JP2002251816A - Disk recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a disk recording and reproducing device capable of protecting a disk and its disk device at abnormally high temperature, and also shortening the time for starting operation at low temperature. SOLUTION: This disk recording and reproducing device is constructed so that a micro-controller 13 is able to operate independently of a host controller 3 as a system. Even when a hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 are not in operation, or when the host controller 3 is not in normal operation even if it is being operated, the micro-controller 13 controls a switching circuit 11 according to the temperatures of the hard disk drive 2 detected by a temperature sensor 12, and thereby start/stop operation of a power source circuit 4 for the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 can exactly be controlled.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk recording / reproducing apparatus for recording information on a disk as a recording and holding medium and reproducing the information recorded on the disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a disk recording / reproducing apparatus, for example, digitally records a video / audio signal (hereinafter, referred to as an AV signal) on a fixed disk as a disk and reproduces an AV signal digitally recorded on the fixed disk. In the hard disk recording / reproducing apparatus, the power supply of the drive for accessing the fixed disk is only turned on / off by control by a user's key operation and remote control operation, or by time control such as reservation.

In order to protect a fixed disk and a hard disk drive comprising the disk device, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-11544 discloses that a host computer controlling access to a hard disk drive reads the temperature of the hard disk drive and reads the temperature of the hard disk drive. A disk drive protection device including means for turning off the power of a hard disk drive when the temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined value is described.

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-242792 discloses an information recording / reproducing apparatus which detects an abnormality in a power supply or an abnormality in an ambient temperature, displays the abnormality on a panel or the like, and informs a user of the abnormality. Is described.

[0005]

However, in the case of a disk drive protection device in which the host computer monitors the detection of a temperature abnormality of the hard disk drive as described above, the work of the host computer itself increases, so that the unit time of the system increases. There is a problem that the amount of work that can be processed per hit, that is, the throughput is reduced.

Further, if the temperature of the hard disk drive rises abnormally due to an abnormal state such as when the host computer runs out of control, the control of the hard disk drive becomes completely ineffective, and the hard disk drive may be destroyed.

Further, in the case of an information recording / reproducing apparatus in which a power supply abnormality or an ambient temperature abnormality is displayed on a panel or the like to notify the user, the abnormality is merely displayed to prompt the user to cope with the abnormality. When the present invention is applied to a disk recording / reproducing apparatus for video / audio use, there is a problem in that the user does not perform protection control of the disk drive when the user is not in the vicinity of the apparatus, for example, when answering.

On the other hand, when the temperature of the hard disk drive is low, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus takes a long time from turning on the power of the drive to reaching a temperature at which the hard disk drive can operate. There is also a problem that it takes time from the start-up to the time when the recording / playback can be started normally.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of these disk recording / reproducing apparatuses, and is intended to protect a disk and its disk device (drive) at abnormally high temperatures or to shorten the operation start time at low temperatures. In addition, the power supply of the disk device (drive) of the disk is appropriately and reliably controlled by a controller different from the host computer (disk controller) that controls the operation, and the user can be notified when an abnormal temperature rise occurs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a disk recording / reproducing apparatus as described above.

[0010]

To achieve the above object, a disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention records information on a disk and controls the operation of the disk apparatus by reading the recorded information. A main controller, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the disk device, a switch circuit interposed between a power supply and the disk device and the main controller, and controlling power supply to the disk device and the main controller; And a sub-controller that is connected to a power supply independently of the main controller and controls the driving of the switch circuit according to the detection output of the temperature sensor.

In the disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, when the temperature of the disk apparatus falls to the low temperature limit temperature based on the detection output of the temperature sensor, the sub-controller includes the disk apparatus. And outputting a control signal for performing power supply to the main controller.

In the disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, when the temperature of the disk apparatus rises to a high temperature limit temperature based on a detection output of the temperature sensor, the sub-controller includes the disk apparatus. And outputting a control signal for cutting off power supply to the main controller. In addition, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the sub-controller is provided with a notifying unit for notifying the power control state of the switch circuit by the sub-controller.

Further, in the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the sub-controller includes a timekeeping means, and the timekeeping means sends the switch circuit to the switch circuit when a time immediately before the reserved time is reached by a warm-up time. It is characterized by outputting a control signal for supplying power to the disk device and the main controller. Further, the warm-up time of the sub-controller is set according to the detection output of the temperature sensor.

[0014]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1
1 shows a functional block diagram of a disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 for video / audio use according to an embodiment of the present invention. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 includes a hard disk drive 2, a host controller (disk controller) 3 for controlling the hard disk drive 2, and a power supply circuit 4.

The hard disk drive 2 as a disk device according to the present embodiment drives a positioning mechanism on a hard disk rotated at a high speed by a motor to move a data read / write head, thereby converting a digital signal into an AV signal. A signal is written on a disk, and an AV signal digitally recorded on the disk is read.

