WO2006105582A1

WO2006105582A1 - Disc storage device and optical disc

Info

Publication number: WO2006105582A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/000296
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Jaeger
Original assignee: Opdicom Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-04-06
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2006-10-12

Abstract

A medium storage device [10] comprising a carousel [14] having a plurality of storage compartments [16] for storing discs [60], a drive [19] for bringing a predetermined one of the storage compartments into registry with a medium receiving/retrieval location [40], a reader [50] for reading an identifier [52] embedded in the disc without having to read the contents of the disc as the disc moves into and out of the device, a controller [18] when storing a disc receives information from the reader , brings the carousel into a position where one of the storage compartments is presented at a receiving location to store the disc, provides information to an inventory identifying the disc and the storage compartment, when retrieving a disc receives data relating to the location of the disc from the reader, moves the carousel so that the corresponding storage compartment is presented at the retrieval location to retrieve the disc. An optical disc [60] comprising a hub ring [58], a data storage section [61] surrounding the hub ring, the hub ring and the data storage section having a first surface [101] and an opposite second surface [108], an RFID tag [52] embedded within the hub ring between the first and second surfaces.

Description

DISC STORAGE DEVICE AND OPTICAL DISC

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a medium storage device such as a device for storing optical discs, and to an optical disc.

Background of the Invention

International Application PCT/AUOl/00631 , now owned by Opdicom Pty Ltd, discloses a medium storage device, and in particular an optical disc storage device for storing optical discs . The storage device is proposed in two forms. The first form merely stores the disc and requires a user to input information into a computer to identify the disc so the storage location is known and so the user can identify the disc and retrieve the disc at a later date. In a second arrangement, a disc reader (i.e. a drive) is proposed so the contents of the disc can be read to enable automatic identification of the disc without the user needing to input anything into the computer to identify the disc .

The arrangement in which a user is required to identify the disc operates satisfactorily regardless of whether the user does insert information into the computer to identify the disc. However, if the user incorrectly inserts the information or does not bother to insert the information disc retrieval is difficult because the computer does not know where a particular disc is stored and therefore cannot readily locate that disc.

The object of a first invention is to address this problem.

Optical discs have been provided with various devices which enable information to be stored or located on the disc which can contain information relating to the „ O —

contents of the disc so the contents of the disc can be identified without actually having to read the disc.

Present methods of locating such devices on discs suffer from a number of draw backs .

Thus, the object of a second invention is to address this problem.

Summary of the Invention

The first invention may be said to reside in a medium storage device, comprising; a carousel having a plurality of storage locations each for allowing storage of a medium; a drive for bringing a predetermined one of the storage locations into registry with a medium receiving location and medium retrieval location; an information reader for reading an information storage member applied to the medium so that information relating to the contents of the medium can be received from the medium without having to provide a reader for reading the contents of the medium, so that information relating to the contents of the medium can be stored to identify the contents of the medium; and a controller for receiving the information relating to the contents of a medium and for controlling the device to bring the carousel into a position where one of the storage locations is presented at the receiving location to enable the medium to be stored in the said one of the storage locations, for providing information identifying the medium and the storage location in which the medium is to be stored to an inventory, and for receiving the data relating to the location of the medium for controlling the carousel to move the carousel so the said one of the storage locations is presented at the retrieval location to enable the medium to be retrieved. Thus, a medium can be automatically read when the medium is presented to the device and the information relating to the contents of the medium stored. When a person wishes to retrieve that medium, the information relating to the contents need only be input, so that the carousel can be driven to present the medium at' the retrieval location so that the required disc can be retrieved from the device and used as required.

In one embodiment of the invention, the reader comprises a barcode reader .

In another embodiment of the invention, the reader comprises a RFID tag reader.

In a still further embodiment of the invention, the reader comprises an optical character recognition reader .

In the above embodiments the member which is applied to the medium comprises a barcode, RFID chip or printed characters which are applied to the medium respectively.

Preferably, the device includes a data communication coupling for coupling the device to a computer so that data relating to the location of the medium can be supplied to the device via the computer and the information relating to the medium can be supplied to the computer for storage in the computer.

Preferably, the drive to bring the storage location into registry includes a motor.

Preferably, the medium comprises an optical disc.

