Abstract:
An adapter for receiving a surplus optical storage media drive capable of stand-alone playing of optical storage media is described. The adapter provides at least the minimum level of functionality required, together with the surplus optical storage media drive, to play optical storage media in order to extend the useful life of the surplus drive. The optical storage media may include compact disks, CD-ROMs, DVDs or the like type of storage media. The adapter provides the capability of connecting with external devices that improve the functionality and usefulness of the drive-adapter system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application continuation to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/119,911, filed July 21, 1998, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to digital information storage systems, and more particularly to optical storage systems. 
     Optical storage media such as compact disks (CDs), read-only memory compact disks (CD-ROMs), and digital versatile disks (DVDs) have become an information storage standard for personal computer information handling systems. Thus, most personal computers are provided with a CD-ROM or DVD drive for reading compact disks or DVDs. However, rapid technological advances have continually produced optical storage media drives having increased operating speeds and improved features, and it appears likely that this trend will continue. The speed of a CD-ROM drive is typically measured with respect to multiples of the original CD-ROM drive specification. Thus, a 2×CD-ROM drive can access the data encoded on the CD-ROM at twice the data rate of the original standard. At present, CD-ROM drive speed multiples are in double digits, and no end to the trend for continual rate increases appears to be in sight. As CD-ROM and other media drive speeds increase and more features are added, new software applications are written to take advantage of the higher speeds and features, thereby encouraging the user to upgrade the slower CD-ROM drive to a faster one. As a result, older and slower CD-ROM drives rapidly become obsolete when personal computer users purchase newer and faster CD-ROM drives, thereby causing a surplus of older and slower drives to accumulate. The same trend is certain to occur for digital versatile disk drives and for other optical storage media drives. 
     One capability that all optical disk drives share in common is the ability to play audio formatted compact disks. Since the standard reference CD-ROM speed (1×) is the speed at which audio compact disks are played, all CD-ROM drives are capable of playing audio formatted compact disks. In addition, only a subset of the command set used to control CD-ROM drives is required to play back audio compact disk recordings. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an older, surplus CD-ROM drive unit with the capability of playing audio compact disks in order to extend the useful life of the drive. Further, as surplus DVD drives accumulate, it would be desirable to provide an older, surplus DVD drive with the ability to play audio and video formatted optical disks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an adapter for providing stand-alone use of an optical storage media drive such as a compact disk or digital versatile disk. The adapter receives an optical storage media drive that was originally designed for operation in conjunction with a computer system wherein the computer system controls the operation of the drive. However, instead of being utilized in conjunction with a computer system, the optical storage media drive is utilized in conjunction with the adapter of the present invention wherein the adapter controls operation of the drive. The adapter and the optical storage media drive, in combination, provide a system which is capable of reading and playing optical media independently from the computer system. Such an adapter comprises a housing for receiving the optical storage media drive and a circuit disposed within the housing for interfacing with the optical storage media drive wherein the optical storage media drive may read an optical storage medium completely independent of the computer system. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The numerous objects and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an illustration of an optical storage media drive as utilized in a personal computer system; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the replacement of the optical storage media drive of FIG. 1 with an advanced optical storage media drive; 
     FIG. 3 is an illustration of an adapter designed to receive a surplus optical storage media drive; 
     FIGS. 4A-C are top, bottom and side elevation views of the adapter of FIG. 3 further showing the features thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the components of a typical optical storage media drive circuit; 
     FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the components of an adapter circuit of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the components of an adapter circuit for reading and reproducing information from an audio compact disk; and 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the components if an adapter circuit for reading and reproducing information from either an audio compact disk or a digital versatile disk. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, an illustration of an optical media drive such as a CD-ROM or DVD drive utilized in a personal computer system is shown. The personal computer system  100  generally comprises a housing  102  that contains the electronic components of the computer system. The housing  102  provides a series of drive bays  104  in which peripheral storage media drives ( 106 ,  116 ) may be installed such as an optical storage media drive  106  and floppy disk drive  108 . The computer system  100  further comprises a display device  110 , keyboard  112  and graphical input device  114 . The optical storage media drive  106  is typically provided with the personal computer system  100  for reading computer readable data encoded on an optical storage media such as a compact disk. A compact disk (CD) is storage medium having a plastic substrate embossed with a pattern of pits that encode signals (e.g., audio or data) in an optically readable digital format. The disk is coated with a metallic layer to enhance its reflectivity and is read in an optical storage media drive or CD player that reflects a laser beam off of the disk as it rotates and detects fluctuations of the reflected intensity due to the presence or absence of the pits. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, the replacement of the optical storage media drive of FIG. 1 with an advanced optical storage media drive is shown. A typical optical storage media drive  106  is constructed to have a size and shape to fit into a standard sized drive bay  118  found in most personal computers. The housing  102  of the computer system  100  is designed to modularly receive a number of peripheral storage media such as hard disks, floppy disks, optical storage media drives, PC-CARD drives, etc. such that the user may install a particular combination of storage media drives as desired. As faster and more advanced optical storage media drives are developed, the user may replace the old optical storage media  106  drive with a newer model drive  116 . Since the housing  102  of the computer is designed to be modular, replacing an old optical storage media drive  106  merely involves disconnecting the internal cabling and unfastening the drive from the housing, and then connecting the new drive  116  to the same cabling and installing the new drive in the same drive bay  118 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 an adapter designed to receive an optical storage media drive in accordance with the present invention will be described. The adapter  200  as shown in FIG. 3 is designed to receive an optical storage media drive  106 . The adapter  200  provides a housing  202  having a bay  204  similar to the bay  118  of the computer housing  102 . 
