Abstract:
A data storage apparatus includes a primary storage device and a secondary storage device. The primary storage device includes a first non-volatile memory to store a content item. The secondary storage device includes a second non-volatile memory to store a command received from a first content appliance. The command indicates an operation to be performed with respect to the content item stored at the primary storage device. The secondary storage device is configured to send the command to a second content appliance for execution.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/727,987, filed Mar. 29, 2007, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/744,277, filed Apr. 5, 2006, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/803,135, filed May 25, 2006. The content of each of the aforementioned applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure is generally related to cataloging digital content stored on removable storage devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     With advances in technology, more and more content is stored today on removable storage devices. Consumers produce digital contents such as still photos, video movies, voice recordings and personal documents; organizations produce digital files containing designs, software, literature, marketing materials, legal documents, correspondence documentation, databases etc. Content providers distribute movies, music, audio books, digital books, reference material, software, fonts, clips art and the like on digital media. A vast variety of digital content is available via the Internet or cellular networks to be downloaded onto CDs and DVDs. 
     Removable storage devices are not limited to digital technologies. Many still own collections of vinyl records, audio cassettes and VHS tapes, and such removable storage devices are still used by both users and commercial providers. 
     A user interested in executing an action with respect to a specific content piece on a content appliance, such as a computer, a CD burner or a printer, must either engage the respective storage device with the content appliance and manually enter the appropriate commands, or the user must provide written instructions to another human operator for executing the action. For example, a user who wishes to burn the content of a memory card on a CD using a CD burner, needs to insert the card into a card reader, a CD into the CD burner and operate the respective personal computer to initiate the burning operation. The burning operation will not be applied if the user does not specifically operate the CD burner as such. 
     With time, a content collection of an individual user can number hundreds of volumes, and collections of an organization or a professional (for example, a photographer) can exceed thousands of volumes. Thus, to execute action regarding a content piece, the user must first spend a non-negligible amount of time searching for the specific content piece to find the related volume for every action separately, and then manually execute the desired action with respect to each content piece. 
     Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, N.Y. marketed a KODAK DC290 Zoom Digital Camera™, which allows users to assign printing instructions to pictures stored in a memory card when cataloging their content collections. The printing instructions are saved in the memory card with the marked pictures. 
     Although the Kodak camera enables a user to store printing instructions for pictures, the instructions must be stored in the same storage device in which the associated pictures reside. The user does not have the option of storing the printing instructions and the associated pictures in separate storage devices. Furthermore, the user does not have the option of storing other processing instructions (and not only printing instructions) for applying other content manipulation. Such options missing from the prior art are a constraint on use. Furthermore, such instruction options are unavailable for other storage media, such as CDs that already include digital content and cannot be have additional data stored thereon. 
     Thus, it would be useful for a user to be able to store processing instructions including but not limited to printing instructions in a storage device, which is separate from the storage device on which the associated content pieces resides. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure introduces a storage volume having a non-volatile primary storage device for storing digital content and a non-volatile secondary storage device for storing user commands. The primary storage device and the secondary storage device are distinct hardware elements. The secondary storage device may be in form of an electronic chip. 
     The user commands define processing request regarding the associated content of the storage device. The user commands refer to information associated with how (for example action/process) to use/manipulate selected content pieces that are stored on a storage body of a storage volume. The terms “content” and “content piece” reference machine-readable data coded in digital or analog representation and recorded onto a storage device. The user commands are to be executed with respect to the selected content piece by a compatible content appliance. 
     The user commands include, for example, displaying, opening, playing, processing, copying to disk, backing up, emailing, printing, publishing to Web, burning to a CD, etc. Non-limiting examples for content include still images, videos (including the associated audio, both user- and commercially-recorded), audio and music recordings (both user- and commercially-recorded), software, documents, databases, and other computer files created, acquired, downloaded or otherwise obtained by a user. Neither the list provided for processing instructions nor the list provided for content is limiting. 
     Examples for content appliance include a digital camera, a digital voice recorder, a digital video recorder, a personal computer with a CD/DVD reader, a personal computer with a CD/DVD reader/writer, a personal computer with memory card reader/writer, and a gramophone playing a vinyl record. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the present disclosure is configured to create a catalog as a representation of the digital content of a storage volume by its respective samples. The catalog is stored on the secondary storage device. The term “sample” references a derived data that is representative of that content piece in a way that allows a user to clearly identify the content piece. A “volume catalog” or “catalog” is a representation of content pieces in a volume. Accordingly, a “collection catalog” is a collection of volumes by the samples of the respective content pieces, where typically each sample is pointing at its parent content piece. A volume catalog may be associated with software to assist browsing and searching content pieces through their samples, and locating the parent content piece respective to a selected sample. 
     Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following drawings and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the disclosure with regard to the embodiments thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals designate corresponding sections or elements throughout the present disclosure, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a high level representation of a system for manipulating digital content in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an embodiment of the volume of  FIG. 1  in which the storage body does not have the volume chip; 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an embodiment of the volume of  FIG. 1  in which a volume chip is part of storage body; 
         FIG. 1C  portrays two embodiments of the volume of  FIG. 1  in which the volume chip is reversibly attached to either a storage body or to a storage shell; 
         FIG. 1D  illustrates the content of volume chip including circuitry for communication; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates exemplary volumes devised for stackable aggregation arrangements; 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates exemplary volumes devised for rackable aggregation arrangements; 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a stackable aggregation arrangement to accommodate a plurality of volumes of the type shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a rackable aggregation arrangement to accommodate a plurality of volumes of the type shown in  FIG. 2B ; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates a rackable aggregation arrangement according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of an offline cataloging procedure in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  shows a flow chart of an offline cataloging procedure in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  shows a flow chart of an on-the-fly cataloging procedure in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of a system of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 8  portrays optional embodiments for recording content of a volume chip when the content stored in a storage body is commercially-produced. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure summarized above and defined by the claims below will be better understood by referring to the present detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure. This description is not intended to limit the scope of claims but instead to provide examples of the disclosure. The following discussion presents exemplary embodiments, which include a system for manipulating digital content, a storage volume connectable to a content appliance, and a method of operating a content appliance to interact with a storage volume. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the disclosure in which a system  100  for manipulating digital content includes a plurality of storage volumes  110  and a content appliance  150 . Content appliance  150  may be a digital camera, a personal computer with a CD/DVD reader, etc. Volume  110  is a stand-alone portable unit that is reversibly connected to a content appliance  150  for reading content therefrom, and optionally for recording content thereon. 
     A non-volatile primary storage device, storage body  114 , is operationally connected (for example, by insertion) to apparatuses for recording or reading content. Non-limiting examples of storage body  114  are optical media such as CDs or DVDs, magnetic media such as a magnetic diskettes or magnetic tape cassettes, solid-state disks such as flash memory disks, and vinyl records. Storage body  114  is a part of volume  110 . A storage shell  122  offers protection to storage body  114  and also provides a surface for affixing labels. In some embodiments, storage shell  122  accommodates exactly one optical disk, such as a CD or a DVD. A storage shell and elements affixed thereto (except storage body  114 ) will be referred to as a “casing.” 
     A hardware element, a volume chip  118 , is non-volatile secondary storage device that is distinct from storage body  114  and is another part of volume  110 . Volume chip  118  stores user commands, which define processing requests regarding the digital content of storage body  114 . Thus, volume  110  carries digital content in storage body  114  and user commands regarding that digital content in volume chip  118 . Volume chip  118  may be permanently attached to storage shell  122  or to storage body  114 . Alternatively, volume chip  118  may be reversibly attached to one of storage shell  122  and storage body  114 . 
     An appliance, such as content recorder  160 , is adapted to communicate with storage body  114 . In the case of storage body  114  being a CD or DVD for archiving digital pictures, content recorder  160  may be a personal computer that reads camera memory cards, accumulates the content of the memory cards on its hard disk, and burns multiple pictures onto the CD or DVD. In the case of video recordings, a DVD may be burnt by a content recorder  160  that is either a personal computer, which has previously received a copy of the recording from a video camera, or a video camera, which records movies directly onto a DVD. In the case of storage body  114  being a magnetic video cassette, content recorder  160  may be a video camera that takes the video footage or a video cassette recorder that captures broadcasted content. In the case of storage body  114  being a flash memory disk, content recorder  160  may be a digital video or still camera or a personal computer that has accumulated content. Content recorder  160  may also be a dedicated CD or DVD recorder that records broadcast audio or video content. Content recorder  160  can also be a commercial machine, which produces prerecorded CDs and DVDs in mass production, or other machines, which produce prerecorded VHS tapes, compact audio cassettes or vinyl records. 
