System and method for accessing information on stored optical discs

Abstract

An automatic disc handling system and method for retrieving and positioning information carrying discs between a storage position to a position of use is described. A displaceable robot having a pair of robotic arms is controlled by a computer connected to a robot controller and instructed to move to discrete positions, either in front of storage racks where a plurality of superposed sliding trays containing one or more discs are stored, or to a plurality of playback units disposed at a position of use to move selected ones of the disc to and from these positions as requested by a person accessing the discs from a remote station. The robot is provided with a tray engaging element to move the tray in and out of its storage position, and the robotic arms of the robot are each provided with a picker mechanism to engage and remove the discs from the trays or the playback units and transport them to effect a function as dictated by the computer and the robot controller. The robotic arms are also adapted to invert the disc for access to information recorded on both sides of the disc.