KR100941026B1 - Database Managemnet Method for a Storage Medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a database management technology for a storage medium. In particular, the database is constructed with a minimum storage space by using entry location information for files and folders of a storage medium and a DB index for crosslinking. When a name is needed, a database management technique is disclosed that can utilize a database item to quickly provide a file or folder name with minimal storage access. According to the present invention, by establishing a database that manages files and folders of a storage medium with a minimum storage space, a cost reduction due to low memory usage in a system using a storage medium, an operation speed improvement due to a reduction in access to a storage medium, and a database management function Enhancement can be obtained.

File entry location, folder entry location, database, index

Description

Database Managemnet Method for a Storage Medium}

The present invention relates to a database management technology for a storage medium. In particular, the database is constructed with a minimum storage space by using entry location information for files and folders of a storage medium and a DB index for crosslinking. When a name is needed, it relates to a database management technique that can utilize a database item to quickly provide a file name or folder name with less storage access.

Conventionally, various storage media such as hard disks, SD memory cards, MMC memory and USB memory devices have been widely used for effectively storing large amounts of data. Recently, music files (eg, MP3 files) have been used in car audio and home audio. It is increasingly used as a storage medium.

The storage medium manages file and folder information in a hierarchical directory type allocation table (eg, File Allocation Table) by a file system such as FAT32 or NTFS in order to effectively manage a large amount of data. At the same time as recording the file data on the storage medium, related file information is recorded in the hierarchical directory of the allocation table.

On the other hand, the technique of inserting a storage medium storing music files into a vehicle / home audio system and reading and playing these music files in an audio system has recently been widely used. Such a car / home audio system needs to effectively manage music files of a storage medium. For this purpose, it is conceivable to manage a database of music files and folder structures of a storage medium.

However, it is not desirable to consume too much memory space to manage such a database, so it is required to optimize the memory space. In general, since the storage medium has a capacity of several to several tens of gigabytes while the music file is only about 3 to 4 megabytes, it should be assumed that more than 10,000 music files are stored. The ease of designing a database requires a significant amount of memory space, which is undesirable.

This demand is very important, given that automotive and home audio systems are in a competitive price competition. Considering the product price, it is not desirable to attach additional system memory (eg, SRAM and DRAM) in addition to the system controller chip. Even if the system memory is inevitably attached, it is desired to reduce the required memory capacity to a minimum.

The file name and folder name are considered to be particularly problematic here in terms of database memory capacity. For the sake of simplicity, assuming that there are 10,000 music files, even if the file name in the database is limited to 256 bytes by string, the total file size is about 2.4 megabytes. In addition, additional file information will also have to be recorded in the database, which is expected to require 2.6 to 3 megabytes of memory space for the entire storage medium.

In this case, the memory space of 2.6 to 3 megabytes cannot be accommodated by the memory space embedded in the general system controller chip. Therefore, it is necessary to attach a large amount of system memory separately, which can be a serious factor in raising the product price. have.

In addition, when operating music files included in a storage medium in an audio system, especially when a file name or folder name is taken out and displayed on a UI (User Interface), excessive access to the storage medium may be slow and undesirable. Thus, there is a need for maintaining less storage media access. In order to reduce the memory capacity of the database, it is necessary to reduce the information stored in each database item. If the database design is not easy, there is a risk of over-accessing the storage medium in actual use.

Therefore, a technology for managing file and folder information of a storage medium in a database using a storage medium is required. In particular, the memory space required for a database is optimized in consideration of a situation in which a large number of files and folders are included. Rather, there is a need for database management techniques that allow for less access to storage media in actual use.

In a system using various storage media such as a hard disk, an SD memory card, an MMC memory, a USB memory device, and the like, a technology for efficiently managing files and folder information included in the storage media as a database is required.

In particular, it is extremely difficult to increase the product price of the system while the storage medium has a large capacity of several to several tens of gigabytes. Therefore, it is very difficult to optimize the memory space required for the database. In addition, there is a need for an efficient database management technique that allows for less access to storage media in actual use.

