Claims
- 1. A device for reproducing information from an information storage medium having a plurality of information layers each having a plurality of pages of information, the device comprising:a light source for emitting light for illuminating a selected page to form an image of the selected page; an image detector for receiving the image and for outputting image signals representing the image; a processor for processing the image signals to reproduce the information; positioning means for positioning the information storage medium relative to the image detector for selecting the selected page; wherein the positioning means comprises means for positioning the information storage medium relative to the image detector in (i) a Z direction to select an information layer from among the plurality of information layers and (ii) X and Y directions to select the page from among the pages on the selected information layer; and wherein the positioning means comprises means for moving the image detector in at least the Z direction while holding the information storage medium stationary.
- 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a separating layer between each adjacent two of the information layers.
- 3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pages contains the information as pits filled with a dye for emitting the incoherent radiation.
- 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the dye is a fluorescent dye.
- 5. The device of claim 3, wherein the dye is a luminescent dye.
- 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the dye is an electroluminescent dye.
- 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one waveguide for introduction of exciting radiation to the plurality of information layers.
- 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the at least one waveguide comprises a blazed grating for the introduction of the exciting radiation.
- 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor performs spatial filtering to remove effects from pages other than the selected page that fall in a path of the light from the light source.
- 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises means for moving the information storage medium in at least the Z direction while holding the image detector stationary.
- 11. The device of claim 1, wherein:the image detector comprises two independently functioning read heads; and the positioning means comprises means for moving one of the read heads while the other read head is held stationary for receiving the image and outputting the image signals.
- 12. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the pages reproducing the information contained therein as incoherent radiation when excited.
- 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the pages on each of the information layers are arranged in a rectilinear arrangement.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/119,902, filed Feb. 12, 1999, whose disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present disclosure.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1 298 462 |
Dec 1972 |
GB |
WO 9637888 |
Nov 1996 |
WO |
WO 9825262 |
Jun 1998 |
WO |
WO 9909550 |
Feb 1999 |
WO |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/119902 |
Feb 1999 |
US |