JP2000285608A - Information recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make easily updatable the program or data recorded on an information recording medium. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a 1st starting means 2 to start by reading the program stored in the ROM region onto an information recording medium having the reproduction exclusive ROM region and the writable RAM region, a 2nd starting means 3 to start by reading the program recorded in the RAM region, a discriminating means 4 to discriminate the latest program or data, a data fetch means 5 to fetch the data from the outside, and a recording means 6 to record the latest program or data to the RAM region when the data fetched by the data fetch means 5 are identified as the latest program or data by the identifying means 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to MO, CD-R,
Means for starting by loading a program or data stored in a portable information recording medium such as a CD-RW or a DVD-RAM, and adding new data to a writable area of the information recording medium. And an information recording / reproducing device such as an optical disk device having a means for updating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Image data and audio data recorded on an information recording medium such as a memory built in a digital still camera or a PC card memory are transferred to a low-cost or large-capacity recording medium for data storage or the like. Currently, the mainstream means for recording information is to use an information recording / reproducing device such as a hard disk device (HDD), CD-R device, or MO device connected to a personal computer.

[0003] In order to use an information recording / reproducing apparatus connected to a personal computer, a personal computer and image processing software to be installed in the personal computer are required in addition to the information recording / reproducing apparatus. In many cases, a user who owns a personal computer also owns a personal computer, and a digital still camera has a strong color such as an input device for a personal computer.

[0004] In order for the digital still camera to be further popularized in general households in the future, an apparatus for processing image data and audio data without a personal computer is considered necessary. Therefore, in recent years, dedicated devices that can process image data and audio data without a personal computer have appeared as products.

[0005]

However, a dedicated device for processing such image data and audio data is an apparatus having a means for loading and starting a program stored in a ROM built in the main body. Therefore, there is no means for adding and updating a new program (including a device driver, new function software, etc.) by a simple method.

However, digital still camera-related devices such as digital still cameras and printers are expected to be released one after another from manufacturers. In such a situation, information recording / reproduction having a function of transferring image data and audio data from a digital still camera and recording the data on an information recording medium, and printing the image data from an externally connected printer. It is very important for the device to have expandability to peripheral devices.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily update a program or data recorded on an information recording medium.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an information recording medium having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area.
First activation means for reading and activating the program stored in the M area, second activation means for reading and activating the program recorded in the RAM area, identification means for identifying the latest program or data, And data recording means for recording the latest program or data in the RAM area when the data acquired by the means is identified as the latest program or data by the identification means. Provided is an information recording / reproducing apparatus provided.

In the above information recording / reproducing apparatus, the ROM area stores an image display software program, an audio reproduction software program, and an image / audio editing software program, and the RAM area is externally transferred. It is preferable to provide means for recording the image data and the audio data.

Further, data stored in the ROM area of the first information recording medium is fetched into first and second information recording media each having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area. R of the second information recording medium
There is also provided an information recording / reproducing apparatus in which means for writing to the AM area is provided, and data of the first information recording medium is updated by adding data of the first information recording medium to the second information recording medium.

In the above information recording / reproducing apparatus, the ROM area stores an image display software program, an audio reproduction software program, and an image / audio editing software program, and is newly added to the RAM area. It is preferable to provide a means for recording a software program having a function.

Further, in the information recording / reproducing apparatus as described above, a device driver of a peripheral device connected to the information recording / reproducing device is stored in the ROM area, and a device of a newly added peripheral device is stored in the RAM area. Preferably, means for recording the driver is provided.

Further, in the information recording / reproducing apparatus as described above, the ROM area stores data of an operation method of the information recording / reproducing apparatus and a software program having a function of displaying a message screen of the operation method on a monitor,
The RAM area may be provided with a unit for recording data of a method of operating a newly added function.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a format of an optical disk medium used by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical disk medium 10 is an information recording medium such as an MO, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-RAM, etc., and its recording area is a reproduction area which is a program and data storage area. A dedicated ROM area 11;
It consists of a writable RAM area 12, where R
The AM area 12a is a program recording area in which a program is already recorded, and the RAM area 12b is a program unrecorded area which is a free area.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is realized by a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and the like, and has a read-only ROM area 11 and writable RAM areas 12a and 12b. ROM area 11 for an optical disk medium 10 having
And a second activation unit 3 that reads and activates a program stored in the RAM areas 12a and 12b.

