JP4384622B2 - External storage device, program, and information processing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an external storage device connected to a personal computer, and more particularly to an external storage device that prevents data destruction when disconnected from a personal computer.

  Generally, when removing an external storage device connected to a personal computer (hereinafter simply referred to as a PC), the user must perform an appropriate removal process. For example, by operating the PC, the storage device is instructed to be removed from the PC, and the access is completely stopped (unmounted), and then the removal is performed.

  If the user performs physical removal without performing the above processing, the data may be destroyed if the PC is accessing the storage device (during data read / write).

  However, the process of instructing to remove from the PC as described above is troublesome for the user, and there is a problem that it is difficult for the beginner of the PC operation to perform the above process.

In view of this, a mechanism has been proposed that detects that the user is attempting to remove the device and prevents the removal until at least access to the device is stopped (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-44144 A

  The card device removal mechanism described in Patent Document 1 includes a sensor that detects a user's removal operation on an eject button on the card slot side. When this removal operation is detected, removal is performed mechanically until access stops ( Electromagnetic) is prohibited.

  In such a case, it is necessary to provide a sensor and a removal prohibiting mechanism on the card slot side (PC side), and it is difficult to attach to a PC that does not include the above-described mechanism later.

  Also, in the USB interface and the IEEE1394 interface, it is generally difficult for the user to remove the device directly instead of the eject button (unplug the cable by hand), so it is difficult to attach the lock mechanism as described above. In addition, it is difficult to detect the user's removal operation with a sensor or the like.

  The present invention provides an external storage device, a program, and an external storage device that allows a user to perform a removal process (unmount process) with a simple operation and safely remove a device regardless of the interface. An object is to provide an information processing system.

The invention according to claim 1 is an external storage device connected to the information processing apparatus, and is installed in the external storage device, and an operation element for a user to give an operation instruction is operated. And an instruction unit that instructs the information processing apparatus to perform the unmount process of the external storage device, and the instruction unit instructs the unmount process to perform the unmount process, thereby including the storage unit. The logical assignment in the OS of the information processing apparatus is released in a state where the whole is physically connected .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the instructing unit performs the unmount process via a general-purpose interface used for data transmission / reception between the information processing apparatus and a storage unit of the external storage device. It is characterized by instructing.

  In the present invention, when a user presses a detach button (operator) provided in an external storage device, the device is instructed to unmount the PC, and the PC unmounts the storage device. Inquiries are regularly made from the PC to the storage device, and the storage device responds to the inquiry only when the user presses the removal button. When the PC responds, it unmounts the device. As a result, the unmount process can be performed by simply pressing the removal button regardless of the interface such as USB or IEEE1394.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the operation unit is operated when the instruction unit is physically connected to the information processing apparatus and is supplied with power , and the external storage device is unmounted. In this case, the external storage device is remounted on the information processing apparatus by electrically reconnecting to the information processing apparatus.

In the present invention, when the external storage device is unmounted, it is remounted when the user presses the removal button. When a user wants to remount, the user can remount with the push of a button, without plugging or unplugging the cable.
The invention according to claim 4 includes a receiving unit that receives an inquiry periodically transmitted from the information processing apparatus, and the instruction unit is operated when the operation element is operated when the inquiry is received. In addition, the information processing apparatus is instructed to perform unmount processing by transmitting a response to the inquiry to the information processing apparatus.

The invention according to claim 5 is a program executed by an information processing apparatus to which the external storage device according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3 is connected, and the information processing apparatus includes: characterized in that to execute the unmount process procedure, unmounting the external storage device when the said external storage device, the receiving step of receiving a request that instructs to perform the unmount process, the pre Kiyo determined received And

The invention according to claim 6 is a program executed by the information processing apparatus to which the external storage device according to claim 4 is connected, and a transmission procedure for periodically sending an inquiry to the information processing apparatus The reception procedure is a procedure for receiving the request by receiving a response to the inquiry, and the unmount processing procedure is a procedure for unmounting the external storage device when the response is received. It is characterized by being.

The invention according to claim 7 is an information processing system comprising an information processing apparatus and an external storage device connected to the information processing apparatus, wherein the external storage device is installed in the external storage device And an operation signal that is transmitted by the user to the information processing apparatus when the operation element is operated, and the information processing apparatus transmits the operation signal to the information processing apparatus. A control unit that unmounts the entire external storage device including the storage unit of the external storage device when received, and the control unit performs the unmount so that the entire external storage device is physically connected. In this state, the logical assignment in the OS of the information processing apparatus is released .
The operation signal transmission means may send the operation signal via a general-purpose interface used for data transmission / reception between the information processing apparatus and the storage unit of the external storage device. It is characterized by transmitting.