The host controller 3 has a CPU,
The hard disk drive 2 receives an instruction from an operation device (not shown) such as an operation panel or a remote controller and writes an AV signal to a predetermined location on the disk, or reads and outputs an AV signal from a predetermined location on the disk.
And a disk device (not shown) such as a motor and a positioning mechanism.

The power supply circuit 4 supplies drive power to each unit such as the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3. In the case of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a commercial power supply supplied from the outside is used. The power is converted and supplied to a predetermined circuit power (voltage).

In the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the power supply circuit 4 and the hard disk drive 2
A switch circuit 11 is provided in the middle of a power supply line connecting the host controller 3 and the power supply line. The switch circuit 11 is configured to be able to supply / cut off drive power to / from the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 by a control signal output from a microcontroller 13 described later.

A temperature sensor 12 for detecting the temperature of the hard disk or the temperature of the atmosphere around the hard disk (hereinafter, referred to as the temperature of the hard disk drive 2) is disposed in the hard disk of the hard disk drive 2 or in the vicinity of the hard disk. The detection output is supplied to the microcontroller 13.

The microcontroller 13 is constituted by a CPU independent of the host controller 3. Then, for example, the microcontroller 13 receives the supply of the driving power from the power supply circuit 4 independently of the disk device and the main controller, and the power is not supplied to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3, ie, the hard disk drive 2 Even if the host controller 3 is not driven, it can be driven independently. The supply of the driving power to the microcontroller 13 may not be performed directly from the power supply circuit 4 but may be performed from a battery charged by the power supply circuit 4.

The microcontroller 13 receives the detection output supplied from the temperature sensor 12, monitors the temperature of the hard disk drive 2, and sets the hard disk within a predetermined operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1) of the hard disk drive 2. The control signal is output to the switch circuit 11 so that the drive 2 is driven, so that the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 can be controlled to supply / cut off drive power.

A display device 14 is attached to the microcontroller 13, and the microcontroller 13 operates in a range of the operation guarantee temperature of the hard disk drive 2 (TL1 to TL1).
The display device 14 can notify the user that the user is outside TH1). Next, the operation of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 thus configured will be described together with the processing of the microcontroller 13.

First, in the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1, if the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is not within the operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1), the operation is not guaranteed, so that the recording / reproduction is performed. Even when the hard disk drive 2 is not turned on, the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is kept within its operation guaranteed temperature range (TL1 to TH1), and the power switch is turned on by a user when turning on a power switch (not shown) or at a reserved time (time). When the camera is turned on automatically,
It needs to be able to play.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing the time relationship between the processing of the microcontroller 13 and the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 in a state where recording and reproduction are not performed. As described above, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is in a state where recording / reproduction is not performed, that is, power is supplied to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 when the power switch (not shown) of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is turned off. In the non-operating state (t0 to t1), the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 decreases in accordance with the outside air temperature. May be done.

For this reason, the microcontroller 13
In a state where the recording / playback is not performed, the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 is monitored as needed, and the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is set to a low-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TL1). Then, it is determined whether or not there is a possibility that the temperature will fall outside the operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1).

In the above-described judgment processing in the microcontroller 13, for example, a temperature (Tlow) higher than the low-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TL1) of the hard disk drive 2 is set in advance as a low-temperature operation limit temperature for the judgment reference. This is performed by comparing the relationship between the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 and the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow).

At the time (t1) when the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 reaches the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow), the microcontroller 13 switches the switch circuit 11
Then, a control signal (ON signal) for supplying power to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 is output even though the power switch is turned off and power is not supplied to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3.

As a result, the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 are supplied with power from the power supply circuit 4 and driven even though the power switch is off. At the time (t1) when the hard disk drive 2 is driven, the temperature of the hard disk drive 2 rises due to self-heating, so that the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is lower than the low-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TL1). It can be prevented from falling over.

Under the control of the microcontroller 13, when the switch circuit 11 is in a power supply state and the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 are turned on, the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 rises. The controller 13 constantly monitors the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 even after the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 are turned on.

The microcontroller 13 has a high-temperature operation guarantee temperature, which is higher than the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow) of the hard disk drive 2 and which is preset and stored therein, within the operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1). The magnitude relationship between a specific temperature (THigh) lower than (TH1) and the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 is compared.

Thus, when the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 reaches the specific temperature (THigh) (t
In 2), the microcontroller 13 stops supplying the above-described ON signal to the switch circuit 11, cuts off the power supply line between the power supply circuit 4 and the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3, and sets the hard disk drive 2 and the host The power supply to the controller 3 is cut off.

Thereafter, the microcontroller 13 performs the above-mentioned time (t) until a power switch (not shown) of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is turned on in order to perform recording / reproduction.
The processing described in (0 to t3) is repeatedly performed.

