JP3751235B2 - Disc changer device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disk changer device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a disc changer apparatus that stores and reproduces various disc-shaped information recording media (hereinafter simply referred to as “discs”) such as CD (Compact Disc) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) has been put into practical use. This disk changer device includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of disks, a reproduction unit that reproduces the stored disk, and a conveyance unit that conveys the disk from the storage unit to the reproduction unit. Some have a disk-shaped rotary storage section (hereinafter referred to as “rotary sticker”) in which a plurality of storage grooves (hereinafter referred to as “slots”) for storing one disk in a standing state are provided radially. Proposed.
[0003]
The disk changer device having the above-described rotary lister normally has a key (input unit) for designating and inputting a slot number storing a desired disk, and a desired slot (hereinafter referred to as “designated slot” designated by key input). And a control means for guiding the signal to the reproduction unit. That is, the control unit moves the designated slot to a predetermined carrying position, and a desired disk in the designated slot is carried to the reproducing unit by the carrying unit, and reproduction is started. A conventional control method from when a slot is designated by key input to when a disc is reproduced will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0004]
FIG. 5 shows a control method for a disk changer apparatus that does not have detection means (hereinafter referred to as “disk presence detection means”) for detecting in advance the disk presence / absence information (information on whether or not a disk is stored) in all slots. It is a flowchart for demonstrating.
[0005]
When a desired slot is designated by key input (slot designation step: S101), the designated slot moves to a predetermined conveyance position (designated slot movement step: S102). A transport operation is performed (transport process: S103). In the playback unit, focus is provided by the pickup for playback of the disc. However, if the disc is not stored in the designated slot, the disc is not transported to the playback unit, so the focus is not applied and it is determined that there is no disc. The In this case, an operation is performed to return the transport unit that does not contain the disc from the reproducing unit to the designated slot (feedback step: S104).
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
After the return operation described above, the slot adjacent to the designated slot is moved to a predetermined transport position (adjacent slot moving step: S105), and the transport operation is performed again. In this case as well, it is determined that there is no disk. In such a case, it is necessary to perform the return operation again, move the adjacent slot to the transport position, and repeat the same operation. As described above, in the disk changer device that does not include the disk presence / absence detecting means, the above-described wasteful conveyance operation and feedback operation may be repeated, and it may take a very long time to reproduce the disk. .
[0007]
On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a control method of the disk changer device provided with the disk presence / absence detecting means. In a disk changer device equipped with such a disk presence / absence detection means, first, after the power is turned on (power-on process: S201), the rotary lister is rotated 360 ° and the disk presence / absence detection means obtains the disk presence / absence information in all slots. This is detected (disk presence / absence information detection step: S202), stored in the RAM, and the stored disk presence / absence information is used in a later operation.
[0008]
That is, when a disk is not stored in the slot designated by the key input (slot designation step: S203), a predetermined warning is displayed by the microcomputer or the movement operation of the designated slot is prevented. The useless conveyance / return operation is prevented, and when the disk is stored in the slot designated by the key input, the designated slot is moved to the carrying position (designated slot moving step: S204) and carried. The operation was performed (conveying step: S205).
[0009]
However, in the conventional disk changer device equipped with the disk presence / absence detection means, when the power is turned off after the disk reproduction is completed (power-off process: S206), the stored disk presence / absence information is erased (disk presence / absence information erasure process) Therefore, after the power is turned on, it is necessary to always perform the disk presence / absence detection operation by rotating the rotary lister 360 °. For this reason, the disc cannot be played back until the disc presence / absence detection operation is completed, and the speed of playback is lacking.
[0010]
An object of the present invention is to significantly reduce the time from the designation of a desired slot by key input to the start of disk reproduction in a disk changer device.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1
A reproducing unit that reproduces information recorded on the disc, a disc-shaped storage unit that is rotatably arranged around the reproduction unit, and a plurality of radials provided on the upper surface of the storage unit are provided to stand one disk. A storage groove that is stored in a state in which the disk is stored, a transport unit that transports a disk stored in the storage groove at a predetermined transport position to the reproduction unit, and an input unit that specifies a desired storage groove, and In a disk changer device comprising: moving means for moving a storage groove to the transport position; detection means for detecting disk presence / absence information in the storage groove; and storage means for storing detected disk presence / absence information;
First control means for detecting disk presence / absence information in the designated storage groove until the designated storage groove reaches the transport position when no disk presence / absence information is stored in the storage means; ,
Second control means for moving a storage groove, which is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the specified storage groove and in which the disk is stored, to the transport position when a disk is not stored in the specified storage groove; It is characterized by providing.
