JP2010097650A - Optical disk recording/reproducing system and buffer memory management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To record and reproduce continuous video-audio data without interruption even when a buffer memory mounted on a driving device has a small capacity, while dealing with defects on an optical disk. <P>SOLUTION: A recording/reproducing application 22 of a host device 2 obtains a capacity value Ma of a buffer memory A17 mounted on the optical disk device 1, and compares it with an imagined capacity Mo of the buffer memory imagined to be necessary for a recording/reproducing operation of continuous data. When the capacity value Ma is less than the imagined capacity Mo, a buffer memory B24 having a shortage capacity Mb (=Mo-Ma) is set in a memory 23 provided in the host device 2, and the two buffer memories A and B are integrated to be managed in a unified manner. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical disc recording / reproducing system and a buffer memory management method for suitably recording / reproducing video / audio data continuous on an optical disc.

  In an optical disk recording / reproducing system comprising an optical disk device (hereinafter referred to as a drive device) and a host device such as a PC (personal computer) that controls the optical disk device, when recording / reproducing video / audio data on the optical disk, access to a data area on the disk Data writing / reading may be temporarily interrupted due to time or retry recording / playback due to data writing / reading failure. When recording moving image content that is input in real time, such as a photographed image from a camera or a broadcast program, it is necessary that the recorded content is not lost even if the data writing operation is interrupted. Also, when playing back moving image content recorded on a disc, it is necessary to be able to continuously view the played content without interruption even if the data reading operation is interrupted. For this purpose, recording / playback data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory of the drive device, data is written on the disk at the time of recording, and data is pre-read from the disk at the time of playback, so that the read / write interruption time is absorbed. Data transferred between the device and the host device is prevented from being interrupted. At that time, the buffer memory capacity is set to a capacity that does not interrupt the transfer of data to and from the host device due to the remaining data capacity being depleted (underflow) in consideration of the length of time during which data writing / reading is interrupted. Must.

The following techniques have been proposed for the buffer memory management method.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for estimating the time required to read data from a disk medium and increasing or decreasing the buffering capacity in the buffer based on the estimation result. For example, a system controller outside the device queries the microcontroller in the disk device for the time required to read data, and the microcontroller estimates the time required for reading based on the seek performance of the device and data arrangement information. This is to notify the system controller.

  In Patent Document 2, in order to guarantee a predetermined throughput (data transfer rate) even when a plurality of data access requests are generated for a disk medium, a buffer area is provided in the memory means according to a predetermined condition for each of the plurality of data access requests. Techniques to ensure are disclosed.

JP 2002-1224019 A JP 2004-213059 A

  The interruption of data writing / reading with respect to the disk in the drive device may be caused by the above-described seek performance or data arrangement information, or may be caused by a defect on the disk such as a scratch on the disk or a fingerprint. The interruption time based on the former seek performance and data arrangement information is predictable in advance, and is often only a relatively short interruption. However, the interruption time due to the defect on the latter disk is difficult to predict, and a long interruption may be required for retry recording / reproduction, which may cause great damage to the user.

  The buffer control techniques disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are based on the premise that the time required for reading can be estimated in advance, and are difficult to apply when a defect on the disk is a factor. It seems to be. Even if the size of the defective portion can be detected and converted into the reading time, an analysis portion for complicated calculation processing is required, and the configuration of the drive device becomes complicated.

  On the other hand, in order to cope with a case where the read interruption time is difficult to predict, such as a defect on the disk, it is conceivable to provide a large-capacity buffer memory with a sufficient margin assuming a long interruption time. However, mounting a high-cost large-capacity buffer memory in the drive device results in low memory use efficiency and poor cost performance of the device.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to cope with defects on an optical disk, and to record / reproduce continuous video / audio data without interruption even if the buffer memory mounted on the drive device has a small capacity. A recording / reproducing system and a buffer memory management method are provided.