According to a ninth aspect of the invention, the external storage device is physically connected to the information processing apparatus, is supplied with power , and the external storage device is unmounted. Re-connection means for electrically re-connecting with the information processing apparatus when the operation is performed, and the control means re-mounts the external storage device when the re-connection is performed. Features.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the control means periodically sends an inquiry to the external storage device, and the operation signal sending means operates the operation element when the inquiry is received. Only in some cases, the operation signal is transmitted as a response to the inquiry.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the user presses the detach button provided in the external storage device, the device is instructed to unmount the PC, so the interface between the PC and the device is connected. Even if it is, the user can perform the removal process (unmount process) simply by pressing the removal button, and can safely remove the device with a simple operation.

  Hereinafter, a storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a storage device. As shown in the figure, the storage device 1 includes a USB terminal 11 that is an interface for connecting to the PC 2, a control unit 12 that controls the operation of the storage device 1, a ROM 13 that stores an operation program of the storage device 1, and data Is stored, and a removal button 15 is provided. Connected to the control unit 12 are a USB terminal 11, a ROM 13, a storage unit 14, and a removal button 15.

  The PC 2 is a general-purpose personal computer. As basic software (OS) for operating the PC 2, for example, Windows (registered trademark) XP is used. The OS is not limited to Windows (registered trademark) XP, and may be another OS.

  When the USB terminal 11 is connected to the PC 2 by the user, the control unit 12 reads an operation program stored in the ROM 13 and performs various operations. When the USB terminal 11 is connected to the PC 2 via a general-purpose USB cable, the control unit 12 receives power supply from the PC 2 by USB bus power and communicates with the PC 2 via the USB terminal 11. When communication is started, an inquiry about the type of device is transmitted from the PC 2, so the control unit 12 transmits information indicating that the device is a storage device. The PC 2 receives this and recognizes that the connected device is a storage device, and assigns a drive to this storage device (assigns a device to a part of the directory). In this way, the storage device 1 is mounted on the PC 2.

  The storage unit 14 is a storage that receives data from the PC 2 and stores it, and is configured by, for example, a hard disk. The storage device is not limited to a hard disk, and may be another storage device such as a flash memory.

  The storage unit 14 is data-managed by a file system such as FAT (File Allocation Tables) or NTFS (NT File System). A file system other than the above may be used, such as HFS (Hierarchical File System). Data management may be performed with a file system suitable for the OS of the connected PC.

  When the storage device 1 is mounted on the PC 2, data can be read from and written to the storage unit 14 from the PC 2. When the user operates the PC 2 to instruct to write data to the storage device 1, the data is transferred from the PC 2 to the control unit 12, and the control unit 12 writes the data to the storage unit 14. When the user operates the PC 2 to instruct to read data from the storage device 1, the control unit 12 reads the data from the storage unit 14 and transmits it to the PC 2. In this way, the storage device 1 is used as an external storage device of the PC 2.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the storage device 1. As shown in the figure, the storage device 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape so that the user can carry it. As described above, the storage device 1 is used as an external storage device of the PC 2, and the user mainly uses it for carrying data. The external shape of the storage device 1 is not limited to this example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the removal button 15 is provided on the outer side surface of the storage device 1 and detects a user's pressing operation. When the user presses the removal button 15, the control unit 12 is notified that the removal button 15 has been pressed.

  The USB terminal 11 is provided on the outer side surface of the storage device 1 in the same manner as the removal button 15, and the user inserts and removes the USB cable into the USB terminal 11 as shown in FIG. 2.

  The installation positions of the removal button 15 and the USB terminal 11 are not limited to this example.

  The storage device 1 as described above is configured to be lightweight and compact (card type shape) so that the user can easily carry it, and can be used as an external storage device of the PC 2 or a portable storage device. Therefore, the user frequently connects and disconnects the USB terminal 11 and the PC 2. In general, the USB terminal has a structure in which a USB cable can be easily connected and disconnected, and the user often disconnects the cable even when the PC 2 is accessing the storage device 1. Since the storage unit 14 is data-managed by a file system such as FAT or NTFS, there is a risk that data will be destroyed if the user disconnects the cable during access as described above. In order to prevent such data destruction, the user generally operates the PC to unmount the device and then disconnect the cable. For example, when the OS is Windows (registered trademark) XP, the user issues a device removal instruction on the OS (an operation to select a device by selecting a removal icon on the task bar). When the removal instruction is given, the OS cancels the directory assignment for the device. In this way, the device is unmounted.

