Patent Document

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/732,940, filed Oct. 17, 1996, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Digital compact disks were originally conceived in the early 1980&#39;s as a technique to accurately copy and preserve audio recordings intended for sale to a mass market of consumers. As computing power has increased exponentially since that time, information processing tasks unthinkable only a few years ago have become commonplace and require large amounts of data most economically and conveniently stored on digital compact disks. 
     Until recently the transfer of data onto compact digital disks was a costly procedure economically feasible only when manufacturing a large quantity of copies. Users whose applications required relatively few copies or required frequent data updates could not reap the benefits of this technology, even though low-cost disk-readers were readily available. 
     The advent of recordable digital compact disks, generally referred to as “CD-R” disks, was intended to allow users to record their own disks and thereby achieve significant savings. Unlike a common compact disk that has been pressed by a mold, a CD-R has a dye layer that is etched by a laser contained in the CD-R disk drive. Once etched, the “burned” CD-R disk is unalterable and will retain data for approximately 75 years. 
     Despite their overall durability, compact disks are still prone to damage caused by improper handling. A compact disk is especially susceptible to surface scratches large enough to defeat the disk&#39;s internal error correction coding. Disks that are subject to large amounts of the physical handling, either manually by humans or automatically by computer systems, are most vulnerable. 
     Compact disk users now avoid this problem through use of disk caddies that protect the compact disk while allowing an input or output device access to the surface of the disk. The standard caddy somewhat resembles a 3.25 inch floppy disk case enlarged to the size of a audio compact disk “jewel box”. Similar to a floppy disk case, the caddy has a spring-loaded metallic sleeve that protects a section of the open face of the compact disk. Once inserted into a caddy-compatible disk read/write unit, the metallic sleeve is pushed away and input/output operations may be performed on the compact disk. 
     Conventional CD-R copiers generally lack the ability to handle recordable disks that have been pre-loaded into caddies. In this situation, users must manually remove all caddies before loading the CD-R copier and then reinstall all caddies after completion of copying, increasing the likelihood of damage to the compact disks created by careless handling. 
     Added to this expense in a volume copying process is the necessity for direct human supervision to prepare CD-R disks for copying, remove the disks from the CD-R disk writer once copying is complete, and then prepare the disks for inspection to ensure no defective disks are retained in the completed set of copies. Aside from the tedium involved that may indirectly add errors, requiring human attention in this process adds a significant labor cost that is added to the end-user price. 
     Finally, conventional CD-R copiers may include additional hardware necessary to protect compact disks from damage during transport through the CD-R copier. A CD-R copier that accepts caddies can make use of simpler, more efficient design and still produce perfect copies. 
     This system copies a stack of caddy-loaded recordable disks and eliminates the necessity of direct human supervision of the copy process, through an efficient caddy transport mechanism that minimizes moving parts and is inexpensive to manufacture. Another benefit provided by the open design of the caddy transport mechanism is that in the unlikely event the caddy transport mechanism becomes inoperable, users may easily troubleshoot and fix the mechanism. 
     Yet another benefit provided by this system is the system&#39;s ability to test burned disks for disk write errors, and through use of a separator ramp, discharge a caddy containing a defective disk into a defect bin, thus isolating the defective disks from the set of properly burned disks. 
     Yet another benefit provided by this system is the system&#39;s ability to automatically transfer data located on disks in several caddies to a host computer connected to the copy unit. This process is easily accomplished by loading the caddies containing the source data into the gravity-fed hopper and programming the system to read the source data off of the compact disks held by the caddies and then transfer the source data to the hard-disk drive of the host computer connected to the copy unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The programmable, automatic caddy-loaded compact disk duplication system of this invention includes a copy unit, a host computer, and computer software. The host computer and computer software provide an interface allowing the user to pre-program the copy unit to perform a completely unattended copy and data verification operation upon blank CD-R disks held in caddies and pre-loaded into the copy unit. 
     While not required for operation of the duplication system, it is preferred that the duplication system use an IBM PC-clone running a DOS or Windows operating system so that users need not purchase custom computer hardware to operate the duplication system. Hardware-specific computer components necessary to describe the duplication system will reference IBM PC and Windows specifications; however the duplication system is not intended to remain limited to these specifications and a designer skilled in the art would be able to translate these specifications into hardware and software equivalents for systems using Apple, UNIX, or IBM protocols. 
