Patent Publication Number: US-6336589-B1

Title: Data storage medium and apparatus for reading a data storage medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known in the art to use an optical disk for the storage of software, music and film. However, the conventional optical disk has a relatively large size, and is thus inconvenient to handle. 
     2. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a data storage medium and to an apparatus for reading the data storage medium, more particularly to a portable data storage medium that has a relatively large memory capacity, and to an apparatus for reading the data storage medium. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a portable data storage medium having a relatively large storage capacity. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for reading the data storage medium of this invention. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a data storage medium is adapted for storing optically detected information. The data storage medium includes a rectangular card body having first and second surfaces, at least one of which is formed with a data storage track having a plurality of parallel and equally spaced apart track sections that are adapted to be stored with the optically detected information. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is adapted for reading optically detected information stored in a data storage medium. The data storage medium includes a rectangular card body having first and second surfaces, at least one of which is formed with a data storage track having a plurality of parallel and equally spaced apart track sections stored with the optically detected information. The apparatus includes a carrier unit, first moving means, optical detector means, second moving means and controller means. 
     The carrier unit is adapted to be loaded with the data storage medium thereon. 
     The first moving means, which is associated operably with the carrier unit, moves the carrier unit back and forth between first and second limit positions along a first axis parallel to the track sections. 
     The optical detector means is adapted for reading the optically detected information stored in one of the track sections when the carrier unit is moved by the first moving means along the first axis. 
     The second moving means, which is associated operably with the optical detector means, moves the optical detector means along a second axis transverse to the first axis. 
     The controller means is coupled electrically to the first and second moving means and the optical detector means. The controller means receives the optically detected information read by the optical detector means, and activates the second moving means to move the optical detector means by a predetermined distance along the second axis upon detection that the first moving means has moved the carrier unit from one of the first and second limit positions to the other one of the first and second limit positions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a data storage medium and apparatus for reading the data storage medium according to this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a carrier unit of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment; 
     FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view showing an encircled portion of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit block diagram of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the carrier unit and first moving means of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment; 
     FIGS. 5 to  7  are schematic fragmentary side views showing how a carrier frame of the carrier unit moves from an unloaded position to a loaded position; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic front view illustrating how movement of the carrier unit can be limited between first and second limit positions in accordance with the preferred embodiment; and 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic fragmentary side view showing second moving means of the apparatus of the preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a data storage medium  1  and an apparatus  2  for reading the data storage medium  1  are shown. The data storage medium  1  is adapted for storing optically detected information, and includes a rectangular card body  10  having first and second surfaces  101 ,  102 . The first surface  101  is formed with a data storage track  11  having a plurality of parallel and equally spaced apart track sections  110  that are adapted to be stored with the optically detected information. The second surface  102  is printed with character and/or picture data (not shown). Alternatively, both the first and second surfaces  101 ,  102  may be formed with the data storage track  11 ; In this embodiment, each of the track sections  110  is connected to the adjacent track section  110  to form a continuous data storage track  11 . As to how the optically detected information is stored in the data storage track  11 , this is known in the art and will not be detailed herein for the sake of brevity. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  3 , the apparatus  2  is shown to include a casing  20 , a carrier unit  21 , first moving means  24 , optical detector means  22 , position sensing means  25 , second moving means  26 , and controller means  23 . 
     The casing  20  houses the carrier unit  21 , the first moving means  24 , the optical detector means  22 , the position sensing means  25 , the second moving means  26 , and the controller means  23  therein. As shown in FIG. 1, the casing  20  includes a front wall  200  formed with an insert slot  201  for inserting the data storage medium  1  into the casing  20  and an operating hole  202  disposed below the insert hole  201 , and a lateral wall formed with a connector  203  adapted to be connected to an external processing unit  30 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The casing  20  further includes a guide rail unit having a pair of guide rail rods  2100  that are disposed therein and that extend along a first axis parallel to the track sections  110 , as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the carrier unit  21  is adapted to be loaded with the data storage medium  1  thereon, and includes a base frame  210  and a carrier frame  212 . 
     The base frame  210  is slidably disposed on and is movable along the guide rail unit. The base frame  210  has opposite lateral sides, each of which is formed with horizontally extending first and second connecting posts  2101 ,  2102 , and a horizontally extending fixing post  2103  adjacent to the second connecting post  2102 , and a top side formed with aligned front and rear vertical guiding posts  2104  adjacent to a rear end thereof. An engaging piece  2105 , as shown in FIG. 2A, has a front end formed with a rearwardly extending first groove  21050  and an upwardly extending stop post  21052 , and a rear end formed with a forwardly extending second groove  21051  and an upwardly extending engaging post  21053 . The first and second grooves  21050 ,  21051  engage the guiding posts  2104 . The engaging post  21053  is aligned with the guiding posts  2104 , respectively. The engaging piece  2105  is thus movable forwardly and rearwardly on the base frame  210 . A coil spring  2106  is connected between the engaging post  21053  of the engaging piece  2105  and one of the guiding posts  2104  closer to a front end of the base frame  210 . The engaging piece  2105  is thus biased forwardly by the coil spring  2106 . An abutting piece  21054  is disposed on a lateral side of the engaging piece  2105 , and extends rearwardly from the front end of the engaging piece  2105 . The abutting piece  21054  is formed with an indentation  210540 , as shown in FIG. 5, adjacent to the front end of the engaging piece  2105 . 
