Patent Application
20060136943
The present invention pertains generally to devices and methods for transferring digital data to optical disks. More particularly, the present invention pertains to data transfer modules that receive data and write the data onto disks that are dispensed from a stored stack of disks. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful for receiving image data from digital cameras and writing the data onto a desired number of disks.
Digital cameras are rapidly replacing conventional cameras in both professional and recreational use. A major benefit provided by digital camera technology is the use of camera memory instead of conventional camera film. While conventional cameras typically limit a photographer to twenty-four or thirty-six photographs before requiring new film, digital camera memory allows hundreds of photographic images to be taken and stored. Nevertheless, digital camera memory is finite and requires that the images stored by the camera eventually be erased or transferred to another storage unit to allow the camera to take and store new images.
Due to their storage capacities and ease of use, writable digital optical disks are currently the most widely used portable storage units. Coupled with the prevalence of digital cameras, disks are replacing photo albums as the most popular way of compiling, saving and sharing photographic images.
Transferring images from a digital camera to an optical disk, however, requires use of a computer system. Typically, such systems must include software that downloads image data from the camera as well as a disk drive that writes the image data onto disks. In addition to the required equipment, a certain level of skill and comfort with computer use is needed. While some digital photographers may possess or acquire the necessary equipment and sufficient familiarity with computers to transfer images from their camera to a disk at home or work, others may prefer to have a third party transfer the images for them, whether for reasons of finances, time or simplicity. Therefore, there is a need for a device that automatically writes digital image data from a camera onto an optical disk. A device that satisfies this need while facilitating consumer use would be well received by many digital camera users.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data transfer module that automatically transfers image data from digital cameras to optical disks. It is another object of the present invention to provide a module that automatically transfers data to any desired number of disks. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method that allows a user to connect a camera to a data transfer module and to receive a disk holding the data while requiring minimal oversight. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for transferring data onto disks and a method for using the device, wherein the device is relatively easy to manufacture, simple to use and is comparatively cost effective.
In accordance with the present invention, a data transfer module (i.e. kiosk) includes a mechanism for receiving and holding a cartridge containing a plurality of blank, optical laser disks (e.g. a stack of twenty-five or more disks). The module also includes a storage unit for storing digital data received through an input port, and it has a disk-writing drive for transferring data from the storage unit onto a blank disk. Additionally, a dispenser is mounted on the module. More specifically, the dispenser can be selectively activated to sequentially release individual blank disks from the cartridge for transfer to the disk-writing drive, where a written disk can be created. An ejector, also mounted on the module, then retrieves the written disk and ejects it from the module. Further, a control system is provided that controls the operation of the module.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dispenser includes four identical levers that support the stack of blank disks in the cartridge. Individually, each lever comprises a support plate and a retain plate, with each plate having two apertures that are spaced apart from one another. These apertures may be aligned when the support plate and retain plate are juxtaposed. When so aligned, a pivot pin is positioned in one pair of the aligned apertures and an actuator pin is positioned in the other pair of the aligned apertures such that the support and retain plates are held together. Further, each plate includes a cammed end portion that extends out from the periphery of the other plate.
In addition to the levers, the dispenser includes a substantially circular base plate and a substantially circular actuator ring. The base plate and actuator ring are annular and concentrically aligned to form an opening through which disks pass when they are dispensed from the cartridge. Each pivot pin is mounted on the base plate, and each actuator pin is connected to the actuator ring. In the combination, the cammed ends of the plates extend toward the opening. When assembled, the base plate, support plate and retain plate are connected to one another by the pivot pin. Similarly, the support plate, retain plate and actuator ring are connected to one another by the actuator ring. As a result, rotary movement by the actuator ring with respect to the base plate causes each lever to simultaneously pivot about its pivot pin. Preferably, the dispenser is provided with a lever actuator for providing such rotary movement to the actuator ring.
For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ejector includes a transport that has a platform for supporting a written disk after it is carried out of the disk-writing drive. A shaft connects this platform to a magnetic member that is received in a chamber, and surrounded by a conductive coil. Also included in the chamber is a viscous liquid (e.g., oil) for dampening movement of the magnetic member with respect to the chamber. In addition to the transport, the ejector includes a pair of conveyor grips for engaging a written disk and ejecting it from the module. Specifically, the grips are located in a same plane, and are connected to a conveyor mechanism. More specifically, the conveyor mechanism operates the grips to move them substantially parallel to each other, in a same planar direction. Further, the conveyer grips are connected to a grip actuator that pivots the grips toward and away from one another in the plane.
