JPH0566896A - Transfering system of alternation information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten input/output processing time by immediately transferring an alternation information (original address and alternate address) generated at one Optical Disk Formatted Controller(OFC) to the other OFC with a simple configuration, in a device cross call type optical disk system. CONSTITUTION:The alternation information occurred by following data writing in one OFC 102 (path 203, 207) is temporarily stored in a memory 108 by way of an interface 104 in an optical disk driving device(ODD) 101 and then sucked up from the memory 108 by the other OFC 103 which succeeds a control authority (OFC 103 is informed of it through a path 205 and an interface 114). The other OFC which received a notice has only to see the alternate track part required for input/output, so, processing time is shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a replacement information transmission system for a recording device such as an optical disk device having a device cross call, and more particularly to a replacement information transmission system for a recording device for transmitting replacement information with a simple structure. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, two or more input / output control devices (recording control devices such as disk control devices) are connected to one or a plurality of input / output devices (recording devices such as magnetic disk devices and optical disk devices). A device cross-call method is a device cross-call method that is provided as much as possible and improves the input / output throughput by accessing one or more input / output devices exclusively or simultaneously from each of these input / output control devices to perform input / output. Is called.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the system configuration of a conventional disk device of this type. Below the central processing unit 51 is a magnetic disk control unit (hereinafter, referred to as “DKC”) 52 that controls a magnetic disk unit 53. The channel side processing system has 8 ports and the disk side processing system has 4 ports. The inside of the DKC 52 is DKC “0” 55 and DKC.
It comprises a "1" 56 and a cache memory 57 (a memory for high-speed access, in which highly accessed data is stored). The update information generated in the disk device 53 by the access from the DKC “0” 55 side is the MP2 (Micro) of the DKC “0” 55 itself.
Processor) and stored in the shared control memory 54 in the cache memory 57. This update information is DKC “1” without going through the disk device 53.
This can be recognized by the MP2 56 reading the contents of the shared control memory 54. In this way, if the shared control memory 54 is provided between the DKC “0” 55 and the DKC “1” 56,
Correct update information can be easily transmitted to the host device through any DKC.

Recently, optical disk drives (optical disk drives) have been used as input / output devices.
ive: hereinafter abbreviated as “ODD”), and as an input / output control device, an Optical Disk Formatted Controller (Optical Disk Format)
An input / output system using an ed controller (hereinafter abbreviated as “OFC”) has been proposed that employs a device cross call method.

[0005]

In the conventional DKC as shown in FIG. 6, a shared memory is provided between the DKCs in order to obtain general consistency of write data, and the replacement information can be updated. If there is replacement information update data DK
It is not taken into consideration that the replacement is performed between the Cs, and even considering the replacement of the replacement information update data, a shared memory such as a cache memory is provided between the DKCs for the replacement. There is a need.

On the other hand, even in the input / output system having the ODD and OFC and adopting the device cross method, the ODD
The problem when the replacement information is updated by writing in the "" is not yet fully considered.

That is, generally, when a write process is performed in an optical disk device and a write error occurs in a regular track of the disc, input data is written in the alternate track of the disc, and the original (regular) track address and the alternate track address are combined. Replacement area management information (hereinafter also referred to as “replacement information”) such as a replacement table indicating correspondence is generated. Therefore, in the input / output system by ODD that adopts the device cross method,
When the input data is written to the ODD through a certain OFC, and a write failure occurs at that time, replacement track writing is performed and replacement information is generated, this replacement information is immediately notified to other OFCs. It is desirable to put it.

If there is no notification of replacement information (information exchange) between these OFCs, then another OF
Every time C performs input data write processing or read processing, it is necessary to read all the alternate tracks of the disk from the beginning every time, which increases the input / output processing time.

As a method for exchanging the replacement information between the OFCs, it is conceivable to provide an interface including a common memory between the OFCs. However, the new interface requires an additional circuit, and the mounting area is small. There is a problem that the amount of the circuit increases as well as the amount of the whole circuit.

The control method of the optical disk subsystem previously filed by the present applicant (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-1039)
No. 17), which does not show anything about the transfer method of the replacement information.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and, in an input / output system using a device cross call system, existing in a recording device (ODD) without adding a special interface. The replacement information is exchanged between the recording control devices (OFCs) when the replacement information is updated by using the interface and buffer memory of the above, so that a simple configuration does not require rereading of all replacement tracks in the subsequent input / output processing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a replacement information transmission method capable of reducing the processing time.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a plurality of recording control devices and a recording device having an interface for each recording control device and a buffer memory, and performs device cross-calling. In the replacement information transmission method of the input / output system used, when the replacement information is updated at the time of writing to the recording device, the replacement information update data is recorded from another recording control device to another recording via the interface and the buffer memory. It is configured to transmit to the control device.