  It is troublesome for the user to perform the unmount process by operating the PC, and it is difficult for a user who is not used to operating the PC to perform the unmount process. The storage device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention performs an unmount process when the user presses the removal button 15, and can easily and safely remove the device.

  When the storage device 1 is mounted on the PC 2, an inquiry (polling) is periodically transmitted from the PC 2 to the control unit 12. The inquiry interval may be any time, for example, every 1 sec. The control unit 12 that has received the inquiry returns a response to the PC 2 if a pressing operation is detected from the removal button 15. Further, the PC 2 can detect a plurality of operation modes depending on the response reception mode. It is possible to detect not only when the button is pressed, but also when the button is pressed for a long time (for example, a response is received continuously for 3 seconds) or when the button is continuously pressed (for example, a response is received twice consecutively).

  The PC 2 that has received the response performs processing according to each detected operation mode. When a long press operation is performed, the PC 2 performs an unmount process of the storage device 1. When the unmount process is performed, the communication between the PC 2 and the storage device 1 is canceled, and the user can disconnect the USB cable from the USB terminal 11 at any time. If the PC 2 and the storage device 1 are accessing when the response is received, an error is displayed without performing the unmount process.

  Further, when an operation of simply pressing a button is performed, the PC 2 performs processing for displaying the contents of the storage unit 14. Since the contents of the storage unit 14 are displayed, the user does not have to search for this storage device on the OS by operating the PC 2 and can easily check the stored contents. When a plurality of storage devices are connected to the PC 2, it is troublesome to search for the target storage device on the OS (search for the drive name of the target storage device). The contents are displayed only for the device just by pressing, and the user can easily confirm the contents.

  Further, when a continuous pressing operation is performed, the PC 2 performs processing for displaying the contents of the specific data folder in the storage unit 14. Since the contents of a specific data folder mainly used by the user are displayed by simply pressing a button, there is no need to bother searching for the data folder on the OS of the PC 2.

  In the above description, an example in which the PC 2 unmounts the storage device 1 when a long press operation is performed has been described. However, the unmount process may be performed by simply pressing a button, or a continuous press operation may be performed. The unmount process may be performed.

  Further, the processing according to each operation mode may be other than the above. For example, a process of synchronizing a specific data folder stored in the PC 2 with a specific data folder stored in the PC 14 when a continuous pressing operation is performed, a process of executing an Internet browser when a button is simply pressed, a long pressing operation A process that is backed up in the case where an error is made may be performed. The user can freely set which process is assigned to which operation by operating the PC 2.

  In the above example, the PC 2 makes an inquiry to the storage device 1 by the polling method. However, when the removal button 15 is pressed, the storage device 1 makes a processing request to the PC 2. Also good.

  The operation as described above is performed by an application installed in the OS in the PC 2 and by a program stored in the ROM 13 in the storage device 1. Note that the PC 2 may be realized by a driver or the like in addition to the application.

  The above operation has been described for the case where the removal button 15 is pressed while the storage device 1 is mounted on the PC 2, but the storage device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is as follows after being unmounted. Operations can also be performed.

  As described above, when the user presses the removal button 15, the PC 2 is notified that the operation has been performed, and the PC 2 unmounts the storage device 1, but then the user again without disconnecting the USB cable from the USB terminal 11. When the removal button 15 is pressed, the control unit 12 is notified that the removal button 15 has been pressed. Since the power supply from the PC 2 is not interrupted even if the unmount process is performed, it is possible to notify the control unit 12 from the removal button 15 as described above.

  When notified that the removal button 15 has been pressed, the control unit 12 once disconnects from the PC 2 and then reconnects. This can be realized by turning on / off a bus switch or the like built in the control unit 12. As a result, the operation is the same as when the user physically unplugs the cable, and the storage device 1 is remounted on the PC 2. As a result, when the user wants to reconnect after pressing the remove button 15 to unmount, the user only has to press the remove button 15 again without having to unplug the USB cable from the USB terminal 11 and plug it in again. Can be mounted.

  Next, operations of the PC 2 and the storage device 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the storage device 1. This operation is triggered by the user connecting the USB terminal 11 and the PC 2. This operation shows a part of the operation of the storage device 1, and other operations such as data reading and writing are not described.

  First, it communicates with the PC 2 and starts connection (s11). As described above, information indicating that it is a storage device is transmitted to the PC 2 so that it is mounted on the PC 2. Thereafter, an inquiry is transmitted from the PC 2 and is received (s12). This inquiry is transmitted by a so-called polling method. When the inquiry is received, it is determined whether or not the removal button 15 is pressed (s13). If it is determined that the removal button has not been pressed, the process is repeated from the reception of the inquiry without replying.

