JP2001057058A - Information processing device and method for accessing information recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to have access to a data recorded area not only by a ppersonal computer but also by an AV apparatus by changing over an operation mode for accessing to the data recorded area according to an address issued by an external device to/from an operation mode for accessing to the data recorded area by issuing an address according to a command of the external device. SOLUTION: When a host device 2 is a personal computer, a hard disk device 1 is set to a general mode in which address management according to the data of a FAT area is left to the host device 2, and accesses a hard disk 3 according to the address issued from the host device 2. In contrast, when the host device 2 is an AV apparatus, for example, the hard disk device 1 is set to an AV mode in which the address management according to the data of a FAT area is executed by the hard disk device 1, and according to a control command outputted from the host device 2, the hard disk device 1 issues an address to access the hard disk 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information recording medium access method, and can be applied to, for example, a removable hard disk device for recording a video signal, a rotary disk device such as an optical disk, and a solid-state memory device. it can. According to the present invention, an operation can be switched between an operation mode in which address control is delegated to an external device and an operation mode in which address control is internally performed in accordance with an external device or a file, thereby enabling access by a conventional personal computer. And can be accessed by AV equipment having a simple configuration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for recording a video signal, a video tape recorder using a magnetic tape as a recording medium has been widely used. In such a video tape recorder, AV data based on video data and audio data is processed in a field unit or a frame unit, which is a processing unit of a video signal, and is processed. It has been made like that.

[0003] On the other hand, in a personal computer, an application program or the like is recorded using a hard disk device. In recent years, the hard disk device has been rapidly increased in density and reduced in size. It has been done.

[0004] In this hard disk device, the recording area of the hard disk is divided into a system entry area and a data area, and a file input from an external device is divided into clusters and recorded in the data area. Record necessary data in the system entry area based on the cluster.

That is, the system entry area is divided into a boot area, a FAT (File Allocation Table) area, and a directory area, data necessary for starting up the hard disk is recorded in the boot area, and data necessary for accessing the data area is stored. It is recorded in the FAT area and the directory area.

In the directory area, the file name of each file recorded in the data area and the cluster number of the first cluster which is the recording start position of each file are recorded. On the other hand, in the FAT area, the cluster number of each cluster continuing from the first cluster of each file is recorded for each cluster. As a result, in the system entry area, the first cluster number of the desired file name is detected from the directory area, and then the cluster number following the first cluster number is sequentially detected from the FAT area, thereby forming one continuous file. The cluster address can be detected.

Thus, in the hard disk drive, the data in the FAT area and the directory area are output to the host computer, and the host computer can search the data in the FAT area and the directory area to access the hard disk drive. I have.

[0008]

By using a hard disk drive of this type as a recording medium for video signals similar to a video tape, it is thought that a compact AV device capable of recording for a long time can be produced. Can be

At this time, if the file management system used in the personal computer is directly applied to the AV equipment in the hard disk device, the editing system can be easily constructed by connecting the hard disk device to a personal computer or the like separately.

However, if this type of AV equipment is configured by applying the conventional file management system as it is, there is a problem that the configuration of the AV equipment becomes complicated.

That is, when a file management system similar to a personal computer is applied to an AV device, a memory space for address management is prepared in the AV device so that data in a FAT area and a directory area corresponding to the capacity of a hard disk device can be recorded. Must be performed, which complicates the configuration of the AV device.

Incidentally, a personal computer originally has a sufficient memory space,
Using this memory space, a sufficient address management area can be secured. Thus, even when a large-capacity hard disk device is connected to the personal computer, data in the FAT area and the directory area corresponding to the capacity of the hard disk device can be recorded in this memory space and the hard disk device can be accessed.

It is expected that the capacity of such a hard disk device will increase in the future. If the hard disk device is used as a recording medium for video signals similar to a video tape, the capacity of such a hard disk device is not so large in AV equipment. It is also required to deal with hard disk devices that have increased in number.

However, when the capacity of the hard disk drive increases, the capacity of the data in the FAT area and the directory area also increases accordingly. In the case of AV equipment, the FAT area having such a capacity increases. It is necessary to prepare a memory space for address management so that data in the directory area can be recorded. Therefore, in this case, there is a problem that the configuration of the AV device is further complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an information processing apparatus and an information recording apparatus which can be accessed by a conventional personal computer and can also be accessed by AV equipment having a simple configuration. It seeks to propose a method of accessing a medium.

