JP2004063013A - Av performance test method, manufacturing method for magnetic disk device using the same, and magnetic disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent defect in performance for handling of AV data by detecting performance required for using a magnetic disk to use AV data with arbitrary accuracy by using only information through a general purpose interface. <P>SOLUTION: A magnetic disk device is provided with an AV data reading/writing means 4 reading and writing AV data through a general purpose interface 3 for a magnetic disk 2, an access time at the time of writing or reading for the magnetic disk 2 is measured, a position being not appropriate for reading and writing AV data on the magnetic disk 2 is detected with arbitrary accuracy by using only information through the general purpose interface by determining whether the access time can be permitted or not for reading and writing AV data as a system based on a statistical method. Also, detection accuracy of a performance defective position for handling AV data can be improved arbitrarily by increasing the number of times of measuring access time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive for recording and reproducing AV data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, magnetic disk devices utilizing large capacity and high speed have been used in digital AV equipment for recording and reproducing AV data such as video and audio. When handling such AV data, continuity of access to the magnetic disk must be guaranteed so that video and audio are not interrupted. However, the magnetic disk device is excellent in reading and writing data with high reliability because of its development as an auxiliary storage device for a computer, but it is not guaranteed that a recording / reproducing operation is completed within a predetermined time. Not. A typical factor that hinders the continuity of recording and reproduction is a retry process.
[0003]
The retry processing is performed when a medium defect exists on a track of the magnetic disk or a mechanical shock is applied during data recording / reproduction. Normally, recording / reproducing to / from a magnetic disk device is performed in units called sectors. However, if a defect is present in a sector to be recorded / reproduced and recording / reproducing cannot be performed normally, the position of the magnetic head is shifted, and the recording / reproducing is performed again. Wait until the sector returns, and recording / reproduction is performed. Such retry processing is performed a predetermined number of times until recording and reproduction are performed normally. If the retry is performed once, for example, in the case of a magnetic disk at 5400 rpm, a rotation wait of about 11 ms occurs, and real-time performance is impaired. When a magnetic disk device is used for AV applications, and particularly when there is a request for simultaneous recording and reproduction, a phenomenon occurs in which video and audio are interrupted by only a few retries.
[0004]
When an error that cannot be corrected occurs during reproduction of one sector, a replacement process is performed on the sector. When recording / reproducing after the sector which has been subjected to the replacement processing as described above, since the sectors are not continuous, a seek operation and a rotation wait always occur. Even in such a case, real-time performance is impaired.
[0005]
When reading and writing AV data using a magnetic disk device using a general-purpose interface (hereinafter, referred to as a general-purpose IF) such as IDE (integrated device electronics) or SCSI (small computer system interface), Generally, the information on the occurrence of the retry is not known. Therefore, the host that transmits / receives the AV data to / from the magnetic disk device performs a soft reset on the magnetic disk device if the recording / reproduction is not completed by a predetermined time that can guarantee the continuity of the AV data. Is taken.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For the reasons described above, it is necessary to take a method of not accessing in advance a sector in which real-time property (real-time property) of AV data cannot be guaranteed. However, when reading / writing AV data using a magnetic disk device that inputs / outputs via a general-purpose IF, it is common that the general-purpose IF does not know the information on the occurrence of the retry.
[0007]
In recent years, magnetic disk devices have undergone remarkable technological innovations to increase the recording density and shorten the access time. Along with this, the margin in terms of hardware decreases, and the occurrence of retries is not always reproducible, but may be sporadic or random in time. To use a magnetic disk drive for AV applications, the tolerance for retry is so strict that it is inefficient to replace all sectors in which a single or temporally random retry occurs as described above. is there.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and detects an inappropriate position for reading and writing based on only information from a general-purpose IF based on a statistical method, thereby ensuring efficient AV performance. It is an object of the present invention to provide a performance inspection method, a method of manufacturing a magnetic disk device using the same, and a magnetic disk device.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a method of inspecting AV performance in a magnetic disk device provided with means for reading and writing AV data on a magnetic disk medium via a general-purpose interface. The access time to a specific area is measured through a general-purpose interface, and it is determined whether or not the measured access time can guarantee continuity when reading and writing AV data. An AV performance inspection step of detecting a position that is not appropriate for reading / writing the data.