     The copy unit has a gravity-fed hopper holding a stack of caddy-loaded recordable disks, a caddy transport unit, a recordable disk drive, and a microprocessor. 
     The gravity-fed hopper is a square-shaped chute placed on the top of the copy unit and sized to hold 30 or more caddies, with each caddy containing a recordable compact disk. The user arranges a horizontal stack of caddies with the read/write side of the recordable disks located face down, and places the stack into the gravity-fed hopper. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the copy unit may also be used to transfer data from the compact disks loaded in the caddies and placed in the gravity-fed hopper into the host computer connected to the copy unit. This process is accomplished through additional instructions programmed into the computer software and the microprocessor to read the disks. No mechanical modifications to the copy unit are required. 
     The caddy transport unit comprises an actuator mechanism, a caddy shuttle, and an output separator. The actuator mechanism has a drive motor, a carriage, a separator finger and an insert finger. 
     The copy/read process begins when the separator finger removes the bottom caddy from the gravity-fed hopper and places the caddy on the caddy shuttle. The caddy shuttle then transports the caddy towards an input/output caddy receptacle on the recordable disk drive and is then inserted into the input/output caddy receptacle by the insert finger. 
     The insert finger is held in place by a tension spring that acts as a force limiter to prevent a misloaded caddy from damaging the recordable disk drive. If this occurs, a photocell sensor placed along the input/output caddy receptacle sends an electrical signal to the microprocessor indicating a misloaded caddy and the system shuts down. 
     When the system is configured to transfer data from caddy-loaded compact disks, the recordable disk drive reads data from the compact disk inserted in the recordable disk drive, and when completed the caddy is ejected onto the caddy shuttle and is transported away from the recordable disk drive. A separator ramp that makes contact with the caddy shuttle allows the caddy to slide down the separator ramp into a bin. Then the separator finger engages the next caddy in the gravity-fed hopper, and the disk load and data transfer processes repeats. 
     When the system is configured to copy data onto recordable disks, the caddy transport process includes extra steps to separate caddies containing correctly copied recordable disks from caddies containing incorrectly copied recordable disks. 
     After the recordable disk drive transfers data onto the recordable disk held by the caddy, the resulting disk is examined for errors. The caddy containing the disk is then ejected out of the recordable disk drive onto the caddy shuttle and is transported away from the recordable disk drive. 
     Separation of caddies containing correctly copied burned disks from caddies containing incorrectly copied burned disks is accomplished by a separator solenoid connected to the separator ramp. When the copy unit has checked and identified a caddy containing a defective disk, the separator solenoid pivots the separator ramp away from the caddy shuttle, causing the caddy to fall into a reject bin located beneath the end of the caddy shuttle. 
     The recordable disk drive sends and receives binary data with the computer software via a standard 50-pin SCSI connection between the recordable disk drive and the host computer. The initial loading of a caddy in the recordable disk drive is accomplished when the caddy is pushed into the input/output caddy receptacle of the recordable disk drive by-the insert finger. 
     A standard feature of the recordable disk drive is an internal sensor that senses the presence of a caddy and then completes the loading of the caddy into the input/output caddy receptacle. Once the recordable disk drive has loaded the caddy and verified the loading process, the recordable disk drive sends an electrical confirmation signal to the host computer. Once the confirmation signal is received by the host computer, the host computer then sends electrical signals back to the recordable disk drive to commence the disk reading or writing process. 
     The user may configure the system to test each burned disk for write errors. In this configuration, the host computer sends an electrical signal back to the recordable disk drive after the write operation is complete. This signal instructs the recordable disk drive to read the data off of the burned disk and compares it to the master file. 
     If the computer detects no disparity between the master file and the data read off of the burned disk, the computer sends a set of electrical signals to the copy unit directing the recordable disk drive to eject the caddy onto the caddy shuttle for transport down the separator ramp into the accept bin. 
