JP2000306312A - Information memory reader and recording medium loading/ejecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an information memory reader capable of loading/ejecting a recording medium even in a condition of no power fed from the outside. SOLUTION: A power controller 14 charges a battery 15 while power is fed from the outside, bit when no power is fed from the outside of the controller 14 feeds only a load/eject controller 16 with power from the battery 15 and sets onto a permit flag 161 of the load/eject controller 16. When a CD tray open/close button 19 is depressed, the load/eject controller 16 judges whether the permit flag 161 is on or not, and if on, controls a loading motor 18 to move a CD tray 17, thereby carrying a CD-ROM in or ejecting it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information storage and reading device capable of reading information stored in a replaceable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, and more particularly to a personal computer or the like. The present invention relates to an information storage reading device and a recording medium loading / unloading method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Rea
A replaceable storage medium typified by (d Only Memory) is widely used as the most popular storage medium in personal computers and the like. Therefore, a personal computer often has a built-in CD-ROM drive unit that can read information stored in the CD-ROM.

In such a CD-ROM drive unit, power is supplied from a power source of a personal computer to be mounted, and a CD tray is moved by a predetermined load / eject mechanism. For example, when a user presses a CD tray open / close button disposed on the front of the CD-ROM drive unit, the CD-ROM drive unit moves the CD tray stored in the unit forward to a predetermined position on the front. . When the CD tray open / close button is pressed again after a predetermined CD-ROM is placed on the CD tray by the user, the CD-ROM drive unit moves the CD tray on which the CD-ROM is loaded backward, and The CD-ROM is carried in.

[0004] In some cases, the user turns off the power of the personal computer while carrying the CD-ROM into such a CD-ROM drive unit. In this case, the CD-ROM drive unit does not supply power from the personal computer main body. Therefore, even if the CD tray opening / closing button is pressed by the user, the CD tray stored in the unit is moved forward and the CD-ROM drive unit is moved. The ROM cannot be ejected. Therefore, when the user wants to remove the CD-ROM from the CD-ROM drive unit, the user has to turn on the power of the personal computer again and then press the CD tray open / close button.

Recently, a CD-ROM drive unit having a mechanism for forcibly moving a CD tray even when the power of a personal computer is turned off has been known. Such a CD-ROM drive unit has, for example, a forced ejection hole in addition to the CD tray opening / closing button, and a user inserts a pin or the like into the forced ejection hole to manually operate the CD tray stored in the unit. And the CD-ROM can be taken out.

[0006]

However, such C
The mechanism for forcibly moving the D tray is a mechanism provided for an emergency, and it is necessary to insert a pin or the like, so that the user cannot easily operate the D tray. In addition, the user thinks that the CD-ROM drive unit will fail if such a mechanism is used except in an emergency, and in principle, there is resistance to using such a mechanism. For this reason, the user generally turns on the power of the personal computer again and then presses the CD tray open / close button as usual.

On the other hand, in a personal computer employing a system for booting from a CD-ROM, if the bootable CD-ROM is not set immediately after the power of the personal computer is turned on, the boot sequence proceeds. Bootable CD-RO
Even if M is set, the system may not boot normally. For this reason, the user has to depress the reset switch or the like of the personal computer to boot again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an information storage / read apparatus and a recording medium loading / unloading method capable of loading / unloading a recording medium even when power is not externally supplied. The purpose is to provide.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an information storage and reading device according to a first aspect of the present invention is mounted on an external housing provided with a power supply, and is provided in a replaceable information recording medium. An information storage reading device capable of reading stored information, a transport unit for loading or unloading an information recording medium, a driving unit for driving the transport unit,
Instruction signal input means for inputting an instruction signal for instructing loading or discharging of the information recording medium, and transport control means for controlling the driving means in accordance with the instruction signal input by the instruction signal input means and driving the transport means; A power storage means for charging a current supplied from an external power supply and storing a predetermined amount of electricity; and a power supply for switching at least the power supplied to the transport control means to the power storage means when the supply of electricity from the external power supply is stopped. Switching control means.

According to the present invention, for example,
It is composed of a CD tray or the like, and carries a CD-ROM into the apparatus or discharges it outside the apparatus. The driving means is composed of, for example, a motor and drives the CD tray. The instruction signal input means includes, for example, a switch or the like, and inputs an instruction signal for instructing loading or discharging of the information recording medium in accordance with a user operation. The transport control means controls the driving means in accordance with the instruction signal input by the instruction signal input means, and drives the transport means. The power storage means is, for example, a storage battery,
A current supplied from an external power supply is charged to store a predetermined amount of electricity. When the supply of electricity from the external power supply is stopped, the power supply switching control means switches at least electricity supplied to the transport control means to the power storage means. As a result, the recording medium can be loaded / discharged even when power is not supplied from the outside.