     User command generator  166  is an appliance adapted to communicate with volume chip  118 . User command generator  166  compiles or obtains user commands defining processing requests regarding the digital content stored on storage body  114 . User command generator  166  records these user commands into volume chip  118 . For example, a user may use user command generator  166  for recording user commands for copying some of the content pieces on storage body  114 , printing some others, and cropping specific ones prior to printing. Such user commands are recorded into volume chip  118  to be later executed by appropriate content appliances  150 . 
     Catalog maker  170  compiles a volume catalog of the content of storage body  114  and stores it as a volume catalog  140  in the secondary storage device, catalog chip  118  ( FIG. 1D ). Volume catalog  140  includes a representation of the digital content in storage body  114  by its respective samples. In one embodiment (represented by the flowcharts in  FIGS. 4-5 ), the catalog is prepared offline from already-recorded content that resides in storage body  114 . In this embodiment, catalog maker  170  may be a personal computer adapted to communicate with both storage body  114  and volume chip  118 . In an alternative embodiment (represented by the flowchart in  FIG. 6 ), the catalog is compiled on-the-fly when respective content is recorded into storage body  114 . Then, catalog maker  170  may be consolidated with content recorder  160 . Catalog-making uses techniques known in the art for extracting, organizing and presenting samples and meta-data from content, as well as receiving manual user entries or retrieving catalog information from a database. An exemplary cataloging software package known in the art for cataloging digital images is offered by ACD Systems Ltd. of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The catalog may include thumbnails of images, video samples, software titles, article abstracts, etc. 
     If the storage body  114  is an analog type of memory, for example, a VHS tape cassette or a vinyl record, then catalog maker  170  may include a content digitizer circuit or software to digitally process the content pieces to produce the respective samples. 
     Catalog browser  180  may be a personal computer or a dedicated apparatus adapted to connect to the volume chip  118  of a volume  110  or of each volume  110  of a collection of volumes. Catalog browser  180  allows the user to browse through each of the volume catalogs  140  stored on the respective volume chips  118  (see  FIG. 1D ) and identify content pieces of interest. 
     Content appliance  150 , which may be a personal computer, music or video player, or a commercial photo printer, is a device that accesses content pieces from storage body  114 , preferably according to user commands read from volume chip  118 . Thus, a user who has entered user commands into volume chip  118  can then expect the user commands to be carried out by content appliance  150 , for example, to show, print or copy images, or to play selected audio or video pieces. Also, in some embodiments or operations, content appliance  150  can cooperate with catalog maker  170  to read the content of storage body  114 , to produce a volume catalog, and to record that catalog into volume chip  118 . 
     Volume chip  118  includes a non-volatile random-access memory that contains user commands regarding the content of storage body  114  to be carried out by a content appliance  150 . Volume chip  118  may also contain the volume catalog representing the content of storage body  114  and previously or presently created by a catalog maker  170 . 
     It will be noted that content recorder  160 , user command generator  166 , catalog maker  170 , catalog browser  180  and content appliance  150  are functional units that can be implemented as a variety of devices that offer other functionalities as well. These functional units may be embodied as two distinct appliances, such that one of these appliances adapted to transmit user commands to storage body  114  and the other appliance is adapted to initiate the processing of the user commands of the content storage body  114 . These functional units may also be consolidated and embodied as a single appliance. For example, the functional units may be consolidated into a single personal computer adapted to communicate with both storage body  114  and volume chip  118  for all related operations of content recorder  160 , catalog maker  170 , catalog browser  180  and content appliance  150 . 
     Interface  134  is a typical interface selected according to the nature of storage body  114 . Accordingly, if storage body  114  is a CD or DVD disk, interface  134  includes a CD/DVD drive, communication bus and appropriate drivers. If storage body  114  is a digital video cassette, then interface  134  includes a compatible drive of a video camera or a dedicated DV cassette drive, communication bus and appropriate drivers. If storage body  114  is a flash memory card, then interface  134  includes a compatible card reader, communication bus and appropriate drivers. If storage body  114  is a vinyl record, interface  134  between storage body  114  and content appliance  150  and catalog maker  170  includes a gramophone and wiring and analog interface for receiving electrical signals representing music, and interface  134  between content recorder  160  and storage body  114  includes the machinery used for mastering and pressing vinyl records. 