[0012]
Further, the invention according to claim 2 is the disk changer device according to claim 1,
It is characterized by comprising third control means for detecting the disk presence / absence information in all the storage grooves by the detecting means while the disk is being reproduced by the reproducing unit.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the disc changer device according to the first or second aspect,
A door that can be opened and closed freely
And fourth control means for storing disk presence / absence information stored in the storage means while the door portion is in a closed state.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is assumed that the disk changer device according to the present embodiment can store 300 disks.
[0015]
First, the configuration of the disk changer device according to the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the disk changer device according to the present embodiment is housed in a substrate 10, a reproducing unit 20 for reproducing a disk, a rotary stocker 30 having a slot 31, and a slot 31 at a predetermined transport position. It has an internal structure that includes a transport unit 40 that transports the disc to the playback unit 20 and a door unit 50 for disc replacement.
[0016]
The substrate 10 includes a reproducing unit 20, a rotary stocker 30, a conveying unit 40, a door unit 50, a driving mechanism for driving these components, a microcomputer for controlling each driving mechanism, and a disk in all slots. A disk detection unit 100 that detects presence / absence information (information on whether or not a disk is stored), a RAM (Random Access Memory) that stores disk presence / absence information, and the like are provided.
[0017]
On the front of the internal structure described above, there are an opening 60 corresponding to the door 50, a numeric key 71 for designating and inputting a slot number in which a disk is stored, a door opening / closing key 72, a disk playback / stop key 73, etc. A front panel 90 equipped with various key groups, a rotary locker operation dial 74, and a display unit 80 for displaying a predetermined slot number and the like is mounted (see FIG. 1).
[0018]
The reproducing unit 20 includes a DSP / LSI (not shown), a pickup unit, an RF amplifier, a servo, a D / A converter, etc., and reads information recorded on the disk conveyed from the slot 31 by the conveying unit 40, It is converted into a signal and sent to an output device.
[0019]
As described above, the rotary lister 30 is a disk-shaped storage unit capable of storing 300 disks. As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary stocker 30 is disposed around the disc reproducing unit 20, and a plurality of slots 31 are provided radially on the upper surface thereof. The rotary stocker 30 is rotatable by a stocker drive unit 32, and the drive speed of the stocker drive unit 32 is controlled by a microcomputer.
[0020]
The transport unit 40 includes a chassis 41 that is disposed above the reproducing unit 20 and the rotary stocker 30 and is fixed to the substrate 10, a carrier 42 that is removably mounted below the chassis 41, and a transport guide 43. Prepare. The carrier 42 and the conveyance guide 43 are disposed on the upper side and the lower side of the disc, respectively, and are sandwiched in a state where the disc is erected, and serve to convey the disc between the slot 31 and the reproducing unit 20. The carrier 42 can be reciprocated by a carrier driving unit (not shown), and the driving speed of the carrier driving unit is controlled by a microcomputer.
[0021]
The door portion 50 can be opened and closed by a key input operation of the door portion opening / closing key 72, and a plurality of discs can be exchanged with the door portion 50 opened. The numeric keypad 71 outputs a signal designating a slot number storing a disc to be reproduced, a track number of the disc being reproduced, and the like to the microcomputer by a key input operation. That is, the numeric keypad 71 is an input unit.
[0022]
The disc playback / stop key 73 plays a disc stored in the slot designated by the numeric keypad 70 and outputs a signal for stopping the playback to the microcomputer by a key input operation. The rotary wrist operation dial 74 outputs a signal for rotating the rotary stocker 30 to the microcomputer.
[0023]
The display unit 80 includes a display screen such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and various display information output from the microcomputer, for example, the operating state of the rotary stocker 30, the operating state during disk playback, and the open / closed state of the door unit 50 The slot number located at the center of the door 50, the slot number of the disc being reproduced, the track number, etc. are displayed.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 2, the disc detection unit 100 is disposed in the vicinity of the transport unit 40 and close to the door unit 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the disk detection unit 100 includes a light emitting unit (infrared LED) 110 and a light receiving unit (phototransistor) 120, and a disk is inserted in a slot 31 that passes between the light emitting unit 110 and the light receiving unit 120. Is detected, and a detection signal indicating the presence or absence of the disk is output to the microcomputer. That is, the disk detection unit 100 is a detection means.