For example, one recording control device (OFC
When “0”) acquires the control right of the recording control device (ODD), writes and takes turns, the replacement information is OD.
It is transmitted to D (stored in the buffer memory in the ODD once), and when transmission is completed, the OFC “0” disconnects its control right. Further, the ODD notifies the other recording control device (OFC “0”) that the replacement information has been updated, and the OFC
"1" is configured so that the replacement information updated from the ODD (from the buffer memory) is taken up in its own register unit.

[0014]

The operation based on the above configuration will be described.

According to the present invention, when input data is written by a certain recording control device and replacement information is generated or updated, this replacement information is stored in the recording device through a corresponding interface in the recording device. Once stored in the buffer memory, this replacement information is then sucked up from the buffer memory to the other recording control device through the other interface in the recording device. As a result, each recording control device can always have new replacement information even if the input data is written and the replacement information is updated by any of the recording control devices. Therefore,
Then, when writing or reading is performed by one of the recording control devices, it is not necessary to reread the replacement track from the beginning each time, and it is sufficient to read the replacement track portion necessary for the writing or reading process.
Processing time is reduced.

Further, in order to exchange (notify) the replacement information between the recording control devices, it is possible to use the existing interface and buffer memory in the recording device without adding a special interface or a common memory. ..

[0017]

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

FIG. 1 is a connection configuration diagram of a device cross-call type optical disc system of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a general device cross-call type optical disc system to which the present invention is applied. ..

Before explaining the embodiment of FIG. 1, an outline of a device cross-call type optical disc system will be described with reference to FIG. 101 is ODD (Optical Di)
skDrive: optical disk drive), one set is shown as two sets of four sets each. 102 and 103 are
OFC (Optical Formatted Con)
“0” and “1” of a controller (optical format controller), and two sets are provided according to the ODD of each set as an example. OFC “0” 102 and OFC “1” 10
3 are connected to upper host devices 105 and 115, respectively. Each set OFC “0” 102 and OFC “1” 1
03 through the ports provided for each ODD, that is, two interfaces 104 and 114,
It is possible to access any of the ODD “1 to 4” 101 of the stand, and OFC “0” 102 or OFC “1”
Even if one of 103 fails, the data of each ODD can be recovered. Thus, in the device cross-call type optical disc system, two OFCs are connected to each of a plurality of ODDs, for example, four ODDs.
Efficient processing and management of business.

Details of the device call method of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 2 is a timing chart of ODD control right transition in the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, 101 is one of the ODDs, and 102 and 103 are OFC “0” and OFC “1” connected to the ODD 101. ODD101 is OFC "0"
102 and OFC “1” 103, respectively, a command / status control unit interface (Comma
nd Status Interface: "CM
D / STS I / F ". ) 104 and CMD
/ STS I / F 105, a high-speed buffer memory 108 such as a microprocessor unit (MPU) 106 and a RAM attached to it, and data to be written to a hard optical disk (not shown) is modulated (A / D conversion) or this Demodulate the data read from the optical disc (D /
Formatter 107 for performing A conversion). OFC “0” 102 and CMD / STS I / F10
4 is a path 201 for command signals and status signals and various control signals 5, 6, which will be described later.
Path 202 for 7, 8 and 9 and path 20 for write or read data to hard optical disk
3 and 3. Similarly, OFC “1” 103 and CM
The D / STS I / F 114 is connected by a command / status signal path 211, a control signal path 212, and a write / read data path 213. Reference numeral 204 is a path for controlling the formatter 107 to be switched to the OFC “0” side or the OFC “1” side by the MPU 106, and 205 is the CMD / STS.
Between the I / Fs 104, 114 and the MPU 106,
A path for exchanging various signals such as a command signal, a status signal, and a control signal, 206 (216) is C
MD / STS I / F 104 (114) and formatter 1
A path for exchanging various signals such as a command signal, a status signal, and a control signal with 07, 207 (21
Reference numeral 7) is a path for exchanging write / read data of the optical disk between the CMD / STS I / F 104 (114) or the data path 203 (213) and the formatter 107. OFC “0” 102 and O
FC “1” 103 is SCSI (Small)
Computer Systems Interfac
e) It is connected to a host device (not shown) via "0" and SCSI "1".

