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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. Apparatus for transmitting information recorded on disks from a central
server to subscriber stations, said apparatus comprising:
a high data rate telecommunication network for two-way communication
between said central server and said subscriber stations;
said subscriber stations connected to said telecommunication network, each
of said subscriber stations comprising
a communication interface connected to said telecommunication network,
computer means connected to said communication interface,
input means for inputting information to said computer means,
output means for outputting information from said computer means,
a module connected to said communication interface for expanding digital
signals received from said telecommunication network,
a digital-to-analog converter connected to said module for converting said
digital signals into analog signals, and
transducer means connected to said digital-to-analog converter for
converting said analog signals into humanly perceptible signals;
said central server comprising
a central communication interface connected to said telecommunication
network,
plural data rate reducing circuits connected to said central communication
interface,
plural disk players, each of said disk players connected to one of said
plural data rate reducing circuits,
a magazine storing said disks,
central memory means for storing titles of said disks together with
corresponding addresses of said disks in said magazine,
central computer means connected to said telecommunication network by said
central communication interface and connected to said central memory
means,
transfer means for automatically transferring said disks between said
magazine and said disk players, said transfer means comprising
plural self-propelled carriages disposed beneath said disk magazine,
at least one disk handling device for placing said disks on said disk
players, and
a transfer conveyor which conveys said disks between said carriages and
said at least one disk handling device,
a controller connected to said central computer means, connected to said
plural disk players, and connected to said transfer means, wherein in
response to instructions from said central computer means, said controller
controls said plural self-propelled carriages, said transfer conveyor, and
said at least one disk handling device to transfer a selected disk to a
selected disk player, controls said selected disk player to retrieve
digital signals from said selected disk, controls a selected one of said
plural data rate reducing circuits to compress said digital signals output
by said disk player, and causes said central communication interface to
transmit said compressed digital signals to a selected one of said
subscriber stations via said telecommunication network.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said magazine comprises
a plurality of mutually parallel rows perpendicular to said transfer
conveyor, each of said rows containing a plurality of said disks disposed
vertically and corresponding to one of said plurality of self-propelled
carriages and wherein each of said carriages is displaced in translation
by one of said servomotors along a pair of rails situated beneath said
corresponding row and extending parallel thereto.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said self-propelled
carriages includes
a vertical screw actuator supporting a base which delimits a slideway
perpendicular to said transfer conveyor for receiving a disk support, and
a horizontal actuator for causing said disk support to slide in said
slideway and for engaging said disk support on said transfer conveyor.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said self-propelled
carriages further includes
a vertical upright supporting a vertically displaceable carriage, said
vertically displaceable carriage carrying a bracket-forming arm including
a circular sector at its end, the radius of said circular sector being
equal to the radius of said disks, said circular sector bearing against
the top of said selected disk in order to push it downwards, thereby
causing a resilient pin holding said selected disk in place to retract.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each said disk support includes
a horizontal foot bearing against the bottom of said base,
a vertical plate parallel to the plane of said disk and having a top end in
the form of a circular arc having the same radius as said disk and
including a groove in which said selected disk is engaged, and
two sliding fingers whose inside faces include respective circularly
arcuate grooves, said fingers are urged upwards by springs.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one disk handling
device includes
a self-propelled carriage provided with wheels for moving vertically along
a fixed vertical guide plate disposed symmetrically about a vertical axis
with said disk players being disposed in columns around said vertical
axis.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said horizontal plate supports
a fixed blade in the form of a circular arc and situated in a vertical
plane, together with
a further self-propelled carriage which is displaced along said fixed
blade, said further self-propelled carriage including a disk clamp and an
actuator mechanism therefor.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
said disk clamp carries a plurality of leading hooks each having a hinged
end, and
said actuator mechanism includes
a shaft which is rotated by a further servomotor and which has a threaded
end, and
a nut screwed on said threaded end and prevented from rotating by a finger,
said nut driving a conical part which causes said leading hooks to open.
9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said self-propelled carriage of
said at least one handling device includes
a servomotor which rotates a toothed ring fixed to a horizontal plate and
surrounding a circular opening cut out in said horizontal plate and
centered on said vertical axis, with said guide plate and said
self-propelled carriage of said at least one disk handling device being
engaged through said circular opening.