     If the computer detects any disparity between the master file and the data read off of the burned disk, the computer sends another set of electrical signals to the copy unit directing the recordable disk drive to eject the caddy onto the caddy shuttle, raise the separator ramp, and transport the burned disk into the reject bin. 
     The microprocessor is an internal control unit for the copy unit and is electrically connected to the host computer, the and the CD-R disk drive head. In the preferred embodiment, a 8031 microprocessor is used, but any 8-bit microprocessor capable of processing a command set no less than 20 commands could be used. 
     The microprocessor monitors sensors, controls motors that transport the caddies, controls a LCD display located on the copy unit, and communicates with the host computer. The microprocessor receives user input generated by the computer software that is executed on the host computer. The user input is processed by the computer software into a set of ASCII commands sent to the microprocessor via a SCSI interface. The ASCII command set used is a variant of the Trace Mountain protocol that is often used to interface software to hardware copy devices. Commands sent by the computer software to the microprocessor consist of one letter or one letter and two digits. 
     In the preferred embodiment, an optional RS-232 interface is provided for compatibility with prior versions of computer software. The use of the SCSI interface is preferred as it provides the following benefits that are not possible with an RS-232 interface: (1) a one-cable connection between the copy unit and the host computer that transfers data, copy unit commands, and status flags; (2) the ability of the host computer to drive up to seven copy units using only one cable; and (3) cross-platform compatibility with any host platform that provides the standard application program interface to the SCSI interface. 
     Depending on the command sent by the computer software, the microprocessor will transmit back to the computer software a “ready” indication, an echo of the command received, or a status indication that command received was successfully or unsuccessfully executed. This status indication is then interpreted by the computer software into user readable information displayed on the host computer&#39;s video output display. 
     No particular type of host computer is necessary to support the copy unit and the computer software. A conventional personal computer equipped with a SCSI throughput interface and a hard disk drive capable of retaining an image of the master data will suffice. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the computer software necessary to direct the data transfer operations is written in the C programming language running under a DOS or Windows operating system. However, the computer software could be written using any computer language and operating system compatible with the computer used, as long as Trace Mountain- type protocols are available to the programmer. 
     These and other features will become apparent from a consideration of the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the copy unit with the outer cover removed, illustrating the mechanical relationships among several components located on the copy unit. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the main copy assembly with the outer cover removed. 
     FIGS. 3A-B is a flow-chart illustration of the logic used by the host computer and microprocessor to transfer data and status flags from the host computer to the microprocessor and the recordable disk drive. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the compact disk duplication system designated generally by the reference numeral  10 , includes a disk copy unit  11  and a host computer  12 , here shown schematically. It is to be understood that the host computer  12 , may be a conventional personal computer connected to the disk copy unit  11 , or incorporated internally within the copy unit  11 . A housing  26  (shown in cut-away) forms a base and side walls enclosing the copy unit  11 . 
     The copy unit  11  includes a gravity-fed hopper  14  for holding a stack of compact disk caddies  19 , (one shown in FIG.  1 ), an actuator mechanism  22  for displacing the bottom caddy from the hopper stack  15  to a caddy shuttle  65 , and a recordable disk drive  116  that receives the caddy from the caddy shuttle for copying. On completion of the copying process, the caddy is ejected by the recordable disk drive  116  to the caddy shuttle  65  and carried by the shuttle  65  to an output separator  126 . A microprocessor  13  is located inside the copy unit  11  is electrically connected to the host computer  12 , the recordable disk drive  116 , the caddy shuttle  65 , and the output separator  126 . 
     The actuator mechanism  22  has a carriage  24 , a carriage motor  28 , a carriage motor axle  32 , a two-link pivot arm  37 , a separator finger  40 , and an insert finger  44 . The carriage motor  28  rotates the carriage motor axle  32  in a clockwise direction, moving the carriage away from the recordable disk drive  116 . To return the carriage  24 , the carriage motor  28  reverses direction. The carriage motor  28  halts when a slot  23  on the carriage  24  passes over a photocell sensor  29  located on the housing  26 . One end of the first pivot link  36  is affixed to the carriage motor axle  32  and the other end is pivotally connected to the second pivot link  38 . The other end of the second pivot link  38  is affixed to the carriage  24 . 