     Communication interface  130  enables communication between volume chip  118  and user command generator  166 , catalog maker  170 , catalog browser  180 , content appliance  150  and an optional rack  182  (discussed below). Interface  130  is adapted to support random access to the catalog, as well as the simultaneous connection of a plurality of volumes to form a single collection, in a way that all volume catalogs are accessible from one point to effectively form a collection catalog. Interface  130  can use hard-wired buses, or a hybrid arrangement where power is supplied via a physical connection while communication is made wirelessly (RF such as Bluetooth or Wireless USB, or IR), or a full wireless connection where volume chip  118  is both energized and communicated electromagnetically using techniques known in the art as RFID (for example, under ISO 14443 standard). 
     Under usual circumstances, volumes  110  are connected individually to content recorder  160 , to user command generator  166 , to catalog maker  170  and to content appliance  150 , while often the connection to catalog browser  180  is made as an aggregate form of volumes  110 , for accessing a collection catalog for example. However, browsing with catalog browser  180  is also useful for an individual volume  110 , for example, when one wants to quickly determine the content of a CD without inserting it to the CD drive. 
     Rack  182  is one of the aggregation arrangements of the present disclosure for transforming a plurality of volumes into a collection (see  FIGS. 3B-C ). In accordance with one embodiment, which is a “rackable aggregation arrangement,” rack  182  includes a plurality of receptacles (or slots), for example, receptacle R 1  of  FIG. 3B , and circuitry attached to each receptacle. Each receptacle is configured to accommodate a single storage volume  110 . The circuitry is configured to communicate between storage volume  110  and the different functional units. Thus, connecting to rack  182  from a catalog browser  180  enables access to the entire collection catalog and to record user commands on the volume chips  118  of storage volumes  110 . 
     An indication unit in the form of a selection flag  184  is operative to visibly change in response to a signal transmitted to the storage volume  110 . Selection flag  184  enables the physical identification of volumes (for example, by illumination) from a collection during a browsing session with catalog browser  180  so that desired storage volumes can be sighted and removed for further utilization with a content appliance  150 . The selection flag may be turned on for each volume whose catalog chip has recorded therein at least one user command. Selection flag  184  is attached to the storage shell  122 , to a rack slot RI (see  FIG. 3B ), or to storage body  114 . Selection flag  184  may instead indicate the coordinates of a selected volume on a screen of a catalog browser  180 . Selection flag  184  may be implemented as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), an LCD (Liquid Crystal display) or a bi-stable display (see  FIG. 3A ). 
     In an alternate embodiment, a display  186  can be attached either to volume  110  or to rack  182 . Display  186  can be programmed to provide a volume title recorded on volume chip  118 . 
     Optional connector  190  serves to physically connect a plurality of volumes  110  to each other (in a stackable aggregation arrangement) or to a rack  182  (in a rackable aggregation arrangement), as well as to content appliance  150 , to user command generator  166 , to catalog maker  170  and to catalog browser  180 . In a hybrid embodiment, connector  190  provides electrical energy only, while communication between the volumes  110 , the rack  182  and the host appliances is executed wirelessly. In a complete wireless embodiment (for example RFID communication) connector  190  may still have a physical role in attaching volumes  110  to each other in a stackable aggregation arrangement or in a rackable aggregation arrangement with no electrical or logical functionality. 
     The following describes the positioning of volume chip  118  on volume  110 . As will be discussed, volume chip  118  may be permanently attached to storage shell  122  or to storage body  114 , or it may be reversibly attached to one of storage shell  122  and storage body  114 . 
       FIG. 1A  schematically describes an embodiment of volume  110 A in which storage body  114 A has no volume chip. Instead, storage shell  122 A has volume chip  118 . Storage shell  122 A may be based on conventional designs of CD/DVD jewel cases, magnetic mini-DV boxes or vinyl-record envelopes or may be a flexible envelope or any dedicated design for effectively protecting and handling the storage body  114 A during storage and transport. The attachment of volume chip  118  to storage shell  122 A can be effected by a variety of techniques and design concepts known in the art and can be made during the production of storage shell  122 A or later by applying an appropriate label containing volume chip  118 . Volume chip  118  has circuitry  142  (see  FIG. 1D ) for wireless or wired communication with the functional units. Interface  130  may have physical contacts for allowing effective and convenient connection with storage body  114 A, whether it is in or out of storage shell  122 A. Such contacts are placed also to allow multiple-volume connection according to the selected aggregation arrangement (see  FIGS. 2A-3C ). 