Further, identification means 4 for identifying the latest program or data, data acquisition means 5 for taking in programs and data from the outside, and the data acquired by means 5 means that the identification means 4 uses the latest program or data to identify the latest program or data. A recording means 6 is provided for recording the latest program or data in the RAM area 12b when it is identified as being present.

When updating the program stored in the RAM area 12a of the optical disk medium 10, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 fetches program data from outside (for example, another optical disk medium) by the data fetching means 5. Then, the identification means 4 identifies whether or not the latest program data is newer than the version of the program data stored in the RAM area 12a.

When the program data is identified as the latest program data, the recording means 6 records the program data in the RAM area 12b of the optical disk medium 10 and updates the program data. At the time of startup, the versions of the same program recorded in the RAM area 12a and the RAM area 12b are compared, and R
The latest version of the program recorded in the AM area 12b is started. After updating the program,
The latest program in the area 12b may be directly started.

Further, when updating the data stored in the RAM area 12a of the optical disk medium 10, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 fetches data from outside (for example, another optical disk medium) by the data fetching means 5. The identification means 4 identifies whether the data stored in the RAM area 12a is the latest data obtained by modifying the data or not.

If it is determined that the data is the latest data, the recording means 6 records the data in the RAM area 12b of the optical disk medium 10 and updates the data.
When opening the data in the area 12, the versions of the same data recorded in the RAM area 12a and the RAM area 12b are compared, and the latest version of the data recorded in the RAM area 12b is opened.

In the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1, when a new program or data is added to the RAM area 12b of the optical disc medium 10, the program or data is externally supplied (for example, from another optical disc medium) by the data acquisition means 5. Is read, the identification means 4 causes the RAM area 1
It is determined whether there is a program or data of the same type stored in 2a. If there is no program or data, additional recording is made in the RAM area 12b by the recording means 6, and if there is, the same processing as described above is executed.

In this manner, the program or data recorded on the optical disk medium can be easily updated.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a format of an initial state of an optical disk medium used in an information recording / reproducing apparatus of another embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another format of an initial state of an optical disk medium used in the information recording / reproducing apparatus of another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. These configurations and formats are examples, and are not limited to this case.

As shown in FIG. 3, this optical disk medium 2
The recording area of 0 has a read-only ROM area 21 and a writable RAM area 22. The ROM area 21
Stores a device driver of a peripheral device connected to the information recording / reproducing apparatus, and the RAM area 22 is an unrecorded area.

As shown in FIG. 4, the recording area of the optical disk medium 20 stores an image display software program, an audio reproduction software program, and an image / audio editing software program together with a device driver in a ROM area 21. In the RAM area 22, image data and audio data transferred from the outside can be recorded.

In the figure, a case where a part of the original image data is recorded in the RAM area 22a, data of an additional part of the device driver is recorded in the RAM area 22b, and a part of the original image data is further recorded in the RAM area 22c. The RAM area 22d is an unrecorded part.

As shown in FIG. 5, this information recording / reproducing apparatus is realized by a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and has a built-in CD-R.
The / RW drive 44 allows writing to the RAM area.

The CD-R / RW drive 44 reads and starts programs such as image display software, audio reproduction software, and image / audio editing software stored in the ROM area 21 of the optical disk medium 20.
Activating means and built-in memory 4 of digital still camera 48
9 functions as a data capturing unit for inputting the image data and the audio data recorded in the memory 9 from the external serial port 47.

The image data and audio data recorded on the digital still camera memory medium 51 mounted on the digital still camera 48 are transferred to the PC card adapter 50.
Means for inserting the data into the PC card slot 43 and inputting the data, storing the fetched data in the W-RAM 35 under the control of the CPU 36, and storing the data in the optical disc medium 20. RAM area 2
2 functions as a recording means for recording. Further, the operation remote controller 52 is a means for giving an instruction to start writing, and the IRI / F 45 receives an instruction from the operation remote controller 52.