     The carriage  24  moves horizontally forward and backward along two carriage guide members  48  that are affixed to the housing  26  of the copy unit  20 . One end of the separator finger  40  is affixed to the rear of the top face of the carriage  24  and a finger guide  42  is affixed to the other end of the separator finger  40 . 
     A slot between the bottom face  18  of the gravity-fed hopper  14  and the top face  56  allows the separator finger  40  to travel underneath the bottom of the gravity-fed hopper  14  as the carriage  24  moves along the carriage guide members  48 . An aperture  52  in the gravity-fed hopper  14  allows the finger guide  42  to travel inside the volume enclosed by the gravity-fed hopper  14 , the finger guide  42  making contact with the caddy  19  located on the bottom face  18  of the gravity-fed hopper  14 . 
     Each caddy  19  loaded into the gravity-fed hopper  14  is ejected out of the gravity-fed hopper  14  by the finger guide  42  and passes through the aperture guides  60  protruding from the gravity-fed hopper  14 . Once fully ejected, the caddy is positioned on the caddy shuttle that has three caddy shuttle belt members  64  arranged in parallel, forming a transport surface supporting the caddy  19 . 
     Each caddy shuttle belt member  64  winds around a rear roller  68  and a driving roller  72  and rotates around both roller members when the driving roller  72  is engaged to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Connected to one end of the driving roller  72  is a first wheel member  76 . A drive belt  80  winds around the first wheel member  76  and a second wheel member  84 . The second wheel member  84  is affixed to an axle  88  of a insert/eject motor  94 . When engaged, the insert/eject motor  94  rotates the axle  88 , causing the second wheel member  84 , the drive belt  80  and the first wheel member  76  to rotate. This rotational motion is transferred to the driving roller  72 . 
     Once a caddy  19  is ejected by the recordable disk drive, a solenoid  46  powered by the microprocessor  13 , causes a pinch roller  47  to drop down and exert pressure on the caddy  19  placed on the caddy shuttle belt members  64 . This pressure increases the friction between the caddy shuttle belt members  64  and the caddy  19 , and the caddy  19  is transported away from the gravity-fed hopper  14 . 
     The insert finger  44  is connected to the front side of the copy unit  10  and the connection is illustrated in FIG.  2  and described further below. An axle  88  that is pivotally mounted to the housing  26  is placed parallel to the bottom edge of the insert finger  44 . A latch  100  is mounted perpendicularly to one end of the axle  88 . Two tab members  92  perpendicular to the insert finger  44  are connected to the bottom corners of the insert finger  44 . The axle  88  passes through an aperture  96  in each tab member  92 , indicating the copy process was unsuccessful, prior to the transport of the caddy  19  towards the disk separator  128 , the microprocessor  13  will engage a solenoid  144  that pivots the bottom edge of the disk separator ramp  128 , thus raising the top face of the disk separator ramp  128  away from end of the caddy shuttle members  64 . Instead of being transported into the disk separator ramp  128 , the caddy  19  will fall off the edge of the caddy shuttle members  64  into a reject region  148 . A sensor  152  will detect the motion of the caddy  19  into the reject region  148  and transmit a signal back to the microprocessor  13  if no caddy  19  is detected, indicating that the caddy  19  failed to enter the reject region  148  and that the copy unit  11  may be jammed. 
     A guide  104  is affixed to the axle  88  with its lateral axis parallel to the latch  100 , such that movement of the latch  100  causes the axle  88  to rotate and the guide  104  to pivot parallel to the latch  100 . One end  108  of a first spring member  110  is affixed to the wall of the guide  104  and the other end  112  is affixed to the wall of the insert finger  44 . The compression factor of the first spring member  110  is selected such that the tension in the first spring member  110  pulls the face of the insert finger  44  to make contact with the face of the guide  104 , causing the insert finger  44  to pivot parallel to the pivoting motion of the latch  100 . 
     One end  134  of a second spring member  130  is affixed to the bottom face of the recordable disk drive  116  and the other end  136  is affixed to the bottom wall of the guide  104 . The tension created by the second spring member  130  causes the latch  100  to maintain an equilibrium position approximately 30 degrees past vertical. 
