US5557590A — Auto changer capable of recording/reproducing inf…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 150 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying the data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to an arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 150 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying the data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to an arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising detection means for detecting the presence or absence of each loaded disc-shaped recording medium, said display unit displaying an area in said second display region associated with a position of absence of said disc-shaped recording medium as indicated by a detection signal from said detection means in a manner which permits visual distinction from the remaining areas.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling the display operation of said display unit based on an output signal of said recording and/or reproducing unit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second display region includes a plurality of display cells arrayed in correspondence with the arrangement of said disc-shaped recording media and wherein said display cells are illuminated by a control signal from said controller.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein one of said plurality of display cells associated with the disc-shaped recording medium being recorded or reproduced by said recording/reproducing unit is controlled by said controller so as to be visually distinguishable from remaining ones of said plurality of display cells.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 219 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to an arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit, and an input unit for inputting a signal for selecting one of the disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit, wherein a display is made in said first and second display regions based upon one of the output signal from said recording/reproducing unit and an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit following a selecting operation of said disc-shaped recording medium based upon an input signal by said input unit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 219 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to an arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit, and an input unit for inputting a signal for selecting one of the disc-shaped recording media loaded in said recording/reproducing unit, wherein a display is made in said first and second display regions based upon one of the output signal from said recording/reproducing unit and an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit following a selecting operation of said disc-shaped recording medium based upon an input signal by said input unit.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a controller for controlling the display operation of said display unit based on an output signal of said recording and/or reproducing unit.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising detection means for detecting the presence or absence of each loaded disc-shaped recording medium, said display unit displaying an area in said second display region associated with a position of absence of said disc-shaped recording medium as indicated by a detection signal from said detection means in a manner which permits visual distinction from the remaining areas.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second display region includes a plurality of display cells arrayed in correspondence with the arrangement of said disc-shaped recording media and wherein said display cells are illuminated in reference to a control signal from said controller.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 49 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein one of the plurality of display cells associated with the disc-shaped recording medium being recorded or reproduced by said recording/reproducing unit is controlled by said controller so as to be visually distinguishable from remaining ones of said plurality of display cells.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said input unit includes a rotation unit for selecting one of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said input unit is a remote controller for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said controller controls said recording/reproducing unit so as to perform the selecting operation of said disc-shaped recording media based upon an input signal conforming to the rotational direction of said rotating unit.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 232 words

An audio reproducing apparatus comprising a recording/reproducing device for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, said recording/reproducing unit comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of said disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to the arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media, a plurality of speakers fed with an output signal of said recording/reproducing unit and outputting said output signal after conversion thereof into an audio output, and a sound field controller for matching the fixed position of a sound image corresponding to an audio output of said speakers to a selected audio sound hearing position, wherein the audio sound hearing position controlled by said sound field controller is displayed on said display unit using said second display region.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 232 words

An audio reproducing apparatus comprising a recording/reproducing device for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, said recording/reproducing unit comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of said disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to the arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media, a plurality of speakers fed with an output signal of said recording/reproducing unit and outputting said output signal after conversion thereof into an audio output, and a sound field controller for matching the fixed position of a sound image corresponding to an audio output of said speakers to a selected audio sound hearing position, wherein the audio sound hearing position controlled by said sound field controller is displayed on said display unit using said second display region.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 40 words

The audio reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a controller for controlling the display operation of said display unit based upon the output signal from said recording/reproducing unit and an output signal of said sound field controller.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second display region includes a plurality of display cells arrayed in correspondence with the arrangement of said disc-shaped recording media and wherein said display cells are illuminated by a control signal from said controller.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the display cell associated with the disc-shaped recording medium being recorded or reproduced by said recording/reproducing unit is controlled by said controller so as to be distinguishable from the remaining display cells.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the display cell associated with the audio sound hearing position is controlled by said controller so as to be distinguishable from the remaining cells based upon an output signal from said sound field controller.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 164 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of said disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of-contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to the arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media, said first display region having a matrix display configuration corresponding to the display configuration in said second display region.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 164 words

A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc-shaped recording medium, said recording medium having an information recording region for recording information signals and a table-of-contents region having recorded thereon at least number data and title data of the information signals recorded in said information recording region, comprising a recording/reproducing unit having loaded therein a plurality of said disc-shaped recording media arranged co-planarly in a side-by-side relation, said recording/reproducing unit recording the information signals on a selected one of said disc-shaped recording media and reproducing the information signals from the selected disc-shaped recording medium, and a display unit having a display operation thereof controlled by an output signal from said recording/reproducing unit, said display unit having a first display region for displaying data recorded in said table-of-contents region and a second display region having a display configuration corresponding to the arrangement of said plurality of disc-shaped recording media, said first display region having a matrix display configuration corresponding to the display configuration in said second display region.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 66 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further comprising detection means for detecting the presence or absence of each loaded disc-shaped recording medium, said display unit displaying an area in said second display region associated with a position of absence of said disc-shaped recording medium as indicated by a detection signal from said detection means in a manner which permits visual distinction from the remaining areas.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further comprising a controller for controlling the display operation of said display unit based on an output signal of said recording/reproducing unit.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said second display region includes plural display cells in association with the arraying states of said disc-shaped recording media and wherein said display cells are illuminated under control by a control signal from said controller.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the display cell associated with the disc-shaped recording medium being recorded and reproduced by said recording/reproducing unit is controlled by said controller so as to be distinguishable from the remaining display cells.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further comprising an input unit for inputting a signal for selecting a pre-set one of the disc-shaped recording media contained in said recording/reproducing unit.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein said input unit includes a rotation unit for selecting said disc-shaped recording media.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said controller controls said recording/reproducing unit to perform the selecting operation of said disc-shaped recording media based upon an input signal conforming to the rotational direction of said rotating unit.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-09-17	2000-03-18	2000-09-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-09-17	2004-03-18	2004-09-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-09-17	2008-03-18	2008-09-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Auto changer capable of recording/reproducing information signals on a selective disc-shaped recording medium

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