JP2000057661A - Method for detecting ejection of tape cassette, and recording or reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable to report the error information to a host computer when a tape cassette is forcibly ejected. SOLUTION: Communication is periodically performed between a 1st CPU communicating with a host and a 2nd CPU executing mechanical control. Counting of the timer is started (S11, S12) when the tape loading is started. When information on tape ejection is reported (S13, S14) to the 1st CPU from the 2nd CPU within a specified time, an error is reported (S15) to the host by judging that the tape is forcibly ejected. On the other hand, when the tape ejection is not reported (S13) within the specified time, the normal operation is carried out (S16) by judging that the tape is properly loaded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette discharge detecting method for detecting that a cassette tape has been forcibly discharged, and a recording or reproducing apparatus in a recording / reproducing apparatus using a cassette tape as a recording medium. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Digital data is recorded on a magnetic tape /
A tape streamer drive, which is a magnetic tape device for reproducing, has a huge recording capacity, and is therefore widely used for backing up data stored in a storage device such as a hard disk. Further, the tape streamer drive is suitable not only for backup but also for recording data of a large file such as moving image data.

As such a tape streamer drive, for example, a tape cassette similar to an 8 mm VTR tape cassette is used, and digital data is recorded / reproduced on a magnetic tape by a helical scan method using a rotary head. Have been put to practical use.

[0004] The magnetic tape is housed in a tape cassette provided with a lid which can be opened and closed by releasing the lock mechanism by a predetermined method. When this tape cassette is inserted into the tape streamer drive, a loading operation is automatically started. That is, the tape cassette is transported to a predetermined position in the drive, and the locking mechanism of the lid is released by a predetermined method. Then, the magnetic tape stored in the tape cassette is pulled out by an arm mechanism or the like,
It is passed through a predetermined tape path so that it can be wound around a rotating head.

In such a tape streamer drive, an input / output interface such as SC
An SI (Small Computer System Interface) interface is used, and at the time of recording, data is input from a host computer via the SCSI interface. The input data is subjected to predetermined signal processing, and is recorded on a magnetic tape by a helical scan method by, for example, a rotary head. At the time of reproduction, the data on the magnetic tape is reproduced by the rotating head, passed through predetermined signal processing, and then sent to the host computer via the SCSI interface.

As an example of the configuration of a tape streamer drive, there is a tape streamer drive having two CPUs. Two CPUs
Among them, one is a control CPU, which controls communication with a host computer, signal processing, and overall control of the drive. The other is a servo CPU which mainly controls mechanical systems such as loading / unloading, ejecting, and running of the tape. The control CPU and the servo CPU periodically communicate with each other, instruct the operation from the control CPU to the servo CPU, and return the status of the mechanism from the servo CPU to the control CPU. .

On the other hand, there has been a cassette changer or an autoloader using such a tape cassette. This has a rack capable of storing a plurality of tape streamer drives and a large number of tape cassettes, and automatically mounts a tape selected from these many tape cassettes to the drive, for example, at the request of the host computer. It reproduces and records data. Several hundred Gbytes or several T bytes,
Or it is very useful when dealing with more data.

FIG. 9 shows an example of processing for loading a tape cassette in the above-described tape streamer drive. In the servo CPU, the tape cassette is not inserted at first, and a status command indicating the ejection state is passed to the control CPU (step S110). When the tape cassette is inserted from the cassette insertion slot, the tape cassette is seated at a predetermined position under the control of the servo CPU (hereinafter, the seating of the tape cassette at the predetermined position is referred to as "cassette in"). Then, loading is started (step S111), and the cassette-in flag is set to "ON" indicating the cassette-in state and passed to the control CPU (step S11).
2).

On the other hand, the control CPU waits for the cassette-in (step S100), and waits for the servo CPU to pass the ON cassette-in flag (step S101). Then, when a cassette-in flag that is ON is passed from the servo CPU, the process proceeds to loading in the next step S102.

[0010]

However, for example, when an abnormal tape cassette is inserted, the tape cassette is ejected without setting the above-mentioned cassette-in flag to ON, or the control CPU performs a loading operation. In some cases, the tape cassette is ejected during the operation.

