Microminiature optical disc drive with wireless capability

Abstract

A battery-operated, hand-held disc drive for an optical data storage disc contains a radio transceiver. Data read from the disc, for example a game or movie, are delivered to the transceiver and transmitted, preferably using a WiFi protocol, to a host device, such as a smartphone, PDA, ultra-light tablet or notebook computer, or digital TV. Preferably, the compression factor of the data on the disc and the transfer rate of the data from the disc drive to the host device are set such that that disc drive has a low duty cycle, thereby conserving battery power while providing the user with an extended usage period. To provide a high-quality experience, the data on the disc are compressed using a highly efficient data compression algorithm such as MPEG-4.

1 . A disc drive for an optical data storage disc comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading data stored on said optical data storage disc;    a transceiver coupled to said optical drive module for transmitting an RF signal representing said data to a host device; and    a battery, said battery being connected to said optical drive module and said transceiver so as to power said disc drive during normal operation.    
   
   
       2 . The disc drive of  claim 1  wherein said transceiver is coupled to said optical drive module through optical drive electronics, said optical drive electronics comprising an optical controller.  
   
   
       3 . The disc drive of  claim 2  wherein said optical controller comprises a laser driver and a motor driver.  
   
   
       4 . The disc drive of  claim 1  wherein said RF signal is in the WiFi (802.11) protocol.  
   
   
       5 . The disc drive of  claim 1  wherein said cartridge load module, said optical drive module, said transceiver and said battery are contained in a housing, said housing having a footprint, one dimension of said footprint being about 99 mm.  
   
   
       6 . The disc drive of  claim 5  wherein a second dimension of said footprint is about 48.5 mm.  
   
   
       7 . The disc drive of  claim 1  comprising a cartridge loaded in said cartridge load module, said cartridge comprising an optical data storage disc containing data stored using a compression algorithm equivalent to MPEG 4 or higher, wherein said transceiver is adapted to transmit said data to said host device at a transfer rate equal to 10.0 Mbit/second or higher.  
   
   
       8 . A disc drive for an optical data storage disc comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading data stored on said optical data storage disc;    a transceiver coupled to said optical drive module for transmitting an RF signal representing said data to a host device; and    a housing for enclosing said cartridge load module, said optical drive module and said transceiver, said housing having a footprint, one dimension of which is about 99 mm.    
   
   
       9 . The disc drive of  claim 8  wherein a second dimension of said footprint is about 48.5 mm.  
   
   
       10 . A disc drive for an optical data storage disc comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading data stored on said optical data storage disc;    a transceiver coupled to said optical drive module for transmitting an RF signal representing said data to a host device; and    a housing for enclosing said cartridge load module, said optical drive module and said transceiver, said housing being of a size such that said disc drive can be held in a human hand.    
   
   
       11 . A disc drive for an optical data storage disc comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical data storage disc within said cartridge load module, said optical data storage disc containing compressed data content, said compressed data content being compressed by a compression factor;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading said compressed data content;    a transceiver coupled to said optical drive module for transmitting said data via an RF signal at a data transfer rate; and    a battery, said battery being connected to said optical drive module and said transceiver so as to power said disc drive during normal operation,    wherein said compression factor and said data transfer are established such that disc drive is capable of transmitting said compressed data content to an external host device at a duty cycle of 10% or less.    
   
   
       12 . The disc drive of  claim 11  wherein said data transfer rate is 10.0 Mbit/sec or greater.  
   
   
       13 . The disc drive of  claim 11  wherein said data compression factor is 200 or greater.  
   
   
       14 . The disc drive of  claim 13  wherein data content provides a video output of DVD-quality.  
   
   
       15 . The disc drive of  claim 11  wherein said optical data storage disc is housed within a cartridge, said cartridge being disposed in said cartridge load module.  
   
   
       16 . A method of operating a disc drive and a host device, said disc drive comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical data storage disc within said cartridge load module, said optical data storage disc containing compressed data content, said compressed data content being compressed by a compression factor;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading said compressed data content;    a transceiver coupled to said optical drive module for transmitting said data to said host device via an RF signal at a data transfer rate; and    a battery, said battery being connected to said optical drive module and said transceiver so as to power said disc drive during normal operation, said host device comprising a buffer memory having a storage capacity, said method comprising:    establishing said compression factor and said data transfer such that said disc drive is capable of transmitting said compressed data content to said host device at a duty cycle of 10% or less.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said disc drive transmits said compressed data content to said host device over a number of spin-ups, said spin-ups being separated by quiescent periods, the number of said spin-ups being approximately equal to a capacity of said buffer memory divided by a volume of said compressed data content.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said capacity of said host device is equal to 512 MB, said volume of said data content is approximately equal to 1 GB, and said number of said spin-ups is equal to two.  
   
   
       19 . A method of operating a disc drive and a host device, said disc drive comprising: 
 a cartridge load module for receiving an optical data storage disc;    an optical data storage disc within said cartridge load module, said optical data storage disc containing compressed data content, said compressed data content being compressed by a compression factor;    a buffer memory having a storage capacity;    an optical drive module comprising a spindle assembly and a laser source for reading said compressed data content to said buffer memory at a data transfer rate;    a transceiver coupled to said buffer memory for transmitting said data to said host device via an RF signal; and    a battery, said battery being connected to said optical drive module and said transceiver so as to power said disc drive during normal operation, said method comprising:    establishing said compression factor and said data transfer such that said optical drive module is capable of transmitting said compressed data content to said buffer memory at a duty cycle of 10% or less.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said optical drive module transmits said compressed data content to said buffer memory over a number of spin-ups, said spin-ups being separated by quiescent periods, the number of said spin-ups being approximately equal to a capacity of said buffer memory divided by a volume of said compressed data content.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said capacity of said buffer memory is equal to 512 MB, said volume of said data content is approximately equal to 1 GB, and said number of said spin-ups is equal to two.