Next, the CD-R /
The recording operation in the RW drive 44 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a recording operation in the CD-R / RW drive 44 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

First, in step (indicated by "S" in the figure) 1, the power switch 53 provided in the main body is turned on.
Then, the process proceeds to step 2 where it is determined whether or not the optical disc medium 20 storing the image display / editing software in the ROM area is inserted into the CD-R / RW drive 44.

If the optical disc medium 20 storing the image display / editing software is inserted into the ROM area in the judgment of step 2, the process proceeds to step 3 to read the program in the ROM area and activate the image display / editing software.

Proceeding to step 4, the digital still camera 48 or the digital still camera memory medium 51
Then, it is determined whether or not the PC card adapter 50 to which is attached is correctly connected.

It is confirmed in step 4 that the connection is correct.
When an image recording button (not shown) provided in the CPU is operated, image recording is started, and the process proceeds to step 6 where the CPU is operated.
Based on the control of 36, image data and audio data recorded in the built-in memory 49 of the digital still camera 48 or the digital still camera memory medium 51 attached to the PC card adapter 50 are temporarily stored in the W-RAM 35.

Then, the process proceeds to step 7, wherein the CD-R / R
The data is recorded in the RAM area of the optical disk medium 20 by the W drive 44, and the process proceeds to step 8 to determine whether or not the writing is completed. If the writing is not completed, the processes of steps 6 and 7 are repeated. I do.

As described above, the image data and the audio data recorded on the information recording medium such as the memory built in the digital still camera and the PC card memory are transferred to the optical disk medium having the RAM area for data storage and the like. Can be recorded.

Next, still another embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals as in FIG. 5 denote the same parts, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In this information recording / reproducing apparatus, the CD-R / R
The W drive 44 fetches data stored in the ROM area of the first information recording medium into the first and second information recording media each having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area. RA of the second information recording medium
The function of a means for writing to the M area and a means for adding and updating data of the first information recording medium to the second information recording medium are achieved.

In the ROM area, an image display software program, a sound reproduction software program,
And an image / audio editing software program,
The RAM area also functions as means for recording a software program of a newly added function.

Further, the ROM area stores a device driver of a peripheral device connected to the information recording / reproducing apparatus.
The RAM area also functions as a unit for recording a device driver of a newly added peripheral device.

The ROM area stores data of an operation method of the information recording / reproducing apparatus and a software program for displaying a message screen of the operation method on a monitor, and a newly added function is stored in the RAM area. It also functions as a means for recording data of the operation method.

This information recording / reproducing apparatus includes a first optical disk medium (referred to as “transfer source optical disk 1” in the figure) 6
The device driver of the peripheral device of this apparatus is already stored in the ROM area 61 of 0.

When a new device driver is added or updated, an instruction to start writing the device driver to the second optical disk medium (referred to as “transfer destination optical disk 2” in the figure) 70 is input by the operation remote controller 52. When,
The instruction is received by the IRI / F 45, read by the CD-R / RW drive 44 built in the apparatus, and
Under the control of the PU 36, the data is temporarily stored in the W-RAM 35, and the data is stored in the R-RAM 35 of the second optical disk medium 70.
It is recorded in the AM area 72.

Next, the information recording / reproducing apparatus uses a CD-R /
The recording operation in the RW drive 44 will be described.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a recording operation in the CD-R / RW drive 44 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

First, step (indicated by “S” in the figure) 11
The power switch 53 provided on the main unit is turned on (O
N), the process proceeds to step 12 where the CD-R / RW
It is determined whether or not the transfer source first optical disk medium 60 having the device driver stored in the ROM area has been inserted into the drive 44.

When the first optical disk medium 60 in which the device driver is stored in the ROM area is inserted in the determination in step 12, the flow advances to step 13 to determine whether the start of the additional recording of the device driver is selected.

If the start of the additional recording of the device driver is selected in step 13, the process proceeds to step 14 in which the device driver is read from the ROM area 61 of the first optical disk medium 60 of the transfer source and transferred to the W-RAM 35. .

