temporary storage shelf (3g) adjacent to the drive from which it was removed. The hands are now free to attend to other requests for discs. The disc remains on the temporary storage shelf until the user either requests further data from it, in which case it is remounted on to the drive swopping with the disc already on the drive as described above, or the user quits the system, when the disc is returned to its allocated storage position.
The combination of disc caching and temporary storage described above enable many more users to access the system than there are physical drives, without significant loss of system performance.

Claims (19)

Patent Claims.
1. A data carrier library comprising, in combination; (1) a plurality of separate optical data disc drives for addressing and reading optically encoded data from optical data discs, (2) a compartmentalised disc carrier system for retaining a plurality of optical data discs in a corresponding plurality of unique compartments, (3) a microprocessor controlled robotic arm movable to any selected one of the unique compartments and any one of the separate optical data disc drives, to retrievel discs from and return them to the compartments and load them into and unload them from, the disc drives, (4) memory means associated with the microprocessor, containing the compartment addresses and data identifying the disc in each compartment, (5) input means whereby the identity of a desired disc can be entered and from which the relevant compartment address can be determined by the microprocessor, (6) drive means operable to move the robotic arm to a selected compartment address, to remove the selected disc therefrom and convey it to a free disc drive, and (7) display means for displaying data obtained by reading the selected disc.
2. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data includes or comprises encoded sound signals and a loud speaker or equivalent audio signal reproducing means is provided in place of, or in addition to, the display means.
3. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein a plurality of display means are provided, each associated with a different disc drive to enable a corresponding plurality of users independently to access data at the same time.
4. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the robotic arm includes a pair of hands mounted on a carrige assembly which is adapted to move vertically and horizontally under control signals related to X and Y coordinates, so that any position (within the extremes of the values permissable) on the-X and Y axes can be accessed by supplying the appropriate X and Y coordinate signals to the drive means.
5. A data carrier library as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein RAM storage is provided as a buffer memory into which signals, derived by reading a selected disc in one of the disc drives, can be downloaded so that subsequent interrogation and display of data from the selected disc can be acheived by addressing the RAM and displaying the read-out from the RAM.
6. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 5 wherein the RAM capacity per disc drive is sufficient to enable the entire contents of a disc to be downloaded for subsequent user interrogation.
7. A data carrier library as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the compartments are arranged in a plurality of rows and columns so as to resemble horizontally subdivided shelves, with one disc in each compartment.
8. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 7 wherein each disc includes a central aperture which locates over a protrusion upstanding from the floor of each compartment, to retain the disc laterally therein.
9. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 8 wherein the protrusions are apertured with the apertures in each column of compartments aligned to allow an elongate locking pin to be pushed therethrough, the purpose of the pin being to prevent discs from jumping off their retaining protrusions during transit.
10. A data carrier library as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 in so far as the claim is dependent on claim 4, wherein the disc drives are mounted one above the other at one end of the array of rows and columns of compartments and the disc retrieval system is mounted so as to extend over one face of the array of compartments to enable the hands to move freely in the X and Y directions.
11. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 10 wherein the hands are movable in the Z direction (perpendicular to the X,Y plane), to enter a compartment and grip the edges of a disc to lift it off its protrusion and remove it from its compartment, for subsequent transit in the X and Y mode to a position in alignment with one of the disc drives, into which it can be inserted by appropriate motion in the Z direction.
12. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 11 wherein two pairs of hands are provided each being independently movable and operable to allow a disc within a drive to be removed (by the free pair of hands) and for the disc held by the other pair of hands to be positioned and loaded into the now free disc drive.
13. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 12 wherein the hands remain close to the X,Y position from which a disc has been removed so that the latter is retained in close proximity to the vacated drive so that if called for subsequently (and assuming access to the loaded disc is not required at the same time), the discs can be rapidly interchanged to allow the original disc to be read once again.
14. A data carrier library as claimed in claim 13 wherein there is provided an appropriate hierarchy among display units and input means to enable the system to admit multiuser access.
15. A data carrier library as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 wherein the compartment X,Y coordinates and the disc identity data (which is searched after a given search field has been entered via the input means), are stored in a look-up table under the control of the microprocessor.
16. A method of retrieving optically encoded data stored on a plurality of discs, comprising the steps of: selecting a compartment within which a given disc is stored, moving a disc retrieval device into juxtaposition with the compartment and removing the desired disc, identifying a free disc drive and entering the disc therein, and reading data from the disc and reproducing the encoded signals therefrom either visually, or audibly or both.
17. A method of retrieving optically encoded data stored on a plurality of discs as claimed in claim 16 which allows simultaneous access by two or more users, by providing a corresponding number of drive units, wherein the robotic arm is operated by the microprocessor as instructions are received from the different user controlled input means, to locate, retrieve and load discs from the compartments into the different disc drives, to enable data (and/or sound) to be reproduced from the disc in the channel associated with the user input means which has called up each disc concerned.
18. Apparatus for retrieving optically encoded data stored on a plurality of discs constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with referrence to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
19. A method of retrieving optically encoded data stored on a plurality of discs substantially as herein described with referrence to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
GB8905571A 1989-03-10 1989-03-10 Information storage and retrieval Withdrawn GB2232524A (en)

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GB2232524A true GB2232524A (en) 1990-12-12

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Cited By (25)

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US5375113A (en) * 1993-07-13 1994-12-20 Sony Electronics Inc. Optical disk storage tray having multiple storage sites and corresponding drive components
WO1995007531A1 (en) * 1993-09-08 1995-03-16 Nsm Aktiengesellschaft Play-back and/or recording device for disks
NL9400141A (en) * 1994-01-28 1995-09-01 Wimm Hellebaut Apparatus for treating flat objects
WO1995029485A1 (en) * 1994-04-27 1995-11-02 Sound Leisure Limited Selection mechanism
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