The power supply switching control means detects the presence or absence of electricity supplied from an external power supply, and charges the power storage means when electricity is supplied from the external power supply, so that electricity is supplied from the external power supply. Otherwise, electricity may be supplied only from the power storage means to the transport control means. In this case, since electricity is supplied only to the transport control means, the consumption of electricity in the power storage means can be reduced.

The transfer control means stores a permission flag for specifying permission or non-permission of transfer. When the instruction signal input means inputs an instruction signal, the drive control means controls the drive means only when the permission flag is in the permission state. The transport means may be driven under control. In this case, it is possible to prevent a malfunction caused by controlling the driving unit when the conveyance is not permitted.

[0013] The power storage means may be detachable. In this case, when the power storage means reaches the end of its life, replacement can be facilitated.

In order to achieve the above object, an information storage and reading device according to a second aspect of the present invention is mounted on a computer having a power supply and is capable of reading information stored on a CD-ROM. A reading device, a CD
-Carrying in or out of the device with the ROM loaded C
When a D tray, a motor for driving the CD tray, a CD tray button for inputting a carry-in or discharge instruction for a CD-ROM on which the CD tray is loaded, and a carry-in instruction or a discharge instruction input from the CD tray button, A transport control unit that controls the motor and drives the CD tray, a battery that stores a predetermined amount of electricity by charging a current supplied from a power supply of the computer main body, and that power is not supplied from the computer main body And a power control unit that switches at least electricity supplied to the transport control unit to the battery.

According to the present invention, the CD tray is a CD-
A ROM is loaded and loaded into the apparatus or discharged outside the apparatus. The motor drives the CD tray. The CD tray button is used by the user to input an instruction to carry in or eject a CD-ROM loaded on the CD tray. When a carry-in instruction or a discharge instruction is input from the CD tray button, the transport control unit controls the motor to drive the CD tray. The battery charges the current supplied from the power supply of the computer itself,
Stores a predetermined amount of electricity. The power control unit switches at least the power supplied to the transport control unit to the battery when the supply of electricity from the computer is stopped. As a result, the recording medium can be loaded / discharged even when power is not supplied from the outside.

To achieve the above object, a recording medium loading / unloading method according to a third aspect of the present invention includes an instruction signal inputting step of inputting an instruction signal for inputting or discharging an information recording medium; In accordance with the instruction signal input in the signal input step, a transport control step of controlling a drive unit that drives a tray for loading or unloading the information recording medium, and charging a current supplied from an external power supply to generate electricity of a predetermined capacity A power storage step of storing the power in the storage battery, and a power supply switching control step of switching at least the power supplied to the drive unit that drives the tray to the storage battery storing the power in the power storage step when the supply of electricity from the external power supply is stopped,
It is characterized by having.

According to the present invention, in the instruction signal input step, an instruction signal for inputting or discharging the information recording medium is input. The transport control step controls a drive unit that drives a tray for loading or unloading the information recording medium in accordance with the instruction signal input in the instruction signal input step. The power storage step charges the current supplied from the external power supply,
A predetermined amount of electricity is stored in a storage battery. In the power supply switching control step, when the supply of electricity from the external power supply stops, at least the electricity supplied to the drive unit that drives the tray is switched to the storage battery that has stored the electricity in the electricity storage step. As a result, the recording medium can be loaded / discharged even when power is not supplied from the outside.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information storage and reading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a CD-ROM drive unit as an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a CD-ROM drive unit applied to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the CD-ROM drive unit 1 includes a signal control unit 11, a pickup mechanism 12, a CD-ROM control unit 13, and a power control unit 14.
, Built-in battery 15 and load / eject control unit 1
6, a CD tray 17, a loading motor 18,
And a CD tray open / close button 19.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the external appearance of the CD-ROM drive unit 1 having such a configuration. In FIG.
Except for the CD tray 17 and the CD tray open / close button 19,
It is arranged in the housing 1b. And the CD-
As shown in FIG. 3, the ROM drive unit 1 is mounted in, for example, a main body 2b of a personal computer 2 having a display 2a, a keyboard 2c, and the like.

Returning to FIG. 1, the signal control unit 11
(Digital Signal Processor) and the like, and processes digital information read from the CD-ROM via the pickup mechanism 12.