First, consider a case where the OFC "0" 102 tries to write data on an optical disk. OFC
“0” indicates the path 201, the CMD / STS IF 104,
Through the MPU 106, the path 204 is switched to the state “0” and the formatter 107 is enabled and the paths 206 and 207 are connected thereto, so that the data to be written or read is the OFC “0” 102 and the formatter 1.
It is transferred through the paths 203 and 207 between 07. Now, assuming that the replacement process is performed at the time of the writing process on the optical disk, the OFC “0” 102 stores the replacement information (the correspondence table of the replacement address and the original address) by the replacement process in the OFC “1” 103. In order to convey the message to the user, it is necessary to first have the ODD control right by himself, and then to hand this ODD control right to the OFC “1” 103. (In the present embodiment, the replacement information that needs to be notified to the OFC “1” on the other side is information indicating that replacement processing has been performed or so-called replacement area management information such as the above correspondence table. It does not include the data itself written to the replacement area).

This situation will be described in detail with reference to FIG. O
The FC “0” 102 receives the control right, and therefore the pass 20
1, issue the reserve command 21 through the CMD / STS IF 104, MPU 106, and by this issue,
In the OFC “0” 102, the assign (ASIN) signal 5 indicating that the control right of the ODD 101 is acquired is turned on. (Since only one port, that is, one OFC, can selectively connect one optical disk drive at a certain time point, an exclusive connection right is obtained by this reserve command). In addition, this reserve command 21
Turns on the busy signal 16 sent to the OFC “1” 103 by the
"1" indicates that there is another control right. Then,
From OFC “0” 101 to path 201, CMD / STS
Alternate WR (write) processing command group and necessary data 22 to ODD 101 through IF 104 and MPU 106
Will be sent. And when the sending is completed, MPU106
Stores the command group and data (including the replacement information such as the replacement address and the original address by this replacement processing) in the buffer memory RAM 108. At this time, the OFC “0” 102 becomes the OFC “1” 10
3 turns on the attention (ATTN) signal 17 to notify that there is information, and the OFC
“1” 103 is a status (STATUS) signal 24
By knowing that the information is the replacement update information, the ATTN signal 17 is turned off by the attention reset (ATTNRST) command 25.

At that time, the OFC "0" 102 releases its control right by the release command 23, and the BYSY signal 16 is turned off. OFC "1" 10
After confirming that the BYSY signal 16 is OFF, the control command 3 acquires the control right by the reserve command 21 and obtains information (alternate information such as alternate address and original address) by the alternate RD (read) processing command group and the necessary data 26. Rise from RAM 108 to its own register (in OFC “1”). OFC “1” 103
Issues a release command 23 to disconnect the control right. As described above, it is possible to transfer the control right and transmit the replacement update information from the OFC “0” 102 to the OFC “1” 103.

Next, the details of the replacement WR (writing) process and the RD (reading) process will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 3
2 is a replacement information update timing chart, which substantially corresponds to the periods 22 and 26 of FIG.

COMMAND STATUS shown in FIG.
The line (path) 201 normally functions as a command or status line, but this line is O when a special command as described below is issued.
Switching to the alternate information processing mode in which the FC command signal (OFCCOM) 9 is turned on. In the present embodiment, the address instruction command 27 of the buffer memory in the ODD 101, the transfer byte length command 28, and the transfer direction WR command (WR command of information indicating whether the transfer direction is the writing direction or the reading direction with respect to the optical disk) 29.
By issuing the following three commands, MPU106
Recognizes that the special command has been issued, that is, the replacement information processing mode, and recognizes the command of the subsequent processing as replacement data, not as a normal command. At this time, as described above, the OFCCOM signal 9
Is turned on during the replacement information processing mode. The command execution (CMDEXE) signal 8 is a signal indicating that the command is being executed, and sends the number of bytes required to execute each command to the ODD 101 during the ON period. Then, when the required data 31 has been sent, the OFCCOM signal 9 is turned off, and the replacement information update WR process ends. Then, the replacement information update RD process of FIG. 3 is performed. This processing means that the OFC “1” 103 scoops the replacement information from the buffer memory RAM 108 of the ODD into the OFC “1” 103. As with the replacement information update WR processing, the command 27 and , Command 28 and transfer direction RD command 41
FC "1" 103 recognizes the register contents, which are usually status signals, as replacement data 32, and sets the required number of bytes to O.
Spool from the DD memory. According to the embodiment of FIG.
After the special command is issued, it is recognized as the replacement information data without being recognized as the normal command, so that the data transfer can be performed at high speed.

