System for identifying information on optical discs.

p0001In general, the discs carrying optical information such as sound or visual reproduction, the optical information is accessible on one of the faces of the disc, and the other face bears graphics identifying the different recordings.

p0002To allow the reproduction apparatus to accurately access the records in various ranges, these drives already contain digital information, specific to each disc, and which relate to the exact time of each recording range in order to automatically delineate the beginning and the end of the selected tracks.

p0003When the disc is inserted into the reproducing apparatus or a store that can contain multiple disks as in automatic changers, we can not thereafter visually check the titles printed on the disc and it is necessary either to refer to the boxes of packaging or accompanying leaflets usually each disk and reproduce the list of the same securities in connection with their order number or carry labels or separate lists, or even, for example, introduced through an alphanumeric keyboard the list of titles of each disc and keep them in memory, or play on any screen conventionally well known such a small PC.

p0004These methods are time consuming, complicated and some even require technical knowledge not numbers you want for easy use, quick and pleasant.

p0005The purpose of the present invention to provide a system to easily collect the graphic information present on a disc to be consulted directly and continuously on a display screen, or keep them in memory for later viewing for use of automatic reproduction of multiple disk devices.

p0006Another aim is to propose a simultaneous visualization, complementary to other information contained in the digital video recording carried by the optical disk.

p0007Another goal is to propose ways to view the content of the discs individually or in groups.

p0008Another aim is to propose to mark the contents of each disc by a shade or characteristic frame by category of belonging, for faster visual identification or for viewing the contents of disks together by membership groups.

p0009To achieve these goals, it essentially proposes to scan the disk surface bearing the inscriptions graphics so you can collect and play them directly on a display screen or keep them in memory for future reference.

p0010It is proposed to sweep the surface of graphic information by a charge transfer sensor (CCD) in the form of strip.

p0011the sensor is provided directly mounted on the playback apparatus of the optical information, or integrally thereof.

p0012It is proposed to realize a display screen for only reproducing the graphic information captured on Disc or in combination with other complementary information contained in the digital information recorded on the disks.

p0013It is proposed to visualize the disc title by groups or individually.

p0014It is proposed to mark one color or characteristic frame the individual information by membership groups.

p0015To clearly understand the invention, described below non-limiting examples.

p0016In FIG. I, there is shown at I a disc on the face 2 of the digital optical information, and on the surface 3, printed graphics 4 indicating the individual records in relation to a serial number.

p0017To capture the graphics printed on the disc, it is for example sweep the surface with a charge transfer sensor (CCD) that converts an optical image into an electronic output.

p0018Here, the detection cell form a strip of the width of the surface to be scanned and is composed of a certain amount of photosensitive elements arranged in line and which convert and accumulate incident point illuminations proportional electrical charges.

p0019Capacitors (MOS field effect transistors) are associated with each photosensitive element, and the individual electric loads can be transferrées along capacitors according to a read output a rate governed by clocks as required.

p0020The sensor to harvest the graphic information can then, for example, be achieved by a strip 5 composed of a series of charge-coupled elements (CCD) line 6, and an elongated lighting element, eg a light diode 7, FIG. 2.

p0021A section AB of FIG. 2 shows in FIG. 3 how the light emitted by the light diode 7 illuminates the reading surface of the disc I 3 by a beam 8 which, modulated optical information he meets, strikes the charge transfer elements 6 in proportion to the amount of reflected light received.

p0022The bar shown in FIG. 4 has a lon about LATIONS the total width of the surface of the information to be detected so as to achieve a single translation movement in the direction of arrows 9, the harvest of all the graphical information carried by the 4 disc I, successive lines with the pace of progress is related in connection with the CCD elements of the reading rate in order to reconstruct a coherent manner all the information in the order desired for viewing or storing reconstructed exactly.

p0023FIG. 5 is a section AB of FIG. 6 and in which is shown the disk I rotated by a motor I0.

p0024The hole position II has the disk I on an I2 I0 core integral with the motor and disk is maintained by a I3 shelf under the pressure of a spring I4.

p0025I3 tray is guided by a swivel which may take the I5 I6 open position to allow changing of a disc.

p0026I7 a laser read head scans in the direction of arrows I8 face 2 of the disk to read the digital optical information it carries.

p0027It is proposed to get on the course and near the surface 3 of the disc, reading CCD array I9 with a length of approximately the width of the circular band forming the graphics 4 disk I use and thus rotation the disc in the direction of arrows 20, for a free and known translational movement.

