GB2372140A - A data storage device with digital paper label - Google Patents

Abstract

A tape cassette 20 contains an EEPROM 26 in which data about the cassette is stored via a radio link to a computer 22 accessing the tape 24 in the cassette. A writer 34 within the cassette outputs information from the EEPROM 26 to digital paper 32. A selector switch 36 allows a user to choose the item from the EEPROM 26 which is shown on the digital paper 32.

Description

LABELLING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the labelling of data storage devices and, in particular, to the labelling of data storage devices such as tape cassettes that can be removably connected to a computer system for access to the data storage device.

It is known to provide a data storage device with a computer readable record storing information about the content of the data storage device, the positions of individual files within the data storage device, the age of the data storage device, when information was last written to the device, and when data was last read from the device. Such information may be contained within an auxiliary memory, for example an EEPROM, within the data storage device or a barcode on the exterior of the data storage device. However, this information is not readily human readable. This is disadvantageous where, for example, a user has to choose for connection to a computer system a data storage device from amongst a group of similar devices. To address this problem, it is known to attach adhesive labels bearing human readable text to the exterior of data storage devices. Two draw backs with this solution are that the preparation and attachment of a label to a data storage device is time consuming and that it is possible to apply a label to the incorrect data storage device.

The present invention aims to ameliorate at least some of the defects associated with the prior art described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the invention provides a data storage device comprising digital paper arranged to display information about the device.

Digital paper is a display medium in which indicia can be written by electronic means (by suitable output from a computer, for example), the indicia being semi-permanent in that they can be maintained without power consumption and yet erased or replaced by suitable electronic input. One type of digital paper comprises a laminar structure containing spheres whose hemispheres are different colours. In this kind of digital paper, the display surface is divided into cells, each of which is controlled by the application of electric field to that cell to alter the alignment of all of the spheres within that cell, such that they all display a selected hemisphere towards the outer surface of the digital paper.

Advantageously, information suitable for display on the digital paper can be passed to the data storage device at the same time as the data storage device is connected to a computer for access to the main storage medium of the data storage device. Hence, delays associated with labelling a data storage device can be reduced, as can the risk of mislabelling a data storage device.

In one embodiment, the data storage device is a tape cassette. In other embodiments, data storage device is, for example, a compact disc, a digital versatile disk, a solid state memory cartridge or a floppy disk. In a domestic scenario, the data storage device may be a video (e. g. VHS) cassette wherein the digital paper is capable of displaying information provided to the cassette by a video recorder/player with which the cassette is used (the digital paper could display the title of a programme recorded on the tape, for example).

In one embodiment, the data storage device comprises a writer for writing information onto the digital paper. Advantageously, this gives the data storage device the ability to change what appears on the digital paper, and is of particular use when provided in conjunction with an auxiliary memory which can contain different data items that may be displayed on the digital paper. Alternatively, the data storage device may not contain a writer, perhaps for reasons of economy. In this case, indicia could be written to the digital paper by a writer within a computer system to which the data storage device is connected for data transfer.

In one embodiment, the data storage device comprises a user input device for allowing a user to select information to be displayed on the digital paper. For example, the user could select the display of various data about the device, such as its age, when it was last accessed, or a title specifying its contents. For example, the user input device may be a selector switch.

In one embodiment, the data storage device comprises a receiver for receiving signals containing information that can be displayed on the digital paper. For example, the signals may be received by direct electrical connection or wirelessly through a suitable antenna device. In a preferred embodiment, the data storage device includes a power supply for deriving power for a writer within the device from the received signal.

The invention also extends to a data processing apparatus for accessing a data storage device of a type described in the foregoing paragraphs of this section, the apparatus being arranged to supply the data storage device with information to be displayed on the digital paper. Preferably, the apparatus comprises a writer for writing information onto the digital paper, with the advantage that a writer need not then be implemented within the data storage device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS By way of example only, certain embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 is block diagram of a tape cassette connected to a computer system; and Figure 2 is a block diagram of another tape cassette connected to another computer system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Figure I illustrates a tape cassette 10 connected to a computer system 12 for the exchange of data. The cassette 10 contains a magnetic tape 14. The computer system contains magnetic heads and a drive mechanism for reading data from, and writing data to, the tape 14 in a conventional manner. The cassette 10 also comprises digital paper 16 which is visible from the exterior of the cassette 10 for displaying information about the cassette 10 to a user. The indicia dig : dyed on the digital paper 16 are controlled by a writer 18 within computer system 12. During the interval when the cassette 10 is connected to the computer system 12 for read/write access to tape 14, writer 18 provides electrical signals to digital paper 16 to create desired indicia on the digital paper 16, erasing previously created and now unwanted indicia if necessary.