  The present invention relates to an optical disc recording / reproducing system including an optical disc device and a host device for controlling the optical disc device, wherein the optical disc device irradiates an optical disc with laser light to record / reproduce data, and a recording signal supplied to the optical head A recording / reproduction processing unit for processing a reproduction signal from the optical head, a microcomputer for controlling the recording / reproducing operation of the optical disk device according to a command from the host device, and recording / reproduction data to be transferred between the optical head and the host device. A first buffer memory for temporary storage. The host device also includes a CPU that has a recording / playback application and sends a recording / playback operation command to the optical disk device, and a memory that stores various applications and stores recording / playback data. The recording / playback application of the host device obtains the capacity value Ma of the first buffer memory mounted on the optical disk device, and compares the capacity value Ma with the assumed capacity Mo of the buffer memory assumed to be necessary for the recording / playback operation. When the capacity is less than Mo, a second buffer memory having a deficient capacity Mb (= Mo−Ma) is set in the memory of the host device, and the first and second buffer memories are integrated and integrated. to manage.

  The present invention relates to a buffer memory management method in an optical disc recording / playback system including an optical disc device and a host device that controls the optical disc device, and obtains a capacity value Ma of a first buffer memory for recording / playback installed in the optical disc device to perform recording. Compared with the assumed capacity Mo of the buffer memory assumed to be necessary for the reproduction operation, when the capacity value Ma is less than the assumed capacity Mo, the memory having the deficient capacity Mb (= Mo−Ma) in the memory of the host device. Two buffer memories are set, and the first and second buffer memories are integrated and managed centrally.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to record / reproduce continuous video / audio data on an optical disc without interruption while the configuration of the drive device is simple.

  The optical disk recording / reproducing system of the present invention is constituted by an optical disk device (drive device) and a host device (for example, PC) for controlling the same. The drive device is equipped with a buffer memory for temporarily storing recording / reproduction data, and reports the capacity value to the host device. The host device assumes the buffer memory capacity necessary to execute the recording / playback operation without interruption. If the buffer memory capacity of the drive device is less than the assumed capacity, the shortage is allocated to the memory installed in the host device. Replenish with the part. In this way, the host device secures the necessary capacity of the buffer memory as a whole, and manages both memories in a unified manner. Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an optical disk recording / reproducing system according to the present invention. The system of this embodiment includes an optical disk device (drive device) 1 that records and reproduces data on an optical disk 11 and a host device (PC) 2 that controls the optical disk device 1. Data and commands are transferred. The video / audio data reproduced from the optical disk 11 is viewed on the display 4 connected to the host device 2.

  The configuration of the drive device 1 will be described. The optical disk 11 is rotated by a spindle motor 12 and a recording layer is irradiated with laser light by an optical head 13 to record or reproduce data. The data to be recorded / reproduced here is a moving image content, and can be recorded / reproduced at a speed higher than the viewing speed of the content. The optical head 13 includes a laser light source that generates laser light, an objective lens that irradiates the recording layer with a laser beam, an actuator that drives the objective lens in the disc thickness direction and the disc radial direction, and detects reflected light from the disc as an electrical signal. Includes photodetectors to convert. The optical head 13 is moved to a predetermined position on the disk by a thread motor (not shown).

  The recording / playback processing unit 14 processes the video / audio data transferred from the host device 2 to generate a recording signal, supplies the recording signal to the optical head 13, and processes the playback signal read by the optical head 13 to process the video / audio data. Get audio data. The microcomputer 15 controls each part of the drive device 1 according to a command (command) received from the host device 2 and performs a recording / reproducing operation. The memory 16 stores data necessary for the recording / reproducing operation of the drive device. Among them, the buffer memory 17 is allocated for temporarily storing recording / reproducing data to be transferred between the optical head 13 and the host device 2. It is an area. Hereinafter, the buffer memory 17 is referred to as “buffer memory A”. The flash memory 18 stores information on each optical disk to be used.