     Located in the copy unit  10  behind the insert finger  44  and directly underneath the gravity-fed hopper  14  is a recordable disk drive  116  having an input/output caddy receptacle  120  beneath and parallel to the aperture  60  protruding from the gravity-fed hopper  14 . A sensor  124  is placed next to the input/output caddy receptacle  120  and sends an electrical signal to the microprocessor  13  to indicate the presence of a caddy that is partially inserted in the input/output caddy receptacle  120 . 
     The size and placement of the axle  88  and insert finger  44  is selected such that the top edge of the insert finger  44  is horizontal with the input/output caddy receptacle  120  when the insert finger  44  is vertical. 
     This parallel pivoting motion is maintained when a caddy sits on top of the caddy shuttle belt members  64  so that counter-clockwise movement of the latch  100  causes the top edge of the insert finger  44  to push the caddy  19  into the input/output caddy receptacle  120  in normal operation when the recordable disk drive  116  is empty and the caddy  19  on the caddy shuttle belt members  64  is properly aligned to enter the input/output caddy receptacle  120 . The latch  100  pivots counter-clockwise when a tab  140  on the bottom of the carriage  24  engages the latch  100  on the return stroke of the carriage  24 . 
     However, if the caddy  19  is not properly aligned or the recordable disk drive  116  is not empty, the caddy  19  cannot fully enter the input/output caddy receptacle  120 . When this occurs, the resistance felt by the insert finger  44  causes the first spring member  110  to stretch, preventing the insert finger  44  from jamming the caddy  19  into the input/output caddy receptacle  120  as the latch  100  and guide  104  rotate towards the recordable disk drive  116 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the user may configure the system to inspect copied disks for disk write errors. When configured to verify the copied data, the recordable disk drive  116  reads the data off of the copied disk and transfers the data to the memory of the host computer  12 . The host computer  12  compares the data transferred from the copied disk to the master data, and then sends an electrical signal back to the microprocessor  13  indicating whether the copy process was successful. 
     The microprocessor  13  then directs the input/output caddy receptacle  120  of the recordable disk drive  116  to eject the caddy  19  onto the caddy shuttle members  64 . The insert/eject motor is engaged, and the caddy  19  is transported away from the recordable disk drive  116  by the movement of the caddy shuttle members  64 . 
     Located adjacent to the end of the caddy shuttle members  64  opposite the recordable disk drive  116  is a an output separator  126  having a disk separator ramp  128 . In the normal operating position of the disk separator ramp  128 , the rear edge of the horizontal face of the disk separator ramp  128  lies approximately on the plane formed by the surface of the caddy shuttle members  64 . The top face of the disk separator ramp  128  angles downward at a distance from the rear edge of the horizontal face of the disk separator ramp  128  selected so that a caddy  19  transported by the caddy shuttle members  64  onto the rear edge of the horizontal face of the horizontal face of the disk separator ramp  128  will slide down the length of the disk separator ramp  128  into a bin or other caddy collection device. 
     If the host computer  12  has sent the microprocessor  13  a signal indicating the copy process was successful, the caddy  19  will be transported out of the copy unit  11  in the manner described above. However, if the host computer  12  has sent a signal indicating the copy process was unsuccessful, prior to the transport of the caddy  19  towards the disk separator ramp  128 , the microprocessor  13  will engage a solenoid  144  that pivots the bottom edge of the disk separator ramp  128 , thus raising the top face of the disk separator ramp  128  away from the end of the caddy shuttle members  64 . Instead of being transported onto the disk separator ramp  128 , the caddy  19  will fall off the edge of the caddy shuttle members  64  into a reject region  148 . A sensor  152  will detect the motion of the caddy  19  into the reject region  148  and transmit a signal back to the microprocessor  13  if no caddy  19  is detected, indicating that the caddy  19  failed to enter the reject region  148  and that the copy unit  11  may be jammed. 
     The schematic diagram of FIGS. 3A-B outlines the procedures for routing the disk and caddy from the hopper to the disk separator ramp. 
     While, in the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention, it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

Technology Category: g