In the method of managing a storage medium database used in the present invention, after constructing a database with a minimum storage space using entry location information of files and folders of a storage medium and a DB index for crosslinking, the names of the files and folders are changed. If necessary, database items can be used to quickly provide file or folder names with minimal access to storage media, thereby reducing the cost of using low memory, speeding up operations by minimizing access, and enhancing database management. It is a technology that can be done.

The structure of this invention for achieving the said subject is as follows.

Storage medium database management method according to the invention, a method for managing a database for one or more files and folders stored in the storage medium, (a-1) analyzing the allocation table of the storage medium; (a-2) creating a database of files and folders on a storage medium; (a-3) obtaining entry locations of files and folders on a storage medium from allocation tables of the storage medium, assigning and recording file items and folder items in a database; (a-4) recording a crosslink of the folder to which each file belongs to the database for the file item; (b-1) receiving a file name for a specific file item; (b-2) obtaining a file entry location and a crosslink from a database for the requested file item; (b-3) opening a folder corresponding to the crosslink from the storage medium; And (b-4) acquiring and providing a file name corresponding to the file entry location in the opened folder.

A storage medium database management method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: (a-5) recording a DB index of a higher folder with respect to a folder of a storage medium in a database; (b-5) receiving a request for a folder name for a specific folder item; (b-6) obtaining a folder entry location and a higher folder DB index from the database for the requested folder item; (b-7) opening a folder according to a higher folder DB index from the storage medium; And (b-8) acquiring and providing a folder name corresponding to the folder entry location in the opened folder.

In the method of managing a storage medium database according to the present invention, step (b-4) may include: (b-4- 1) searching for file information matching a file entry location among one or more file information included in the opened folder; And (b-4-2) acquiring and providing a file name from the retrieved file information.

In the database management method according to the present invention, step (b-8) includes (b-8-1) searching for folder information matching the folder entry location among one or more folder information included in the opened folder; And (b-8-2) acquiring and providing a folder name written in the folder information.

A storage medium database management method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: (a-6) storing a DB index for the first file belonging to each folder of the storage medium in a database; (b-9) receiving a file search request for a specific folder item; (b-10) obtaining an original file DB index from a database for the requested folder item; And (b-11) performing a file search from a file item corresponding to the original file DB index in the database.

A storage medium database management method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: (c-1) receiving a request to play a specific file item; (c-2) obtaining a file entry location from a database for the requested file item; And (c-3) reading data from the physical address corresponding to the file entry location in the storage medium to perform the playback.

The method for managing a storage medium database according to the present invention may further comprise (a-7) recording codec type information on a storage medium with respect to a file of the storage medium.

According to the method for managing a database of the present invention, a database managing a plurality of files and folders included in a storage medium can be built with a minimum memory space so that the controller chip can be used as a controller chip internal memory in a system using the storage medium or at least a low memory capacity. There is an advantage that can be obtained by reducing the cost of using.

In addition, according to the database management method of the present invention, it is possible to establish a database for a plurality of files and folders with a minimum space while maintaining less access to the storage medium when the actual file is used, thereby improving the operation speed that the user feels when operating the system. There is an advantage to this.

In addition, the database management method of the present invention has an advantage that it is possible to effectively manage information on a plurality of files and folders included in the storage medium in a system using the storage medium.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a connection between the management device 10 and the storage medium 50 in the database management technology according to the present invention.

The storage medium 50 has a storage space therein such as a hard disk, an SD memory card, an MMC memory, a USB memory device, and the like to store various files such as MP3 files. The storage medium 50 is formatted according to a file system such as FAT32, NTFS, etc., and thus has an allocation table 60 of a hierarchical directory structure for information on files and folders.

The management device 10 is a device utilizing a file stored in the storage medium 50. In the present invention, it is assumed that the home or car audio system reads and reproduces the music file stored in the storage medium 50. The management apparatus 10 includes a system control processor 20, a database 30 for managing information on various files and folders, and an input / output port 40 for connecting the storage medium 50.