       FIG. 1B  schematically describes an embodiment in which volume chip  118  is part of storage body  114 B. Such arrangement may be effected by embedding a chip in the central circle of a CD or DVD (and possibly adding the appropriate respective contacts for interface  130  to the spinning part of the CD/DVD drive), or upgrading the 4 KB memory found in magnetic mini-DV cassettes that include a memory-in-cassette (MIC) memory chip to at least the megabyte range. In this embodiment, storage shell  122 B may be eliminated when a rackable aggregation arrangement is employed to assemble volumes of a collection. Alternatively, if interface  130  is not a completely contactless link, special holes or conductors can be added to storage shell  122 B to allow communication with volume chip  118  when volume  110 B is aggregated with other volumes to form part of a collection. 
     The embodiments of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  may be implemented with volume chip  118  supplied as a sticker or an electronic label. The sticker/label is attached to the storage shell or to the storage body. 
       FIG. 1C  represents two embodiments where volume chip  118 C is reversibly attached to either storage body  114 C or to storage shell  122 C. In both embodiments, volume chip  118 C is detached from storage body  114 C or from storage shell  122 C and is connected to user command generator  166  to record user commands (or optionally to catalog maker  170  to record the catalog of storage body  114 C. Then, volume chip  118 C is reattached to storage body  114 C or to storage shell  122 C for storage. 
     Attributes of the different volume arrangements are summarized as follows: In the embodiment of  FIG. 1A , the individual components, storage body  114 A and associated recorders/readers, are conventional, which allows cataloging and aggregating existing volumes by replacing the shells. However, this embodiment is less supportive of on-the-fly cataloging (see  FIG. 6 ), because the embodiment requires externally attaching the storage shell  122 B to content recorder  160  during content recording. The embodiment of  FIG. 1B  may be better adapted for on-the-fly cataloging, but it is not as supportive for cataloging existing volumes. This embodiment requires upgrading the memories of MIC mini-DV cassettes and the firmware of the respective recorders. The embodiment of  FIG. 1C  is adapted for compatibility with existing apparatuses. Thus, a volume chip  118 C having a memory card interface can be inserted into a memory card slot of a video camera for on-the-fly cataloging while content is recorded into the DV magnetic tape cassette. Similarly, a volume chip  118 C that has a USB connector can be attached to a personal computer for cataloging a respective CD playing in the personal computer under either the offline or on-the-fly embodiment. 
       FIG. 1D  schematically illustrates the content of volume chip  118 . Volume chip  118  stores commands  144 , volume catalog  140  and an Edition ID  148 . Volume chip  118  has circuitry  142  for wireless/wired communication with the functional units. User commands  144  are entered by a user when operating user command generator  166  to define processing requests regarding the content of storage body  114 . The user commands are also available to an appropriate content appliance  150  for execution. Volume catalog  140  include data representative of the content pieces stored in storage body  114 , such as data extracted from the content of storage body  114  by catalog maker  170 , data entered by the user, and data originated by the manufacturer of commercial content or obtained from remote databases. Edition ID  148  is optionally provided by a manufacturer of a commercial volume  110 , to uniquely identify the volume content (that is identical for many duplicates forming an edition) for accessing the respecting entry on a remote database (see  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 ). 
     The disclosure provides more than just the ability to browse the content of a single CD, DVD or mini-DV cassette, which may be effected by using an electronic reader instead of a mechanical drive, and then recording commands related to that content. The present disclosure enables browsing essentially immediately the content of an ever-growing collection of volumes, and record respective commands, through aggregation arrangements that can turn a plurality of cataloged volumes into a cataloged collection ready to be accessed and browsed for selecting content pieces and defining operations therewith. 
       FIG. 2A  schematically illustrates exemplary volumes devised for stackable aggregation arrangements. Volume  110  may be either volume  110 A of  FIG. 1A  or volume  110 B of  FIG. 1B . In  FIG. 2A , volume  110  is equipped with connectors, in form of Lego-like connectors—male connector  190 M and female connector  190 F. The male connector  190 M and female connector  190 F are adapted for mechanical, electrical and logical connection between units stacked one on top of the other (see  FIG. 3A ). The connectors, four in the illustrated example, suffice to provide both electrical energy (two connectors) and a communication bus (the other two connectors). The communication bus, via the male connectors  190 M at the top of the stack or the female connectors  190 F at the bottom of the stack, is usable for connecting the stack to a catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166 . 