[0016]

According to the first or sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus or an information recording medium accessing method according to an external device, or The operation mode is switched between a first operation mode and a second operation mode in accordance with a file, and the first operation mode is an operation mode for accessing a data recording area according to an address issued by an external device. Is an operation mode in which an address is issued to access a data recording area in response to a command from an external device.

According to the first or sixth aspect, when the external device is a personal computer or the like, the data recording area can be accessed in the first operation mode. On the other hand, when an AV device is connected, the address is managed by the second operation mode and the data recording area is accessed, so that the AV device can acquire data without acquiring data necessary for address management. The recording area can be accessed, and a desired file can be recorded and reproduced with a simple configuration.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Configuration of Embodiment FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hard disk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention. This hard disk device 2
Is mounted on an imaging device, a set-top box, etc.,
It records various data output from these devices, and is detached from these devices to allow other AV devices,
While attached to a personal computer (PC),
The recorded data data is reproduced and output.

For this reason, the hard disk drive 1 is a host device 2 such as an image pickup device or a set-top box.
The video data and the audio data are compressed in a predetermined format, input / output to / from these host devices 2, and control commands and status data associated with the input / output of these data , Addresses, etc., are input / output to / from these devices. Further, this data is recorded on the hard disk 3, and the data recorded on the hard disk 3 is reproduced and output.

Here, in the hard disk 3, tracks are formed concentrically on the information recording surface, and each track is divided by a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction to form a plurality of sectors on one track. In the hard disk 3, the information recording surface is concentrically divided into a plurality of zones, and the number of sectors per track is sequentially increased from the zone on the inner peripheral side, thereby changing the recording frequency according to the zone. The information recording surface can be used efficiently by applying a bit recording technique.

The hard disk 3 zoned and sectorized in this way has the surface number of the information recording surface,
A physical address is set by a track number continuously allocated from the outer peripheral side of the information recording surface and a sector number for specifying a sector in each track. Further, an outer peripheral side of the information recording surface is set corresponding to the physical address. User data is file-managed by logical addresses that are sequentially set.

Here, a logical address is represented by a cluster number in units of a cluster formed by a set of a plurality of logical sectors. That is, the logical sector is an area corresponding to a recording unit of data set with the first area on the information recording surface (in this case, the outermost periphery) as 0 sector,
In this embodiment, one physical sector can be represented by the following equation in correspondence with one logical sector. Here, the surface number, track number, and center number are based on physical addresses.

[0024]

(Equation 1)

In this embodiment, the logical sector is
The configuration is such that 512 bytes of data can be recorded in one logical sector in terms of user data, and one cluster is constituted by a plurality of logical sectors. Note that one cluster is generally composed of powers of two (1, 2, 4, 8,...), And in the data area for recording user data, a cluster number that is a serial number with the head of the file area being 2 Is specified.

In the hard disk 3, user data is recorded / reproduced using this cluster as a minimum unit. In this embodiment, the data amount of one cluster is set to 16 [KB]. It has been done.

FIG. 3 is a table showing the format of the hard disk 3. The hard disk 3 divides an information recording surface into an inner peripheral area and an outer peripheral area, and the outer peripheral area is allocated to a system entry area. Further, the inner peripheral area is allocated to the data area.

In the data area, user data is recorded on the basis of a cluster, and information of a subdirectory is recorded. The data area can be accessed based on the cluster number which is the address of each cluster. In this embodiment, the cluster number is indicated in a 4-digit hexadecimal format.

On the other hand, the system entry area is divided into a boot area, a FAT area, and a directory area, and data necessary for starting up the hard disk 3 is recorded in the boot area. On the other hand, in the FAT area and the directory area, address information and the like necessary for accessing the user data recorded in the data area are recorded.

That is, in the directory area, the file name of each file recorded in the data area, the cluster number of the first cluster which is the recording start position of each file, and the like are recorded. On the other hand, in the FAT area, a cluster number of each continuous cluster from the head cluster of each file is recorded. Thereby, the hard disk 3
After detecting the top cluster number of the desired file name from the directory area, and sequentially detecting the cluster number following this top cluster number from the FAT area, the addresses of the continuous clusters constituting one file can be detected. It has been done.