First, as the storage medium 50 is inserted through the input / output port 40, the processor 20 of the management apparatus 10 accesses the allocation table 60 to access files and folders included in the storage medium 50. Analyze the entry structure. That is, the processor 20 grasps the entry structure for files and folders from the allocation table 60, and obtains an entry location (File Entry Location, Folder Entry Location) for these files and folders from the allocation table 60. .

Here, the entry location is collectively named as a file entry location or folder entry location, and the sector address where the actual data address values of these files and folders are stored and the tree structure of one or more files and folders are identified. It is preferably composed of a value consisting of a combination of possible Directory Entry Offsets.

The processor 20 records and organizes information on these files and folders in the database 30. First, by assigning a file entry location and a folder entry location for each file and folder, the storage medium 50 is loaded into the storage medium 50 in earnest. Database management is started.

2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of files and folders of a storage medium 50 and an example of the allocation table 60 accordingly.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the allocation table 60 of the storage medium 50, directory entries representing hierarchical affiliation structures for various files and folders are formed, starting from a root folder, and file names for each. Or folder name, attribute information, and file / folder entry location value.

For example, the allocation table 60 determines that two lecture folders and music folders exist and one Friends.mp3 file exists under a root folder, which is a top-level folder. In addition, according to the assignment table 60, it is understood that there are folders called history, law, math, and science under the lecture folder, and that there are folders called classic, jazz, and pop under the music folder.

In addition, according to the allocation table 60, it is found that there are two files named China.mp3 and Japan.mp3 in the history folder, and 17 items from Jazz1.mp3 to jazz17.mp3 in the jazz folder having the same hierarchical structure. Know that the file exists. Further, according to the assignment table 60, file names, attribute information, and file entry location information are recognized for various files.

In the detailed description of the present specification, it is assumed that 10 folders including the root folder and 10,000 files exist in the storage medium 50. Hereinafter, the database management technology according to the present invention will be described.

3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a database 30 operated by the management device 10 to manage the storage medium 50 in the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the processor 20 of the management apparatus 10 constructs a database 30 having a file DB item and a folder DB item in order to manage information on files and folders of a storage medium 50. .

Here, the file DB item is a part having information about a file of the storage medium 50. Since the file DB item is assumed to be stored, the file DB item is an array having 10,000 items. In addition, the folder DB item is a part having information on a folder of the storage medium 50. Since the folder DB item is assumed to have 10 folders, the folder DB item has an array having 10 items.

As shown, the file DB item portion of the database 30 assigns 10,000 file information to each item. In this embodiment, information about the Friends.mp3 file is assigned to [0], and the file is assigned to the China.mp3 file. And information about the Japan.mp3 file are assigned to [1] and [2], and the information about the Jazz1.mp3 to Jazz17.mp3 files is assigned to [101] to [117].

In addition, the folder DB item portion of the database 30 assigns ten folder information to each item. In this embodiment, information about the root folder is assigned to [0] and each folder, that is, a lecture folder and a music folder. The information about the history folder, law folder, math folder, science folder, classic folder, jazz folder, and pop folder is shown in [1] to [9].

As already shown with reference to FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the Friends.mp3 file belongs to the root folder, the China.mp3 file and Japan.mp3 file belong to the history folder, and the Jazz1.mp3 to Jazz17.mp3 files It is assumed to belong to the jazz folder.

Accordingly, in the database management method according to the present invention, an item for the Friends.mp3 file in the file DB item crosslinks an item of the root folder in the folder DB item, and the China.mp3 file and the Japan. The entry for the mp3 file crosslinks the entry of the history folder in the folder DB entry, and the entry for the Jazz1.mp3 file or the Jazz17.mp3 file in the file DB entry crosslinks the entry in the jazz folder in the folder DB entry.