     The carrier frame  212  is loaded with the data storage medium  1  thereon when the latter is inserted via the insert slot  201  in the casing  20 . The carrier frame  212  is disposed above and is coupled pivotally on the base frame  211 . The carrier frame  212  has a bottom wall  2121 , and opposite side walls  2120  connected to the bottom wall  2121  and extending upwardly therefrom. Each of the side walls  2120  has an inner surface formed with a slide groove  21201  to receive a corresponding lateral edge of the data storage medium  1 , and an outer surface formed with a pair of horizontally extending pivot posts  21202 . A pivot piece  2122  is connected pivotally between each of the pivot posts  21202  of the carrier frame  212  and a respective one of the connecting posts  2101 ,  2102  of the base frame  210 . As such, the carrier frame  212  is movable forwardly and upwardly relative to the base frame  210  to an unloaded position, where the data storage medium  1  can be loaded on and unloaded from the carrier frame  212  via the insert slot  201  in the casing  20 , and is movable rearwardly and downwardly relative to the base frame  210  to a loaded position when the data storage medium  1  is loaded on the carrier frame  212  via the insert slot  201  in the casing  20 . A lug piece  2123  extends rearwardly from a rear edge of the bottom wall  2121 . When the carrier frame  212  is moved to the unloaded position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lug piece  2123  of the carrier frame  212  contacts with a part of a front edge of the abutting piece  21054  of the engaging piece  2105  of the base frame  210 . When the carrier frame  212  is moved to the loaded position, as shown in FIG. 7, the lug piece  2123  of the carrier frame  212  engages to the indentation  210540  in the abutting piece  21054 . A torsion spring  2124  is provided between each of the second connecting posts  2102  of the base frame  210  and a respective one of the pivot posts  21202  of the carrier frame  212 . The carrier frame  212  is thus biased by the torsion springs  2124  to the unloaded position. 
     An L-shaped operating rod  213  is slidably provided in the casing  20  on a mounting frame  214  that is disposed on an inner surface of the casing  20  adjacent to the base frame  210 . The operating rod  213  has a first portion formed with a push end that extends outwardly of the casing  20  via the operating hole  202  (see FIG.  1 ), and a second portion  2130  transverse to the first portion and extending between the abutting piece  21054  and the engaging post  21053  such that the engaging piece  2105  is moved rearwardly when the push end is pushed inwardly to unload the data storage medium  1  from the carrier unit  21 . 
     The first moving means  24 , which is associated operably with the carrier unit  21 , moves the carrier unit  21  back and forth between first and second limit positions along the first axis. As shown in FIG. 2, the first moving means  24  includes a rack  241  and a bi-directional motor  240 . The rack  241  is mounted on a rear portion of the base frame  210 , and extends along the first axis. The bi-directional motor  240  is mounted in the casing  20 , and has a drive gear  2400  that meshes with the rack  241 . As such, rotation of the drive gear  2400  results in sliding movement of the base frame  210  along the guide rail unit. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the optical detector means  22  is adapted to read the optically detected information stored in one of the track sections  110  of the data storage medium  1  when the carrier unit  21  is moved by the first moving means  24  along the first axis. As to how the optical detector means  22  reads the optically detected information, this is known in the art and will not be detailed herein for the sake of brevity. 
     The second moving means  26 , which is associated operably with the optical detector means  22 , moves the optical detector means  22  along a second axis transverse to the first axis. As shown in FIG. 9, the second moving means  26  includes an externally threaded guide shaft  260  and a bi-directional motor  261 . The guide shaft  260  is mounted rotatably in the casing  20 , and extends along the second axis. The optical detector means  22  is supported on the guide shaft  260  such that axial rotation of the guide shaft  260  results in linear movement of the optical detector means  22  along the guide shaft  260 . The bidirectional motor  261  is mounted in the casing  20 , and has a drive gear  2610  that meshes with the guide shaft  260  such that rotation of the drive gear  2610  results in corresponding axial rotation of the guide shaft  260 . 
     The position sensing means  25  includes two sets of an optical signal generator  250  and an optical signal receiver  251 , which are mounted in the casing  20  at the first and second limit positions, respectively. Each of the optical signal generators  250  is spaced apart from the respective one of the optical signal receivers  251  so as to form an optical signal path therebetween. The optical signal generators  250  generate an optical signal that is received by the optical signal receivers  251  when the carrier unit  21  has yet to reach the first and second limit positions and that is interrupted by the carrier unit  21  when the carrier unit  21  is moved to one of the first and second limit positions. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the controller means  23  is coupled electrically to the first and second moving means  24 ,  26 , the optical detector means  22 , and the position sensing means  25 . The controller means  23  receives the optically detected information read by the optical detector means  22 , activates the second moving means  26  to move the optical detector means  22  by a predetermined distance along the second axis upon detection that the first moving means  24  has moved the carrier unit  21  from one of the first and second limit positions to the other one of the first and second limit positions, and activates the first moving means  24  to move the carrier unit  21  in an opposite direction relative to an initial direction along the first axis upon detection that the optical signal generated by the optical signal generators  250  of the position sensing means  25  is interrupted by the carrier unit  21 . The predetermined distance is equal to a distance between adjacent ones of the track sections  110  such that, when the second moving means  26  is activated by the controller means  23 , the optical detector means  22  is moved away from an initial one of the track sections  110  and into alignment with another one of the track sections  110  adjacent to the initial one of the track sections  1   10 . The controller means  23  includes a processor  230  and an output interface  231  coupled electrically to the processor  230 . The processor  230  processes the optically detected information from the optical detector means  22  in a known manner, and provides the optically detected information to the external processing unit  30  via the output interface  231 . 
     The first moving means  24  should not be limited to the arrangement of the preferred embodiment. It should be understood that a solenoid device may be employed instead of the motor  240  and the rack  241  to achieve the same function. 
     It is noted that the data storage medium  1  of this invention has a relatively small size and a relatively large storage capacity. The object of the invention is thus met. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 
     Deposit of Computer Program Listings 
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