[0011] Anomalies in the tape cassette include hardware factors such as the tape being cut inside the cassette and the lid of the cassette not being opened, and software factors such as a tape cassette having the same shape but a different data format. , Various things are conceivable.

Conventionally, even when an abnormality is detected in the tape cassette, the servo CPU independently ejects the tape cassette, and the control CPU
There was a problem that this was not detected.

FIG. 10 shows an example in which the tape cassette is ejected without setting the cassette-in flag to ON. In the servo CPU, a tape cassette is inserted in the initial ejection state (step S120),
Loading is started in step S121. At this time, if an abnormality is detected in the tape cassette by a mechanical sensor or the like, the tape cassette is automatically ejected under the control of the servo CPU, as it cannot be loaded. Then, the status is set to the eject state (step S122).

In the example shown in FIG. 10, the tape cassette is ejected without setting the cassette-in flag to ON. Therefore, the control CPU is set in a standby state of the cassette-in flag in step S101,
The loading in step S102 is not performed.

FIG. 11 shows an example in which the tape cassette is ejected during the loading operation of the control CPU. In the servo CPU, the tape cassette is inserted into the initial ejection state (step S130), and the cassette is normally inserted. Cassette-in is recognized by the servo CPU, and loading is started in step S131. Then, in step S132, “ON”
Is sent to the control CPU.

However, in this example, an abnormality of the tape cassette is detected on the servo CPU side even though the ON state of the cassette-in flag is passed to the control CPU. Then, the tape cassette is made unusable by the servo CPU, ejected,
An ejection state is set (step S133).

On the other hand, in the control CPU, the cassette-in flag which is ON is passed from the servo CPU in step S132. However, as described above, since the servo CPU does not notify the control CPU that the cassette has been ejected, the control CPU executes the step despite the fact that the tape cassette is being ejected by the servo CPU. The loading operation from S102 is started.

Thus, even when the tape cassette is forcibly ejected, there is no problem if the tape streamer cassette is used alone and manually.

However, a problem arises when the tape streamer drive is mounted on the cassette changer or the autoloader as described above, and the tape cassette is automatically inserted into the drive. That is, since the servo CPU does not notify the control CPU that the cassette has been ejected, the control CPU cannot notify the host computer of the error information. Therefore, there is a problem that an external device such as a host computer may insert the tape cassette into the drive, but actually the target tape cassette is forcibly ejected.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tape cassette discharge detecting method and a recording or reproducing apparatus capable of notifying error information to a host computer when a tape cassette is forcibly discharged. It is in.

[0021]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a tape cassette ejecting device for detecting that a tape cassette has been forcibly ejected when the inserted tape cassette has an abnormality. In the detection method, a first control step for performing communication with the host, a second control step for controlling a loading operation of the tape cassette, and a step between the first control step and the second control step. A communication step of performing communication periodically and notifying the status of the loading operation from the second control step to the first control step, and the loading operation by the second control step is started. Within a predetermined period of time, the tape cassette has been ejected from the second control step to the first control step via the communication step. Once the status is notified, the first
The tape cassette ejection detection method is characterized in that an error is notified to the host by the control step (1).

According to the present invention, there is provided a recording / reproducing apparatus for detecting that a tape cassette inserted therein has been forcibly ejected when an error has occurred in the inserted tape cassette. The first control means, the second control means for controlling the loading operation of the tape cassette, and the first control means and the second control step periodically communicate with each other. Communication means for notifying the status of the loading operation to the first control means, and within a predetermined time from the start of the loading operation by the second control means, by the communication means from the second control means. When the status indicating that the tape cassette has been ejected is notified to the first control means,
A recording or reproducing apparatus characterized in that an error is notified to a host by a first control means.

As described above, according to the present invention, communication is periodically performed between the first control means for communicating with the host and the second control means for controlling the loading operation of the tape cassette. The status of the loading operation is notified from the second control unit to the first control unit by the communication unit, and the first control unit transmits the status of the loading operation to the first control unit within a predetermined time from the start of the loading operation by the second control unit. When the notification that the tape cassette has been ejected is issued to the control means, an error is notified to the host by the first control means, so that the tape cassette is forcibly ejected to the host. be able to.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a tape streamer drive to which the present invention can be applied. This tape streamer drive is used, for example, by being connected to a host computer.