4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a bit-field configuration of file items and folder items used in the database 30 according to the present invention. 4 is only to be understood that the preferred embodiment of the bitfield of the database item to which the technology of the present invention can be applied.

First, the bitfields for file DB items will be described.

▲ File Entry Location (2 bytes): Information related to the physical address where the actual data of the file is stored in the storage medium 50, and may be composed of a combination of a sector address and a directory entry offset for the actual data. have. The file entry location is the location information needed to get a file name or file attribute from the file system. In addition, since the file entry location information corresponds to the physical address where the actual data is stored, using this information, it is possible to immediately perform operations on the file, for example, playing a music file.

▲ Folder DB Index (2 bytes): A value indicating the index value of a folder to which a file belongs to a folder DB item, and corresponds to a cross-link between a file DB item and a folder DB item. For example, since the history folder to which the China.mp3 file belongs is assigned to [3] in the folder DB item, the folder DB index for the China.mp3 file becomes "3". To get the name of a specific file, you must first open the folder to which the file belongs, so you need a folder DB index for the file DB item.

▲ Codec Type (1 byte): Shows codec information (eg MP3, WMA, AVI, etc.) for the file. In order to reduce the number of times the storage medium 50 is accessed when processing the file.

▲ Extended Type (1 byte): This is an area for adding extra information to the file DB according to the designer's choice.

Next, the bit field for the folder DB item will be described.

Folder Entry Location (4 bytes): Information related to a physical address where information of the folder is stored in the storage medium 50, and may be a combination of a sector address and a directory entry offset in which folder information is stored. Folder entry locations are the location information needed to get a folder name or folder attribute from the file system.

▲ Upper Folder DB Index (2 bytes): The upper level of the folder occupies the folder DB item. For example, the music folder, the parent folder of the classic folder, is assigned to [2] in the folder DB item, so the parent folder DB index for the classic folder is "2". In order to get the name of a specific folder, the folder to which the folder belongs must first be opened. Therefore, the parent folder DB index is required for the folder DB item.

▲ First File Index (2 bytes): Index value in the file DB item for the first file among the files belonging to the folder. For example, all 17 files belong to the jazz folder. Among them, the first file Jazz1.mp3 is assigned to [101] in the file DB item, so the first file DB index for the jazz folder is "101". . The original file DB index can be useful for fast file searching.

If the bitfield of the database 30 is configured as in the above embodiment, it takes 6 bytes per file item, so even if there are 10,000 music files, only 60 kilobytes of memory space is required. (Even if there are 10,000 music files, the number of folders is generally not large. Therefore, the memory space required for the folder item is expected to be relatively small compared to the memory space required for the file item. )

Compared to the analysis result that the memory space analysis requires about 2.6 to 3 megabytes of memory space without considering the above-mentioned memory space analysis results, the memory usage efficiency of the database is improved by about 50 times, which is a very significant result. Is obvious.

In particular, the memory space of about 60 kilobytes is not only enough to accommodate the memory space built into the commercial system controller chip, but also can be configured as a cache, which not only saves memory space but also reduces product price and system performance. Additional improvements are also available.

5 is a diagram illustrating the concept of a method for effectively obtaining a file name or a folder name between the database 30 and the allocation table 60 in the database management method according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in order to effectively obtain a file name, the database 30 operated by the management apparatus 10 includes a file DB item holding information on a file and a folder DB item holding information on a folder. In addition, the file DB item holds the entry location of each file, the DB index of the folder to which the file belongs, and the file entry location, and the folder DB item contains the DB location of each folder, the DB index of the parent folder, and the original file DB index. Holds.

First, a case where a name for a specific file item belonging to the database 30 is requested will be described. For better understanding, a case where a file name for the index [101] of the file DB item is requested is described as an example.

First, the processor 20 obtains a file entry location and a folder DB index from the file DB item. In the case of the file index [101], a specific file entry location value and folder DB index " 8 " recorded from the portion hatched in the file DB item on the left side of Fig. 5 are obtained.