[0025]
When a disk is stored in the slot 31, infrared light from the light emitting unit 110 is blocked by the disk. In this case, the light receiving unit 120 outputs a “disk present” signal to the microcomputer. On the other hand, when a disc is stored in the slot 31, the light receiving unit 120 receives infrared light from the light emitting unit 110. In this case, the light receiving unit 120 outputs a “no disk” signal to the microcomputer.
[0026]
The RAM stores a main control program for controlling the disk changer device and various application programs related to the program, and temporarily stores execution files of the various programs and various data generated during the execution. Provide work area. In particular, the disk presence / absence information output from the disk detection unit 100 is temporarily stored. That is, the RAM is a storage means.
[0027]
In the present embodiment, the disk presence / absence information stored in the RAM is stored while the door 50 is in the closed state, and the disk presence / absence stored in the RAM is stored when the door 50 is opened. Information is set to be erased.
[0028]
Next, the operation of the disk changer device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0029]
First, the disk changer device according to the present embodiment is turned on (power on process: S10). In the conventional disk changer device, when this power-on operation is performed, the disk presence / absence information in all slots is automatically detected (FIG. 6: S202). However, in the disk changer device according to the present embodiment, this disk It is set not to perform the presence / absence detection operation.
[0030]
Next, the microcomputer recognizes whether or not the disk presence / absence information when the disk changer device was used last time is stored in the RAM (storage information recognition step: S11). If it is recognized in this stored information recognition process that the disk presence / absence information when the disk changer device was used last time is stored and the door 50 is not opened, the “last slot number display process” (S13). Proceed to
[0031]
On the other hand, if it is recognized that the disk presence / absence information when the disk changer device was used last time is not stored, the process proceeds to the “front slot number display step” (S20). In the disk changer device according to the present embodiment, when the door portion 50 is opened, the disk presence / absence information stored in the RAM is set to be erased, so the stored information recognition step (S11). ), The door 50 is opened for disk replacement, and the process similarly proceeds to the “front slot number display step” (S20) (door opening / closing determination step: S12).
[0032]
If the disk presence / absence information when the disk changer device was used last time is stored and the door 50 is not opened, the process proceeds to the “last slot number display step” (S13). In this step, the microcomputer displays on the display unit 80 the slot number (final slot number) in which the last played disc was stored when the disc changer device was used last time. Wait for the slot number to be specified.
[0033]
Next, when the slot number is designated by the input operation of the numeric keypad 71 in the state where the final slot number is displayed on the display unit 80 (slot designation step: S14), the microcomputer controls the slot drive unit 32 to control the rotary lister. 30 is rotated to move the designated slot to a predetermined transport position (designated slot moving step: S15). That is, the microcomputer and the slot drive unit 32 are moving means.
[0034]
Next, the disk stored in the designated slot at the predetermined transport position is transported to the playback unit 20 by the transport unit 40 (transport process: S16), and the disk is played back by the playback unit 20 (play process: S17). Then, after the reproduction is completed, the power is turned off (power-off process: S18).
[0035]
In the conventional disk changer apparatus, when this power-off operation is performed, the disk presence / absence information in all slots is automatically deleted (FIG. 6: S207). In the disk changer apparatus according to the present embodiment, The disc presence / absence information is not erased, and the disc presence / absence information is saved in the RAM according to the instruction of the microcomputer (information saving step: S19). That is, the microcomputer is the fourth control means.
[0036]
In the disc changer device according to the present embodiment, the disc presence / absence information stored in the RAM is set to be erased when the door portion 50 is opened, but the door portion 50 is manually opened when the power is turned off. A locking mechanism is provided so that there is no such thing. Therefore, when the power is turned off, the door portion 50 is not opened and the disk presence / absence information is not erased.
[0037]
On the other hand, when the disk presence / absence information when the disk changer device is used last time is not stored, or when the door 50 is opened after the storage information recognition process (S11), the “front slot number display process” Proceed to (S20). In this process, the microcomputer displays the slot number (front slot number) located in front of the door 50 on the display unit 80, and waits for the designation of the slot number by the input operation of the numeric key 71 in this state.