In FIG. 3, when the file 1 is recorded in the clusters having the cluster numbers 1234h to 1240h in the data area, the code indicating the cluster number 1234h of the first block of the file 1 is stored in the directory area. , And the cluster number following the cluster number 1234h is sequentially recorded in the corresponding area of the FAT area. In FIG. 3, EOF (End Of File) is
This is identification information indicating the last block of one file.

More specifically, in the directory area, file management data having the configuration shown in FIG. 4 is recorded for each file recorded in the data area. That is, in the file management data, the file name is assigned to the first 8 bytes, and the extension of each file is assigned to the next 3 bytes. Data indicating the attribute of the file is assigned to the next 1 byte, and the next 10 bytes are assigned to the data for reservation. The next two bytes are assigned to the data of the recording start time, the next two bytes are assigned to the data of the recording date and time, and the leading cluster number is assigned to the next two bytes. In the last 4 bytes,
File length data is allocated.

On the other hand, the FAT area (FIG. 3) is assigned a FAT address corresponding to the cluster number (cluster number) of the data area, and the cluster number of the cluster following each cluster (hereinafter referred to as a connected cluster number or connected number). (Called a cluster address). As shown in FIG. 5, predetermined codes among the codes not allocated to the connected cluster numbers are allocated to identification information indicating a free area, a defective cluster, and EOF, respectively.

Thus, in the hard disk 3, F
The data in the AT area constitutes first data for specifying the address of a continuous block of data recorded in the data recording area, while the data in the directory area is associated with the first data and It constitutes second data for specifying a file recorded in the recording area.

Thus, the hard disk 3 is
The area is accessed so that a free area of the data area can be detected.

Interface control circuit (IF control) 4
(FIG. 2), for example, SCSI (Small Computer System)
Interface) Controller, IDE (Intelligent Driv)
e Electronics) It is formed by a controller or the like, and constitutes an input / output circuit for data data, control commands, addresses, etc., to be transmitted to and received from the AV equipment 2. The interface control circuit 4 outputs the data, control command, address, and the like to each circuit block of the hard disk device 1 via an internal bus, so that the register 5 for recording the operation mode is connected to the internal bus. It has been done.

In the hard disk device 1, the operation mode is switched in response to a request from the host device 2, and the operation mode is set to FAT.
A general mode in which address management based on area data is entrusted to the host device 2 and an AV mode in which address management based on FAT area data is performed on the hard disk device 1 are selectively set. When the register 5 is started, a flag for identifying the general-purpose mode and the AV mode is set by the setting of the host device 2, and holds the flag.

The memory 6 constitutes a work area of the central processing unit 7, and is controlled by the central processing unit (CPU) 7 based on the flag set in the register 5 to start the hard disk 3 in the AV mode.
The data of the loaded FAT area and directory area is recorded. In the AV mode, the stored data is updated in accordance with the recording of the data on the hard disk 3 under the control of the central processing unit 7, and the stored data is loaded by the central processing unit 7 and the FAT of the hard disk 3 is loaded. Area and directory area.

The buffer memory 8 temporarily holds data input and output between the hard disk control circuit 9 and the interface control circuit 4.

The servo circuit 10 drives the motor (M) 11 under the control of the hard disk control circuit 9, thereby driving the hard disk 3 to rotate under the condition of a constant angular velocity. Similarly, the servo circuit 10 includes a motor (M)
Driving the magnetic head 12 seeks the magnetic head and further performs tracking control.

Under the control of the hard disk control circuit 9, the read data channel unit 13 adds an error correcting code (ECC) to the user data input from the hard disk control circuit 9 during recording, and also controls the recording / reproducing system. A bit sequence data is generated by performing an encoding process using a method suitable for the characteristics of the magnetic head, and the magnetic head is driven by applying a zone bit recording technique using the data. During reproduction, the read data channel unit 1
The signal processing unit 3 performs signal processing on a reproduction signal obtained from the magnetic head to generate reproduction data, performs error correction processing on the reproduction data, reproduces user data, and outputs the user data to the hard disk control circuit 9. Further, it notifies the hard disk control circuit 9 of the error correction processing result.

The hard disk control circuit 9 controls the operations of the servo circuit 10 and the read data channel section 13 under the control of the central processing unit 7 to record desired data on the hard disk 3 and to transfer the data recorded on the hard disk 3. Play and output.