By the warm-up control utilizing the self-heating of the hard disk drive 2 by the above-mentioned series of microcontrollers 13, it is not necessary to always keep the power switch (not shown) of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 turned on. Thus, the power consumption of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 can be suppressed. In addition, since special equipment such as a heater is not required, there is no problem such as an increase in the size of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1.

In the above description, the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow) and the specific temperature (THigh) of the microcontroller 13 have been described as fixed values set in advance. However, they may be variable according to the outside air temperature. It is possible.
For example, the outside air temperature is calculated by using the decrease rate of the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 after the power is cut off, and the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow) is calculated according to the calculation result. ) And the specific temperature (THigh) can be changed.

In the warm-up control using the self-heating of the hard disk drive 2 by the microcontroller 13 described above, the temperature rise time due to the self-heating of the hard disk drive 2 is known in advance. In the case of scheduled recording and scheduled playback in which the timing becomes known as the scheduled time, the self-heating time of the hard disk drive 2 for warm-up control is further suppressed, and the warm-up time is changed according to the outside air temperature. Efficient control can also be performed.

In the case of this embodiment, the microcontroller 13 has a time-measuring means 13A and a warm-up time table 1 storing the relationship between the outside air temperature and the self-heating time of the hard disk drive 2 at the outside air temperature.
3B is provided. In the case of reserved recording / reproduced reproduction, a reservation time set from a reservation setting circuit (not shown) is supplied to the microcontroller 13 when the reservation is set.

In this embodiment, the microcontroller 13 replaces the warm-up control with the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Tlow) and the specific temperature (THigh) described above.
When the reservation time (tapp) is set, the corresponding warm-up time (tw) is calculated by referring to the warm-up time table 13B based on the outside air temperature value (Tc) based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12. The warm-up start time (tws) is obtained by subtracting the warm-up time (tw) from the reservation time (tapp). Then, the microcontroller 13 monitors whether or not the time measured by the timer 13A has reached the warm-up start time (tws).

Thus, the microcontroller 13
Outputs a turn-on signal to the switch circuit 11 prior to reservation recording / reproduction when the clock time of the timer 13A reaches the warm-up start time (tws), and supplies the power supply circuit to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3. 4
Then, the power supply is started via the switch circuit 11, and the hard disk drive 2 performs warm-up due to self-heating. Therefore, during the reservation time (tapp), the hard disk drive 2 can be kept sufficiently warm and operable.

Note that the calculation of the warm-up start time (tws) is updated as the clock time of the clock means 13A elapses from the setting of the reservation time (tapp) to the warm-up start time (tws). Even when the reservation time is set and the reservation time is temporally separated, an accurate warm-up start time (tws) can be obtained.

As a result, even when the outside air temperature is moderately high and the reserved time is approached, if the hard disk drive 2 is maintained within the operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1), the disk recording time is not included in the reserved time (tapp). Since it is sufficient to simply turn on the power of the re-recording device 1, the power consumption of the disk recording / reproducing device 1 can be further reduced in the case of scheduled recording / reproducing.

Next, the control by the microcontroller 13 when the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is high in the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 3 shows the microcontroller 13 when the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is high.
5 is a time chart showing a temporal relationship between the processing of FIG. 5 and the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2.

Although the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1) is determined for the hard disk drive 2, the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1) is lower than that of ordinary electric products. Therefore, it has been proposed to provide the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 with an air cooling system for the hard disk drive 2 using an air conditioning fan or the like.

However, it is conceivable that the hard disk drive 2 is not cooled down due to the installation conditions of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 or the malfunction of the air cooling system, and the temperature (T) rises abnormally. Usually, the hard disk drive 2
As described above, it is designed to operate within the operation guarantee temperature range (TL1 to TH1).

That is, when power is supplied from the power supply circuit 4 to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 via the switch circuit 11 and the hard disk drive 2 is operating, as shown in FIG. Hard disk drive 2 over time
(T) rises, but as shown by the broken line in the figure, the temperature (T) is designed to converge to a constant value (Tconst) lower than the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1) by the air cooling system. I have.

However, when the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is installed in an environment exceeding the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1) of the hard disk drive 2, when the air supply / exhaust port of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is closed, or when the air cooling system is used. For example, when the rotation of the air conditioning fan is hindered for some reason, the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 continues to rise beyond a certain value (Tconst), and an abnormal state exceeding the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1) occurs. It is assumed that

In order to solve this problem, the microcontroller 13 of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to perform the abnormally high temperature control described below in addition to the warm-up control described above. ing.