10. Method of transmitting information recorded on disks from a central
server to subscriber stations via a high data rate telecommunication
network for two-way communication between said central server and said
subscriber stations,
said central server including a central communication interface connected
to said telecommunication network, plural data rate reducing circuits
connected to said central communication interface, plural disk players,
each of said disk players connected to one of said plural data rate
reducing circuits, a magazine storing said disks, central memory means for
storing titles of said disks together with corresponding addresses of said
disks in said magazine, central computer means connected to said
telecommunication network by said central communication interface and
connected to said central memory means, transfer means for automatically
transferring said disks between said magazine and said disk players, said
transfer means comprising plural self-propelled carriages disposed beneath
said disk magazine, at least one disk handling device for placing said
disks on said disk players, and a transfer conveyor which conveys said
disks between said carriages and said at least one disk handling device, a
controller connected to said central computer means, connected to said
plural disk players, and connected to said transfer means;
each of said subscriber stations including a communication interface
connected to said telecommunication network, computer means connected to
said communication interface, input means for inputting information to
said computer means, output means for outputting information from said
computer means, a module connected to said communication interface for
expanding digital signals received from said telecommunication network, a
digital-to-analog converter connected to said module for converting said
digital signals into analog signals, and transducer means connected to
said digital-to-analog converter for converting said analog signals into
humanly perceptible signals;
said method including the steps of:
initiating a two-way transmission from said subscriber computer means of
one of said subscriber stations to said central computer means of said
central server via said telecommunication network;
transmitting from said central computer means to said subscriber computer
means via said telecommunication network a directory of disks available in
said disk magazine and outputting on said subscriber output means said
directory of available disks in said disk magazine;
selecting at least one of said available disks by means of said subscriber
input means and transmitting a signal identifying said at least one
selected disk from said subscriber computer means to said central computer
means via said telecommunication network;
reading at said central server from said central memory means an address in
said disk magazine corresponding to each of said at least one selected
disk;
verifying that each of said at least one selected disk is available in said
disk magazine;
transmitting each corresponding address of each verified at least one
selected disk from said central computer means to said central controller;
controlling said plural self-propelled carriages, said transfer conveyor,
and said at least one disk handling device to transfer each verified at
least one selected disk to a selected disk player;
playing at the central server each verified at least one selected disk on a
disk player to retrieve digital signals therefrom;
compressing said retrieved digital signals by means of a selected one of
said plural data rate reducing circuits;
transmitting said compressed digital signals to said one of said subscriber
stations via said telecommunication network;
expanding said transmitted digital signals by said data expanding module,
converting said expanded digital signals into analog signals by said
digital-to-analog converter, and delivering said analog signals to said
transducer means. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting
information recorded on digital disks from a central server to subscribers
via a high data digital telecommunications network.
The technical field of the invention is the construction of server centers
and transmitting information such as sounds, images, or writing.
Digital disks "or compact disks" are known on which digital recordings are
made of sounds, e.g. music, singing, or speech, or of video signals
representing images, or of writing such as printed documents or software,
for example.
Digital disk players are also known which serve to convert the digital
information recorded on the disks into digital signals or into analog
signals suitable for application to transducers which convert the signals
into sounds, images, or writing.
Server centers are also known which include a central computer having
alphanumeric information stored in its memory in the form of combinations
of elementary binary signals or "bits". The server center is connected to
a telephone network and it may be interrogated from a consumer computer
terminal provided with a screen and a keyboard, thereby enabling
information transmitted from the server center to be obtained on the
screen.
In parallel with the telecommunications networks used for telephone calls,
new high data rate digital networks are being constructed, for example, in
France, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) is being constructed
capable of conveying 64 kbits/sec.
However, the data rate of such a network is not sufficient for directly
conveying information at the rate delivered by a digital disk having music
or digital images recorded thereon.
Further, if it is desired to use a computer memory to store all of the
digital information recorded on a collection of digital disks offering a
wide selection, then it would be necessary to use a memory of very large
capacity.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus
making it possible to use a central computer capable of dialoging with
local terminals from which subscribers may inform the central computer of
the selection of information they desire to receive at home, and to
combine the central computer with a collection of digital disks stored in
a central magazine together with a disk handling system controlled by the
central computer for taking selected disks out from the central magazine
one by one and applying them to optical players for said disks.