[0010]
As a result, it is possible to perform a check as to whether or not continuity of AV data can be guaranteed using only information from the general-purpose interface. By using this method in a manufacturing method, a magnetic disk device with guaranteed AV performance can be used. Can be provided.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A first invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a method for inspecting AV performance in a magnetic disk device provided with means for reading and writing AV data on a magnetic disk medium via a general-purpose interface. The access time of the read / write area of the magnetic disk medium is determined by determining whether the measured access time is acceptable for reading / writing AV data. An AV performance inspection method including an AV performance inspection step of performing detection with arbitrary accuracy and using only information via the general-purpose interface. As a result, it is possible to accurately check whether the continuity of AV data can be guaranteed even with a magnetic disk via a general-purpose interface.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the AV performance inspection step measures an access time for each minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium. This is an AV performance inspection method. As a result, if the minimum unit is, for example, a disk access unit, the continuity and inspection of AV data can be reliably assured.
[0013]
In a third aspect of the present invention based on the first and second aspects, in the AV performance inspection step, the access time is measured a plurality of times for the same position on the magnetic disk medium. An AV performance inspection method characterized in that: Thereby, a statistical method can be applied, and the inspection accuracy can be improved.
[0014]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first and second aspects, the AV performance inspection step includes a step of: determining a reference access time for each zone on the magnetic disk medium, a measured access time, , It is determined whether or not the position is appropriate for reading and writing from the comparison of the AV performance. Thereby, the inspection can be performed with high accuracy for each zone.
[0015]
A fifth invention according to claim 5 is the AV performance inspection method according to the first or second invention, wherein the general-purpose interface is IDE or SCSI. As a result, AV performance can be inspected without using a special interface, and a magnetic disk compatible with a general-purpose interface can be used for AV data.
[0016]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an AV performance inspection method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a position on a magnetic disk medium that is inappropriate for reading and writing AV data is detected. And recording the information of the detected position on a recording medium, and performing a replacement process on the position. As a result, since the position where the continuity of the AV data is not guaranteed is preliminarily replaced, it is possible to manufacture a magnetic disk device in which the AV performance is reliably guaranteed.
[0017]
A seventh invention according to a seventh aspect is the method according to the sixth aspect, wherein the recording medium is a nonvolatile memory or a magnetic disk medium. Thus, the inspection result is recorded and held, so that the inspection result can be used at various timings.
[0018]
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, the replacement process is performed for each disk access unit which is a minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium. This is a method for manufacturing a magnetic disk device. As a result, in the disk access unit, which is the minimum unit, the continuity of the AV data can be guaranteed and checked reliably.
[0019]
A ninth aspect of the present invention is a magnetic disk drive manufactured by the method of manufacturing a magnetic disk drive according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects. This makes it possible to obtain a magnetic disk device in which continuity with respect to AV data is guaranteed.
[0020]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic disk medium comprising means for executing the AV performance inspection method according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the magnetic disk medium is not suitable for reading and writing AV data. A magnetic disk device characterized by detecting an upper position, recording information of the detected position on a recording medium, and performing a replacement process on the position. As a result, it is possible to perform a replacement process for inspecting and guaranteeing the AV performance not only during the manufacturing process but also during use by the user.
[0021]
An eleventh invention according to an eleventh aspect is the magnetic disk device according to the tenth aspect, wherein the recording medium is a nonvolatile memory or a magnetic disk medium. As a result, the inspection result is recorded and held, so that the inspection result can be used at various timings.
[0022]
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the tenth aspect, the replacement process is performed for each disk access unit which is a minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium. This is a magnetic disk drive. As a result, in the disk access unit, which is the minimum unit, the continuity of the AV data can be guaranteed and checked reliably.
[0023]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0024]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic disk drive according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0025]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnetic disk device, 2 denotes a magnetic disk as a recording medium of the magnetic disk device 1, 3 denotes a general-purpose IF used for the magnetic disk 3, and 4 denotes AV data to the magnetic disk 2 via a general-purpose IF 3. AV data read / write control means for reading / writing, 5 is a microprocessor, 6 is an AV data control circuit, 7 is a buffer, and 8 is an AV data input / output IF. The AV data read / write control means 4 comprises a microprocessor 5, an AV data control circuit 6, a buffer 7, and an AV data input / output IF8. Reference numeral 9 denotes a higher-level device (or a host device) connected to the magnetic disk device 1 via the AV data input / output IF 8.
[0026]
The operation of the magnetic disk drive configured as described above will be described.
[0027]
In FIG. 1, a magnetic disk access program according to the first embodiment is recorded on a magnetic disk 2 or a read-only memory (ROM) inside an AV data read / write control unit 4 (not shown). By executing this magnetic disk access program, the magnetic disk device 1 performs the following operation.