The indicia displayed on the digital paper 16 may be computer readable (such as a barcode) or human readable. The indicia can constitute a message providing information about the cassette 10. For example, the message may be a title for the cassette (perhaps indicating its content), the time and date that data was last written to or read from the cassette 10, the age of the cassette 10, the amount of used or unused data storage capacity within tape 14 or an indication of whether or not the suggested life time of the cassette has expired. The skilled person will appreciate that the digital paper may be directed to display many other types of useful message about the cassette 10.

Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment and shows a tape cassette 20 connected to a computer system 22. The cassette 20 contains two data storage media. A tape 24 provides the primary data storage medium. The computer system 22 accesses the tape 24 by means of a magnetic read/write head and a mechanical drive, as in the Figure 1 embodiment. The tape cassette 20 also contains an auxiliary memory 26 in the form of an EPROM. The auxiliary memory 26 stores information about the cassette 20. The auxiliary memory 26 exchanges information with the computer system 22 over a radio link via a transmitter/receiver 28 in the cassette 20. As is known in the art, the transmitter/receiver 28 contains a power supply section 30 which rectifies and smoothes the received radio frequency signal to produce a power supply signal for energising certain components of the cassette, as will be described later.

Cassette 20 comprises digital paper 32 which is visible from the exterior of the cassette 20.

To enable the digital paper 32 to display information about the cassette, the cassette 20 also comprises a writer 34 for extracting information about the cassette 20 from auxiliary memory 26, and causing the digital paper 32 to display the retrieved information (the digital paper 32 displays information of the same types as in the first embodiment). The power for performing this process is supplied to the writer 34 and the auxiliary memory 26 from the power supply section 30. Alternatively or additionally, the cassette 20 may contain a battery to permit the writer 34 to write information to digital paper 32 even when power supply section 30 is incapable of producing sufficient power (e. g. when the cassette 20 is out of radio range of the computer system 22).

The cassette 20 also has a user input device (UID) in the form of a selector switch 36. The switch 36 is connected to, and controls the operation of, the writer 34. The switch 36 has a number of positions, and by moving the switch 36 to a particular one of its positions, the writer 34 is instructed to retrieve a corresponding item of information from auxiliary memory 26 and display it on the digital paper 32. For example, the selector switch 36 could have three positions, arranged to correspond to the title of the cassette, the date it was last accessed for reading or writing, and its age. By moving the selector switch to the appropriate position, the desired item of information about the cartridge is displayed on the digital paper 32. In an alternative arrangement, the selector switch 36 is a toggle which can be operated to control the writer 34 to cause the digital paper 32 to cycle through a number of items contained in the auxiliary memory 26.

Alternatives to the selector switch 36 for the purpose of causing the digital paper to display selected items from memory 26 will be apparent to the skilled person. Of course, the cassette 20 need not feature means for allowing a user to select the information displayed on the digital paper 32.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A data storage device (10; 20) comprising digital paper (16; 32) arranged to display information about the device.
2. 2. A data storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a writer (34) for writing information on the digital paper.
3. 3. A data storage device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a memory (26) for storing information that can be displayed by the digital paper.
4. 4. A data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a user input device (36) for allowing a user to select information to be displayed on the digital paper.
5. 5. A data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a receiver (28) for receiving signals containing information that can be displayed on the digital paper.
6. 6. A data storage device according to claim 5, further comprising a power supply (30) for deriving power from the received signals for writing information onto the digital paper.
7. 7. A data storage device according to any preceding claim, wherein said device is a tape cassette.
8. 8. Data processing apparatus (12,22) for accessing a data storage device according to any preceding claim, the apparatus arranged to supply the device with information for display on the digital paper.
9. 9. Data processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a writer (18) to write information onto the digital paper.