The flow advances to step 15 to determine whether the first optical disk medium 60 of the transfer source of the CD-R / RW drive 44 has been replaced with the transfer destination optical disk medium. It is determined whether or not the transfer destination second optical disk medium 70 is present. When the second optical disk medium 70 is recognized, the process proceeds to step 17 where the device driver of the W-RAM 35 is stored in the RAM area 72 of the second optical disk medium 70. Write.

Then, the process proceeds to step 18 to determine whether or not the writing is completed.
7 is repeated, and when the writing is completed, this processing is completed.

As described above, for an optical disk medium having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area, the ROM area stores a device driver of a peripheral device connected to the information recording / reproducing apparatus. Records the device driver of the newly added peripheral device. At this time, by attaching the device driver update information, the latest device driver can be identified. The peripheral device of the device driver thus set can also be used easily.

Therefore, scalability to peripheral devices can be improved by fetching image data and audio data from a new device and performing printing from a new printer.

In the above-described processing, the image display software, the audio reproduction software, and the image / audio editing software are stored in the ROM area 61 of the first optical disk medium 60, and each software is stored in the second optical disk medium 70. In addition, the latest version of the program can be identified by attaching the program update information of each software, and the RAM area is read at the time of startup, so that the latest version of the program can be easily stored. Can be used for

Further, in the ROM area 60, data of the operation method of the information recording / reproducing apparatus and a software program for displaying a message screen of the operation method on a monitor are stored. In the RAM area 72, a newly added function is provided. If the data of the operation method and the software program are recorded, the updating of the online manual can be easily performed.

Therefore, manuals which increase as the operation method of the apparatus becomes more complicated are stored in an optical disk medium and can be referred to on a monitor, so that paper-based manuals can be reduced.

[0057]

As described above, according to the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the program or data recorded on the information recording medium can be easily updated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a format of an optical disk medium used by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an initial state format of an optical disk medium used in an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another format of an initial state of an optical disc medium used in an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flowchart showing a recording operation in a CD-R / RW drive 44 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a flowchart showing a recording operation in a CD-R / RW drive 44 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: information recording / reproducing device 2: first activation means 3: second activation means 4: identification means 5: data acquisition means 6: recording means 10, 20: optical disk medium 11, 21: ROM areas 12a, 12b, 22a to 22d: RAM area 31: NTSC encoder 32: AD converter 33: ADPCM codec 34: V-RAM 35: W-RAM 36: CPU 37: ROM 38: Gate (GATE) array 39: RS232C interface 40: Centronics interface (I / F) 41: PCMCIA interface (I / F) 42: PSU 43: Slot for PC card 44: CD-R / RW drive 45: IR (infrared) interface (I / F) 46: Power supply control circuit 47: External serial port 48: Digital still camera 49: Built-in memory Re 50: PC card adapter 51: Digital Still Camera memory medium 52: operation remote controller 53: Power switch

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An information recording medium having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area,
First activation means for reading and activating the program stored in the M area, second activation means for reading and activating the program recorded in the RAM area, identification means for identifying the latest program or data, Data fetching means for fetching data from, and recording means for recording the latest program or data in the RAM area when the data fetched by the means is identified as the latest program or data by the identification means. An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: 2. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ROM area includes an image display software program,
An information recording / reproducing apparatus which stores an audio reproducing software program and an image / audio editing software program, and wherein the RAM area is provided with means for recording externally transferred image data and audio data. 3. Data stored in the ROM area of the first information recording medium is fetched into first and second information recording media each having a read-only ROM area and a writable RAM area. An information recording / reproducing apparatus, characterized in that a means for writing to a RAM area of a second information recording medium is provided, and data of the first information recording medium is updated by adding data to the second information recording medium. 4. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ROM area includes an image display software program,
An information recording / reproducing apparatus which stores an audio reproducing software program and an image / audio editing software program, and further comprises means for recording a software program of a newly added function in the RAM area. 5. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a device driver of a peripheral device connected to the information recording / reproducing device is stored in the ROM area, and a peripheral device of a newly added peripheral device is stored in the RAM area. An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising means for recording a device driver. 6. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ROM area stores a data of an operation method of the information recording / reproducing apparatus and a software program having a function of displaying a message screen of the operation method on a monitor, An information recording / reproducing apparatus characterized in that a means for recording data of a method of operating a newly added function is provided in the RAM area.