  The configuration of the host device 2 will be described. Here, a PC is assumed as an example of the host device, but the same applies to a video camera, a television, and the like. The CPU 21 has a recording / reproduction application 22 and performs recording / reproduction control of the host device 2 and the drive device 1 as a whole. The memory 23 is, for example, a hard disk medium, stores various application programs, and stores video / audio data transmitted / received to / from an external device. In this embodiment, the buffer memory 24 for storing a part of the recording / reproducing data in the drive device 1 is set in a partial area of the memory 23. Hereinafter, the buffer memory 24 is referred to as “buffer memory B”. The host device 2 determines the capacity of the buffer memory B (24), secures it in the memory 23, and manages it together with the buffer memory A (17) of the drive device 1. That is, the buffer memory A of the drive device 1 and the buffer memory B of the host device 2 are integrated and used as a single buffer memory.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the buffer memory A of the drive device 1 and the buffer memory B of the host device 2.
The capacity of the buffer memory A included in the drive device 1 is Ma, and the capacity of the buffer memory B set in the host device 2 is Mb. The capacity of the buffer memory that is assumed to be necessary for smoothly recording and reproducing moving image content (this is referred to as “assumed capacity”) is Mo. For the capacity Mb of the buffer memory B, the shortage of the capacity Ma of the buffer memory A with respect to the assumed capacity Mo is calculated by equation (1).
Mb = Mo-Ma (1)

  Here, the assumed capacity Mo is set in advance by the recording / playback application based on the time required to execute retry recording (alternate recording) or retry playback when data writing to or reading from the disk fails. However, an upper limit is set for the number of retries and time, and when the upper limit is exceeded, the retry operation is stopped and the process proceeds to recording / reproduction of the next data.

  Further, the estimated capacity required for executing the application differs depending on the software producer, recording / reproduction performance, and processing method. For example, the amount of information (bit rate) per unit time of video / audio data to be recorded / reproduced on a disc varies depending on the image quality (standard definition or high definition) of a moving image and its compression method. Set the assumed capacity according to the bit rate.

  The recording / playback application 22 of the host device 2 sends a command to the drive device 1 before starting the recording / playback operation, and hears the capacity Ma of the buffer memory A of the drive device 1. Then, the shortage amount is calculated by the above formula, and the buffer memory B having the capacity Mb is secured in the memory 23. Subsequently, the recording / reproducing application 22 starts recording / reproducing of data on the optical disc 11 and performs post-writing and pre-reading of data while temporarily storing data using both the buffer memory A and the buffer memory B.

  In this way, the recording / playback application automatically determines the required buffer memory capacity before starting recording / playback, and sets and secures it in the host device, so that the drive device does not have a large-capacity buffer memory and is efficient. Recording / reproducing operation can be performed well.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the buffer memory management method according to this embodiment.
In S101, the CPU 21 activates the recording / playback application 22.
In S102, the recording / reproducing application 22 sends a command to the drive device 1 to inquire about the capacity Ma of the buffer memory A (17) installed in the drive device 1.
In S103, the microcomputer 15 of the drive device 1 returns the actually usable capacity value Ma of the buffer memory A (17).

In S104, the recording / reproducing application 22 compares the capacity value Ma of the buffer memory A with the estimated capacity Mo necessary for smooth recording / reproducing.
If the capacity value Ma is greater than or equal to the assumed capacity Mo, the process proceeds to S107 and recording / reproduction is started. In this case, only the buffer memory A operates.
If the capacity value Ma is less than the assumed capacity Mo, the process proceeds to S105.

In S105, the shortage Mb with respect to the assumed capacity Mo is calculated by the equation (1).
In S <b> 106, an insufficient Mb memory area is secured in the memory 23 of the host apparatus 2 and allocated as the buffer memory B. As a result, the buffer memory A and the buffer memory B are integrated to operate as a total capacity Mo (= Ma + Mb).
In S107, data recording / reproduction is started.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the total buffer memory capacity can be expanded to the assumed capacity Mo without increasing the capacity Ma of the buffer memory A mounted in the drive device. As a result, it is possible to deal with defects such as scratches and fingerprints on the optical disc, and to smoothly record and reproduce continuous video / audio data without interruption.

