Information reproduction device, reproduction starting method and reproduction starting program

1. An information reproduction device comprising:

a receiving section that receives request-specification information specifying a piece of data requested by an external device and a specified rotation speed specifying a rotation speed of a disc-shaped storage medium storing data;

a disc rotation section that selects, from among a plurality of estimated rotation speeds, a set rotation speed based on the specified rotation speed and rotates the storage medium at the set rotation speed;

a data reading section that reads out data from the storage medium at a readout speed that is determined by the set rotation speed of the storage medium;

a data storage section that stores the data read out from the storage medium and supplies, from among the stored data, the piece of data corresponding to the request-specification information to the external device; and

a data amount determination section that makes a determination as to whether the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, wherein

the disc rotation section selects, when starting the rotation of the storage medium from rest, an estimated rotation speed of the plurality of estimated rotation speeds that is smaller than the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed, and, each time the data amount determination section determines that the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount, sets a larger estimated rotation speed as the set rotation speed to incrementally increase the set rotation speed to the specified rotation speed, and

wherein when the data storage section stores a maximum amount of data, an optical beam emitted by the data reading section is stopped for a specified time, the disc-shaped storage medium continues to rotate at the set rotation speed, and the optical beam is restarted such that data readout, by the data reading section, is immediately restarted in accordance with the set rotation speed upon receipt of additional request-specific information.

2. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined amount is the maximum amount.

3. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

the disc rotation section applies a predetermined drive voltage during an applying time that varies according to the difference between the currently set rotation speed and the subsequently set rotation speed to rotate the storage medium at the set rotation speed.

4. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the rotation of the storage medium is not stopped temporarily, the disc rotation section sets the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed.

5. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the readout speed that varies according to the set rotation speed is slower than the speed at which the data are supplied to the external device, the disc rotation section sets the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed.

6. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the piece of data specified by the request-specification information is not contiguous, the disc rotation section sets the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed.

7. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the piece of data corresponding to the request-specification information is not stored in the data storage section, the disc rotation section sets the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed.

8. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

when a predetermined period of reproduction waiting time has elapsed after the supply of the request-specification information is stopped, the disc rotation section stops the rotation of the storage medium after the data storage section is filled with the maximum amount of data.

9. The information reproduction device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data reading section stops, when the data storage section is filled with the maximum amount of data, reading data from the storage medium, and, when the amount of data stored in the data storage section becomes less than a predetermined remaining threshold, starts reading data from the storage medium again.

10. A reproduction starting method of an information reproduction device that sets, from among a plurality of estimated rotation speeds previously estimated, a set rotation speed in accordance with request-specification information specifying a piece of data requested by an external device and a specified rotation speed specified by the external device for a disc-shaped storage medium storing data, rotates the storage medium at the set rotation speed, reads out data from the storage medium at a readout speed that is determined by the set rotation speed of the storage medium, stores the data in a data storage section, and supplies, from among the stored data, the piece of data corresponding to the request-specification information to the external device, the reproduction starting method for starting the rotation of the storage medium from rest comprising:

a rotation speed setting step of setting the estimated rotation speed that is smaller than the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed;

a data amount determination step of making a determination as to whether the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount or not when the set rotation speed is not the specified rotation speed; and

a rotation speed changing step of setting, each time it is determined that the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount, a larger estimated rotation speed as the set rotation speed to incrementally increase the set rotation speed to the specified rotation speed,

wherein when the data storage section stores a maximum amount of data, an optical beam emitted by the data reading section is stopped for a specified time, the disc-shaped storage medium continues to rotate at the set rotation speed, and the optical beam is restarted such that data readout, by the data reading section, is immediately restarted in accordance with the set rotation speed upon receipt of additional request-specific information.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable program codes embodied in the computer readable storage medium that, when executed cause an information reproduction device to execute setting, based on a plurality of estimated rotation speeds previously estimated, a set rotation speed in accordance with request-specification information specifying a piece of data requested by an external device and a specified rotation speed specified by the external device for a disc-shaped storage medium storing data, rotates the storage medium at the set rotation speed, reads out data from the storage medium at a readout speed that is determined by the set rotation speed of the storage medium, stores the data in a data storage section, and supplies, from among the stored data, the piece of data corresponding to the request-specification information to the external device, and further causing the information reproduction device, when starting the rotation of the storage medium from rest, to execute:

a rotation speed setting step of setting the estimated rotation speed that is smaller than the specified rotation speed as the set rotation speed;

a data amount determination step of making a determination as to whether the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount or not when the set rotation speed is not the specified rotation speed; and

a rotation speed changing step of setting, each time it is determined that the amount of data stored in the data storage section is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount, a larger estimated rotation speed as the set rotation speed to incrementally increase the set rotation speed to the specified rotation speed

wherein when the data storage section stores a maximum amount of data, an optical beam emitted by the data reading section is stopped for a specified time, the disc-shaped storage medium continues to rotate at the set rotation speed, and the optical beam is restarted such that data readout, by the data reading section, is immediately restarted in accordance with the set rotation speed upon receipt of additional request-specific information.