     The bay  204  of the housing  202  includes a connector  206  for electrically connecting the adapter  200  with the optical storage media drive  106 . Bay  204  may include an additional connector  208  for supplying operational power from the adapter  200  to the optical storage media drive  106 , for example. Connector  244  receives the audio output signal (left and right channel signals) from drive  106 . Connectors  206 ,  208  and  244  preferably facilitate rapid connection to optical storage media drive  106  which is inserted and fastened into bay  204 . Adapter  200  includes a display  210  for displaying operational information such as track selection, program length, etc. of the material recorded on an optical storage disk inserted into the optical storage media drive  106 . The display may also display related information such as the last selected command (e.g., play, pause, stop), for example. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the display  210  may be of sufficient size and construction to allow the full screen viewing of video in the case where the drive  106  is a DVD or similar type of video drive wherein the video output of the drive is capable of being displayed on the display  210 . Adapter  200  further includes user interface and control buttons  212 ,  214  and  216  for controlling the operation of adapter  200  and optical storage media drive  106 . Adapter  200  may include a volume control  218 , line level output jacks  222 , and an on-off switch  220 . Adapter  200  further provides a power jack  224  for receiving power from an external power supply  228  having an appropriate plug  230  for mating with jack  224 . Adapter  200  also provides an audio output jack  236  providing an output signal for driving a pair of headphones  232  or external speakers  238 , each of which having an appropriate plug  234  and  238  for mating with jack  236 . The speakers may be driven by the output signal provided by jack  236 , or the speakers may contain a separate amplifier amplifying the output signal of the jack  236  to a greater level. Additionally, adapter  200  may include a digital output jack  432  for supplying a digital signal to an external device such as a receiver or amplifier capable of receiving a digital signal to maintain signal fidelity. The digital signal provided at jack  432  may be electronic or optical and may include data, audio or video information. Adapter  200  may include a handle  240  which may be positioned to facilitate carrying of the adapter  200  by hand or function as a stand when placed on a surface to provide stability. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4A-C, top, bottom and side elevations of the adapter of the present invention are shown. The top view of  4 A illustrates the display  210  and user interface keys  212 ,  214  and  216 . Button  212  may be designated to control opening or closing the disk tray (not shown) of the optical storage media drive for inserting and removing optical storage media (e.g., compact disks). Program select keys  214  are included to control and select program information for a compact disk inserted into the optical storage media drive. Control keys  216  provide play control functions for the playing of a particular track on the compact disk, for example play, pause, stop, search forward, search reverse, etc. 
     FIG. 4B illustrates in further detail the control and interface features of the adapter  200 . A volume control  218  controls the playback amplitude level of the compact disk selection. Output jacks  222  provide a line level output signal for driving an external device such as a preamplifier, surround sound processor, receiver, etc., and may be RCA-type jacks, for example. On/off switch  220  connects or disconnects power from the internal components of the adapter  200  and optical storage media drive  106 . Jack  226  provides a signal for driving a pair of headphones or small speakers, and may be a suitable standard ⅛ inch jack. Power jack  224  receives power from an external power supply which converts ac power into dc power. The digital output jack  432  provides a digital output signal for connection to an external digital device. A strap or loop  246  may be provided for facilitating carrying of the adapter, for example by passing the user&#39;s belt through loop  246 . 
     FIG. 4C shows a bottom view of the adapter  200 . A battery compartment  242  may be included to provide operational power from batteries during portable use. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram of the system of a typical optical storage media drive is shown. System  300  includes a mechanical assembly  302  for rotating or driving an optical storage medium inserted in the drive and for controlling the tracking of the laser beam across the surface thereof. System  300  also includes a microcontroller  304 , servo control circuit  306 , RF amplifier and EFM (eight-to-fourteen modulation) demodulator  308 , and a processor which is typically a digital signal processor  310 . Digital signal processor  310  may be utilized to decode the information stored on the optical storage media (not shown) inserted in drive  106 . 