The object of the invention is achieved by means of a method of
transmitting information recorded on digital disks from a central server
to subscribers via a telecommunications network, wherein the method
comprises the following sequence of operations:
a central server is set up comprising a central computer, a magazine in
which a collection of digital disks is placed, each disk having a
determined address which is stored in the memory of said central computer,
a set of digital disk players which deliver separate analog signals and
digital signals, and transfer means for transferring disks one by one
between said magazine and said players, said transfer means being
controlled by a controller connected to said central computer;
said central computer is connected to a communication interface circuit
which is connected to a telecommunications network capable of conveying
digital data at a high rate; and
subscriber stations are connected to said network, each subscriber station
including a remote computing terminal capable of dialoging with said
central computer and means for transforming digital data transmitted by
the network into analog signals representing sounds or images or writing,
and each digital disk player is connected to said interface circuit with
the telecommunications network via a filter which limits the passband of
the analog signal, an analog to digital converter, a data rate reducing
circuit, and a multiplexer, while each subscriber station is connected to
the telecommunications network via a communications interface circuit, a
demultiplexer circuit, a data rate expander circuit, a digital to analog
converter, and a playback filter all connected in series.
Apparatus of the invention comprises:
a central server which is connected to a high data rate telecommunications
network capable of conveying digital information, and subscriber stations
connected to the said telecommunications network, said central server
including a central computer, a magazine containing a very large number of
digital disks with each disk corresponding to a digital recording of a
determined title and having a determined address which is stored in the
memory of said central computer, a plurality of players for said digital
disks, and transfer means for automatically transferring disks one by one
between said magazine and said players, which transfer means are
controlled by a controller which is itself controlled by said central
computer, each player being connected to a communications interface with
said telecommunications network via a data rate reducing circuit
comprising in series: a passband limiting analog filter, an analog to
digital converter, a digital data rate reducing circuit, and a
multiplexer, while each subscriber station includes a remote computing
terminal capable of dialoging with the central computer, a communications
interface and an electronic card including in series: a demultiplexer, a
data rate expansion circuit, a digital to analog converter, a playback
filter, and transducer means for converting analog signals into sounds,
images, or writing.
In a preferred embodiment, the said transfer means for transferring disks
one by one comprise self-propelled carriages which move beneath said disk
magazine, a disk handling device for placing each disk on an available
player, and a transfer conveyor which conveys disks between said carriages
and said disk handling device and vice versa, which carriages, conveyor,
and disk handling device include servomotors controlled by the said disk
controller.
The result of the invention is to make it possible for subscribers
connected to a high data rate telecommunications network to receive, in
their homes, information recorded on a large collection of digital disks.
In particular, it makes it possible to set up a central server
constituting a music "stall" having a very large collection of audio
compact disks, with the subscribers connected to the telecommunications
network being free to request their own selections of music programs from
the server and to receive them at home with very good, high fidelity type
musical quality.
In this case, the result is the establishment of systems for delivering
personalized music programs over the cables of a telecommunications
network.
It is also possible to set up a central server having a collection of
digital disks in which a library of written documents is recorded, for
example reference material or literary works, and in this case subscribers
may select the documents they wish to consult from a directory displayed
on the screen, and they may then read the documents on a screen or they
may print them out.
In another application, a central server may be set up having a collection
of video compact disks, thereby enabling subscribers connected to a high
data rate telecommunications network to receive personalized video
transmissions on a video monitor screen, with the program being selected
from a directory of disks available.
It is also possible to set up a central server having a collection of
digital disks on which software is recorded, e.g. for games or any other
application, and in this case subscribers may cause software they select
from the server's directory to be downloaded into the memory of the remote
computing terminal or of some other computer.
In this case, the result is the establishment of vast banks of software
accessible to a large number of users over a public or a private
telecommunications network.
Setting up central servers including a magazine of digital disks and a disk
controller of the jukebox type under the control of a computer connected
to a telecommunications network makes it possible to have a very wide
collection of documents available since the capacity of the magazine may
be very large. It also makes it possible to conserve the quality of the
information obtained by optically reading digital disks, and in particular
the quality of music and other sounds when the sounds are audio disks.
The following description refers to the accompanying drawings which show an
embodiment of apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an overall diagram of apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical section on II--II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a vertical section on III--III of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a group of digital disks players.
FIG. 5 is a vertical section on V--V of the group of FIG. 4 with a turret
and disk-handling arm omitted.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic elevation view of the pivoting turret.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the pivoting turret.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevation view of the pivoting turret.
FIG. 9 is a vertical section through the disk-grasping clamp carried by the
pivoting turret.
FIG. 10 is a cross-section through FIG. 9 on line X--X.