A tape cassette 6 as a recording medium is set in the mechanical section 1. When the tape cassette 6 is set in the mechanical section 1, the tape is pulled out of the cassette 6 by a mechanism (not shown), and the tape is wound at a predetermined winding angle on a rotating drum 10 provided with a magnetic head. The tape is driven by reels 13A and 13B to which a driving force is applied from a motor drive (not shown), and is guided and sent by a capstan roller 11 and the like. The sensor / SW 15 detects the state of each part of the mechanical unit 1.

Although not shown, the mechanical unit 1 is provided with a contact for making electrical contact with a nonvolatile memory 50 to be described later and for communicating data and the like with each other.
In addition, the mechanical unit 1 is configured to perform an operation related to driving of the tape cassette 6 and the like based on predetermined control, for example, an instruction of a mechanical CPU 41 described later.

As an example, when loading the tape cassette 6, the inserted tape cassette 6 is moved to a predetermined position, and the tape cassette 6 is lowered so that the hub of the tape cassette fits on the reel base. Then, the cassette lid is opened, the tape is pulled out, a tape path is formed, and the tape is wound around the rotating drum 10 at a predetermined winding angle. At the time of unloading, an operation opposite to that at the time of loading is performed.

Data is recorded on the magnetic tape in a helical track system in which tracks are formed diagonally to the tape (not shown). The data recorded on the magnetic tape has been subjected to addition of parity bits and error correction encoding by a predetermined method.

The reproduced RF signal read by the magnetic head provided on the rotating drum 10 is amplified by the read amplifier 16 of the reproducing unit 2 and supplied to the RF unit 3. In the RF unit 3, the reproduced signal is converted to an equalizer 20 and an ATF (Automat
ic Track Finding) 21. The output of the ATF 21 is supplied to a Viterbi decoder 23. Equalizer 20
Is supplied to the PLL 22 after being equalized and synchronized with a predetermined clock. The reproduction signal output from the PLL 22 is supplied to the Viterbi decoder 23,
It is Viterbi decoded and converted into a digital signal.

The digital reproduction signal output from the Viterbi decoder 23 is supplied to the buffer controller 3 of the buffer unit 5.
0 is supplied. The buffer controller 30 controls the input and output of the SRAM 31 and the DRAM 32, both of which are buffer memories, and controls the overall data flow based on instructions from the control CPU 40, which will be described later.

Further, in the buffer controller 30, at the time of reproduction, decoding of an error correction code added to reproduced data is performed, and at the time of recording, error correction encoding of recorded data is performed.

The SRAM 31 is a buffer memory for reading / writing data on the magnetic tape. For example, data for one track is written to the SRAM 31. The DRAM 32 also serves as a buffer memory and a general-purpose memory. For example, when data to be written on a magnetic tape is converted into a recording format, the data is temporarily stored in the DRAM 32.

The digital reproduction signal supplied to the buffer controller 30 is temporarily stored in the SRAM 31 for one track.
It is stored in. Data for one track read from the SRAM 31 is temporarily stored in the DRAM 32.
Then, the data is read from the DRAM 32 at a predetermined timing and supplied to the data compression circuit 33. The data compression circuit 33 compresses data to be written on the magnetic tape by a predetermined method, and decompresses data read from the magnetic tape and supplied through the buffer controller 30.

The decompressed data is supplied to the control unit 4 and is subjected to SCSI (Small Computer System Inter
face) It is supplied to the connector 44 via the controller 43. The connector 44 is connected to, for example, a host computer, and data is transferred to the host computer. The termination unit 45 performs a predetermined termination process in SCSI.

Writing data to the magnetic tape is as follows:
It is performed as follows. For example, a write instruction is supplied by an SCSI command from an external computer as a host via a connector 44, and recording data to be written is supplied. The write command is
It is supplied to a control CPU 40 described later. The recording data is supplied to the data compression circuit 33 via the SCSI controller 43.

The data compressed by the data compression circuit 33 by a predetermined method is transmitted to the D
The data is written to the RAM 32. The recording data written to the DRAM 32 is converted into a recording format by the buffer controller 30, and one track at a time is written to the SRAM 31 at a predetermined timing. And S
The recording data read from the RAM 31 is supplied to a magnetic head (not shown) disposed on the rotating drum 10 via the write amplifier 24 under the control of the buffer controller 30, and is recorded on a magnetic tape.