That is, the microcontroller 13 stores the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (T
A temperature (Thigh) lower than H1) and higher than the above-mentioned constant value (Tconst) is previously set and stored therein as a high-temperature operation limit temperature for determining occurrence of an abnormally high temperature state. Then, by comparing the magnitude relationship between the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 based on the detection output of the temperature sensor 12 and the low-temperature operation limit temperature (Thigh), the abnormal high-temperature state is determined.

Thus, the microcontroller 13
When the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 reaches the high operating limit temperature (Thigh) (t1), power is supplied to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 by turning on the power switch to the switch circuit 11. However, it outputs a control signal (off signal) for cutting off the power supply to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3.

As a result, the power supply from the power supply circuit 4 to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 is cut off. At this time (t1), the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 exceeds the high-temperature operation guarantee temperature (TH1). Thus, the data recorded and held in the hard disk drive 2 and the hard disk drive 2 itself can be prevented from being destroyed.

In this case, the microcontroller 13 informs the display device 14 that the power supply to the hard disk drive 2 and the host controller 3 has been cut off.
To notify the user audiovisually. The user can correct the malfunction of the installation condition by this display, and thereafter, it is possible to prevent the hard disk drive 2 from becoming abnormally high temperature.

Further, even if the host controller 3 is stopped for some reason or the system is not operating normally due to a runaway or the like, the microcontroller 13 operates independently of the host controller 3 systematically. With such a configuration, it is possible to eliminate the risk that information stored in the hard disk drive 2 is erased.

In the present embodiment, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is used for video / audio use, and the disk apparatus is described as the hard disk drive 2 having a fixed disk. The application and the type of the disk device are not limited to these, and for example, a disk recording / reproducing device using a detachable optical disk as the disk may be used.

[0053]

As described above, the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention has the following effects. First, according to the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention, since the sub-controller is configured to be able to operate independently of the main controller in terms of system, the main controller and the disk device are not operated or the main controller is not operated. Even if the controller is working but not working properly,
The sub controller controls the switch circuit with respect to the power supply according to the temperature of the disk or the disk device detected by the temperature sensor, so that the operation / stop of the disk device and the main controller can be controlled.

Then, when the temperature of the disk or the disk device drops to the low temperature limit temperature, the sub-controller operates the disk device and the main controller by the switch circuit. The operation start time from the start of the power supply to the normal operation state of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus can be reduced while suppressing the drive power consumption.

If the sub controller raises the temperature of the disk or the disk device to the high temperature limit temperature, if the disk device and the main controller are stopped by the switch circuit, the data of the disk is lost due to the abnormal temperature rise. It is possible to prevent the disk device from being destroyed or from being destroyed.

Further, in the case where the notifying means for notifying the power control state of the switch circuit is provided, it is determined that the device is not operable or that the device is operated in an abnormally high temperature state. , The user can easily check. Furthermore, in the case where the sub-controller is provided with the time counting means, when the operation start time of the device is known in advance, the operation start time can be shortened while further reducing the drive power consumption. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video and audio system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 for audio use.

FIG. 2 is a time chart showing a temporal relationship between a process of the microcontroller 13 and a temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 in a state where recording and reproduction are not performed.

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing a time relationship between the processing of the microcontroller 13 when the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2 is high and the temperature (T) of the hard disk drive 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Disk recording / reproducing apparatus 2 Hard disk drive (disk device) 3 Host controller (main controller) 4 Power supply circuit 11 Switch circuit 12 Temperature sensor 13 Microcontroller (secondary controller) 14 Display device (notification means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G11B 33/14 501 H04N 5/781 Z H04N 5/781 G06F 1/00 360D

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A disk device for recording information on a disk and reading the recorded information, a main controller for controlling the operation of the disk device, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the disk device, a power supply and the disk A switch circuit that is interposed between the disk device and the main controller and controls power supply to the disk device and the main controller; and a switch circuit that is connected to a power source independently of the disk device and the main controller, and outputs a detection output of the temperature sensor. A disk recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: a sub-controller that drives and controls the switch circuit in response to the request. 2. When the temperature of the disk device falls to a low temperature limit temperature based on a detection output of the temperature sensor, the sub controller supplies power to the disk device and the main controller to the switch circuit. 2. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control signal for causing the disk recording / reproducing apparatus is output. 3. The sub-controller shuts off power supply to the disk device and the main controller to the switch circuit when the temperature of the disk device rises to a high temperature limit temperature based on a detection output of the temperature sensor. 2. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control signal for causing the disk recording / reproducing apparatus is output. 4. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sub-controller is provided with a notifying means for notifying a power control state of said switch circuit by said sub-controller. apparatus. 5. The sub-controller includes a clock unit, and the clock unit supplies power to the disk device and the main controller to the switch circuit when a time immediately before a reserved time is reached by a warm-up time. 2. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a control signal for performing the operation is output. 6. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the warm-up time of the sub-controller is set according to a detection output of a temperature sensor.