The pickup mechanism 12 is composed of a semiconductor laser, a condenser lens and the like, irradiates a laser beam to a CD-ROM placed on a CD tray 17, and reads out digital information stored in the CD-ROM through the reflected light. . The pickup mechanism 12 supplies the read digital information to the signal control unit 11.

The CD-ROM control unit 13 includes a CD-ROM
The entire drive unit 1 is controlled and a CD-R
It controls the interface with the personal computer 2 on which the OM drive unit 1 is mounted.

The power control unit 14 determines whether or not power is supplied from a predetermined power supply provided in the personal computer 2. If it is determined that power is supplied, the power supply control unit 14 charges the built-in battery 15. Control. If it is determined that power is not being supplied, the internal battery 1
5 controls the power supply to the load / eject control unit 16.

The built-in battery 15 is composed of a detachable nickel-cadmium battery or the like, and is controlled by the power control unit 14 to accumulate the current supplied from the power supply of the personal computer 2.
Further, the stored current is supplied to the load / eject control unit 16.

The load / eject control unit 16 controls the loading motor 10 in response to a predetermined signal sent from the CD tray opening / closing button 19. At that time, load /
The ejection control unit 16 sets the state of the permission flag 161 stored in a memory area provided therein (on / off state).
, It is determined whether or not to respond to the signal sent from the CD tray open / close button 19. That is, the load / eject control unit 16 controls the loading motor 10 in response to the signal sent from the CD tray open / close button 19 only when the permission flag 161 is on.

The permission flag 161 is turned on or off by the CD-ROM control unit 13 according to the use state of the CD-ROM placed on the CD tray 17 when power is supplied from the power supply of the personal computer 2. Set to off state. On the other hand, personal computer 2
When the power is not supplied from the power supply, the permission flag 161 is unconditionally set to the ON state by the power supply control unit 14.

The CD tray 17 is a tray on which a CD-ROM is placed. The CD tray 17 moves forward from a position inside the unit of the CD-ROM drive unit 1 to a predetermined position on the front surface according to the driving force of the loading motor 18, and from that position. Move backward into the unit.

The loading motor 18 has a predetermined DC
(Direct Current) The drive is controlled by the load / eject control unit 16 and controls the drive of the CD tray 17.

The CD tray open / close button 19 comprises a predetermined button switch and the like, and when pressed by a user, supplies a predetermined signal to the load / eject control unit 16.

Hereinafter, a CD-ROM according to this embodiment will be described.
The CD-ROM loading / unloading process in the drive unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the CD-
It is a flowchart explaining a ROM loading / unloading process. The CD-ROM loading / unloading process is repeated in the CD-ROM drive unit 1 without end.

First, the power controller 14 determines whether or not power is being supplied from the personal computer 2 (step S1). That is, the power control unit 14 determines whether or not power is being supplied from outside the unit.

When it is determined that the power is supplied from the personal computer 2, the power control unit 14 charges the battery 15 (step S2). that time,
The power control unit 14 sequentially detects the discharge state of the battery 15 and performs charging only when charging is possible.

The power controller 14 supplies power to the CD-ROM controller 13, the load / eject controller 16 and the like (step S3). That is, the power control unit 14
Supplies external power to the entire CD-ROM drive unit 1.

The CD-ROM control unit 13 controls the CD tray 1
Of CD-ROM to be loaded on CD-ROM and CD-ROM
Load / eject control unit 16 according to the usage state of the
Is set to ON or OFF in the permission flag 161 (step S4).

On the other hand, if the power control unit 14 determines in step S1 that power is not supplied from the personal computer 2, it supplies power only from the battery 15 to the load / eject control unit 16 (step S1). S5). That is, the power control unit 14 supplies power to the load / eject control unit 16 from the battery 15 charged in step S2.

The power control unit 14 sets the permission flag 161 of the load / eject control unit 16 to ON (step S6). That is, the permission flag 161 is always set to ON when power is not supplied from outside the unit.

The load / eject control unit 16 determines whether a predetermined signal has been input from the CD tray open / close button 19 (step S7). That is, the load / eject control unit 16 determines whether the CD tray open / close button 19 has been pressed by the user. If the load / eject control unit 16 determines that the CD tray open / close button 19 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S1 and repeats the above processing.

On the other hand, the load / eject control unit 16
If it is determined that the CD tray open / close button 19 has been pressed, it is determined whether or not the permission flag 161 is on (step S8).