The control section 4 has two CPUs 40 and 41. The CPU 40 is a control CP
U, and controls the flow of the entire data. At the same time, the control CPU 40 controls the SCSI controller 43, and controls the external device via the connector 44.
For example, communication with a host computer is performed.

Further, the control CPU 40 controls the buffer controller 30 and controls, for example, the data compression circuit 33 and the SCSI unit 43. EE
The PROM 46 stores a program of the control CPU 40 and the like in advance. The SRAM 47 is a buffer memory for the control CPU 40.

Although not shown, the control CPU 40
Has a timer, and can set up the timer. At the same time, control CPU4
0 can receive an interrupt process by a timer.

On the other hand, the CPU 41 is a servo CPU for controlling various operations of the mechanical section 1. EEPROM (Elect
A rically erasable programmable ROM (ROM) 42 stores a program for the servo CPU 41 in advance. Also,
The memory 25 is connected to the servo CPU 41. Further, the detection output of the sensor / SW 15 in the mechanical unit 1 is supplied to the servo CPU 41.

For example, when the inserted tape cassette 6 is out of the standard or the tape is cut, this is detected by the sensor / SW 15 of the mechanical unit 1. The detection result is supplied to the servo CPU 41. The servo CPU 41 controls the mechanical unit 1 based on the detection result, and automatically ejects the tape cassette 6.

Power is supplied to the connector 48. Power is supplied directly to each unit from the connector 48, and a predetermined voltage is applied by the power supply unit 49, and further supplied to each unit. Power is also supplied from the power supply unit 48 to the motor drive of the mechanical unit 1 (not shown).

The tape cassette 6 includes a tape cassette 6
(Hereinafter referred to as MIC: Memory In Cassette) memory 50 which is a memory in which information about
Is built-in. The data of the MIC 50 is read out by communicating with the control CPU 40 via a predetermined contact, and is supplied to the control CPU 40.
Further, predetermined tape information written in the DRAM 32 is transmitted to the control CP through the buffer controller 30.
It is supplied to U40 and written to MIC50.

Control CPU 40 and Servo CP
U41 is communicated via buffer controller 30, as schematically illustrated in FIG. The control CPU 40 and the buffer controller 30 are connected by an address bus 60 and a data bus 61. The servo CPU 41 and the buffer controller 30 are connected by a serial interface SIO.

Control CPU 40 and Servo CP
U41 is communicated via these communication paths at regular intervals, for example, at intervals of 12.5 msec. By this communication, the control CPU 40 is switched from the servo CPU 41
, A mechanical transition command is issued. Servo CP
U41 controls each part of the mechanical unit 1 based on the mechanical transition command, and controls various operations in the mechanical unit 1. In addition, the servo CPU 41 to the control CPU 40
, A mechanical status indicating the current state of the mechanism is returned. The mechanical status includes a mechanical position status indicating the current position of the mechanism.

The mechanical position status of the mechanical status is communicated by bit assignment as shown in FIG. The value of the seventh bit on the MSB side is

Fixed to [0]. The tape position is represented by two bits of the sixth and fifth bits. Further, the mechanical status is represented by 5 bits, 4th to 0th bits on the LSB side.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the contents of the tape position. value

[00] indicates that the tape is not set in the mechanism, or a state other than the values [01], [10] and [11] described below. Whether or not the tape is set in the mechanism can be detected based on the state of a recognition hole described later. The value [01] indicates that the tape position is at the physical head. Value [10]
Indicates that the tape position is at the logical beginning. The value [11] indicates that the tape position is at the physical end.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the contents of the mechanical status. If the value of the first bit is

[0] represents the mechanical position, and [1] represents the mechanical operation. The following four bits identify each content. [00001] is Ejected
State, that is, a state where the tape cassette is not seated. The state where the tape cassette is seated is referred to as a cassette-in state or an in-state. [0
0010] represents an UnThread state, that is, a cassette-in state, but a state in which the tape is not wound around the rotating drum 10. In contrast, [0001
1] represents a Thread state in which a tape is wound around the rotating drum 10. Hereinafter, [00100] to [0
1111] represents a state after the Thread state such as during reproduction.