The processor 20 obtains a folder entry location from the folder DB item corresponding to the folder DB index. In the case of the file index [101], a specific folder entry location value recorded from the folder item [8], which is a hatched portion of the folder DB item on the right side of Fig. 5, is obtained.

The processor 20 opens the folder from the allocation table 60 of the storage medium 50 using the folder entry location obtained above. In the case of the file index [101], the "jazz" folder is opened.

Since the opened folder includes information (including a file name and a file entry location) of files belonging to the folder, the processor 20 compares these file information with the obtained file entry location and matches the file information. Extract The file name included in the extracted file information is the file name to be obtained.

In the case of the file index [101], a total of 17 file information about Jazz1.mp3 to Jazz17.mp3 files are connected to the jazz folder. Each of these contains the name of the file and the entry location of the file or information constituting it (eg, sector address, directory entry offset), so that the file entry location values obtained from the file entry [101] Compared with the file information, matching file information can be extracted. The file name included in the matching file information is the file name to be obtained.

Through the above procedure, the processor 20 obtains and provides a file name for a specific file item belonging to the database 30.

Next, the case where a name for a specific folder item belonging to the database 30 is requested will be described. For the sake of understanding, the case where a folder name for the index [8] of the folder DB item is requested is described as an example.

First, the processor 20 obtains a folder entry location and a higher folder DB index from the folder DB item. In the case of the folder index [8], the specific folder entry location value and the upper folder DB index " 2 " recorded from the shaded portion in the folder DB item on the right side of Fig. 5 are obtained.

The processor 20 opens a folder according to a higher folder DB index from the storage medium 50. For example, the processor 20 obtains a folder entry location from a folder DB item corresponding to the upper folder DB index, and opens the corresponding folder (ie, the upper folder) by using the same. In the case of the folder index [8], since the upper folder DB index is "2", the folder entry location value is obtained from the folder item [2] of the folder DB item on the right side of FIG. The folder is opened from the table 60. In the case of folder index [8], the "music" folder is opened.

Since the opened folder includes information (including folder name and folder entry location) of folders belonging to the folder, the processor 20 compares these folder information with the obtained folder entry location, and matches the matching folder information. Extract The folder name included in the extracted folder information is the folder name to be obtained.

In the case of the folder index [8], three pieces of folder information are connected to the music folder: the classic folder, the jazz folder, and the pop folder. Each of these contains a name for the folder and the entry location of the folder or information constituting the same (eg, sector address, directory entry offset), so that the three folder entry location values obtained from folder item [8] are obtained. Compared with the folder information, matching folder information can be extracted. The name included in the matching folder information is the folder name to be obtained.

Through the above-described procedure, the processor 20 obtains and provides a folder name for a specific folder item belonging to the database 30.

In addition, when a file search for a specific folder item included in the database 30 is requested, a file corresponding to the original file DB index is obtained from the database 30 and an initial file DB index for the requested folder item is obtained. Start searching for a file from an item.

For example, a file search for the index [8] of the folder DB item is described. For example, in the folder item [8] on the right side of FIG. 5, the initial file DB index is “101”, whereby the file item [ File search is performed. That is, when a file search is requested in the jazz folder which is the folder item [8], a file search is started from the Jazz1.mp3 file which is the file item [101], thereby obtaining a valid result.

6 is a diagram illustrating a processing method according to a name request for a file and a folder in a database management method according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a processing method according to a name request for a file and a folder includes a specific folder and a parent opened based on a folder entry location designated by a folder DB index and a parent folder DB index when a name request for a file and a folder is requested. A method of obtaining a file name and a folder name corresponding to an entry location for a file and a folder in a folder.

When the Jazz1.mp3 file name is requested, the processor 20 obtains from the database 30 the folder DB index "8" of the jazz folder to which the file entry location for the requested Jazz1.mp3 belongs.