In the description below, reference is made to an apparatus for remote
delivery of musical or sound programs recorded on digital disks for
reading by laser. It is specified that this option is not limiting and
that the digital disks could also contain software, images, or written
documents recorded in digital form.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 comprises a server center 1 which is
connected to a high data rate telecommunications network 2 capable of
conveying digital information at a high rate, e.g. a network of the
integrated services digital network (ISDN) type capable of transmission at
64 kbits/sec.
The apparatus also includes a plurality of subscriber-serving stations 3
which are likewise connected to the telecommunications network 2.
The desired result is to enable each subscriber to call up one or more
musical or sound programs selected from a list of a set of the disks
available to the server center, and to receive the music or the sound over
the network and to reproduce it locally.
For example, a public dance or concert hall connected to the network could
thus select a sequence of pieces of music recorded in the central
collection and could automatically output these pieces of music into the
hall as though they were taken from an automatic disk player installed in
the hall itself.
Given the quality of sound obtained by reproducing a recording on a digital
disk, the data rate of the telecommunications network, and the possibility
of performing highly complex signal compression and expansion operations
in real time, it is possible to obtain good quality music reproduction in
this way.
The server center 1 includes a programmable controller 6 controlled by a
computer 4 which is connected to the network 2 by a communications
interface circuit 5.
The computer 4 includes a peripheral memory 4a in which the encoded titles
of all of the disks are stored, together with the addresses of the
corresponding disks in the magazine.
The disk controller 6 receives instructions from the computer to cause
servomotors fitted to various stations in the disk controller to perform
operating cycles, and it transmits instructions to the various
servomotors.
The programmable disk controller 6 is the machine which monitors and
controls all of the various electromechanical equipment in the server
center.
The server center includes a magazine for storing a set of available
digital disks 8. The magazine is divided, for example, into a plurality of
parallel rows (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2, . . . , 7.sub.n).
The disks 8 are stored vertically and in axial alignment with each row.
Each disk carrying the digital recording of a given piece of music
occupies a given position in a determined row which constitutes the
address of the disk as stored in the data bank 4a.
The rows of disks (7.sub.1, 7.sub.2, . . . , 7.sub.n) are perpendicular to
a transfer conveyor 9 which is preferably an endless chain of the
universal-joint type, i.e. a chain made up of links which are hinged to
one another about pairs of orthogonal axes.
The disks 8 are digital disks of any conventional type, e.g. compact disks
for being read by means of a laser beam.
The server center includes a plurality of disk players (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2,
. . . , 10.sub.n) which are adapted to the type of disk 8 used.
It includes a handling arm 50 which is automatically controlled by the
programmable controller 6. The handling arm 50 serves to grasp disks one
by one as they arrive on the conveyor 9 and to place them in an available
one of the disk players 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . , 10.sub.n. When a disk
has been played the handler serves to retrieve the disk and replace it on
the transfer conveyor 9.
Each disk player 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . , 10.sub.n is connected to a
data rate reducing circuit 11.sub.1, 11.sub.2, . . . , 11.sub.n which
comprises a series connection of an analog filter for limiting the
passband, an analog to digital converter, a digital signal data rate
reducer, and a multiplexer whose output is connected to the communications
interface 5 which transmits the digital signals to the network 2.
FIG. 1 shows a plurality of subscriber stations connected to the network 2.
Each station includes a remote computing terminal 15 which may be
constituted, for example, by a conventional type of consumer terminal
including an alphanumeric keyboard, a video screen, and a communications
interface 13 suitable for the telecommunications network 2.
The terminal 15 enables the subscriber to set up a call to the computer 4
of the server center and to inform the computer, by means of the keyboard,
of the list of codes for one or more disks which the subscriber would like
to receive or listen to.
Each subscriber station also includes an electronics card 18 which includes
a demultiplexing module, a module (14) for expanding the digital signal
data rate by performing the inverse operation to that performed by the
data rate reducers contained in the circuits 11.sub.1, 11.sub.2, . . . ,
11.sub.n, a digital to analog converter (14), and a playback filter.
The circuits of the card 18 and the circuits 11.sub.1, 11.sub.2, . . . ,
11.sub.n may be constituted, for example, by those used for wide band
telephone sets, or they may be sound pickup and playback modules as used
for audio conferencing, i.e. equipment already designed to be connected to
the high data rate digital network 2. In the example described where
subscribers desire to receive programs of music, the subscriber stations
further include one or more high fidelity amplifiers 16 and headphones or
one or more loudspeakers housed in acoustic enclosures 17.