The central processing unit 7 is a controller for controlling the operation of the hard disk drive 1, analyzes a control command input via the interface control circuit 4, and executes a predetermined processing procedure according to the analysis result. By doing so, the overall operation is controlled.

In this processing, the central processing unit 7
When the power is turned on, the general mode and AV mode flags are set in the register 5 in response to a request from the host device 2. Further, the operation of the hard disk control circuit 9 is controlled by an access from the host corresponding to this flag to access the hard disk 3.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the central processing unit 7 at the time of power-on. When the power is turned on, the central processing unit 7 proceeds from step SP1 to step SP2, where the flag of the register 5 is set according to the operation mode notified from the host device 2. Thus, the central processing unit 7 sets the operation mode to the operation mode designated by the host device 2, and then proceeds to step SP3.

Here, the central processing unit 7 determines whether or not the operation mode is the AV mode. If a negative result is obtained here, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step SP4 and accepts a read command of the system entry area issued from the host device 2.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The process proceeds to P5, where data in the system area is reproduced from the hard disk 3, and the data in the system area is transmitted to the host device 2. At this time, the central processing unit 7 transmits data of the FAT area and the directory area constituting the system entry area to the host device 2. Thus, the central processing unit 7 sends the necessary data so that the hard disk 3 can be accessed in cluster units on the host device 2 side, that is, the address management based on the data of the FAT area can be executed on the host device 2 side. To end the processing procedure.

Thus, when the host device 2 is, for example, a personal computer and the personal computer specifies the operation mode in the general-purpose mode, an address management area is formed in the memory 15 constituting the memory space of the personal computer. This area holds the data of the FAT area and the directory area. Further, this address management area is accessed by the central processing unit 7 of the personal computer, and a recording / reproducing command in cluster units is input.

On the other hand, if the host device is, for example, an AV device, and the operation mode in the AV mode is instructed by the AV device, the central processing unit 7 obtains a positive result in step SP3, Move to SP7.

Here, the central processing unit 7 receives a read command of the system entry area issued from the host device 2.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step S
In P8, the data in the system area is reproduced from the hard disk 3, and the data in the system area is recorded in the memory 6. Here, the central processing unit 7 records the data of the FAT area and the directory area among the data of the system area in the memory 6.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step S
The process proceeds to P9, where the data in the directory area among the data reproduced from the hard disk 3 is transmitted to the host device 2, and then proceeds to step SP6 to end this processing procedure.

Thus, for example, when the host device 2 is an AV device or the like and the AV mode is designated, the central processing unit 7 can specify the data recorded on the hard disk 3 on the host device 2 side. Only the data in the directory area, which is the minimum data unit, is transmitted, and F
The address management based on the data in the AT area is executed on the hard disk device 1 side.

As a result, in the AV equipment or the like, the data of the directory area is held in the predetermined memory 15 for managing the recording medium, and the data of the directory area is accessed, and only the file name is specified. Thus, an access command in which only the leading cluster number of each file is specified is issued.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a write control command is input from the host device 2 in the general-purpose mode. In this case, the host device 2 proceeds from step SP10 to step SP11, and searches the FAT area data held in the memory 15 to detect an empty cluster address.

In a further succeeding step SP12, the host device 2 issues a recording command in which this free cluster is set as an address.

By analyzing this command, the central processing unit 7 inputs data for one cluster from the host device 2 in the following step SP13, and transfers the data to the cluster specified by the write command under the control of the hard disk control circuit 9. The data for one cluster is recorded.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step S
The process proceeds to P15, and it is determined whether or not recording of all data has been completed. If a negative result is obtained here, the process proceeds to step SP12.
Return to As a result, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The processing procedure of P12-SP13-SP14-SP15 is repeated, and data output from the host device 2 is sequentially recorded on the hard disk 3 in cluster units by address management of the host device 2. Further, when the recording of all data is completed, a positive result is obtained in step SP15, and the process proceeds from step SP15 to step SP16.

Here, the central processing unit 7 records a cluster number to be connected to the FAT area of the hard disk 3 so as to correspond to a series of recording processes, and sets an EOF for the last cluster. Further, management data relating to the recorded file is recorded in the directory area. Thereby, the central processing unit 7 updates the contents of the system entry area of the hard disk 3. At this time, the contents of the system entry area stored in the memory 15 are also updated in the host device 2.