       FIG. 2B  schematically illustrates exemplary volumes devised for rackable aggregation arrangements. Volume  110  can be either volume  110 A of  FIG. 1A  or volume  110 B of  FIG. 1B . In  FIG. 2B , flat connectors  190 X of volume  110  are adapted for connecting with matching connectors positioned in a rack slot (see  FIG. 3B ), which also provide electrical power and communication with other catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166 . 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a stackable aggregation arrangement  200 A in the form of a stack of a plurality of volumes  110  from  FIG. 2A . The male connectors  190 M of the top volume  110  (or the female connectors  190 F at the bottom volume  110 ) are used to connect aggregation arrangement  200 A to a catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166  ( FIG. 1 ). Additionally,  FIG. 3A  also shows a selection flag  184  and display  186 , which are part of the indicator unit of volume  110 . The content of display  186  may be created during the cataloging process of each volume, for example, by the user entering “Trip to Hawaii”. The content is stored within volume chip  118  and is displayed when aggregation arrangement  200 A is energized. Alternatively, the content in the display remains if a bi-stable display is used for display  186 . The selection flag  184  of the pertinent volumes is triggered when content from such volumes is selected for further use while browsing through the collection using catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166 . Such triggering facilitates identification of selected volumes for individual use with content appliance  150 . 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a rackable aggregation arrangement  200 B that uses a rack  182 B, which has a plurality of receptacles (R 1 ) and a communication bus to accommodate a plurality of volumes  110  of the type shown in  FIG. 2B . The display  186  and selection flag  184  are as described with respect to  FIG. 3A . However, in the rack arrangement, removing a highlighted volume does not turn off other highlighted volumes as might happen with the stacked aggregation arrangement  200 A (if bi-stable displays are not used for selection flag  184  in the stacked aggregation arrangement of  FIG. 3A ). The communication bus provides electrical contacts between the volumes  110  of rack  182 C and catalog browser  180 . The communication bus forms part of rack  182 B and is not shown for clarity. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates an aggregation arrangement  200 C that is similar to that of  FIG. 3B , except that display  186  and selection flag  184  are placed next to the receptacles of rack  182 C instead of on the volumes as in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B . Activating display  186 A and/or selection flag  184 A require additional logic and wiring that form part of rack  182 C and/or volume  110 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3C , the design burden relates to rack  182 C and not to volume  110 . Thus commercial implementation of the disclosure may be easier to effect using the embodiment of  FIG. 3C . 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure, a method of operating a content appliance to interact with the storage volume  110  that includes content in a primary storage device, includes sending to the storage volume a user command relating to that content and storing the user command in the secondary storage device that also forms part of the storage volume. The user command defines a processing request that is related to the digital content stored in the primary storage unit. The method may further include processing the digital data according to the processing request, transmitting a signal to activate an indication unit on the storage volume and illuminate the storage device. The method also includes creating a volume catalog of the digital content. 
       FIG. 4  describes an offline cataloging procedure in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, whereby the volume catalog is generated and recorded onto volume chip  118  when storage body  114  already has content recorded thereon. With reference to step  301 , content is acquired, for example, by taking pictures, making movies, writing documents, recording broadcasts, or downloading content pieces from the internet. In a step  309 , contents accumulate on, for example, a user&#39;s personal computer&#39;s disk drive, to reach an appropriate amount for archiving. In step  315 , content recorder  160  stores the accumulated content into storage body  114 . For example, a personal computer burns a CD to store accumulated content. In the case of a magnetic mini-DV recording where the user wishes to use the original cassette also for archiving (and not burn it onto a DVD), step  315  is unnecessary. In the case of commercial content, step  301  and step  309  are executed using professional equipment and procedures and step  315  is executed in a mass-production facility. 
     In a step  317 , a volume catalog of the content on storage body  114  is created. Volume  110  is connected to catalog maker  170 , which scans the content of storage body  114 , extracts samples, optionally allows the user to enter titles or comments, and then records the samples and user entries (if applicable), as a catalog onto volume chip  118 . For example, if storage body  114  is a CD or DVD, a personal computer prepares the catalog of the CD/DVD content using cataloging software. If storage body  114  is a magnetic mini-DV cassette, a personal computer connected to a digital video camera or player uses movie-editing software to prepare the catalog. If the cataloging is part of a commercial production, step  317  can be implemented in a commercial mass-production facility by storing the same volume catalog in all volume chips  118  of the content of the mass-produced storage bodies  114 . However, it will be noted that a mass-produced volume  110  can be commercially recorded via steps  301 ,  309  and  315  and then cataloged by a user via step  317 . After step  317 , volume  110  may be removed from catalog maker  170 . 