Naturally, if the disks 8 are video disks, then the loudspeakers are
replaced by video monitors.
If the disks 8 contain documentation, then the amplifiers 16 and the
loudspeakers are replaced by electronic printers or a screen.
If the disks 8 contain software, the signals are transferred in digital
form from the digital outlet of a player 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ,
10.sub.n, to the memory of the terminal 15 or of some other computer
connected to the communications card 13.
In all of these cases, each subscriber station includes conventional
transducer means for converting the electrical analog signals from the
card 18 into sounds, images, or writing depending on the nature of the
information recorded on the digital disks at the server center.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are views of one embodiment of the electromechanical means
used for transferring selected disks one by one from the magazine to the
conveyor and vice versa.
FIG. 2 is a section on II--II of FIG. 1 on a vertical plane perpendicular
to the conveyor and including the axis of a row of disks 7.
FIG. 3 is a view on III--III of FIG. 1, i.e. a section in a vertical plane
perpendicular to a row of disks in the magazine.
Digital disks 8 can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 where they are stored
vertically between pairs of supports 22a and 22b having vertical grooves
forming slideways, with each disk being received in one of the slideways.
Each disk 8 is retained by a retractable resilient finger 23 in the form of
a pin. The capacity of a magazine may be 250 compact disks per linear
meter, for example.
Each row of the magazine includes a disk loading and unloading carriage 24
which runs on a pair of horizontal rails 25a and 25b situated beneath the
disks and running parallel to the axis of the row.
Each carriage 24 is driven in translation along its rails by a motor and
gear box unit 26 which drives a cog belt 27 mounted on a drive pulley 27a
and on a return pulley. The cog belt 27 (see FIG. 2) runs parallel to the
rails 25. The chassis of the carriage 24 includes a finger 24a which is
fixed to the top link of the cog belt and which follows the motion
thereof. The cog belt extends over the entire length of a row of disks.
The carriage 24 includes a screw actuator 28 controlled by a servomotor
28a.
The threaded rod 28b of the actuator is vertical. Its top end carries a
plate 28c fixed to a base 38 which delimits a slideway parallel to the
rails 25a and 25b.
Reference 40 designates a moving wedge thrust by a spring 40a. The wedges
40 are used for positioning the foot of the disk support in the base 38.
The base 38 is vertically displaceable by the screw actuator 28.
The base 38 includes bores 38a in which centering pegs 39 fixed to the
carriage 24 are engaged.
The base 38 receives a disk support 37 which comprises a foot 41 which is
placed on the bottom of the base 38 and which is free to slide
perpendicularly to the conveyor 9. The disk support also includes a
vertical web 37a which extends parallel to the disks, with its top end
being in the form of a circular arc having the same diameter as the disks
and including a groove 29 in which a disk 8 may be received, as shown in
FIG. 3. The disk support also includes two fixed lateral uprights 42
serving to guide two vertical fingers 41 thrust by springs 41a, which
fingers have respective grooves 41b on their inside faces, said grooves
being arcuate in shape and extending the groove 29.
FIG. 3 shows a disk 8 held in a vertical position by a disk support 37.
This figure shows that the bottom half of the disk is engaged in the
grooves 41c and 29 which together form a semicircle whose radius to the
bottom of the groove is equal to the radius of the disk.
The carriage 24 also carries a vertical upright 30 which carries a bracket
arm 31 whose end carries a circular sector 31a provided with a groove. The
sector 31a is placed over the selected disk and pushes it downwards,
thereby resiliently retracting the retractable finger 23 and releasing the
selected disk. The arm 31 is carried on a carriage 32 which is fitted with
wheels 32a running on vertical guide rails 33 fixed to the upright 30.
The carriage 32 is fixed to one of the lengths of an endless belt 35
passing over a return pulley 35a and a drive pulley 35b which is driven by
a servomotor 34 via a transmission including pulleys and endless bolts.
The vertical displacement speed of the carriage 32 and thus of the sector
31a is identical to that of the screw actuator 28.
References 43 designate fixed abutments visible in FIG. 3 against which the
retractable fingers 41 come into abutment when the screw actuator 28
raises the disk support 37.
FIG. 2 shows a disk support 37 mounted on the carriage 24 and one of the
lengths 9a of the conveyor 9. In this figure, it can be seen that the
conveyor 9 comprises an endless chain placed between two vertical plates
9c and 9d which include gaps facing each row of the disk magazine in order
to allow the foot 41 of a disk support to pass therethrough.