Preferably, the storage location and retrieval location comprise a common location. - A -

Preferably, the device includes an outer housing for containing the carousel and the storage location and retrieval location comprise a common slot in the housing into which the medium can be inserted and from which the medium can be ejected by the device.

In another embodiment of the invention, the reader is located remote from the receiving location.

In this other embodiment of the invention, the reader is preferably located at a central position of the carousel . In this embodiment the reader is preferably a longer range reader whereas in embodiments where the reader is located at the receiving location the reader is a short range reader .

The second invention may be said to reside in an optical disc comprising; a hub ring; a content storage section surrounding the hub ring for allowing the recording of data on the disc; the hub and the surrounding portion having a first surface and a opposite second surface; a medium for providing information to be read by a reader, the medium being embedded within the hub between the first and second surfaces .

The embedding of the member within the hub between the first and second surfaces overcomes a number of problems associated with conventional techniques for providing a medium on a disc which is intended to provide specific information. These problems include the warping of the disc as can happen when externally applied labels are used, adding weight to the disc which may effect disc rotation at high speed, removal of the medium without severely damaging the disc, preventing a thief from removing the medium from the disc, leaving a location of the medium undetected within the disc, reducing or stoping loses attributed to theft. This invention can also provide content developers, manufacturers and distributors with the ability to protect investment by providing an efficient method to authenticate legitimate products over counterfeit products produced by unauthorised manufacturers .

Preferably the medium comprises an RFID tag.

In one embodiment of the invention, the medium is located in polycarbonate layer of the disc.

In one embodiment the polycarbonate layer is a polycarbonate layer adjacent a label applied to a hub of the disc .

In another embodiment the polycarbonate layer is a spatial layer between recording layers of the disc .

In one embodiment the medium is embedded by being moulded into one of the layers of the disc.

In another embodiment the medium is embedded by being sandwiched between layers of the disc.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a storage device according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of a storage device according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5 show different types of readers which can be used in the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 show discs having different types of conventional medium;

Figure 9, Figure 10 and Figure 11 are flow charts showing how data is stored according to the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is a view of various layers of a disc according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 13 is a detailed view of a disc showing the layers on expanded scale ; Figure 14 is a detailed view of layers of a disc according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 15 is a detailed view of layers of a disc according to a second embodiment of the invention .

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figures 1 and 2 show two different embodiments of a storage device, according to the present invention. Full structural details of the storage device are disclosed in International Application PCT/AUOl/00631, and reference should also be had to our Australian complete application Nos. 2005200225, 2005200362 and 2005200880. The contents of those applications are incorporated into this specification by this reference .

With reference to Figure 1, the storage device 10 comprises a housing 12 (only the lower part of which can be seen) which contains a carousel 14 which includes a plurality of storage compartments 16. As in the above identified applications the carousel 16 includes a controller (which could be a printed circuit board) schematically represented at arrow 18 in order to control operation of the carousel 14, and a motor 19 for rotating the carousel .

The device 10 is connected to a computer in the manner disclosed in the above identified applications . In order to store a disc, the disc is presented to entrance slot 40 (only partially shown) which is provided in the housing and includes components (only schematically shown in Figure 1) to draw the disc into the housing and store the disc inputs one of the storage compartments 16. The user when storing a disc puts information relating to the contents of the disc into the computer so the device knows the particular disc which is stored in a particular storage location. When it is desired to retrieve that disc, the user types an appropriate input into the computer or selects the disc from a menu provided by the computer and the controller 18 controls the carousel 14 to present the compartments 16 containing that disc at the slot 40 so the disc can be ejected from the carousel through the slot 40. The user can then retrieve the disc and locate the disc into a drive associated with the computer or some other drive with which the disc is to be used.

In one embodiment of the invention, a reader 50 is located at the entrance slot 40 and is positioned at the entrance slot 40 at about the mid point where a disc will pass through the slot 40 during storage in the carousel 14 and retrieval from the carousel 14.

Figure 2 shows a storage disc according to a second embodiment which has the same parts as those in Figure 1 except that the reader 50 is located at a central portion of the carousel 14 and preferably at the axis of rotation of the carousel 14.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 the reader 50 is in the form of a very localised reader for reading data supplied from a disc 60 and in the embodiment of Figure 2 the reader is a longer range reader. Figures 6 , 7 and 8 show views of discs which include various types of medium which are to be read by the reader 50. In Figure 6 an RFID tag 51 is located at the surface of the disc 60. Typically the RFID tag is added after the disc 60 is manufactured. Figure 7 shows a disc having an RFID tag 52 located at the central hub. Typically the disc of Figure 6 is a pre-recorded disc and the disc of Figure 7 is a blank disc which is intended to be used to record information at a later date . Figure 8 is a view of a disc which has an electronic security tag 53.