After updating the system entry area in this way, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to the next step S
The process moves to P17, and this processing procedure ends. Thus, when the host device 2 is a personal computer or the like, the central processing unit 7 records desired data on the hard disk 3 by managing the address of the host device 2.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a write control command is input from the host device 2 in the AV mode. In this case, since the operation mode is such that the hard disk device 1 performs address management based on the data in the FAT area, the central processing unit 7 executes step SP2.
From 0, the process moves to step SP21, and a recording command specifying the file name is input from the host device 2.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The process proceeds to P22, where the data of the FAT area recorded in the memory 6 is searched to detect the address of a free cluster. Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step SP23, inputs data for one cluster from the host device 2, and then proceeds to step SP24.

Here, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The address of the free cluster detected at P22 is designated, and the hard disk control circuit 9 is instructed to record the data of this one cluster, whereby the data output from the host device 2 is recorded in the free cluster of the hard disk 3.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The process proceeds to P25, and it is determined whether or not recording of all data has been completed. If a negative result is obtained here, the process proceeds to step SP22.
Return to As a result, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The processing procedure of P22-SP23-SP24-SP25 is repeated, and the data input from the host device 2 in the unit of the clasher is sequentially recorded on the hard disk 3. When the recording of all the data is completed, a positive result is obtained in step SP25. From step SP25 to step SP2
Move to 6.

Here, the central processing unit 7 updates the system entry area of the hard disk 3 and updates the data of the system entry area held in the memory 6 as in the case of the general-purpose mode. Further, the central processing unit 7 notifies the host device 2 of file management data for updating the system entry area with respect to the file recorded in this manner, whereby the host device 2 holds the file management data in the memory 15 as well. The contents of the memory 15 can be updated so that the contents correspond to the contents recorded on the hard disk 3.

After updating the system area in this way, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step SP27,
This processing procedure ends. Accordingly, when the host device 2 is an AV device, the central processing unit 7 executes address management using the FAT area on the hard disk device 1 side, and the host device 2 only transmits data necessary for creating management data. Thus, desired data can be recorded.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the case where a reproduction command is input from the host apparatus 2 to the hard disk 3 on which desired data is recorded in the general-purpose mode.

In this case, the operation mode in which the address management based on the data in the FAT area is entrusted to the host device 2 allows the hard disk device 1 to add the address specifying the cluster and sequentially input the reproduction commands. Become. That is, in this processing procedure, from step SP30 to step SP31
The host device 2 detects the address of the file to be reproduced from the data in the directory area held in the memory 15 by the start cluster number.

The central processing unit 7 executes the following step SP
At 32, a reproduction command based on this address is input from the host device 2, and at the next step SP33,
The reproduction by this address is instructed to the hard disk control circuit 9. As a result, the central processing unit 7 reproduces data for the cluster designated by the address management of the host device 2, and outputs the reproduced data to the host device 2 in the subsequent step SP 34.

As a result, in the host device 2, in the subsequent step SP35, the subsequent connected cluster number is detected by searching the FAT area using the head cluster number detected in step SP31. In the host device 2, in the following step SP36,
If the connected cluster number detected in step SP35 is EOF
Judge whether the code is or not, and if a negative result is obtained here,
The process returns from step SP36 to step SP32. As a result, the central processing unit 7 executes steps SP32-SP3
The processing procedure of 3-SP34-SP35-SP36 is repeated, and the host apparatus 2 reproduces and outputs desired data by address management in units of clusters.

On the other hand, in step SP36,
If an affirmative result is obtained, the procedure moves to step SP37, and this processing procedure ends.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a playback command is input from the host device 2 in the AV mode. In this case, F
This is an operation mode in which the hard disk device 1 performs address management by the AT. In the host device 2, only the data in the directory area is stored in the memory 15, and in the data in the directory area,
Since the hard disk drive 1 is composed of management data composed of a file name, a head cluster number, and the like, a playback command instructing a file name, a playback command instructing a head cluster number,
Alternatively, a playback command indicating a file name and a leading cluster number is input.

As a result, the central processing unit 7 proceeds from step SP40 to step SP41. In this embodiment, the central processing unit 7 receives a reproduction command designating a file name and a leading cluster number from the host device 2.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
In P42, the hard disk control circuit 9 is instructed to perform reproduction by the start cluster number added to the reproduction command, and in step SP34, the reproduced data is output to the host device 2.