In operation of the present invention, data is received from a memory device through the input port and is stored in the storage unit. After the data is received, the dispenser is activated to dispense a blank disk from the stack of disks in the cartridge. Specifically, the lever actuator rotates the actuator ring with respect to the base plate causing the levers to be moved from a “support” orientation to a “release” orientation. In the support orientation, the levers support an “n” number of disks with the cammed ends of the support plates. In the release orientation, the levers support an “n-1” number of disks with the cammed ends of the retain plates. Therefore, movement of the levers from the support orientation to the release orientation causes a single disk to be dispensed from the stack.
After being dispensed from the stack, the released disk is received on a drive tray having a central void. The drive tray then carries the disk into the disk-writing drive where data is written from the storage unit onto the disk. Once the data is written onto the disk, the drive tray carries the written disk out of the drive. Next, an electric current is passed through the coil that is surrounding the chamber to cause the magnetic member and platform to move with respect to the chamber. As a result, the platform extends from the chamber and passes through the central void of the drive tray to carry the written disk to a position between the conveyor grips. When the written disk is located between the conveyor grips it is said to be at the “removed” position.
Because the conveyor grips are initially spaced apart from one another by a distance greater than the diameter of the disk, the platform is able to carry the written disk to the removed position without contacting the grips. Once the written disk reaches the removed position, the grip actuator moves the conveyer grips toward one another until they engage the disk at diametrically opposed sides of the disk. After the disk is engaged by the grips, the conveyor mechanism moves the grips in parallel until the disk travels beyond the end of the conveyer grips and passes out of the module through a slot in the module housing.
In order to transfer data onto another disk, the dispenser's levers are moved back to the support orientation, the platform of the transport is retracted, and the conveyor grips are moved away from one another until they are separated by a distance greater than the diameter of the disk. Once these steps are performed, the components of the data transfer module are in position to repeat the previously discussed operation steps to transfer data onto another disk.
While certain embodiments are described above, other alternate embodiments are contemplated by the present invention. For instance, it may be desired to write data directly from the external memory device to a disk without storing the data in the module's storage device. In such cases, the port is connected directly to the disk-writing drive to provide this capability.
In addition, in certain circumstances, the module may, be called on to receive data from multiple external memory devices, compile the data, and write the data onto a single disk. In such circumstances, the port receives the data from the multiple sources sequentially and the storage device holds and communicates the data to the disk-writing drive as if it were received from a single memory device.
In other circumstances, particularly when a single disk cannot hold all of the desired data, the module may be called on to divide the data into smaller groups and to write the groups of data onto successive disks. Division of the data can be performed in the storage unit at the direction of the user or by the control system. After the groups of data are selected, they are transferred onto successive disks.
Furthermore, it is noted that, while components herein are specifically described, such specific descriptions are not intended to be limiting. For example, the dispenser in the present invention is described herein as having four levers. In certain situations fewer or more levers may be desired. As another example, the levers are described as including juxtaposed support plates and retain plates. In certain embodiments, the levers may be single integral pieces including the plates and/or pins.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for automatically writing digital data onto a blank disk dispensed from a stack of disks. Preferably, the steps of the method include positioning the disks in a cartridge connected to a data transfer module and activating the module. Upon activation, the module sequentially dispenses each disk from the cartridge, writes the data onto each disk, and ejects each disk after the data is written thereon. As discussed above, the module includes the components that perform the automated steps in this method.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
Referring initially to
In FIGS. I and 2, the module 20 is shown to include an input port 26 that communicates with the memory device 22. The memory device 22, in turn, is connected to a storage unit 28 that stores the data received through the port 26. Also provided is a disk-writing drive 30 that writes the data in the storage unit 28 onto blank disks 24. As shown, a disk tray 32 having a central void 33 is included for carrying a disk 24 into and out of the drive 30. Also shown is a cartridge 34 that holds a stack 23 of blank disks 24 which are engaged by a dispenser 36 to sequentially release single blank disks 24 from the cartridge 34 to the tray 32. Further,
Also provided on the module 20 is an input screen 42 that prompts the user to provide information necessary for the data transfer. For providing a preview of the images from the memory device 22, the screen 42 may be a typical cathode-ray-tube screen. Alternatively, the screen 42 may include a touch screen that receives input through strain gage, optical or electrostatic technology or the like. In such cases, the input screen 42 may, in addition to previewing the camera images for the user, request information from the user such as which images to transfer and how many disks 24 are desired. Furthermore, the input screen 42 may communicate error signals, fee information, and other instructions to the user.