If the load / eject control unit 16 determines that the permission flag 161 is not on (is off), it returns to step S1 and repeats the above processing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the permission flag 161 is on, the load / eject control unit 16
8 to move the CD tray 17 and the CD-RO
M is loaded or discharged (step S9). That is,
When the CD tray 17 is stored in the unit, the load / eject controller 16 controls the loading motor 1
8 to move the CD tray 17 forward to a predetermined position on the front surface. If the CD tray 17 is not stored in the unit, the load / eject control unit 16
Controls the loading motor 18 so that the CD tray 1
7 is moved backward until it is stored in the unit.

As a result, the CD-ROM drive unit 1 can move the CD tray 17 and carry in or out the CD-ROM even when power is not supplied from the outside.

Further, in the CD-ROM drive unit 1, when the power supply control unit 14 supplies power only to the load / eject control unit 16 when using the power of the built-in battery 15, the power consumption of the built-in battery 15 is reduced. Can be reduced.

Further, in the CD-ROM drive unit 1, since the built-in battery 15 is detachable, when the built-in battery 15 reaches the end of its life, replacement can be facilitated.

In the above embodiment, the information storage and reading apparatus has been described by taking a CD-ROM drive unit as an example. However, in addition to a CD-ROM, a DVD (Digital
Video Disk), LD (Laser Disk), MO (Magneto Op)
tical Disk), MD (MiniDisk) and the like. For example, a DVD drive unit capable of reading (or writing) information stored in a DVD may be configured to include the above-described power control unit 14, built-in battery 15, load / eject control unit 16, and the like. . In this case, as in the above case, even if power is not externally supplied, the DVD drive unit
The D tray can be moved, and the DVD can be loaded or unloaded.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even when power is not supplied from the outside, the recording medium can be carried in / out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a CD-ROM drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of a CD-ROM drive unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of a personal computer on which a CD-ROM drive unit is mounted, as viewed from the front.

FIG. 4 shows the loading / unloading of a CD-ROM according to the embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flow chart for explaining discharge processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 CD-ROM drive unit 1b housing 2 personal computer 2a display 2b main body 2c keyboard 11 signal control unit 12 pickup mechanism 13 CD-ROM control unit 14 power control unit 15 built-in battery 16 load / eject control unit 17 CD tray 18 loading motor 19 CD tray open / close button 161 permission flag

Claims (6)

[Claims] An information storage and reading device mounted on an external housing having a power supply and capable of reading information stored in a replaceable information recording medium, comprising: Means, a driving means for driving the transport means, an instruction signal input means for inputting an instruction signal for instructing loading or discharging of an information recording medium, and the driving means in accordance with the instruction signal input by the instruction signal input means. A control unit that controls and drives the transfer unit; a power storage unit that charges a current supplied from an external power supply to store a predetermined amount of electricity; and An information storage reading device, comprising: power supply switching control means for switching electricity supplied to the transport control means to the power storage means. 2. The power supply switching control means detects the presence or absence of electricity supplied from an external power supply, and charges the power storage means when electricity is supplied from the external power supply. The information storage reading device according to claim 1, wherein when not supplied, electricity is supplied only from the power storage unit to the transport control unit. 3. The transfer control means stores a permission flag defining permission or non-permission of transfer, and when the instruction signal input means inputs an instruction signal, the drive control means controls the drive only when the permission flag is in a permission state. The information storage and reading device according to claim 1, wherein the transporting unit is driven by controlling a unit. 4. The information storage and reading device according to claim 1, wherein said power storage means is detachable. 5. A CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) mounted on a computer body having a power supply.
An information storage and reading device capable of reading information stored in a CD tray, which carries a CD-ROM into or out of the device, a motor for driving the CD tray, and a CD tray A CD tray button for inputting a carry-in instruction or a discharge instruction for a CD-ROM on which is mounted, and a transfer control unit for controlling the motor and driving the CD tray when a carry-in instruction or a discharge instruction is input from the CD tray button. A battery that stores a predetermined amount of electricity by charging a current supplied from a power supply of a computer main body, and at least supplies electricity to the transport control unit to the battery when the supply of electricity from the computer main body is stopped. An information storage and reading device, comprising: a power control unit. 6. An instruction signal inputting step of inputting an instruction signal for instructing loading or unloading of an information recording medium, and driving a tray for loading or unloading the information recording medium in accordance with the instruction signal input in the instruction signal inputting step. A transfer control step of controlling a drive unit to be driven; a power storage step of charging a current supplied from an external power supply to store a predetermined amount of electricity in a storage battery; and driving at least a tray when power supply from the external power supply is stopped. A power supply switching control step of switching power supplied to a driving unit to be switched to a storage battery storing the electricity in the power storage step.