[0038]
Next, when the slot number is designated by the input operation of the ten key 71 in the state where the front slot number is displayed on the display unit 80 (slot designation step: S21), the microcomputer controls the slot drive unit 32 to control the rotary lister. 30 is rotated to move the designated slot to a predetermined transport position.
[0039]
At this time, if the designated slot is at, for example, the position A shown in FIG. 2, the microcomputer rotates the rotary stocker 30 counterclockwise so that the designated slot passes through the disk detector 100. The detection unit 100 detects whether or not a disk is stored in the designated slot (designated slot moving detection step: S22). That is, the microcomputer is the first control means.
[0040]
In the designated slot movement detection step (S22), if a disk is stored in the designated slot, the microcomputer controls the slot drive unit 32 to stop the rotary lister 30 at a predetermined transport position (stop stocker). Step: S23), the process proceeds to the transport step (S24).
[0041]
On the other hand, when no disk is stored in the designated slot, the microcomputer causes the disk detection unit 100 to detect the slot in which the disk is stored in the immediate vicinity of the designated slot and controls the slot driving unit 32. Then, the rotary stocker 30 is moved to a predetermined transport position (nearest stocker detection moving process: S30), and the process proceeds to the stocker stop process (S23) and the transport process (S24). That is, the microcomputer is the second control means.
[0042]
Next, while the disc is being played back in the playback step (S25) through the transport step (S24), the slot drive unit 32 is controlled by the microcomputer to rotate the rotary lister 30, and the disc presence / absence information in all slots is also obtained. Detection is performed (disc playback detection step: S26). That is, the microcomputer is the third control means.
[0043]
When the detection of disk presence / absence information in all slots is completed in the disk reproduction detection step (S26), the slot drive unit 32 is controlled by the microcomputer to stop the rotary lister 30 (stocker restart process: S27). Thereafter, when the reproduction of the disc is finished, the process proceeds to the power-off process (S18) and the information storage process (S19).
[0044]
The disk presence / absence information stored in the information storage step (S19) can be used effectively when the disk changer device according to the present embodiment is used next time. That is, when the disc changer device is used next time, based on the currently stored disc presence / absence information, the last slot number display step (S13), the slot designation step (S14), the designated slot movement step (S15), the transport The disc can be quickly played back through the step (S16) and the playback step (S17).
[0045]
According to the disk changer device according to the present embodiment, when the disk presence / absence information is not stored in the RAM, the disk presence / absence information in the designated slot is detected until the designated slot reaches the predetermined transport position. Since the first control means (microcomputer) is provided, it is possible to detect the disk presence / absence information by effectively using the time for moving the designated slot to the predetermined transport position, and whether the disk is stored in the designated slot. There is no need to rotate the rotary stocker 30 360 degrees in order to detect whether or not. As a result, it is possible to remarkably shorten the time from when a desired slot containing a disk to be reproduced is designated by key input until the disk reproduction is started.
[0046]
Further, according to the disk changer device of the present embodiment, even when a disk is not stored in the designated slot, a slot (nearest slot) that is located in the immediate vicinity of the designated slot and that houses the disk is determined in advance. Since the second control means (microcomputer) for moving the disk to the transport position and reproducing the disk in the nearest slot is provided, the transport operation and the return operation when the disk is not stored in the transport unit 40 are prevented. be able to. Therefore, the disc can be reproduced quickly.
[0047]
Also, according to the disk changer device of the present embodiment, the disk detection unit 100 detects the disk presence / absence information in all slots during disk reproduction by the reproduction unit 20, and stores the detected disk presence / absence information in the RAM. Since the three control means (microcomputer) are provided, it is possible to detect whether or not the disk is stored in the designated slot by effectively using the time during disk playback. Therefore, the disc can be played back quickly, and the disc presence / absence information detected during playback can be used effectively for the next operation.
[0048]
Further, according to the disk changer device according to the present embodiment, since the door control unit 50 includes the fourth control means (microcomputer) for storing the disk presence / absence information stored in the RAM while the door portion 50 is in the closed state, As long as the door 50 is closed, the stored disk presence / absence information can be used effectively in the next operation even when the power is turned off. As a result, it is not necessary to rotate the rotary stocker 30 360 degrees each time the power is turned on to detect the disk presence / absence information of all slots, and the disk can be reproduced very quickly.