     Optionally, the volume  110  cataloged in step  317  can be individually connected in a step  319  to a compatible catalog browser  180  to browse the content on volume  110 . For example, the content of a mini-DV cassette can be browsed from a personal computer without the need to hook up the computer to a digital video camera or player. 
     In step  321 , the volume is added to a collection using an aggregation arrangement such as  200 A of  FIG. 3A, 200B  of  FIG. 3B or 200C  of  FIG. 3C . The volume chips  118  of all volumes  110  can then be placed in communication simultaneously with catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166 . 
     Optionally, in step  323 , a display  186  positioned on or near each volume in the collection shows the volume title. In step  325 , the collection is connected to a catalog browser  180  and user command generator  166  to allow a user to browse the collection catalog by accessing the volume chips  118  of all volumes  110  of the collection. 
     In step  329 , the user can activate user command generator  166  to enter user commands that define a processing request related to the content on storage body  114 . Exemplary user commands may be “view”, “copy”, “print 5 copies at 6.times.9 size”, “crop according to my simulated example and then print a single copy at 12.times.18 size”, etc. The user commands are recorded onto the volume chips  118  of the volumes  110  containing the respective contents. 
     In step  333 , a signal is transmitted to visibly change the indication unit on the selected storage volumes. Logic in volume chip  118 , in rack  182 C or in catalog browser  180  activates the selection flags of the selected volumes (those that have received in step  329  user commands regarding their content pieces) of the collection. In step  337 , the user assisted by the selection flags removes the appropriate volumes from the aggregation arrangement and inserts them one by one into the appropriate content appliances  150 . The user may separately connect to content appliance  150  the combination of storage body  114 A and storage shell  122 A or the combination of storage body  114 C and volume chip  118 C. In step  341 , the appropriate content pieces are processed (for example, accessed, viewed, copied, and/or printed) by content appliance  150  according to the processing requests defined by the user commands recorded into volume chip  118  in step  329 . 
       FIG. 5  describes an offline cataloging procedure in accordance with a second embodiment, whereby the volume catalog made and recorded into volume chip  118  is a catalog of content that has already been stored in storage body  114 . This embodiment is similar to that of  FIG. 4 , but here storage volumes of the prior art are retrofitted in accordance with the present disclosure. Reference is also made to  FIG. 1A . 
     Beginning with step  311 , storage body  114 A already containing content data (for example, a conventional, user-recorded or commercially-recorded CD, DVD, VHS tape or magnetic mini-DV cassette) receives a new storage shell  122 A that includes volume chip  118 . 
     The remaining steps, steps  317 - 341 , are the same as in  FIG. 4 . Thus, an attribute of the configuration of  FIG. 1A  is that it can lend itself for cataloging existing volumes of CDs, DVDs, magnetic tape cassettes and vinyl records. 
       FIG. 6  teaches an alternate on-the-fly cataloging procedure, wherein the volume catalog is created and recorded concurrently with the recording of the content. Such procedure may be implemented when a catalog maker is integrated with a content recorder. Because the process requires simultaneous connection of a content recorder with both a storage body and a volume chip, the configuration of  FIG. 1B  is more suitable, although that of  FIG. 1A  is also possible by connecting storage shell  122 A to an external interface of content recorder  160  (which can be more practical where content recorder  160  is a personal computer and less practical if it is a video camera). 
     In step  301 , an amount of content is acquired by content recorder  160 , for example, a folder of digital photos is accessed on the hard disk by a personal computer, or footage is taken by a video camera. In step  309 , the content acquired in step  301  is copied into storage body  114 , while in a substantially-concurrent step  313 , catalog maker  170  extracts from that content the respective samples and records them as a catalog into volume chip  118 . Steps  301 ,  309  and  313  continue until, in step  315 , either the current capacity of storage body  114  is exhausted or the user elects to stop recording and remove volume  110  from content recorder  160 . The remaining steps (steps  315 - 341 ) are as described above with respect to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . It will be noted that the creation of the catalog (steps  309 ) and concurrent recording of the content (step  313 ) are to be understood in the broadest sense, meaning that the content is recorded into storage body  114  and the catalog is recorded into volume chip  118  within the same work session. 