     System  300  may also include a digital to analog converter  312  and low pass filter (LPF)  314  for providing an analog output signal  316 . Further, system  300  includes an interface controller  318  for providing integrated drive electronics/AT attachment (IDE/ATA) or small system computer interface (SCSI) or the like control of the optical interface controller  318  through digital control  320  from a host computer (not shown) in which the optical storage media drive is utilized (‘AT’ refers to the architecture of a specific model of personal computers (PC) known as the PC-AT introduced by International Business Machines Corporation circa 1984 adopted as an industry standard and being synonymous with personal computers having an industry standard architecture (ISA) bus; ‘AT’ apparently is not an acronym). Digital control  320  may be data, control, address, audio or video signals, for example. Further, a memory  322  is provided which may be a random access memory for storing executable instructions of digital signal processor  310  or as a data buffer, for example. Normally, the optical storage media drive is utilized in a host computer system such as computer system  100  of FIG. 1 wherein operation of the optical storage media drive is controlled by the computer system including providing operational power thereto. The adapter components of the present invention, as discussed in further detail with respect to FIG. 6, provide operation and control functions of the optical storage media drive in lieu of computer system  100 . When optical storage media drive  300  is installed in bay  204  of adapter  200  shown in FIG. 3, connector  244  receives analog output signal  316  of drive  300 , and connector  206  couples with digital control  320 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, a block diagram of the circuitry of the adapter of the present invention is shown. Adapter  400  provides at least the minimum amount of electronics and power required to operate the optical storage media drive  106  sufficient to play an appropriately formatted optical storage disk. Adapter  400  includes components  200  which are disposed within the adapter housing. Optical storage media drive  106  may connect to a controller  408  which receives an output signal from the optical storage media drive  106  provided through an audio control circuit  416  to a headphone network  424  to drive a pair of headphones  232 . Controller  408  may implement at least a subset of commands for a particular drive control interface, such as an integrated drive electronics (IDE) drive, also known as AT attachment (ATA), or a small computer system interface (SCSI), as the minimum command set required to play the desired format of optical storage media. 
     A filter  410 , such as a low pass filter, may be included to filter the output signal from the optical storage media drive which may be optionally bypassed  412 . A user interface  414  allows for the user to control the playback functions of the optical storage media drive. User interface  414  may include control circuits (not shown) in conjunction with buttons  212 ,  214 ,  216  and display  210  of FIG. 4A to control the operation of the optical storage media drive  106  of FIG.  3 . Power may be supplied to the adapter components  200  and to the optical storage media drive from a battery  420  or from an external power supply  422 . A regulator  418  may be further included with the adapter components  200  to provide regulated power and may provide voltage or current regulation or a combination thereof. 
     A power amplifier  426  may be included in the adapter  400  for providing a signal of sufficient magnitude to drive one or more speakers  236 . Alternatively, one or more speakers  236  may be included within the adapter  400  such that external speakers would not be required. A line level preamplifier  428  may be included to provide a line level output  222  to an external device such as an amplifier or sound processor (not shown). Interface circuit  430  may provide a digital output signal at jack  432 . The digital signal may be electronic or optical and may be audio, video or combined signal. 
     Alternatively, output jack  432  may provide an analog video output signal through appropriate modification of interface circuit  430  in the case where an analog video output signal is desired. The analog video output signal may be an RF modulated or base band composite video output signal for driving the input of an appropriate video device such as a television, VCR or camcorder, etc., which in conjunction with audio outputs  222  provides combined video and audio playback of an appropriate optical storage disk (e.g., DVD). Thus, system  300  of FIG.  5  and the adapter circuit components  200  of FIG. 6 together provide a system which is capable of playing appropriately formatted optical storage media as a stand-alone unit. 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, a block diagram of an adapter for reading and reproducing information from an audio compact disk will be discussed. The audio CD player adapter  700  includes components internally disposed within adapter  200 . Adapter  200  may receive power from an external power source  714 , which may be an ac-to-dc converter connecting to adapter at power jack  224 , or one or more batteries which may be installed within battery compartment  242 , as shown in FIG.  4 B. Switch  712  controls the powering on and off of adapter  200 . A regulator  710  maintains the output of power source  714  at a constant voltage level. Regulator  710  provides a supply voltage to all of the electrical components of adapter  200  requiring a supply voltage. Microcontroller and memory  718  interface with the digital interface  720  of an external optical storage media drive  106 . Digital interface  720  may correspond to digital interface  320  of FIG.  5 . Microcontroller and memory  718  interfaces with display  722  for displaying information to a user of adapter  200 . A user may control adapter  200  and optical storage media drive  106  via an input control line  728 . Control information is provided to microcontroller and memory  718  via control Line  728  which receives signals from control buttons  212 ,  214  and  216  of FIGS. 3 and 4A when actuated by a user. 