On the other hand, in the mechanical operation in which the value of the first bit is [1], [10001] indicates that the loading operation is being performed. Indicates that a series of operations until it is wound around. [100
10] indicates that an UnThread operation is being performed,
It indicates that the tape is being released from being wound around the rotating drum 10. In contrast, [100
11] indicates that a Thread operation, which is an operation of winding a tape around the rotating drum 10, is being performed. Less than,
[10100] to [11111] are Th at the time of reproduction or the like.
It represents the operation after the read state.

The servo CPU 41 communicates information indicating the state of the drum servo for controlling the rotation of the rotary drum 10 and the status of the capstan servo for controlling the running of the tape. Detects the state of the hole and communicates recognition hole information. The recognition hole is formed of a plurality of holes, for example, each of which represents a setting of the tape cassette, formed on the back surface of the tape cassette or the like.

FIG. 6 schematically shows the tape cassette 6 as viewed from the back. A front cover 70 is provided on the front surface of the tape cassette 6, and a contact point of the MIC 50 is provided on the back surface. Hub holes 71a and 71b are provided at the center. The recognition hole 72 includes three holes 72a, 72b, and 72c in this example, and is provided at the rear end of the tape cassette 6. Hall 72b
Indicates that the tape cassette 6 is a cleaning cassette, and the hole 72c indicates ON / OFF of write protection for protecting writing to the tape. These settings are detected depending on whether the holes 72b and 72c are open. The hole 72a is always open, and whether the tape cassette 6 is in the in state can be known by detecting the hole 72a.

The holes 72a, 72a,
A setting pin is applied to 72b and 72c, and the setting content is detected based on whether a hole is formed at a predetermined position. The state of the recognition hole is, for example, the mechanical unit 1
And is notified to the servo CPU 41.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a bit assignment at the time of communication of servo status and recognition hole information. The 3 bits from the MSB side, the 7th to 5th bits represent the recognition hole information. The seventh, sixth and fifth bits correspond to holes 72b, 72c and 72a, respectively. That is, the fifth bit indicates whether or not the cassette is in the cassette-in state.

The fourth bit to the zeroth bit are servo statuses, and represent a tracking state, a locked state of the rotary drum, a tape tension state, and information on physical start and end of the tape.

The control CPU 40 has a servo C
These statuses are obtained by periodically communicating with the PU 41. In the present invention, the control CP
The mechanical position status is monitored by U40, and the timer is started when the servo CPU 41 starts the loading operation. Then, when the tape is ejected in a short time to be in an eject state, it is recognized that the tape has been ejected, and an error is returned to the host.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example of a process for detecting cassette forcible ejection according to this embodiment. The state is started from an eject state in which the tape cassette 6 is not seated on the apparatus (step S10). Then, in step S11, a timer (not shown) of the control CPU 40 is cleared.

When the timer is cleared, step S12
In the control CPU 40, the servo CP
Based on the mechanical status from the communication from U41, it is determined whether the tape cassette 6 is currently being loaded. This is because, for example, when the value of the mechanical status is [10
000]. Then, for example, if the value is other than [10000] and it is determined that the tape cassette 6 is not being loaded, the process returns to step S11.

The loop processing consisting of steps S11 and S12 is performed, for example, by the control CPU 40.
This is performed based on a fixed cycle in which communication is performed between the CPU and the servo CPU 41.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S12 that loading is currently being performed, the process proceeds to the next step S13.
Move to In step S13, the timer is counted, and it is determined whether the time from when the timer is cleared in step S11 to step S13 exceeds a preset timeout time. The timeout period is determined by the control CPU 40 and the servo CPU 41.
Is set to, for example, about 1 sec to 2 sec with respect to 12.5 msec which is the communication interval between.

If it is determined in step S13 that the time set as the timeout has elapsed, it is determined that the seated tape cassette has not been forcibly ejected, and the process proceeds to step S16. Then, in step S16, processing and operations after the loading is completed normally are performed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S13 that the timeout has not yet occurred, the process proceeds to step S1.
Move to 4. Then, the control CPU 40 determines whether or not the tape cassette 6 is in the eject state based on the mechanical status by communication from the servo CPU 41. This is determined, for example, based on whether the value of the mechanical status is [00001], which is the mechanical position status indicating the eject state of the tape cassette 6.

