The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 13, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1996
Kazuo Otani, Kodaira, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An information retrieval system has an autochanger for autochanging recording media. The system includes an accommodating section, having a plurality of slots, which accommodates a plurality of optical disks, and a reading section for reading the retrieval information and the image information recorded in an optical disk. A transporting section transports the optical disk between the accommodating section and the reading section. A hard disk is also included which stores the retrieval information recorded in the optical disk and the information indicative of the position of the slot in which the optical disk is accommodated. Prior to accommodating a new optical disk in the accommodating section, a control section reads the retrieval information recorded in the optical disk and allows the hard disk to store the retrieval information and the information indicative of the position of the slot in which the new optical disk will be accommodated. Thus, the control section retrieves the image information recorded in the optical disk on the basis of the retrieval information and the information indicative of the position of the slot, both pieces of information being stored in the hard disk.