     The audio CD player adapter embodiment  700  illustrated in FIG. 7 is intended to read and reproduce audio information stored on a compact disk inserted into optical storage media drive  106 . Audio information stored on optical storage media  106  is converted from an optical signal to an electrical signal which is provided from drive  106  to adapter  200  via an audio output line  724 . Audio output line  724  may correspond to analog output  316  of FIG.  5 . The electrical signal on line  724  is coupled to amplifier  726  that provides an amplified output  732  to an external jack such as jack  226  of FIGS. 3 and 4B for coupling to a pair of headphones  232  or speakers  236  for transforming the electrical audio signal into an acoustical signal representative of the information stored on a compact disk inserted into drive  106 . Additionally, the audio electrical signal may be provided as left and right line level outputs  734  and  736  via output jacks  222  of FIGS. 3 and 4B, which may be standard RCA jacks, or as a line level output  738  to an output jack, which may be a ⅛″ stereo jack (not shown), for driving an external audio amplifier (not shown). A volume control  730  controls the output level of amplifier  726 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, a block diagram of an adapter for reading and reproducing information from an audio compact disk or a video and audio digital versatile disk will be discussed. The audio and video media adapter  800  includes components internally disposed within adapter  200 . Adapter  200  may receive power from an external power source  814 , which may be an ac-to-dc converter connecting to adapter at power jack  224 , or one or more batteries which may be installed within battery compartment  242 , as shown in FIG.  4 B. Switch  812  controls the powering on and off of adapter  200 . A regulator  810  maintains the output of power source  814  at a constant voltage level. Regulator  810  provides a supply voltage to all of the electrical components of adapter  200  that require a supply voltage. Microcontroller and memory  818  interface with the digital interface  820  of an external optical storage media drive  106 . Digital interface  820  may correspond to digital interface  320  of FIG.  5 . Microcontroller and memory  818  interfaces with a display  822  for displaying information to a user of adapter  200 . A user may control adapter  200  and optical storage media drive  106  via an input control line  828 . Control information is provided to microcontroller and memory  818  via control line  828  which receives signals from control buttons  212 ,  214  and  216  of FIGS. 3 and 4A when actuated by a user. 
     The audio CD and audio and video DVD player adapter embodiment  800  illustrated in FIG. 8 is intended to read and reproduce audio information stored on a compact disk or audio and video information stored on a digital versatile disk inserted into optical storage media drive  106 . Audio information stored on an optical storage medium in drive  106  is converted from an optical signal to an electrical signal which is provided from drive  106  to adapter  200  via an audio output line  824 . Audio output line  824  may correspond to analog output  316  of FIG.  5 . The electrical signal on line  824  is coupled via an audio switch  848  to amplifier  826  that provides an amplified output  832  to an external jack such as jack  226  of FIGS. 3 and 4B for coupling to a pair of headphones  232  or speakers  236  for transforming the electrical audio signal into an acoustical signal representative of the information stored on a compact disk inserted into drive  106 . Additionally, the audio electrical signal may be provided as left and right line level outputs  834  and  836  via output jacks  222  of FIGS. 3 and 4B, which may be standard RCA jacks, or as a line level output  838  to an output jack, which may be a  ⅛″ stereo jack (not shown), for driving an external audio amplifier (not shown). A volume control 830 controls the output level of amplifier 826.    
     For reading and reproducing audio and video information stored on a DVD inserted into drive  106 , a decoder  840  couples to digital interface  820  and microcontroller and memory  818 . Decoder  840  decodes audio and video information stored on a DVD inserted in drive  106  from the format in which the information is encoded (e.g., MPEG2, AC3, etc.). Decoder  842  may provide a direct digital audio output signal (such as an AC3 audio signal) to an external amplifier system (not shown) capable of receiving a digital output signal and transforming the digital output signal into an acoustic signal. Decoder  840  further provides a digital video output signal to a video encoder  844  that converts the digital video signal into an appropriate standard video signal (e.g., NTSC, PAL). Video encoder  844  provides a standard video output signal via line  846  to an appropriate video reproduction device such as a television, monitor, or video recorder (not shown) for transforming the video output signal into a video picture. In one embodiment, video encoder  844  may provide a video signal to display  822  wherein display  822  corresponds to display  210  of FIGS. 3 and 4A such that display  210  is capable of displaying video information stored on an optical storage media inserted in drive  106 . 
     It is believed that the optical storage media drive adapter for stand-alone use of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.