If the status is [00001]
If it is determined that the tape cassette 6 has not been ejected, the process returns to step S13. Then, Steps S13 and S14 are repeated.
Is determined to be normally in the cassette-in state, and the process of step S16 is performed.

Steps S13 and S1
The loop processing of No. 4 is performed based on, for example, a fixed cycle in which communication is performed between the control CPU 40 and the servo CPU 41.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 that the status value is [00001] and that the tape cassette 6 has been ejected, the process proceeds to step S15. In this case, it is determined that the tape cassette 6 has been forcibly ejected, and step S15 is performed.
Then, an error is notified to the host computer.

When the status value is other than [00001], it can be determined that the apparatus is in the eject state. For example, the status value represents UnThread [00010], the discharging value [10001], U
The value [10010] indicating that the nThread operation is in progress, etc.
It may be in an eject state.

As described above, according to the present invention, the tape cassette is forcibly ejected only by monitoring the mechanical state by the mechanical status without using the cassette-in flag which is the result of detecting the cassette-in state by hardware. You can know what was done. Therefore, even if the tape cassette 6 is forcibly ejected outside the control of the control CPU 40, this can be detected and an error can be notified from the tape streamer drive to the host computer.

By returning an error notification to, for example, a changer device or an autoloader host computer in which the tape streamer drive is mounted, the corresponding process can be performed in the changer device or the autoloader.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a tape streamer drive having two CPUs, a servo CPU and a control CPU, when a tape cassette is inserted, for example, when there is an error in the tape cassette, the servo is controlled. CPU for control
With the tape streamer drive configured to perform the forced ejection of the tape cassette outside the above control, the fact that the tape cassette has been forcibly ejected can be returned as an error to an external device such as a host computer.

That is, according to the present invention, even if the cassette-in flag which is a result of detecting the cassette-in state by hardware is not used, the cassette-in state can be obtained by communication performed between the servo CPU and the control CPU. There is an effect that it is possible to know that the tape cassette has been forcibly ejected only by monitoring the mechanical state based on the mechanical status.

Therefore, even if the tape cassette is forcibly ejected outside the control of the control CPU, this can be detected, and an error can be notified from the tape streamer drive to the host computer. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a tape streamer drive to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining communication between a control CPU and a servo CPU;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a bit assignment of a mechanical position status.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the contents of a tape position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the contents of a mechanical status.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state where the tape cassette is viewed from the back surface.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a bit assignment of servo status and recognition hole information.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of detecting a cassette forcible ejection according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing of a tape cassette loading operation in the tape streamer drive.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing when a tape cassette is ejected without setting a cassette-in flag to ON.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a case where a tape cassette is ejected during a loading operation of a control CPU.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... mechanical part, 6 ... tape cassette, 15 ...
Sensor / SW, 30 ... Buffer controller, 40
... Control CPU, 41 ... Servo CP
U, 72: Recognition hall

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Nomura 6-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo F-term in Sony Corporation (reference) 5D094 AA17 AB05 CC11 DA02 EB15

Claims (2)

[Claims] A first control step of performing communication with a host in a tape cassette ejection detection method for detecting that the tape cassette has been forcibly ejected when an error has occurred in the inserted tape cassette; A second control step for controlling the loading operation of the tape cassette; and a periodic communication between the first control step and the second control step. A communication step of notifying the status of the loading operation with respect to the first control step, wherein the communication is performed within a predetermined time after the loading operation is started by the second control step. Through the steps of the second control step to the first control step, the step indicating that the tape cassette has been ejected. When Tasu is notified, the tape cassette discharge detection method is characterized in that as an error is notified to the host by the step of the first control. 2. A first control means for communicating with a host in a recording or reproducing apparatus for detecting that a tape cassette has been forcibly ejected when an inserted tape cassette has an abnormality. And a second control means for controlling a loading operation of the tape cassette; and periodically communicating between the first control means and the second control step. 1
Communication means for notifying the status of the loading operation to the control means, wherein the communication means sets the second communication means within a predetermined time after the loading operation by the second control means is started. The control means notifies the first control means of the status indicating that the tape cassette has been ejected, the first control means notifies the host of an error. A recording or reproducing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.