IP Library Granted Patent US 7,028,321
Granted Patent B2
US 7,028,321 · App. 10/777,202 · Granted Apr 11, 2006

Media cartridge having a small-sized storage medium attachment unit

Assignee: NEC Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,028,321
App. No.
10/777,202
Granted
Apr 11, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disk drive system having a disk-shaped disk storage medium and a disk drive for accessing the disk storage medium including a media cartridge of the same shape as that of the disk storage medium to which not less than one small-sized storage medium is attachable, and an access unit provided in the disk drive for accessing the small-sized storage medium attached to the media cartridge.

Claims (71)

1. A media cartridge

formed to have the same shape as that of a disk storage medium mounted on a disk drive for accessing said disk storage medium, and

comprising not less than one attachment unit for holding a small-sized storage medium so as to be accessible by access means provided at said disk drive, and

further comprising a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive.

2. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 1 ,

said unit to be detected being composed of

claws provided on a disk surface of said cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of said small-sized storage medium.

3. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which said small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,

each said attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of said cartridge.

4. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:

a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which said small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,

each said attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of said cartridge.

5. A media cartridge formed to have the same shape as that of a disk storage medium mounted on a disk drive for accessing said disk storage medium, and

comprising not less than one attachment unit for holding a small-sized storage medium so as to be accessible by access means provided at said disk drive,

and further comprising:

a plurality of attachment units which are provided within a disk surface and on which said small-sized storage medium is to be mounted,

each said attachment unit being located at an equal position from the center of said cartridge, and

said plurality of attachment units being four in number,

each said attachment unit being located at every angle of 90 degrees relative to the center of said cartridge.

6. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 5 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive.

7. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 4 ,

said plurality of attachment units being four in number,

each said attachment unit being located at every angle of 90 degrees relative to the center of said cartridge.

8. A media cartridge formed to have the same shape as that of a disk storage medium mounted on a disk drive for accessing said disk storage medium, and

comprising not less than one attachment unit for holding a small-sized storage medium so as to be accessible by access means provided at said disk drive,

wherein

each said attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each said attachment unit by identification means of said disk drive.

9. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive.

10. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive,

said unit to be detected being composed of

claws provided on a disk surface of said cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of said small-sized storage medium.

11. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

each said identification unit being composed of a combination of a plurality of terminals.

12. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive, wherein

each said identification unit being composed of a combination of a plurality of terminals.

13. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 ,

said unit to be detected being composed of

claws provided on a disk surface of said cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of said small-sized storage medium, wherein

each said attachment unit includes an identification unit for indicating information which uniquely identifies each said attachment unit by identification means of said disk drive,

each said identification unit being composed of a combination of a plurality of terminals.

14. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

each said identification unit being composed of a predetermined pattern optically read by the identification means of said disk drive to identify said attachment unit.

15. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive, wherein

each said identification unit being composed of a predetermined pattern optically read by the identification means of said disk drive to identify said attachment unit.

16. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive,

said unit to be detected being composed of

claws provided on a disk surface of said cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of said small-sized storage medium, wherein

each said identification unit being composed of a predetermined pattern optically read by the identification means of said disk drive to identify said attachment unit.

17. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

said identification unit forming

the information individually identifying each said attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of said cartridge.

18. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive, wherein

said identification unit forming

the information individually identifying each said attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of said cartridge.

19. The media cartridge as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

a unit to be detected for the position detection for detecting a position of said small-sized storage medium by position detection means provided on the side of said disk drive,

said unit to be detected being composed of

claws provided on a disk surface of said cartridge so as to correspond to an attachment position of said small-sized storage medium, wherein

each said identification unit forming

the information individually identifying each said attachment unit by a physical configuration provided on a surface or on the outer periphery of said cartridge.

20. A media cartridge formed to have the same shape as that of a disk storage medium mounted on a disk drive for accessing said disk storage medium, and

comprising not less than one attachment unit for holding a small-sized storage medium so as to be accessible by access means provided at said disk drive,

wherein said small-sized storage medium is a smart media.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2011
From: NEC CORPORATION
To: NEC PERSONAL COMPUTERS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 027154/0570 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 11-358853 · Dec 17, 1999 · national
Continuity (2)
Division 0973636800 · Dec 15, 2000
Related Publication 20040163098A1 · Aug 19, 2004