[0028]
First, an operation for recording AV data will be described. The AV data read / write control means 4 temporarily stores the AV data transmitted via the AV data input / output IF 8 in the buffer 7 according to an instruction from the host device 9. When the AV data is stored in the buffer 7 for the disk access unit, the AV data control circuit 6 issues a command to write a command to the magnetic disk 2 to start the LBA (Logical Block Addressing) of the disk access unit and the disk access unit. The number of sectors is specified, and the size of the data access unit stored in the buffer 7 is transferred to the magnetic disk 2 via the general-purpose IF 3. When the writing to the magnetic disk 2 is completed, it notifies the AV data writing control means 4 through the general-purpose IF 3 that the writing has been completed. When the AV data control circuit 6 knows that the magnetic disk 2 has completed the writing, it performs a writing process for the next disk access unit stored in the buffer 7.
[0029]
The AV data read / write control unit 4 measures the time from issuing the write command to the magnetic disk 2 to each disk access unit until receiving a write completion notification from the magnetic disk 2. Information on the measured access time of each disk access unit is stored in a memory provided in the AV data reading / writing means 4 or the magnetic disk 2.
[0030]
Next, an operation for reproducing AV data will be described. The AV data control circuit 6 issues a read command to the magnetic disk 2 by specifying the start LBA of the AV data to be read and the number of sectors to be read. The data for the disk access unit to be read from the magnetic disk 2 is stored in the buffer 7 via the general-purpose IF 3. When the data for the disk access unit to be read is accumulated in the buffer 7, the AV data is sent to the host device 9 via the AV data input / output IF8.
[0031]
The AV data read / write control unit 4 measures the time from issuing a read command to the magnetic disk 2 to each disk access unit until reading of the disk access units to be read from the magnetic disk 2 is completed. . Information on the measured access time of each disk access unit is stored in a memory provided in the AV data reading / writing means 4 or the magnetic disk 2.
[0032]
In the system, the allowable access time TC for each disk access unit for guaranteeing the continuity of the AV data includes the transfer rate of the AV data to be handled, the transfer rate of the magnetic disk, the rotation waiting time and seek time of the magnetic disk, the disk access unit Is determined by the size of
[0033]
If the access time of the disk access unit exceeds the allowable access time TC, the disk access unit is not suitable for recording AV data.
[0034]
However, as described in the section of "Problems to be Solved by the Invention", recent magnetic disks have become poor in reproducibility of access time due to the increase in capacity, and the measured access time has been reduced to the allowable access time. Even if the access time is sufficiently larger than the TC, the subsequent access does not exceed the allowable access time TC again, or even if the measured access time is sufficiently smaller than the allowable access time TC, the allowable access is performed at the next access. The time TC may be exceeded.
[0035]
Therefore, in the AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment, the behavior of the access time of the magnetic disk 2 is grasped in advance based on a statistical method, and in which case the reproducibility is higher than the allowable access time TC. Is stochastically determined from the measurement result of the actual access time.
[0036]
Next, an AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment for determining whether to guarantee continuity of AV data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of the AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0037]
The AV data read / write unit 4 issues a write command or a read command to the magnetic disk 2 as step S1. Next, as step S2, measurement of the access time of the disk access unit is started. When a write or read completion notification is returned from the magnetic disk 2 (step S3), the measurement of the disk access unit is terminated, and the measured access time of the disk access unit is stored in a RAM (not shown) in the AV data read / write means 4. (Step S4). The measured access time is compared with a reference access time calculated for each zone based on a statistical method in advance, and when the access time is longer than the reference access time (step S5), the disk access unit is used as a recording unit for the magnetic disk. 2 or is registered in a defect candidate table in a nonvolatile memory provided in the AV data writing means 4 (step S6).
[0038]
The disk access units registered in the defect candidate table perform retries a preset number of times based on a statistical method (step S7). As a result of the retry, if the number of times exceeding the allowable access time exceeds a predetermined value (step S8), the disk access unit performs a replacement process (step S9). This replacement process is performed for each disk access unit, and it is possible to prevent a disk access unit that does not guarantee continuity for AV data from being used.
[0039]
Through the above steps, the AV performance inspection method is executed. Note that the above processing procedure is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and various improvements can be made.
[0040]
Next, a method of calculating the reference access time for each zone used in step S5 will be described.