The reader 50 previously described can be a reader for reading information provided by the tags 51, 52 or 53.

In other embodiments the member 54 may be a barcode as is shown in Figure 3 which is applied to the non recorded side or label side of a disc 60 which is intended to be read by a barcode reader 50' which is controlled by controller 18. In the embodiment of Figure 4 the reader 50 ' ' is in the form of an RFID tag reader for reading RFID tag 52 applied to the surface of hub 53 of disc 60. The tag 50' ' has an antenna coil 55 and is controlled by controller 18. In the embodiment of Figure 5 the reader 50 ' ' ' is in the form of an optical character recognition reader which reads alpha numeric text 56 applied to the label side of disc 60. Once again the reader 50 ' ' ' is controlled by controller 18.

Thus, the controller 18 controls the reader 50 to cause the reader 50 to obtain the data from the disc 60 so that the data can be used in the manner described above .

The controller 18, as explained above, may be part of the overall controller 18 of the device 10. However, if desired, the controller 18 shown in Figures 3 to 5 could be a separate auxiliary controller which operates the reader 50 and controls the supply of information detected by the reader 50 to the controller 18. If an auxiliary controller is used the auxiliary controller would be in data communication with the overall controller 18 shown in Figures 1 and 2 for the transmission and receipt of data when discs are stored and retrieved.

The short range reader 50 shown in Figure 1 is suited to short range near field communication (NFC) technologies (ie ISO 1443) whereas the embodiment in Figure 2 is suited to longer range technologies (ie ISO 15693) .

Tag 50' ' which represents the preferred embodiment of the invention can be read at various points in the storage or retrieval process . Typically the embodiment of Figure 1 is intended to read tags when the disc 60 is stored or retrieved. The embodiment of Figure 2 can read a batch of discs at the one time and therefore can query or read all tags within range of the reader 50 shown in Figure 2 and report back all discs found. This enables all discs in the carousel 14 to be identified and confirm that all discs are loaded into the carousel 14 which are intended to be so located.

By reading the tag 50" at the time of presentation of a disc 60 for storage in the carousel 14 and retrieval of the disc 60 from the carousel 14 , the discs can be automatically recognised and the computer (not shown) which is connected to the device 10 updated to show that the disc has been stored or retrieved from the device 10.

Figures 9 to 12 show how information is supplied to the computer to update the computer when discs are stored and retrieved.

In reference to Figure 9 the process starts at step 601. When a disc is presented at the storage slot 40 the RFID tag 51, 52 or 53 is read by the reader 50. This occurs at step 603.

It is mentioned that if the device 10 does include a disc reader then the content of the disc can be read at step 602 to obtain an indication of the nature of the disc and this information can be used to identify the disc. However , if no disc reader for reading the contents of the disc is provided then the reader 50 ' ' will read the tag 52 and the tag 52 will be programmed to include data which relates to the contents of the disc and any other data which may be desired or used for other purposes . At step 604 the information which is read by the reader 50' ' is passed to an inventory manager system within the computer used with the storage device 10 or any other inventory manager system which a user may wish to use with the device 10. At step 605 a decision is made as to whether the disc is already known to the system. If yes the process moves to step 606 and the disc is acknowledged in the inventory records as stored in a particular storage location within the carousel 14. If the disc is not known to the system a message is sent at step 607 notifying the system of the new disc and at step 608 the title or other relevant details associated with the new disc are stored. The process ends at step 609.

Each disc 60 will therefore have a unique identifier such as a number, code or the like to identify the disc. As an example, a disc containing a movie such as Superman can include within the information to identify the disc the title Superman. Thus, the title Superman is added to the inventory records and the empty storage location 16 which is presented for receiving the disc is determined. Thus, the inventory system will store the location (such as storage location No. 65) and the title Superman along with other information which may be relevant or of use . Thus , when a user wishes to retrieve the disc to play the movie the user simply inputs Superman into the computer keyboard and the storage location which stores that disc is supplied from the computer to the controller 18 and the controller 18 controls the carousel to present the correct storage location at the retrieval location slot 40. The disc 60 is then ejected from the carousel through the slot 40 and can be taken by the user and played.

