Patent ID: 6188651
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
An information retrieval system for retrieving targeted information from among a plurality of information recorded on two sides of each of several recording media on the basis of index information, which corresponds to the targeted information and which is also recorded within the recording media, said system comprising:accommodating means for accommodating a plurality of said recording media, and wherein the recording media are added or removed by one unit to or from said accommodating means, without other recording media in said accommodating means being removed;reading means for reading the index information and the targeted information which is recorded within each of said recording media and for reading associated side information identifying the side of the recording medium on which the targeted information is recorded;generating means for automatically generating position information indicating an accommodating section in which a newly inserted recording medium is accommodated in said accommodating means;storing means for storing the index and associated side information read by said reading means together with corresponding position information of said newly inserted recording medium generated by said generating means;input means for inputting desired index information; andretrieval means for comparing the index information input by said input means with the index information which is stored together with corresponding position information by said storing means, and on the basis of a result of this comparison, selecting the recording medium based upon said corresponding position information from among the plurality of recording media, selecting the side of the recording medium corresponding to the stored associated side information and retrieving the targeted information from the selected recording medium.