  In the above-described embodiment, the assumed capacity Mo is set regardless of the disk to be used, but it is also possible to set the assumed capacity Mo individually from the past results for each disk to be used. For this purpose, after recording or reproducing data using a certain disk, the operating status of the buffer memories A and B in the apparatus is checked, and the operating memory capacity (the sum of A and B) together with the disk ID is flash memory. 18 is registered. The next time the disk is used, the registered operating memory capacity may be read and set as the assumed capacity Mo. According to this, it is possible to set the estimated capacity Mo more appropriately by individually reflecting the degree of defect of the disk.

The block diagram which shows one Example of the optical disk recording / reproducing system by this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a relationship between a buffer memory A of the drive device 1 and a buffer memory B of the host device 2; The figure which shows the flowchart of the buffer memory management method of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Optical disc device (drive device),
2 ... Host device (PC),
3 ... Interface,
11 ... Optical disc,
13: Optical head,
14: Recording / playback processing unit,
15 ... Microcomputer,
16 ... Memory,
17: Buffer memory A,
18 ... Flash memory,
21 ... CPU,
22: Recording / playback application,
23 ... Memory,
24 Buffer memory B

Claims (5)

In an optical disc recording / reproducing system comprising an optical disc device for recording / reproducing data on an optical disc and a host device for controlling the optical disc device,
The optical disc apparatus includes an optical head that records and reproduces data by irradiating the optical disc with laser light, a recording and reproduction processing unit that generates a recording signal to be supplied to the optical head, and processes the reproduction signal from the optical head; A microcomputer for controlling the recording / reproducing operation of the optical disk device in accordance with a command from the host device, and a first buffer memory for temporarily storing recording / reproducing data to be transferred between the optical head and the host device,
The host device includes a CPU that has a recording / playback application and sends a recording / playback operation command to the optical disc device, and a memory that stores various applications and stores recording / playback data
The recording / playback application of the host device obtains the capacity value Ma of the first buffer memory mounted on the optical disk device and compares the capacity value with the assumed capacity Mo of the buffer memory assumed to be necessary for the recording / playback operation. When Ma is less than the assumed capacity Mo, a second buffer memory having a deficient capacity Mb (= Mo−Ma) is set in the memory of the host device, and the first and second buffer memories are set. An optical disc recording / reproducing system characterized by integrated management. The optical disk recording / reproducing system according to claim 1,
The optical disc apparatus has a flash memory for storing information of an optical disc to be used,
The recording / reproducing application records or reproduces data with respect to the optical disc, and then checks the operation status of the first and second buffer memories, and registers the memory capacity operated together with the ID of the optical disc in the flash memory. ,
An optical disk recording / reproducing system, wherein when the optical disk is used next time, an operating memory capacity registered in the flash memory is read and set as the assumed capacity Mo. In a buffer memory management method in an optical disc recording / reproducing system including an optical disc device and a host device for controlling the optical disc device,
Obtaining the capacity value Ma of the first buffer memory for recording and reproduction mounted on the optical disc apparatus;
Compared to the assumed capacity Mo of the buffer memory that is assumed to be necessary for the recording / reproducing operation,
When the capacity value Ma is less than the assumed capacity Mo, a second buffer memory having a deficient capacity Mb (= Mo−Ma) is set in the memory of the host device,
A buffer memory management method characterized in that the first and second buffer memories are integrated and managed in an integrated manner. The buffer memory management method according to claim 3,
The recording / playback application installed in the host device inquires the capacity value of the first buffer memory from the optical disk device,
The optical disk device returns a usable capacity value Ma of the first buffer memory,
The recording / reproducing application compares the capacity value Ma of the first buffer memory with the assumed capacity Mo,
When the capacity value Ma is less than the assumed capacity Mo, a shortage capacity Mb (= Mo−Ma) with respect to the assumed capacity Mo is calculated.
A buffer memory management method characterized by allocating a memory area having a deficient capacity Mb in the memory of the host device and allocating it as the second buffer memory B. The buffer memory management method according to claim 3 or 4,
After recording or reproducing data with respect to the optical disc, the operation status of the first and second buffer memories is checked, and the memory capacity operated with the ID of the optical disc is registered in the flash memory,
A buffer memory management method characterized in that, when the optical disk is used next time, the registered operating memory capacity is read and set as the assumed capacity Mo.

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