     Commercial content includes mass-produced, prerecorded CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, flash disks and vinyl records that store music, movies, audio books, digital books, artwork pictures, software, graphics, fonts etc. A user may be willing to add such content to his or her collection or even establish a collection composed solely of commercial content. The present disclosure offers a variety of cataloging options for commercial content. The desired cataloging option depends on the nature of the content, the cooperation of the provider with the provisions of the present disclosure, and on the preferences of the user that owns the content. The exemplary embodiments described below cover a variety of situations that are answered by different solutions. 
       FIG. 7  describes system  400  that is a variation of system  100  of  FIG. 1 . Storage body  114 Z contains commercially prepared content, which is similar to storage body  114  of  FIG. 1 , with optionally a manufacturer-complied volume catalog prepared by the manufacturer to be copied by a user to volume chip  118 Z. Volume chip  118 Z is similar to volume chip  118  of  FIG. 1 , with optionally a unique edition ID that identifies the content of a mass-produced volume  110 Z to associate it with a respective volume catalog that is stored in a remote database accessible via a communication network, for example the Internet or a mobile telephony data network. 
     Content appliance  150 Z, content recorder  160 Z, user command generator  166 Z, catalog maker  170 Z and catalog browser  180 Z are similar to their counterparts of  FIG. 1 , with the addition of connectivity to a database  420  via network  410 . Network  410  is a communication network, such as the Internet or mobile data network, to any of content appliance  150 Z, content recorder  160 Z, user command generator  166 Z, catalog maker  170 Z and catalog browser  180 Z to database  420 . Database  420  contains catalog information of commercially-produced content, provided by the manufacturers of such content or by third parties such as user groups. An example of a content catalog for commercial CDs is CDDB™ (CD DataBase), which is an on online music database service available from Gracenote Corp., Emeryville, Calif. 
       FIG. 8  describes several alternative embodiments for recording the content of volume chip  118 Z when the content stored in storage body  114 Z is commercially-produced. The presentation is made by describing six variations  317 A-F of step  317  of  FIG. 4 . 
     Variation  317 A treats the commercial content in storage body  114 Z as any other previously recorded content, and employs catalog maker  170 Z to read the content of storage body  114 Z, compile a catalog therefore, and store the catalog in volume chip  118 Z. Thus, variation  317 A has actually been described in the process of  FIG. 4 ; however, often commercially-manufactured volumes contain extra useful data for a richer catalog than their user-made counterparts. Under variation  317 B, catalog maker  170 Z is located on the site of the commercial content provider, which compiles the catalog once for each content edition, and then stores a copy of the catalog in volume chip  118 Z. Under variation  317 C, a catalog is prepared by the provider and added to storage body  114 Z; however, because storage body  114 Z is inaccessible to the respective aggregation arrangement, the user operates a catalog maker  170 Z to copy the catalog from storage body  114 Z to volume chip  118 Z. In the variation  317 C, unlike the variation  317 A, in most cases the manufacturer has access to more bibliographic information than can be extracted by a catalog maker  170 Z from the content pieces stored in storage body  114 Z. 
     In variation  317 D, the catalog of a commercial volume is stored in a remote database  420  by the content provider or by a third party, and is then downloaded by a user of catalog browser  180 Z and stored in volume chip  118 Z; the commercial volume is identified for locating the appropriate entry in database  420  by methods known in the art for volume identification by reviewing the table of content of commercial storage body  114 Z. 
     Variation  317 E is to be combined with any of variations  317 B-C to add user inputs to manufacturer-provided catalogs. Two examples for such user inputs are user comments or keywords, and a user instruction to catalog maker  170 Z to add ten-second music samples extracted from the beginning each content piece stored in storage body  114 Z, to each catalog entry stored in volume chip  118 Z. 
     Variation  317 F is aimed at using a volume chip  118 Z of minimal capacity that initially contains just the unique identity of the edition of commercial volume  110 Z. Instead of storing the user and/or provider catalog on volume chip  118 Z, variation  317 F relies upon network connectivity of content appliance  150 Z and catalog browser  180 Z, thus providing the user with a similar experience as in the case where the catalog is stored within volume chip  118 Z, while the actual catalog content is retrieved in real-time from database  420 . User instructions are recorded in-volume chip  118 Z as before. 
     While the disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present disclosure includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features discussed, as well as variations and modifications which would occur to persons skilled in the art.