p0028The pace punctual reading graphic information present on the course of the CCD elements form a successive series regular radius readings that can sweep a full turn of the disk relative to the I9 CCD sensor, all of the graphics worn by the face 3 of the disc.

p0029Printed graphics on the face 3 of disk I read punctually in successive lines by a bar 5 will be reconstructed on a display screen in a conventional manner, for example a liquid crystal flat screen, mounted on the reproducing apparatus or on a remote control, or, on the screen of a scanning electron beam provided to television set already for example in a centralized system.

p0030So in the examples given, the graphics scanned longitudinally by a CCD reader 5, or scanned in by a CCD I9 ray player, are collected completely, but following cutouts and different rates.

p0031We must therefore adapt by a special interface the order and rhythm of information collected with the order and sweeping rhythms of the selected type of display.

p0032FIG. 7 gives an example of a liquid crystal screen of compound 360 2I rays each compound of 200 plaques 22.

p0033If the FIG CCD I9 player. 6 is also composed of a series of 200 plaques 23, it suffices for example to select the same pace for reading than that of the display screen, for example 360 ​​readings on a lathe in I second.

p0034Each 360^e Second there will therefore be a multiple reading and reproduction on the display screen of a series of specific information for a given radius.

p0035Successive readings to reconstitute As scrolling of the disc relative to the CCD sensor, all of the graphics.

p0036If the harvested promptly graphics rays are intended to be displayed on a screen, for example horizontal scanning TV, a specific interface will transform the cutouts so that each information is réadressée accordingly.

p0037FIG. 8 shows an example of explanatory block diagram of the system as a whole.

p0038CD shows a laser reader of digital information on optical disc and the CCD block represents a sensor graphic information, which information is sent to a memory block M.

p0039Digital optical disc information is decoded by block D, and of the information concerning the length of each record is sent to the block M.

p0040A block N is for associating a serial number to a disk block C is for associating a color with a membership group after a disk.

p0041An LCD display screen can receive the information from the memory M through the SB block to get in shape and to synchronize information related to the characteristics required by the display screen that will be used.

p0042The TC block is to analyze and process all the information about the graphics to make the text more readable and can delete or correct imperfections or unnecessary graphics, also determine the start and end of reading graphics on the disc and the opportunity to rectify or reverse some parts of the graphics from the way they were collected.

p0043This processing of information can be as complex as necessary, for example to determine all of the information, only the texts that follow an order number and which therefore represent the titles, so it will keep in mind that the information useful which can be viewed possibly in other provisions as the original, for example on a narrower and more elongated screen dimensions.

p0044FIG. 9 shows an arrangement of information on a display screen.

p0045Eg, you can see a reproduction of graphic information 24 only, or at the same time, additional information here about 25 and the length of recordings.

p0046An identification number can be located for example in the center 26 of the disk or in a window 27.

p0047A color or frame 28 can quickly identify the group or category in which this disc is classified.

p0048One can for example also indicate currently playing recording by a flashing number.

p0049FIG. I0 is an example of viewing multiple disks at the same time for a first rapid identification, chronologically, or by membership group as in the example given.

p0050It may be recalled in a window 30, the selected group of belonging, and as a reminder of his color or his 3I identification frame and is repeated each time eg 32 in the center of the disc.

p0051When visualize the discs in groups according to their number of chronological order, marking the center of the disc will be very useful to the user to quickly identify the kind of record that interests him.

p0052In the case where the graphics of the reading system will be used in a changer intended to handle a large quantity of discs, the amount of information corresponding to the graphics will therefore also very important and it may be advantageous to employ an optical disk as a memory which can economically carry a very large amount of information in a very small volume.

p0053In some cases, these converters are equipped with exchangeable record shops which are intended to be accompanied by an electronic memory for the programs contained therein so that, when the magazine is placed in the changer, the latter can be automatically informed of the specific content.

p0054In some cases, so that each optical disc store is equipped with a relatively bulky and expensive electronic memory, information about the graphics can be stored on an additional optical disc accompanying the mobile store itself.

p0055If the changer is normally equipped with a recording / reproducing device, it can realize the memory disc changer in the same, or, if the changer is equipped with a reading device only the information may be previously recorded on a any separate device registration.

p0056When will place a new store in the changer, it will suffice to read first, only once, the memory drive information and keep them in an electronic memory provided in the changer, allowing to handle all the information about a specific store as long as it remains connected to the changer.

p0057In some cases too, when the changer is not equipped with a capacity of clean enough memory to receive all the information we can provide a reproducing apparatus or a recording and / or playback optical disc for this specific function, placed in the same changer, while not requiring an intermediate electronic memory.