By the above operation, OFC "0" and OF
All signal exchanges with C "1" are CMD / S.
This is done through the TS IFs 104 and 114 and the path 205.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a command format different from that of FIG. 3 as a command issuance format for recognizing that the above-mentioned alternation information processing mode is in effect. In the present embodiment, instead of the method of FIG. 3, the data is put on the command parameter and the response information from the ODD is recognized by the stator. That is, here, (in the case of FIG. 3, each of the commands 27 to 29 is composed of a 2-byte command that does not include data, instead of this, instead of this), one half of the 2 bytes is used. Is a command part and the other half is a data part. OF
The C “0” 102 transmits the replacement information to the ODD by this command 35, and the OFC “1” 103 can collect the replacement data 37 from the buffer memory of the ODD by the 2-byte status command 36. However, in the case of this embodiment, there are many types of commands. Further, the total length of all commands is twice as long as that in FIG. 3, so that the transfer period is twice as long.

In the above embodiment, the explanation of the operation of the replacement process itself is omitted. This is because when there is a data write failure on the regular track of the optical disk as usual, the data is written to the replacement track of the optical disk. The table is created at the same time as writing, and the time is just before the processing of FIG. 2 starts. In addition, from the writing of the input data by the OFC “0” to the disconnection (23 of 102 in FIG. 2) due to the end of the replacement information WR process by the OFC “0”, the OFC
"0" can be controlled continuously. Further, in the present embodiment, when the replacement processing is performed, the information notified from the OFC that has performed the replacement processing to the other OFC is:
As described above, only the replacement information such as the replacement address and the original address (replacement area management information) is included, and the write data itself of the replacement area is not included (the idea is
However, according to the present embodiment, the replacement area management information is replaced in advance between the OFCs when the replacement processing is performed in this way. By doing so, it is not necessary to reread the entire alternate track of the disk each time each subsequent writing or reading process of data is performed, and only the alternate track portion necessary for the write / read process needs to be read. The processing time can be shortened sufficiently (compared to those without such information exchange).

As a method of exchanging information between OFCs, as indicated by a dotted line 220 in FIG.
Although it is conceivable to provide an interface between "1", this method uses the I / F of this interface 220.
A control circuit, a connector, and a shared memory are newly required, which increases the amount of circuits and increases the cost. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the existing interface and the buffer memory in the ODD can be used to perform the information exchange at the time of updating the replacement information with a simple configuration without increasing the mounting area.

[0031]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in the input / output system of the device cross-call system, when the replacement information is updated by a certain recording control device, the interface and the buffer memory in the recording device are provided. Since the replacement information update data is transmitted via the other recording control device via the other recording control device, it is not necessary to reread the replacement track from the beginning each time when the writing / reading process is performed by the other recording control device. Since it is necessary to read only the replacement track portion required for the above, the processing time can be shortened. Moreover, there is an effect that such replacement information can be transmitted with a simple structure by using the existing interface or buffer memory in the recording apparatus without adding any special interface or buffer memory.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connection configuration diagram of an optical disc system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart of ODD control right transition in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart of an example of replacement information updating.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of another embodiment of replacement information updating.

FIG. 5 is a schematic connection configuration diagram of a general optical disc system.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional disk device.

[Explanation of symbols]

5,15 Assign signal 6,16 Busy signal 7,17 Attention signal 8,18 Command execution signal 9,19 OFCCOM signal 21 Reserve command 22 Processing command group and data 23 Release command 24 Status signal 25 Attention reset signal 26 Processing command group and Data 27 Address designation command 28 Transfer byte length command 29 Transfer direction WR command 31 Data 32 Alternate data 35 Command 36 Status command 37 Alternate data 41 Transfer direction RD command 101 Optical disk drive (ODD) 102, 103 Optical formatted controller (OFC) 104, 114 Command / status control unit (interface) 105, 115 Host device 106 Microprocessor unit 10 7 Formatter 108 Buffer memory (RAM)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An alternate information transmission system of an input / output system using a device cross call, comprising: a plurality of recording control devices; and a recording device having an interface for each recording control device and a buffer memory. When the replacement information is updated at the time of writing, the replacement information update data is transmitted from one recording control device to another recording control device via the interface and the buffer memory. Information transmission method.