The processor 20 opens the jazz folder 8 according to the root entry structure of the allocation table 60 of the storage medium 50 based on the folder entry location designated by the folder DB index "8", and opens the opened jazz folder [ 8] 17 files are obtained in order from the file name Jazz1.mp3 corresponding to the file entry location entered from [101] to [117] in order from Jazz17.mp3.

In addition, upon request for the jazz folder name, the processor 20 obtains, from the database 30, the upper folder DB index "2" of the music folder, which is the upper folder to which the folder entry location for the requested jazz folder belongs.

The processor 20 opens the music folder according to the root entry structure of the allocation table 60 of the storage medium 50 based on the folder entry location designated by the upper folder DB index 2, and then opens the music folder in the opened music folder. Get the folder name Jazz that corresponds to the folder entry location entered at the address.

As the processor 20 searches for the first file for the requested jazz folder, the processor 20 obtains the first file DB index 101 for the requested jazz folder from the database 30, and the first file corresponding to the original file DB index [101]. Find Jazz1.mp3 from the file entry.

Although described above with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below I can understand that you can.

1 is a view showing a connection between a management device and a storage medium in the database management technology according to the present invention;

2 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement structure of files and folders on a storage medium, and an allocation table according thereto;

3 is a view showing an example of a database according to the present invention;

4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a bitfield configuration of a file item and a folder item used in a database according to the present invention;

5 is a diagram illustrating a concept of a method for effectively obtaining a file name and a folder name between a database and an allocation table according to the present invention;

6 is a diagram illustrating a processing method according to a name request for a file and a folder according to the present invention.

Claims (7)

A method of managing a database of one or more files and folders stored on a storage medium, the method comprising: (a-1) analyzing the allocation table of the storage medium; (a-2) creating a database of files and folders on the storage medium; (a-3) obtaining entry locations of the files and folders of the storage medium from the allocation table of the storage medium, assigning and recording the file items and the folder items of the database; (a-4) recording a crosslink of the folder to which each file belongs to the database for the file item; (b-1) receiving a file name for a specific file item; (b-2) obtaining a file entry location and a crosslink from the database for the requested file item; (b-3) opening a folder corresponding to the crosslink from the storage medium; And (b-4) acquiring and providing a file name corresponding to the file entry location in the opened folder; Storage medium database management method comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The storage medium database management method, (a-5) recording a DB index of an upper folder with respect to the folder of the storage medium in a database; (b-5) receiving a request for a folder name for a specific folder item; (b-6) obtaining a folder entry location and a higher folder DB index from the database for the requested folder item; (b-7) opening a folder according to the upper folder DB index from the storage medium; And (b-8) acquiring and providing a folder name corresponding to the folder entry location in the opened folder; Storage medium database management method further comprises. The method according to claim 2, Step (b-4) is, (b-4-1) searching for file information matching the file entry location among one or more file information included in the opened folder; And (b-4-2) acquiring and providing a file name from the retrieved file information; Storage medium database management method comprising a. The method according to claim 3, Step (b-8), (b-8-1) searching for folder information matching the folder entry location among one or more folder information included in the opened folder; And (b-8-2) obtaining and providing a folder name written in the folder information; Storage medium database management method comprising a. The method according to claim 4, The storage medium database management method, (a-6) storing a DB index of the first file belonging to each folder of the storage medium in the database; (b-9) receiving a file search request for a specific folder item; (b-10) obtaining an original file DB index from the database for the requested folder item; And (b-11) performing the file search from a file item corresponding to the original file DB index in the database; Storage medium database management method further comprises. The method according to claim 5, The storage medium database management method, (c-1) receiving a request to play a specific file item; (c-2) obtaining a file entry location from the database for the requested file item; And (c-3) reading data from the physical address corresponding to the file entry location on the storage medium to perform playback; Storage medium database management method further comprises. The method according to claim 6, The storage medium database management method, (a-7) recording codec type information on a file of the storage medium on the storage medium; Storage medium database management method further comprises.

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