To receive payment from the user, the module 20 includes a payment collection device 44 which may include a swipe strip for use with credit or debit cards and/or a cash-reading device such as those used in vending machines. Upon payment of the required fee, the module 20 transfers the selected image data to the desired number of disks 24 and ejects the finished written disks 24 through a slot 46.
During operation of the module 20, the control system 40 communicates data received by the port 26 to the drive 30, or to the internal data storage device 28. As envisioned for the present invention, the storage device 28 may be a direct access storage device (DASD), a magnetic storage diskette (floppy disk), a Zip disk, magnetic tape, random access memory (RAM), electronic read-only memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM), or the like. Once data is received in the storage device 28, it may be communicated to the input screen 42 to allow the user to input preferences as discussed above. These preferences are stored with the data in the storage device 28 pending the instruction to begin transfer of data to a disk 24.
Referring still to
Positioned at the base of the cartridge 34 is the dispenser 36 that engages and sequentially dispenses the disks 24. As shown in
Also shown in
Referring back to
After the data transfer is completed, the tray 32 carries the disk 24 out of the drive 30. Then, an ejector 38 receives the disk 24 and ejects it from the module 20 through the slot 46. As shown in
As shown in
Operation of the transport 80 is controlled by passing an electric current through the conductive coil 98. As is known from Faraday's Law, directing an electric current through a coil creates an induced electromagnetic force along the axis of the coil. Therefore, when a current is passed through the coil 98 in the clockwise direction (as viewed from the top of the transports 80 shown in
As the platform 86 is extended from the chamber 96, it passes through a void in the disk tray 32 and carries any disk 24 held by the tray 32 to the removed position 84 shown in
Specifically, actuator 110 is mounted to the module 20 and is positioned between the grips 82. Actuator 110 includes an actuator head 111 that is extendible from, and retractable into, actuator 110. In addition, actuator 110 includes actuator arms 109 that are connected to the actuator head 111 and to the conveyor grips 82. When actuator head 111 is retracted into actuator 110, arms 109 force grips 82 apart (as shown by arrows along arms 109) about pivot 83 until distance 106 is provided between grips 82. In this orientation, the conveyer grips 82 form a grip axis 107.
In order to eject the disk 24 from the module 20, the grip actuator 110 forces the grips 82 toward one another to engage the disk 24 by extending actuator head 111 from actuator 110 which results in the arms 109 pulling the grips 82 toward one another about pivots 83. As shown in
In use, the present invention described above allows a user to quickly and easily transfer desired image data from a memory device 22 to an optical disk 24. Initially, the user is prompted by the module 20 to connect the memory device 22 to the input port 26. Automatically, the module 20 downloads the memory device's image data to the storage device 28 and requests that the user select the images to transfer and the number of disks desired on the input screen 42. After receiving this information, the module 20 calculates the required fee and requests payment from the user in the form of credit, debit or cash via the collection device 44. Upon payment, the module 20 begins the process of writing the image data onto the desired number of disks 24 as described below.
First, the tray sensors 76, 78 determine whether the tray 32 is ready to receive a disk 24 and, if not, the control system 40 opens the tray 32. Then, the dispenser 36 is activated and the levers 52 are moved from the support orientation 70 to the release orientation 72 to dispense a single disk 24 from the cartridge 34 to the tray 32. After receiving the disk 24, the tray 32 closes and the drive 30 begins writing the data from the storage device 28 onto the disk 24. After the data transfer is completed, the tray 32 opens. When the sensors 76, 78 recognize that the tray 32 is open, the transport 80 is activated and the platform 86 is extended through the void in the tray 32, carrying the disk 24 to the removed position 84. Then the conveyor grips 82 are moved toward one another to grasp the disk 24. Finally, the grips 82 are activated to eject the disk 24 from the module 20 to the user. Before another disk 24 is dispensed from the cartridge 34, the grips 82 are moved away from one another and the platform 86 is retracted so that the disk 24 is not deflected between the dispenser 36 and the tray 32.
While the particular module for automatically writing digital data onto a disk dispensed from a stack of disks as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of the construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.