Subsequently, the central processing unit 7 executes step S
The process proceeds to P44, where data of the FAT area recorded in the memory 6 is searched, and the connected cluster number of the cluster detected in step SP43 is detected. Next, the central processing unit 7
In step SP45, this step SP44
It is determined whether or not the connected cluster number detected in step is an EOF code. If a negative result is obtained here, step SP45
From step SP42.

Thus, the central processing unit 7 repeats the processing procedures of steps SP42-SP43-SP44-SP45, and sequentially manages the data recorded on the hard disk 3 in cluster units by address management using the FAT area loaded in the memory 6. Reproduce.

When the EOF is sequentially reproduced and the EOF is detected, the central processing unit 7 proceeds to step SP4.
From 5, the process moves to step SP46, and the processing procedure of this reproduction is ended.

(2) Operation of Embodiment In the above configuration, the hard disk drive 1 (FIG. 2) is mounted on, for example, an imaging device, a set-top box, etc., and a recording control command is input from these AV devices 2. Then, the data input following the control command is input to the read data channel unit 13 via the hard disk control circuit 9, where it is modulated in a format suitable for recording and the magnetic head is driven. Recorded on the hard disk 3.

When a playback control command is input while being connected to these AV devices or detached from these devices and attached to another AV device, the playback obtained by the magnetic head is performed. The signal is processed by the read data channel unit 13 to reproduce data recorded on the hard disk 3. The reproduced data is transmitted to the hard disk control circuit 9 and the interface control circuit 4.
Is output to the AV device 2 via the.

As described above, when recording and reproducing AV data and further text data and the like by connecting to a personal computer, the flag of the register 5 is set in the hard disk device 1 by the operation mode notified from the host device 2 at startup. This sets the operation mode to the operation mode specified by the host device 2.

Thus, when the host device 2 is a personal computer, the hard disk device 1 is set to a general-purpose mode in which address management based on data in the FAT area is entrusted to the host device 2 side. to access.

That is, when the general-purpose mode is set, the hard disk device 1 notifies the host device 2 of the data in the FAT area and the directory area of the system entry area, whereby the host device 2 can control the address of the hard disk 3. Thus, the necessary data is provided to the host device 2.

As a result, in the host device 2, the FAT
An empty cluster of the hard disk 3 is detected by searching the area data, and in the hard disk device 1,
By sequentially recording data input from the host device 2 on the hard disk 3 in accordance with the designation of the free cluster, desired data can be recorded on the hard disk 3 by controlling the address of the host device 2.

In the host device 2, for the desired file, the first cluster number is detected from the directory area, and the subsequent connected cluster number is searched, so that the cluster numbers constituting this file can be sequentially detected. In the hard disk device 1, by reproducing the hard disk 3 sequentially according to the designation of the cluster number, a desired file can be reproduced and output to the host device 2 by the address control of the host device 2.

On the other hand, when the host device 2 is an AV device, for example, the hard disk device 1 performs address management based on FAT area data, and is set to an AV mode, in response to a control command output from the host device 2. The hard disk drive 1 issues an address and accesses the hard disk 3.

That is, when the AV mode is set, the hard disk device 1 notifies the host device 2 of the data in the directory area of the system entry area, and the host device 2 transmits the data recorded on the hard disk 3 to the host device 2. The minimum identifiable data is provided to the host device 2.

As a result, the host device 2 detects the leading cluster number from the directory area for the desired file, and outputs a reproduction command specifying the file name and the leading cluster number. In the hard disk device 1, by searching the data of the FAT area held in the memory 6 based on the file name and the leading cluster number, a subsequent connected cluster number is searched, and thereby the cluster number constituting the file Can be sequentially detected. In the hard disk device 1, the file specified by the host device 2 can be reproduced by the address control of the hard disk device 1 and output to the host device 2 by sequentially reproducing the hard disk 3 according to the cluster number.

When a recording command is input, the hard disk device 1 searches the data in the FAT area held in the memory 6 to detect a free cluster in the hard disk 3, and according to the specification of the free cluster. By sequentially recording data input from the host device 2 on the hard disk 3, desired data can be recorded on the hard disk 3 by controlling the address of the hard disk device 1.