[0041]
The theoretical access time for each zone of the magnetic disk medium is calculated based on the transfer rate of the magnetic disk medium, the transfer rate of the general-purpose IF, and the size of the data access unit. FIG. 3 shows an example of the calculation result of the theoretical access time of the magnetic disk used in the first embodiment. In FIG. 3, since the transfer rate of the magnetic disk used in the present embodiment differs for each zone (Zones 1 to 10 in FIG. 3), the access time differs for each zone. The access time of each zone is slightly different between 30 ms and 45 ms as shown in FIG.
[0042]
FIG. 4 shows the reproducibility of the actual access time in an arbitrary disk access unit. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the number of the disk access unit, and the vertical axis represents the access time standardized (or normalized) by the theoretical access time. Each disk access unit measures the access time several hundred times. Is going. In FIG. 4, the standard address time 1 is a value that matches the theoretical address time shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 4, most of the disk access units have a measured value of 1.3 or less as a result of several hundred measurements. In the magnetic disk shown here, the normalized address time of 1.3 corresponds to one rotation waiting time (or one retry). On the other hand, a disk access unit whose measurement time exceeds the allowable access time always records an access time whose standardized access time is 1.6 or more. The normalized access time of 1.6 corresponds to waiting for two rotations (or the occurrence of two retries). In the case of the present magnetic disk, waiting for one rotation is a level that occurs on a daily basis, but waiting for two rotations can be said to have a risk of exceeding the allowable access time thereafter. Therefore, the reference access time when the present magnetic disk is used may be a time obtained by multiplying the theoretical access time by 1.6. If the reference access time differs for each zone, the reference time is set for each zone.
[0043]
Here, the number of retries was predicted based on the theoretical access time. However, the number of retries is not necessarily normalized, and the number of retries can be calculated by measuring the access time for the same disk access unit multiple times. Can be predicted. In the example of FIG. 4, the theoretical access time matches the minimum value of the access times measured a plurality of times. In this way, the number of retry occurrences can be predicted based on the minimum value of the access times measured a plurality of times. This method is effective when the transfer rate for each zone is unknown. Further, by measuring the access time a plurality of times, the reproducibility of the same disk access unit can be confirmed, so that the accuracy of the comparison judgment in step S5 is improved. Accuracy can be arbitrarily selected.
[0044]
The number of retries set in step S7 is also determined from a sufficient study of the reproducibility of the access time as described above. The number of times exceeding the allowable access time in step S8 is determined based on the system configuration.
[0045]
According to the magnetic disk AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment, the access time is measured, and the measured access time is compared with a reference access time based on statistical processing in advance to determine the access time. It is possible to predict a position that is not appropriate for reading and writing with arbitrary accuracy, and it is possible to perform a check using only information of access time via a general-purpose IF.
[0046]
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, as a general-purpose IF, it can be implemented in IDE (integrated device electronics) or SCSI (small computer system interface).
[0047]
Then, since the replacement process is appropriately performed based on the inspection result obtained by executing the AV performance inspection method, the performance for the AV data is guaranteed. By performing the above-described AV performance inspection method in the process of manufacturing the magnetic disk device, a magnetic disk device with guaranteed performance can be obtained.
[0048]
Further, by providing the magnetic disk drive with the means for executing the AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment, it is possible to detect a disk access unit exceeding the allowable access time even during actual use by a general user, It is possible to provide a highly reliable magnetic disk drive that is not damaged by loss of AV data.
[0049]
(Embodiment 2)
The second embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0050]
The configuration of the magnetic disk device according to the second embodiment is the same as the configuration of FIG. 1 in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the AV performance inspection method according to the present embodiment.
[0051]
In FIG. 1, an AV performance inspection program is recorded on a magnetic disk 2 or a ROM (not shown) inside the AV data reading / writing means 4. When performing the AV performance inspection in the manufacturing process, the magnetic disk device 1 performs the following operation based on the AV performance inspection program.
[0052]
The AV data read / write unit 4 issues a write command to the entire area where AV data is to be recorded, as step S10 shown in FIG. The time from the issuance of a write command to each disk access unit to the completion of writing from the magnetic disk 2 is measured (step S11), and the measurement result is recorded in a RAM (not shown) in the AV data reading / writing means 4. (Step S12). When writing to the entire AV area is completed (step S13), a read command is issued to the entire AV area (step S15). The time from the issuance of a read command to each disk access unit to the completion of reading from the magnetic disk 2 is measured (step S16), and stored in the RAM (step 17).
[0053]
When the entire reading is completed (step S18), steps S10 to S18 are repeated a plurality of times (step S20). Here, the inspection accuracy improves as the number of repetitions N (N is a natural number) increases.
[0054]
When the N full-time read / write inspection is completed, a comparison is made with a reference access time determined in advance based on a statistical method. It is registered in a certain defect candidate table (step S21).
[0055]
The disk access unit registered in the defect candidate table performs retries a preset number of times based on a statistical method (step S22). As a result of the retry, if the number of times exceeding the allowable access time exceeds a predetermined value (step S23), the disk access unit performs a replacement process (step S24).
[0056]
As described above, in the AV performance inspection method for the magnetic disk device according to the second embodiment, since the AV performance can be inspected only with the information of the access time via the general-purpose IF, the AV performance inspection using any general-purpose magnetic disk can be performed. It is possible. The general-purpose IF may be IDE or SCSI. Further, since the AV performance is inspected based on an inspection standard based on a statistical method that has been studied in advance, it is possible to efficiently perform an AV performance inspection with good reproducibility.
[0057]
Further, by using the manufacturing method according to the second embodiment, it is possible to provide a magnetic disk device that guarantees reliable AV performance.
[0058]
Note that the above processing procedure is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5, and various improvements can be made.
[0059]
In the above embodiments, the program for executing the AV performance inspection method is recorded in advance in the ROM or the magnetic disk 2 in the AV data reading / writing means 4. You may comprise so that it may be loaded.
[0060]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention measures the write or read access time for each access unit of a magnetic disk based on a statistical method, and determines whether or not continuity of AV data can be guaranteed based on the measurement result. Therefore, it is possible to perform a performance test on AV data with high accuracy and using only information from the general-purpose IF.
[0061]
In addition, since the disk access unit that cannot guarantee continuity with respect to AV data is replaced using the AV performance inspection method according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a magnetic disk device that guarantees continuity with respect to AV data.
[0062]
Further, since the magnetic disk drive is provided with a means for performing the AV performance inspection method according to the present invention, the manufacturing process is of course possible, and the AV performance inspection method can be performed even during actual use by a general user. The performance of the device can be inspected and the performance can be maintained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a magnetic disk drive according to Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the magnetic disk device and a procedure of an AV performance inspection method according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an access time for each zone of the magnetic disk drive according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing reproducibility of an actual access time in an arbitrary disk access unit of the magnetic disk device according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the magnetic disk device and a procedure of an AV performance inspection method according to the second embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Magnetic disk drive
2 Magnetic disk
3 General-purpose interface
4 AV data read / write means
5 Microprocessor
6 AV data control circuit
7 Buffer
8 AV data input / output IF
9 Host device

Claims (12)

An AV performance inspection method for a magnetic disk device comprising means for reading and writing AV data on a magnetic disk medium via a general-purpose interface,
The access time to the readable / writable area on the magnetic disk medium is measured through the general-purpose interface, and it is determined whether the measured access time is allowable for reading and writing AV data, An AV performance inspection method comprising an AV performance inspection step of detecting a position on a magnetic disk medium that is not suitable for reading and writing. 2. The AV performance inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the AV performance inspection step measures an access time for each minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium. 3. The AV performance inspection method according to claim 1, wherein in the AV performance inspection step, an access time is measured a plurality of times at the same position on the magnetic disk medium. The AV performance inspection step is characterized by determining whether or not the position is appropriate for reading and writing from a comparison between a reference access time provided for each zone on the magnetic disk medium and the measured access time. The AV performance inspection method according to claim 1. The AV performance inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the general-purpose interface is IDE or SCSI. A step of detecting a position on a magnetic disk medium that is inappropriate for reading and writing AV data by the AV performance inspection method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, recording information of the detected position on a recording medium, Performing a replacement process on the position. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the recording medium is a nonvolatile memory or a magnetic disk medium. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the replacement process is performed for each disk access unit which is a minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium. A magnetic disk drive manufactured by the method for manufacturing a magnetic disk drive according to claim 6. A means for executing the AV performance inspection method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a position on a magnetic disk medium inappropriate for reading and writing AV data is detected, and information on the detected position is recorded on a recording medium. A magnetic disk drive for recording and performing a replacement process on the position. 11. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 10, wherein the recording medium is a nonvolatile memory or a magnetic disk medium. 11. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 10, wherein the replacement processing is performed for each disk access unit which is a minimum unit for continuously accessing the magnetic disk medium.

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