Figure 10 is a flow chart which explains the process that the system operates when a disc is retrieved or ejected from the carousel 14. The process starts at step 701 and the system first identifies that a disc 60 is being removed from the system at step 702. This can be done in the manner disclosed in the above identified applications by a signal which is produced upon ejection of a disc from the carousel 14. At step 703 the reader 50' ' is turned on and the reader reads the tag 52 as the tag passes the reader 50''. The reader 50'' retrieves disc information from the tag at step 704. This information typically comprises a unique identifier and title and/or other content details of the disc so the disc can be identified by a user and the same identifying data used when the disc is returned to the system. At step 705 the disc details are passed to the inventory manager within the computer and these details are compared to a database, list or index of discs within the computer. The inventory manager may be a local or remote file or on board the device 10 itself. At step 706 a decision is made as to whether the disc is already known to the system and if yes the inventory manager is updated to show that the disk has been removed from the device 10 at step 707. If the disc is not known to the inventory manager system a new disc notification is sent to the inventory manager at step 708 and at step 709 the title or other relevant details associated with the disc are stored in the system and the inventory manager then updated at step 707 to show that the disc has been removed from the device 10. The process ends at step 710.

Figure 11 shows how the system operates when a disc is presented to the device 10 for storage in the device 10. The process starts at step 801. At step 802 a disc is located in the slot 40 for storage in the carousel 14. The disc presented to the slot 40 is detected in the same manner as described above and this turns the reader 50 ' ' on as identified in step 803. It is mentioned that as an alternative to turning on the reader 50 ' ' , the reader may be on at all times thereby being ready to identify a disc during the retrieval or storage step. At step 804 the reader 50 ' ' retrieves the information from the tag 52 to obtain the unique identifier, title and/or other content detail we just stored on the tag 52. At step 805 details of the data read by the reader 50 ' ' are provided to the inventory manager. At step 806 a decision is made as to whether the disc is known by the system or whether it is not known by the system. If the disc is known the inventory manager is updated at step 807 to show that a disc is being stored which is already known to the system by title, unique identifier, content etc as being stored in a particular one of the compartments 16 of the carousel 14. If the disc is not known to the system the new disc is identified at step 808 and the title and other relevant details are forwarded to the manager system at step 809. After step 809 the inventory manager is updated to show that a disc is stored in a particular storage location 16 within the carousel 14. The process ends at step 810.

Thus, when a disc is inserted into the carousel 14 the carousel knows the contents of the disk by a unique identifier, title or any other data associated with the disc, and also knows the storage location 16 in which the disc is located. Thus, when a user wishes to retrieve that disc the user need only type the identifier, content name, etc into the computer keyboard (not shown) and the carousel 14 will then be rotated to bring the relevant storage compartment 16 to the slot 40 and the disc 60 can then be ejected from the device 10 through the slot 40. When the disc is returned an empty compartment 16 is presented at the slot 40 so that the disc can locate in that empty compartment and the particular compartment 60 is remembered with the contents of the disc etc so that the inventory system knows in which compartment 16 a particular disc is stored.

Thus, it is not necessary for the user to remember to type the details of a new disc into the system. The disc will be automatically read via its tag 52 as the disc is inserted or retrieved from the system and the inventory updated.

Figures 12 and 15 show an optical disc according to the preferred embodiment of the invention in which an RFID tag is incorporated into the disc at manufacture. Thus, whilst the previous embodiment can be used with disc which have a tag or other medium on the surface of the disc as well as the preferred embodiment in which the tag, as will be explained with reference to Figures 12 to 15 , is embedded in the disc, the embedding of the tag within the disc provides a number of additional advantages over and above the mere identification of discs as the discs are loaded or retrieved from the device 10.

In particular, the incorporation of the RFID tag in accordance with Figures 14 and 15 overcomes problems associated with application of identifying medium to the disc including warping of the disc. The tag can be located as close as possible to the centre of the disc within the hub 58 of the disc to reduce the effect of added weight off centre of the disc and makes the tag irremovable from the disc without destroying the disc. Furthermore, in some embodiments and in particular where the tag is in the form of an RFID tag, the tag can be undetected within the disc. The tag may include information or data which can be detected by product detectors at the entrance or exit of a store to thereby reduce losses attributed to theft. Furthermore, the tag can be used by manufacturers to provide unique identifying codes to protect their software and data by authenticating legitimate products over counterfeit products produced by unauthorised manufacturers which would not include the tag 50' with the correct identifying information.