In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the carriage 24 carries an actuator 36 whose
moving head 36a pushes the foot 41 of the disk support located on the
carriage, thereby causing the disk support to move onto the conveyor 9a
which then conveys it to the handling arm 11 which grasps the disk to
place it on a free one of the players 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ,
10.sub.n.
FIG. 2 also shows a second actuator 81 provided with a head 81a. The
installation includes one actuator 81 per row in the disk magazine. The
actuators 81 are disposed on the opposite of the conveyor 9 to the disk
magazine.
When a disk support 37' carrying a disk and coming back from a disk player
arrives level with the magazine row into which the disk is to be returned,
the moving head 81a of the actuator 81 pushes the foot 41' of the disk
support back into the slideways delimited by the base 38 carried by the
carriage 24.
FIG. 3 shows a vertical actuator 84 which actuates a rod 83 that penetrates
into a ball 82 in the carriage 24.
When the carriage 24 reaches the position for loading or unloading a disk
support 47 on the carriage, the actuator 84 is actuated by the disk
controller 6 and the finger 83 penetrates into the bore 82 and holds the
carriage stationary while the loading or unloading operations take place.
A transfer cycle during which a disk 8 is transferred from the magazine to
the conveyor comprises the following steps:
the central computer 4 which knows the address of the selected disk sends
the address to the controller 6. The controller 6 releases the carriage 24
corresponding to the row in which the disk is stored by retracting the
finger 83. The controller 6 then controls the servomotor 26 of the row of
the magazine containing the selected disk. It sends a reference value to
this servomotor corresponding to the position of the disk in the row. The
servomotor 26 automatically displaces the carriage 24 until the reference
value is reached.
The disk support 37 carried by the carriage and the circular sector 31a are
then vertically aligned with the selected disk. The controller then
controls the actuator 28 which raises the disk support until the fingers
41 come into contact with the abutments 43.
The actuator 28 is stopped automatically before the disk support 37 makes
contact with the selected disk.
The controller controls the servomotor 34 which lowers the arm 31 until it
makes contact with the disk 8. Thereafter, the controller causes the arm
31 and the actuator 28 to move downwards simultaneously. The retractable
finger 23 retracts and the disk moves downwards, being held both by the
disk support 37 and by the circular sector 31a. Thereafter, the controller
causes the carriage 32 carrying the arm 31 to move back up. The disk is
then held by the two fingers 41 which are raised against either side of
the disk under drive from the springs 41a.
The actuator 28 stops automatically when the base 38 makes contact with the
carriage 24.
Thereafter, the controller controls the servomotor 26 to return the
carriage to the end of the row adjacent to the conveyor 9. It then holds
the carriage in place by controlling the actuator 84 and then controls the
actuator 36 to push the disk support 37 carrying the disk 8 onto the
conveyor which then conveys it to the handling arm 11.
During a cycle when a disk is being returned to the magazine, the actuator
81 pushes the support carrying the disk onto the carriage, and the
controller then causes the same operations to be performed to bring the
carriage vertically beneath the emplacement for the disk. When the
carriage is in place, the actuator 28 raises the disk support, and as it
moves upwards the disk pushes back the retractable finger 23. The bracket
arm 31 is not used when returning a disk to the magazine.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a handling device 50 serving a group of digital
disk players comprising four columns of players 44, 45, 46, and 47
disposed in a cross configuration about a vertical axis zz'.
Dashed lines in FIG. 4 show disk-receiving drawers 44a, 45a, 46a, and 47a
in the extended position. It can be seen that the centers of these drawers
are disposed symmetrically about the axis zz'.
Reference 9 represents the transfer conveyor which transports the disk
supports 37 each carrying a disk 8 in the vertical position.
FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the group of players on a plane containing
the axis zz', with the disk transfer turret omitted. In FIG. 5, a disk
support 37 carrying a disk 8 can be seen being displaced by the transfer
conveyor 9.
Each disk support 37 carries a code, e.g. a bar code. Reference 80
designates a code reader. The code reader 80 transmits the code to the
central unit which stores the code of the support that has conveyed a
given disk.
FIG. 4 shows a turret 50 which is represented diagrammatically and which is
centered in the middle of the group of four columns of players 44, 45, 46,
and 47, with the turret having the function of taking a disk 8 that
arrives via the conveyor 9, of raisin | | |