[0049]
The number of disks that can be stored in the rotary lister of the disk changer device according to the present embodiment is 300. However, the number of disks that can be stored is not limited to this, and may be 100, 200, or the like. Further, the type of the disc stored in the disc changer apparatus according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is various disc-shaped information recording media such as CD and DVD.
[0050]
Further, in the disk changer device according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveying unit 40 is set to “counterclockwise” around the rotation axis of the rotary stocker 30 with the front surface of the door unit 50 as a starting point. Although the example in which the disk detection unit 100 is disposed at a position rotated by 135 ° around the door and near the door unit 50 is shown. The position of the disk detection unit 100 is not limited to this.
[0051]
For example, the transport unit 40 is arranged at a position B rotated 135 ° “clockwise” around the rotation axis of the rotary stocker 30 with the front of the door unit 50 as a starting point, and the disc detection unit 100 is moved to the transport unit 40. It can also be arranged in the vicinity of the portion 40 and at a position B ′ near the door portion 50. In this case, when the designated slot is at position A, the microcomputer controls the stocker driving unit 32 to rotate the rotary stocker 30 clockwise, and before the designated slot reaches the transport position B, the disk detection unit 100. To pass.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in the disk changer device, the time from the designation of a desired slot by key input to the start of disk reproduction can be significantly reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view for explaining a configuration of a disk changer device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a schematic view of a rotary changer, a reproduction unit, a transport unit, a door unit, and a disc detection unit of the disc changer device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a control method from designation of a desired slot by key input to start of disc reproduction when the disc changer device according to the present embodiment is used.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a control method from designation of a desired slot by key input to the start of disk reproduction when a conventional disk changer device not equipped with disk presence / absence detection means is used.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a control method from designation of a desired slot by key input to the start of disc reproduction when a disc changer device having a conventional disc presence / absence detecting means is used.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Board | substrate 20 Reproduction | regeneration part 30 Rotary stocker 31 Slot 32 Stocker drive part 40 Conveyance part 41 Chassis 42 Carrier 43 Conveyance guide 50 Door part 60 Opening part 71 Numeric keypad 72 Door part opening / closing key 73 Disc reproduction | regeneration / stop key 74 Rotary lister operation dial 80 Display Part 90 front panel 100 disk detection part 110 light emitting part (infrared LED)
120 Photodetector (Phototransistor)
S10 Power ON Process S11 Storage Information Recognition Process S12 Door Open / Close Determination Process S13 Final Slot Number Display Process S14 Slot Designation Process S15 Designated Slot Movement Process S16 Transport Process S17 Reproduction Process S18 Power OFF Process S19 Information Storage Process S20 Front Slot Number Display Process S21 Slot designation step S22 Designated slot movement detection step S23 Stocker stop step S24 Transport step S25 Reproduction step S26 Disc reproduction detection step S27 Stocker restart step S30 Nearest stocker detection movement step S101 Slot designation step S102 Designated slot movement step S103 Transport step S104 Feedback Step S105 Adjacent Slot Movement Step S201 Power ON Step S202 Disk Presence Information Detection Step S203 Slot Designation Step S204 Designated Slot Movement Step S205 Feeding step S206 power supply OFF process S207 disc presence information erasing step

Claims (3)

A reproducing unit that reproduces information recorded on the disc, a disc-shaped storage unit that is rotatably arranged around the reproduction unit, and a plurality of radials provided on the upper surface of the storage unit are provided to stand one disk. A storage groove that is stored in a state in which the disk is stored, a transport unit that transports a disk stored in the storage groove at a predetermined transport position to the reproduction unit, and an input unit that specifies a desired storage groove, and In a disk changer device comprising: moving means for moving a storage groove to the transport position; detection means for detecting disk presence / absence information in the storage groove; and storage means for storing detected disk presence / absence information;
First control means for detecting disk presence / absence information in the designated storage groove until the designated storage groove reaches the transport position when no disk presence / absence information is stored in the storage means; ,
Second control means for moving a storage groove, which is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the specified storage groove and in which the disk is stored, to the transport position when a disk is not stored in the specified storage groove; A disk changer device comprising: 2. The disk changer device according to claim 1, further comprising third control means for detecting the disk presence / absence information in all the storage grooves by the detection means while the disk is being played by the playback section. A door that can be opened and closed freely
3. The disk changer device according to claim 1, further comprising: a fourth control unit that stores the disk presence / absence information stored in the storage unit while the door portion is in a closed state.

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