As is shown in Figures 12 and 13 the disc 60 comprises a hub 58 and an annular peripheral recording portion 61. The disc 60 is formed from a plurality of layers, such as four layers as is shown in Figure 12. The layers are effectively laminated or joined together and each layer is an integral layer made up of the annual portion 61 and the hub 58.

The optical disc can be in the form of a CD, DVD, blue- ray, HD-DVD or any other type of optical disc.

In the embodiment of Figure 12 the tag 52 is added between the layers 2 and 3 and in the embodiment of Figure 10 the tag 50 would be added into the spacer between the polycarbonate bases or in the polycarbonate layer below the label layer .

Figure 14 and Figure 15 show enlarged views of the layers identified in Figure 10. With reference to Figure 11, the disc 60 includes a label layer 101 , a polycarbonate layer 102 , a metal reflector layer 103 , a dye recording layer 104, a spatial layer 105, a semi transparent metal reflector layer 106, a dye recording layer 107 and an outer polycarbonate layer 108. Typically the RFID tag 52 is sandwiched between the polycarbonate spatial layer 105 and metal reflector layer 106.

The disc shown in Figure 14 is of the type which has two recording layers namely a first semi transparent metal reflector layer 106 and dye recording layer 107, and dye recording layer 104 and metal reflector 103. A laser beam 80 or 80' can be focused on either of the layers 104 and 107 to read from those layers.

In the embodiment of Figure 15 which shows the same structure as Figure 14, the device 52 is embedded within the polycarbonate layer 102 by being moulded into the layer 102 when the layer 102 is formed.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A medium storage device, comprising; a carousel having a plurality of storage locations each for allowing storage of a medium; a drive for bringing a predetermined one of the storage locations into registry with a medium receiving location and medium retrieval location; an information reader for reading an information storage member applied to the medium so that information relating to the contents of the medium can be received from the medium without having to provide a reader for reading the contents of the medium, so that information relating to the contents of the medium can be stored to identify the contents of the medium; and a controller for receiving the information relating to the contents of a medium and for controlling the device to bring the carousel into a position where one of the storage locations is presented at the receiving location to enable the medium to be stored in the said one of the storage locations, for providing information identifying the medium and the storage location in which the medium is to be stored to an inventory, and for receiving the data relating to the location of the medium for controlling the carousel to move the carousel so the said one of the storage locations is presented at the retrieval location to enable the medium to be retrieved.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the reader comprises a barcode reader.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the reader comprises a RFID tag reader .

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the reader comprises an optical character recognition reader.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the member which is applied to the medium comprises a barcode, RFID chip or printed characters which are applied to the medium respectively.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes a data communication coupling for coupling the device to a computer so that data relating to the location of the medium can be supplied to the device via the computer and the information relating to the medium can be supplied to the computer for storage in the computer.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the drive to bring the storage location into registry includes a motor.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the medium comprises an optical disc.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the storage location and retrieval location comprise a common location.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes an outer housing for containing the carousel and the storage location and retrieval location comprise a common slot in the housing into which the medium can be inserted and from which the medium can be ejected by the device.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the reader is located remote from the receiving location.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the reader is located at a central position of the carousel , and the reader is a longer range reader .

13. An optical disc comprising; a hub ring; a content storage section surrounding the hub ring for allowing the recording of data on the disc; the hub and the surrounding portion having a first surface and a opposite second surface; a medium for providing information to be read by a reader, the medium being embedded within the hub between the first and second surfaces .

14. The disc of claim 13 wherein the medium comprises an RFID tag.

15. The disc of claim 13 wherein the medium is located in polycarbonate layer of the disc.

16. The disc of claim 15 wherein the polycarbonate layer is a polycarbonate layer adjacent a label applied to a hub of the disc.

17. The disc of claim 15 wherein the polycarbonate layer is a spatial layer between recording layers of the disc .

18. The disc of claim 13 wherein the medium is embedded by being moulded into one of the layers of the disc .

19. The disc of claim 13 wherein the medium is embedded by being sandwiched between layers of the disc.