High-performance information processing apparatus having multitasking functions

• US 6,222,799 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2000
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Science and Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Science and Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, Howard Hong-Dough
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDI, NABIL Z
• Application Number:
  US09/513,985
• Time in Patent Office: 423 Days
• Field of Search: 369/30, 369/33, 369/34, 369/32, 369/58, 369/36
• US Class Current: 369/30.3
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/10597 Adaptations for transducing various formats on the same or different carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/22 from random access magazine of disc records
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/08576 Swinging-arm positioners
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/08582 Sled-type positioners
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/14 specially adapted to record on, or to reproduce from, more than one track simultaneously

Abstract

An information processing apparatus having hardware components that include plural turntables, plural head units, plural decoding units, at least one encoding unit, and a system control unit. These components are adapted in such a manner as to afford (1) true multitasking in information reading and writing, (2) direct communication for information to be exchanged directly within the information processing apparatus, (3) disc removability for information to be stored as off-line archives and to become transportable between computer systems, (4) separation of user-created data from program files for eliminating time-consuming file-defragmentation processing and for conveniently safekeeping the user-created data, and (5) capability of launching favored software programs directly from original software discs. In essence, the apparatus provides multiple and highly-improved functions of secondary and tertiary storage that cannot be obtained from any combinations of conventional hard-disk, floppy-disk, optical-disc, and backup drives.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

(a) a structure;

(b) a plurality of turntables disposed within said structure, each of said turntables being rotatable about a respective one of central axes and having means for mounting at least one disc thereon;

(c) a head unit having a driving means and a head-means group, said driving means being provided for moving said head-means group in a direction perpendicular to said central axes, wherein said head-means group comprises at least one optical head means each for interacting with a disc surface;

(d) at least one decoding unit, each being provided for decoding a set of encoded information retrieved by one of said optical head means;

(e) at least one encoding unit, each being provided for encoding a set of information to be stored; and

(f) means for controlling said driving means to move said head-means group selectively between said turntables;

whereby said turntables and said head unit are adapted in such a manner as to allow said head-means group to travel selectively between said turntables and thus between corresponding discs mounted thereon.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising writable memory-storing means for storing information comprising bootstrap data, table of contents data, volume table of contents data, and directory-structure data of corresponding discs mounted on said turntables.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for enabling at least one of said turntables each to be detachable for mounting said at least one disc on said means for mounting.

4. An information processing apparatus comprising:

(a) a structure;

(b) a plurality of turntables disposed within said structure, said turntables each being rotatable about a respective one of central axes and having means for mounting at least one disc thereon;

(c) a plurality of head units each having a driving means and a head-means group, each of said driving means being provided for moving a respective one of said head-means groups in a direction perpendicular to at least one of said central axes, wherein each of said head-means groups comprises at least one optical head means each for interacting with a disc surface;

(d) at least one decoding unit each being provided for decoding a set of encoded information retrieved by one of said optical head means;

(e) at least one encoding unit, each being provided for encoding a set of information to be stored; and

(f) means for simultaneously controlling said plurality of head units, said at least one decoding unit and said at least one encoding unit to process information in multitasking.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising means for simultaneously transmitting at least two sets of information between said information-storage apparatus and a host computer.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein said turntables and said head units are adapted in such a manner as to allow at least one of said head units each to move a respective head-means group selectively between at least two of said turntables and thus corresponding discs mounted thereon.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein said turntables and said head units are adapted in such a manner as to allow at least one of said turntables each to be accessible simultaneously by at least two of said head units, such that said information processing apparatus can utilize at least two head means to interact simultaneously with a selected disc surface for processing at least two sets of information associated selectively with the same task for improving information-process speed and with different tasks for achieving true multitasking.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for simultaneously controlling comprises local control units each for controlling a respective one of said head units to perform information processing in a local manner and a system control unit for coordinating operation of said local control units to simultaneously process said at least two sets of information.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising local control units each for controlling a respective one of said head units to perform information processing in a local manner and a system control unit connecting to at least two of said local units for enabling and controlling direct communication between at least two of said head units, so as to allow information to be sent directly from a first one to a second one of said at least two head units without going through a host computer.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a system control unit for coordinating operation of said head units to simultaneously process at least two sets of information associated selectively with the same task for improving information-process speed and with different tasks for achieving true multitasking.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein said system control unit further comprises microprocessor means, read-only-memory means, and writable memory-storing means.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said read-only-memory means further comprises a set of basic instructions for coordinating operation of said head units in preforming a new reading task with respect to a selected disc surface, said set of basic instructions including:

(a) detecting task-priority-level information of said head units;

(b) allocating a first head unit having the lowest-priority level in accordance with said task-priority-level information to said new reading task;

(c) requesting said first head unit to read table of contents information of said selected disc for obtaining address information associated with said new reading task, if said address information being not available;

(d) if said address information including digital audio information, allocating a second head unit having the second lowest-priority level in accordance with said task-priority-level information to said new reading task for reading said digital audio information;

(e) storing suspended activities of said first and said second head units, if any, to said writable memory-storing means; and

(f) resuming said suspended activities, if any, when said new task being accomplished.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising writable memory-storing means for storing information comprising bootstrap data, table of contents data, volume table of contents data, and directory-structure data of corresponding discs mounted on said turntables.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising means for enabling at least one of said turntables each to be detachable for mounting said at least one disc on said means for mounting.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising read-only-memory means containing a set of instructions for designating at least a predetermined one of said turntables each to be mounted with at least one disc containing selectively erasable and rewritable media for storing information thereon.