As a result, in the host device 2, A
In the V mode, since access to the hard disk drive 1 does not require address control, only the data in the directory area is held and the hard disk drive 1 is held.
And the hard disk device 1 can be accessed with a simple configuration.

As described above, when only the data in the directory area is held in this way, compared to the case where the data in the FAT area is also held, these data are stored in a memory having a much smaller capacity. Can be recorded. Thus, even in the case of an AV device, the overall configuration can be simplified even if the memory is configured to cope with a future increase in the capacity of the hard disk 3.

(3) Effects of the Embodiment According to the above configuration, the operation is switched between a general-purpose mode in which address control is entrusted to the external device and an AV mode in which address control is performed internally according to the external device. It can also be accessed by a conventional personal computer, and can also be accessed by AV equipment with a simple configuration.

(4) Other Embodiments In the above embodiment, the case where data in the directory area is output to the host device in the AV mode has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In short, it sends out some data that can specify the file recorded on the hard disk 3, such as the file name, the head address of this file, the FAT address where the EOF of this file is recorded, and the same effects as in the above-described embodiment. Can be obtained.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the hard disk 3 is reproduced by specifying the file name and the head cluster number in the AV mode has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. And the hard disk 3 may be played back, or the head cluster number alone may be played back and the hard disk 3 played back.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the operation mode is switched according to the external device by designating the external device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operation mode is switched according to the type of file. You may. That is, for video data, audio data, and the like, the size of one relatively large file is large, and the data amount of the corresponding FAT area is also large. As a result, the same effect as in the above-described embodiment can be obtained even if address control is delegated to an external device only for a file based on data other than video data and audio data.

In the above embodiment, the FAT
Although the case where the hard disk is managed by the file system has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be widely applied to the case where the management is performed by various management file systems.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a removable hard disk device has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a phase change optical disk device, an optical disk device using thermomagnetic recording, and the like. The present invention can be widely applied to various information processing devices such as a disk device, and an information recording / reproducing device using a card-shaped recording medium having a memory.

[0097]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation is performed in an operation mode in which address control is entrusted to the external device and an operation mode in which address control is performed internally according to the external device or the file. By switching, it is possible to access with a conventional personal computer and also with an AV device with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a central processing unit in a hard disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a hard disk device.

FIG. 3 is a table for explaining a recording area of a hard disk in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a table showing file management data recorded in a directory area of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a table showing codes recorded in a FAT area of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a central processing unit during recording in a general-purpose mode.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the central processing unit when recording in the AV mode.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a central processing unit during reproduction in a general-purpose mode.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the central processing unit during reproduction in the AV mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Hard disk device, 2 ... Host device, 3 ...
Hard disk, 5 ... Buffer memory, 7 ... Central processing unit

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 5/91 LF term (reference) 5B065 BA01 BA03 BA05 CA16 CC01 5C053 FA23 GA11 GB15 GB21 GB40 JA24 KA24 LA02 LA11 5D077 AA22 AA23 CA02 CB02 DC08 DC14 DF01 EA11 EA14 EA31 5D110 AA13 AA15 DA11 DA12 DE03

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for recording a desired file in said data recording area or reproducing data recorded in said data recording area based on an address set in a predetermined block unit in said data recording area. , An operation mode is switched between a first operation mode and a second operation mode according to an external device or according to the file, wherein the first operation mode is based on the address issued by the external device. An operation mode for accessing the data recording area, wherein the second operation mode is an operation mode for issuing the address and accessing the data recording area in response to a command of the external device. Information processing device. 2. In the first operation mode, the first data specifying an address of a continuous block of data recorded in the data recording area; and the data recording in association with the first data. 2. The external device is notified of second data specifying a file recorded in an area, and the second data is notified to the external device in the second operation mode. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external device corresponding to the first operation mode is a computer. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external device corresponding to the second operation mode is a video device that outputs video data or inputs video data. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the file corresponding to the second operation mode is a video data and / or audio data file. 6. An information recording medium for recording a desired file in the data recording area or reproducing data recorded in the data recording area with reference to an address set in a predetermined block unit in the data recording area. In the access method, the operation mode is switched between a first operation mode and a second operation mode according to an external device or according to the file, and the first operation mode is issued by the external device. An operation mode for accessing the data recording area according to the address, wherein the second operation mode is an operation mode for issuing the address and accessing the data recording area in response to a command of the external device. A method for accessing an information recording medium, comprising: