JP2004213427A - Automatic execution control device and external recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic execution control device and external recording device capable of easily and rapidly performing the on/off switching of an automatic execution processing for every external storage medium recognized by a host device. <P>SOLUTION: When the host device recognizes the external storage medium 21 installed to the external recording device 110, AUTORUN information is supplied from the external storage medium 21 to the host device side. In this case, the AUTORUN information is not supplied as it is from the external storage medium 21 to the host device, but starting information newly reproduced by a starting control part 14 according to the set content of an automatic execution control switch 15 is supplied to the host device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic execution control device that controls automatic execution processing performed when a host device recognizes an external recording medium, and an external recording device equipped with the automatic execution control device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a host device such as a personal computer executes a program stored in an external recording medium such as a flexible disk or a CD-ROM, in principle, a command for designating and executing a predetermined file on the external recording medium is used. However, in recent years, when the host device recognizes the external recording medium, an automatic execution that automatically executes a predetermined program by a start program stored in a predetermined area of the external recording medium is performed. The function (AUTORUN) has been widely used.
[0003]
The automatic execution function is, for example, a function in which when the medium such as a DVD or an audio CD is inserted, the corresponding player program is automatically started by the host device by the above-described start program and the like, and an automatic reproduction is performed. This automatic execution function makes it possible to reduce the user's work effort, such as eliminating the need for the command input operation described above. For this reason, recently, the automatic execution function has been applied to various technologies (for example, see Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2).
[0004]
However, an external recording medium to which the automatic execution function is applied, that is, an external recording medium storing a startup program or the like always performs an automatic execution process when recognized by the host device, and in some cases causes inconvenience to the user. May result. For example, if the automatic execution process is started even when the user causes the host device to read the external recording medium only for the purpose of referring to the data stored in the external recording medium, if the automatic execution process is started, the user may start the process. The trouble of stopping the operation of the middle program occurs.
[0005]
In addition, a novice user may unintentionally install a program if the installation screen is started every time a CD-ROM or the like storing application software is inserted into the drive.
[0006]
Therefore, conventionally, when the user intentionally wants to cancel the above-mentioned automatic execution processing, the user changes the setting on the host device side, or in some OSs, performs a predetermined key operation to transfer the external recording medium to the host device. By performing an operation such as recognition, the above-described automatic execution processing is controlled.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-287911 (paragraph numbers 0023 to 0029)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-2002-123439 (paragraph number 0019)
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the setting of the host device is changed as described above, it is necessary to change the setting of the registry of the host device, etc., and a beginner unfamiliar with the handling of the OS of the host device properly performs the automatic execution processing. Cannot be controlled.
[0008]
Also, in order to control the automatic execution process by the operation of the host device, it is necessary to install an OS capable of the control on the host device side. There is a disadvantage that it is not possible to perform any control. For this reason, conventionally, it was not easy for the user to arbitrarily set ON / OFF of the automatic execution process for each external recording medium.
[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic execution control device and an external recording device capable of easily and quickly switching on / off automatic execution processing for each external recording medium recognized by a host device.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has the following configuration.
[0011]
(1) when the host device recognizes an external recording medium, activation information supply means for supplying the host device with activation information including a processing procedure of an automatic execution process stored in a predetermined storage area of the external recording medium;
Setting means for setting on / off of the automatic execution processing according to the external recording medium;
Control means for generating boot information based on the setting contents of the setting means, and controlling the operation of the boot information supply means so that the generated boot information is supplied to the host device. It is characterized by the following.
[0012]
In this configuration, when the external recording medium is recognized by the host device, the setting as to whether or not to perform the automatic execution process on the external recording medium is performed via setting means arranged separately from the host device, The setting contents in the setting means are analyzed by the control means, and the start information based on the analysis result is supplied to the host device side by the start information supply means controlled by the control means.
[0013]
Therefore, when the setting contents intended by the user are set through the setting means, when the host device recognizes the external recording medium, the start information as intended by the user is supplied to the host device side. The control such as ON / OFF of the automatic execution process relating to the external recording medium recognized by the host device is executed simply and quickly without performing any special operation on the device side.
[0014]
(2) The setting means is a switch formed on the outside of the apparatus main body and capable of switching on / off.
[0015]
In this configuration, the setting such as on / off of the automatic execution processing is performed by switching on / off a switch provided at a position where the user's hand easily reaches in the automatic execution control device. Therefore, even when there are many types of external recording media connected to the host device, the automatic execution of the external recording media can be easily performed by appropriately switching the switches when the host device recognizes each external recording medium. Control such as on / off of the processing is executed.
[0016]
(3) The setting unit is a recording unit that records the activation information for each of the external recording media recognized by the host device,
When the host device recognizes the external recording medium, the control unit acquires activation information on the external recording medium from the recording unit.
[0017]
In this configuration, information specifying each external recording medium such as a volume label and a serial number assigned to each of a plurality of external recording media connected to the host device, and setting contents of the automatic execution processing of each external recording medium Is recorded in the recording unit, and the control unit for acquiring the recorded content of the recording unit analyzes whether or not to perform the automatic execution process on the external recording medium recognized by the host device. The boot information based on the analysis result is supplied to the host device by the controlled boot information supply unit.
[0018]
Therefore, by recording in advance the start information relating to the control of ON / OFF of the automatic execution process for each external recording medium in a necessary range in the recording unit, it is possible to perform no special operation thereafter. The automatic execution process is controlled for the external recording medium as intended by the user.
[0019]
(4) An external recording device that stores the storage content of a main storage device of a host device and appropriately supplies the storage content to the main storage device.
The automatic execution control device according to any one of (1) to (3) is provided.
[0020]
In this configuration, an automatic execution control device capable of controlling on / off of the automatic execution process for the external recording medium is built in the external recording device in which the external recording medium is mounted. Therefore, inconvenience such as execution of unintended automatic execution processing when the external recording medium used in the external recording device is recognized by the host device is prevented.
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an external recording device incorporating the automatic execution control device of the present invention will be described as a first embodiment of the automatic execution control device of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the external recording device refers to an auxiliary recording device such as a hard disk, a CD drive, a DVD drive, a flexible drive, or an MO drive, and the external recording medium includes a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flexible disk, Or an auxiliary recording medium such as an MO disk.
[0022]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the external recording device 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the external recording device 100 includes a recording medium mounting unit 20 on which a removable external recording medium 21 is mounted, and a control unit 30 that comprehensively controls the operation of the external recording device 100. The automatic execution control device 1 of the present invention is incorporated.
[0023]
The recording medium mounting unit 20 includes a head unit for performing read / write processing on the external recording medium 21, a drive system for driving the head unit, and the like. The control unit 30 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like (not shown), and the CPU appropriately controls the operation of the external recording device 100 based on firmware stored in the ROM.
[0024]
The automatic execution control device 1 includes a host-side I / F control unit 11, a medium information I / F control unit 12, a communication control unit 13, a startup information control unit 14, and an automatic execution control switch 15. Among the constituent elements of the automatic execution control device 1 described above, the host-side I / F control unit 11, the medium information I / F control unit 12, and the communication control unit 13 constitute the start-up information supply unit of the present invention. The execution control switch 15 constitutes the setting means of the present invention.
[0025]
The host-side I / F control unit 11 controls communication with a PC as a host device. The medium information I / F control unit 12 controls communication with an external recording medium 21 mounted on the recording medium mounting unit 20 of the external recording device 100. Here, conventionally, since the external recording medium 21 and the host device are connected only via the host-side I / F control unit 11 and the medium information I / F control unit 12, the host device recognizes the external recording medium 21. When, for example, autorun.exe in the root directory of the CD-ROM is read. AUTORUN information such as the description contents of inf has been supplied to the host device as it is. Here, AUTORUN is stored in the root directory of a CD-ROM or the like. If a file called "inf" is created, this means a function of automatically starting an execution file specified in this file. In the present embodiment, AUTORUN corresponds to the automatic execution process of the present invention, and in principle, AUTORUN is executed. The information corresponds to the activation information of the present invention.
[0026]
However, in the external recording device 100 according to the present embodiment, the communication control unit 13 is disposed between the host-side I / F control unit 11 and the medium information I / F control unit 12, and the communication control unit 13 will be described later. 13 is designed so that the user's intention is reflected in the startup information supplied to the host device.
[0027]
The automatic execution control switch 15 is for reflecting the user's intention in the startup information supplied to the host device, and is a normal switch that can be freely turned on / off by the user. In the present embodiment, the automatic execution control switch 15 is turned off when the user does not want the automatic execution processing of the external recording medium 21, and the automatic execution control switch 15 is turned off when the user desires the automatic execution processing of the external recording medium 21. The switch 15 is set to ON. Then, the startup information control unit 14 detects the state of the automatic execution control switch 15 and supplies the detection result to the communication control unit 13.
[0028]
In the above-described configuration, when the host device recognizes that the external recording medium 21 has been mounted on the recording medium mounting section 20, the startup information control section 14 detects the ON / OFF setting of the automatic execution control switch 15, and The activation information generated based on the detection result is output to the communication control unit 13. Then, the communication control unit 13 controls the communication so that the start information input from the start information control unit 14 is supplied to the host device.
[0029]
In the present embodiment, the communication control unit 13 and the activation information control unit 14 change the information on the type of the external recording medium supplied to the host device and change the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21 supplied to the host device as described later. , Or control of the authority to read the AUTORUN information supplied to the host device. This is because the above-described method of checking the AUTORUN information differs depending on the specifications of the OS installed in the host device. Therefore, the communication control unit 13 and the activation information control unit 14 control the AUTORUN according to the specifications of each OS. It is because it is possible to do.
[0030]
First, a description will be given of a change in information regarding the type of the external recording medium supplied to the host device. This is a process applied when the OS of the host device determines the type of the external recording medium 21 and then determines whether to perform AUTORUN based on the confirmed type of the external recording medium 21. Specifically, when the type of the external recording medium is a CD-ROM or HDD, the OS of the host device usually mounts the logical unit and determines whether the AUTORUN information exists in a predetermined storage area such as a root directory. However, when the type of the external recording medium is MO, the OS of the host device only mounts the logical unit and does not check whether the AUTORUN information exists.
[0031]
As described above, when the correspondence of the host device differs depending on the type of the external recording medium recognized by the host device, the communication control unit 13 supplies the external recording medium 21 to the host device based on the setting of the automatic execution control switch 15. By changing the information on the type of the AUTORUN, it is possible to control ON / OFF of the AUTORUN.
[0032]
For example, when the automatic execution control switch 15 is set to OFF, the communication control unit 13 always supplies the host device with information indicating that the type of the external recording medium recognized by the host device is MO. It is preferable that the apparatus does not detect the AUTORUN information of the external recording medium 21. This allows the host device to recognize that an external recording medium having no AUTORUN information such as a MO disk is mounted, even though an external recording medium having AUTORUN information such as a CD-ROM is actually mounted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the execution of AUTORUN which is not intended by the user with respect to the external recording device 21.
[0033]
Next, the change of the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21 supplied to the host device will be described.
[0034]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording area of the external recording medium 21. An example of control of startup information by the communication control unit 13 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the figure, the external recording medium 21 physically has a single storage area of a predetermined capacity, but the communication control unit 13 is logically divided into a plurality of logical units 0 to n. I have. When the inside of the physical external recording medium 21 is separated as a plurality of logical units in this manner, information on the plurality of logical units is managed as logical unit information at the head of the storage area of the external recording medium 21. Here, when the OS of the host device reads the logical unit information, the contents of the logical unit information are manipulated to control ON / OFF of AUTORUN.
[0035]
As shown in the figure, AUTORUN information such as a file (autorun.inf) describing a startup procedure is stored mainly in the root directory of the logical unit 0 among the logical units 0 to n, and the root directory of the logical unit 1 is stored. Are configured not to include the above-mentioned AUTORUN information.
[0036]
Here, when the host device accesses the external recording device 21 based on the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21, the communication control unit 13 operates the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21 supplied to the host device. By doing so, ON / OFF control of AUTORUN is performed. Specifically, when the automatic execution control switch 15 is turned on, the communication control unit 13 causes the host device to recognize the existence of the logical unit 0 including the AUTORUN information through the logical unit information (see the arrow R1 in the figure). ). At this time, as described above, in the root directory of the logical unit 0, autorun. inf exists, the host device is autorun. Automatic execution processing is performed based on the description contents of inf.
[0037]
On the other hand, when the automatic execution control switch 15 is off, the communication control unit 13 is in a state where the user does not want to execute the external recording medium 21 automatically. Is not recognized. As a result, the host device accesses the logical unit 1 based on the logical unit information (see the arrow R2 in the figure). At this time, the autorun. Since the inf does not exist, the host device does not perform the automatic execution process even when recognizing the external recording medium 21. By operating the logical unit information in this manner, it becomes possible to control whether or not the host device recognizes the existence of the logical unit 0 in which the AUTORUN information is stored. Accordingly, ON / OFF of AUTORUN can be easily controlled.
[0038]
Finally, control of the authority to read the AUTORUN information supplied to the host device will be described. Here, the control of the authority to read the AUTORUN information refers to an operation of setting whether or not the host device is allowed to read the AUTORUN information when the OS of the host device reads the AUTORUN information (hereinafter, referred to as an operation). This is simply referred to as operation of AUTORUN information.) That is, the communication control unit 13 controls whether or not to release the AUTORUN information to the host device, so that the ON / OFF of the AUTORUN can be appropriately controlled. Become.
[0039]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of the external recording apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, when the power of the external recording apparatus 100 is turned on, the startup information control unit 14 reads the settings of the automatic execution control switch 15 (s1). At this time, the startup information control unit 14 simultaneously analyzes the settings of the automatic execution control switch 15 and generates startup information to be supplied to the host device.
[0040]
Next, with the external recording device 100 physically connected to the host device, the external recording device 100 waits until the host device recognizes the external recording device 21 (s2).
[0041]
In the standby step of s2, when the host device recognizes the external recording device 21, the communication control unit 13 of the external recording device 100 determines how the OS on the host device side checks the AUTORUN information of the external recording medium 21. Is detected, and the startup information is operated so as to correspond to each OS.
[0042]
Specifically, it is determined whether or not the connection request from the host device is confirmation of information on the type of the external recording medium (s3). In the determination step of s3, when the connection request of the host device is to confirm the information of the external recording medium, the communication control unit 13 determines whether or not the recording medium to be supplied to the host device is based on the setting of the automatic execution control switch 15. Manipulate information about the type (s9)
[0043]
In the determination step of s3, when the connection request of the host device is not the confirmation of the information on the type of the external recording medium, the communication control unit 13 determines whether the host device has confirmed the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21. Is determined (s4). In the determination step of s4, when the host device has confirmed the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21, the communication control unit 13 quickly acquires the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21 (s6), and executes the automatic execution. The information of the logical unit acquired based on the setting contents of the control switch 15 is operated and then supplied to the host device.
[0044]
In the determination step of s4, if the host device does not confirm the logical unit information of the external recording medium 21, the communication control unit 13 determines whether the host device is reading the AUTORUN information (s5).
[0045]
In the determination step of s5, when the host device is reading the AUTORUN information, the communication control unit 13 promptly accesses the external recording medium 21 to check the AUTORUN information (s7), and the automatic execution control switch. It is determined whether the AUTORUN information is released to the host device based on the setting contents of No. 15 (s11). On the other hand, in the determination step of s5, if the host device does not read the AUTORUN information, the host device supplies the AUTORUN information as it is (s8).
[0046]
When the communication control unit 13 performs any of the above-described operations, the communication control unit 13 waits until the start information to be supplied to the host device is completely edited (s12). When the start information is completely edited, the external recording is performed again. The device 100 waits until there is an access from the host (s12 → s2).
[0047]
As described above, the communication control unit 13 operates the startup information returned to the personal computer side as necessary based on the setting of the automatic execution control switch 15. In the above-described embodiment, the automatic execution function on the host device side is always set to be valid, and there is no need to operate the host device on the way to adjust the settings relating to the automatic execution function on the host device side. In the above-described embodiment, a removable recording medium is used as the external recording medium. However, the effects of the present invention can be suitably exhibited even with a recording medium such as a hard disk.
[0048]
FIG. 4 schematically shows the configuration of an external recording device according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the basic configuration of the external recording device 100 is the same as that of the external recording device 100 in the first embodiment. However, in the external recording device 100 according to the second embodiment, a recording unit 16 is provided instead of the automatic execution control switch 15 in the first embodiment. The recording unit 16 is a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM. In this embodiment, the recording unit 16 mainly constitutes a setting unit of the present invention. The recording unit 16 records activation information indicating a user's intention as to whether or not to execute the automatic execution process for each external recording medium. The input of information to the recording unit 16 is performed from the host device.
[0049]
Then, when the host device recognizes the external recording medium 21, the activation information control unit 14 acquires the recognized activation information of the external recording medium 21 from the recording unit 16 and supplies the activation information to be supplied to the host device side. Generate. At this time, each external recording medium may be specified by forming information unique to each external recording medium based on a volume label, a serial number, and the like assigned to each recording medium.
[0050]
In the above-described embodiment, either the automatic execution control switch 15 or the recording unit 16 is selectively provided in the external recording device. However, both the automatic execution control switch 15 and the recording unit 16 are connected to the external recording device. Can also be provided. In this case, in consideration of the convenience of use of the user, when the setting content of the automatic execution control switch 15 and the recorded content of the nonvolatile memory conflict, the setting content of the automatic execution control switch 15 becomes non-volatile. It is preferable to give priority to the contents recorded in the memory.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
[0052]
(1) When the external recording medium is recognized by the host device, the setting as to whether or not to execute the automatic execution process for the external recording medium is performed through setting means arranged separately from the host device, and the control means When the setting information intended by the user is set via the setting means by analyzing the setting contents in the setting means and supplying the starting information based on the analysis result to the host device by the starting information supply means, the host device When the host device recognizes the external recording medium, it can supply startup information as intended by the user to the host device side, so that the external device recognized by the host device can be supplied without any special operation on the host device side. It is possible to easily and quickly execute control such as on / off of an automatic execution process for a recording medium.
[0053]
(2) The automatic execution processing is set to on / off by switching on / off a switch provided at a position easily accessible to the user's hand in the automatic execution control device, thereby connecting to the host device. Even when there are many types of external recording media, by controlling the switch when the host device recognizes each external recording medium, it is possible to easily control on / off of the automatic execution process related to the external recording medium. It is possible to execute.
[0054]
(3) The information specifying each external recording medium such as a volume label and a serial number assigned to each of a plurality of external recording media connected to the host device and the setting contents of the automatic execution processing of each external recording medium. The correspondence is recorded in the recording unit, and the control unit analyzes whether or not to execute the automatic execution process on the external recording medium recognized by the host device based on the recorded contents of the recording unit. By supplying the start information based on the information to the host device side, the start information relating to ON / OFF control of the automatic execution process for each external recording medium is recorded in the recording unit in advance in a necessary range, and thereafter, Thus, it is possible to control the automatic execution process as intended for the external recording medium without performing any special operation.
[0055]
(4) Since the automatic execution control device capable of controlling on / off of the automatic execution process for the external recording medium is built in the external recording device to which the external recording medium is attached, it is used in the external recording device. It is possible to prevent inconveniences such as execution of unintended automatic execution processing when the external recording medium is recognized by the host device.
[0056]
Therefore, it is possible to provide an automatic execution control device and an external recording device that can easily and quickly switch on / off the automatic execution process for each external recording medium recognized by the host device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an external recording device according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an external recording medium.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of the external recording device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an external recording device according to a second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1- Automatic execution control device
11-Host side I / F control unit
12-Media information I / F control unit
13-communication control unit
14-Start information control unit
15-Automatic execution control switch
20-Recording medium mounting section
21-External recording medium
100-external recording device

Claims (4)

When the host device recognizes the external recording medium, activation information supply means for supplying the host device with activation information including a processing procedure of an automatic execution process stored in a predetermined storage area of the external recording medium,
Setting means for setting on / off of the automatic execution processing according to the external recording medium;
Control means for generating boot information based on the setting contents of the setting means, and controlling the operation of the boot information supply means so that the generated boot information is supplied to the host device. Automatic execution controller. 2. The automatic execution control device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is a switch that is formed outside the device main body and that can be turned on / off. The setting unit is a recording unit that records the start information for each of the external recording media recognized by the host device,
2. The automatic execution device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit acquires, from the recording unit, activation information on the external recording medium when the host device recognizes the external recording medium. In the external recording device that stores the storage content of the main storage device of the host device and appropriately supplies the storage content to the main storage device,
An external recording device comprising the automatic execution control device according to claim 1.

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