  If it is determined that the removal button 15 is pressed, a response is transmitted to the PC 2 (s14).

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the PC 2. This operation is realized by an application installed in the PC 2. This operation shows a part of the operation of the PC 2 and does not describe other operations such as data reading and writing. First, it communicates with the storage device 1 and mounts it (s21). Thereafter, an inquiry signal is transmitted to the storage device 1 (s22), and it is determined whether there is a response (s23). If it is determined that there is no response, the process is repeated from the transmission of the inquiry signal. As described above, the inquiry signal is transmitted every 1 sec, for example, but may be other than this time.

  If it is determined that a response has been received from the storage device 1, it is determined whether the PC 2 and the storage device 1 are being accessed (data is being read / written) (s24). If it is determined that access is in progress, an error is displayed (s25), and the operation is terminated. Any error display may be performed, for example, “Accessing. Unable to remove” may be displayed.

  If it is determined that it is not being accessed, the storage device 1 is unmounted (s26), and the operation is terminated. In addition, when PC2 detects a plurality of operation modes and performs a process corresponding to each, it performs a process of detecting the operation mode after the process of s23 (such as whether the response to the inquiry is continuously received). Only when the operated mode is detected, the process of s24 is performed. At this time, when another operation mode is detected, processing associated with the operation is performed.

  As described above, in the storage device according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the user presses the detach button provided in the external storage device, the PC is instructed to unmount the device. Even if connected by such an interface, the user can perform the removal process (unmount process) simply by pressing the removal button, and can safely remove the device with a simple operation.

  In the present embodiment, an example of an external storage device (external hard disk) connected by USB has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and may be applied to a general PC peripheral device or the like. Is possible. Further, the connection with the PC is not limited to the USB. As described above, the inquiry is transmitted from the PC to the device by the polling method, or the device notifies the PC, so that the present invention can be applied to any interface. .

Storage device block diagram External view of storage device Flow chart showing operation of storage device Flow chart showing operation of PC

Explanation of symbols

1-Storage device 2-PC
11-USB terminal 12-control unit 13-ROM
14-Hard disk 15-Remove button

Claims (10)

An external storage device connected to the information processing apparatus,
An operator installed in the external storage device and instructed by the user;
Instruction means for instructing the information processing apparatus to unmount the external storage device when the operation element is operated;
Equipped with a,
When the instruction unit instructs the unmount processing to be performed, the logical assignment in the OS of the information processing apparatus is released in a state where the entire external storage device including the storage unit is physically connected. To external storage device.   The external storage according to claim 1, wherein the instruction unit instructs to perform the unmount processing via a general-purpose interface used for data transmission / reception between the information processing apparatus and a storage unit of the external storage device. device. Said indicating means, said is an information processing apparatus and physically connected, when in the state supplied with power, and the operator in a state where the external storage device is unmounted is operated, the information processing apparatus The external storage device according to claim 1, wherein the external storage device is remounted by the information processing apparatus by electrically reconnecting to the information processing apparatus. Receiving means for receiving an inquiry periodically transmitted from the information processing apparatus;
The instruction means instructs the information processing apparatus to perform an unmount process by transmitting a response to the inquiry to the information processing apparatus when the operation element is operated when the inquiry is received. The external storage device according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3. A program executed by an information processing apparatus to which the external storage device according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3 is connected, wherein the information processing apparatus
A receiving procedure for receiving a request instructing to perform the unmount processing from the external storage device;
An unmount procedure for unmounting the external storage device when the request is received;
A program that executes A program executed by an information processing apparatus to which the external storage device according to claim 4 is connected, wherein the information processing apparatus
Run a sending procedure to send inquiries regularly,
The reception procedure is a procedure for receiving the request by receiving a response to the inquiry,
6. The program according to claim 5, wherein the unmount processing procedure is a procedure for unmounting the external storage device when the response is received. An information processing system comprising an information processing device and an external storage device connected to the information processing device,
The external storage device is installed in the external storage device, and an operator for giving an operation instruction by a user;
An operation signal transmitting means for transmitting an operation signal to the information processing apparatus when the operation element is operated,
The information processing apparatus includes control means for unmounting the entire external storage device including the storage unit of the external storage device when the operation signal is received ,
An information processing system in which logical assignment in the OS of the information processing apparatus is released in a state where the entire external storage device is physically connected by the control means performing the unmount .   The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the operation signal transmission unit transmits the operation signal via a general-purpose interface used for data transmission / reception between the information processing apparatus and a storage unit of the external storage device. . The external storage device is physically connected to the information processing apparatus, is supplied with power , and is operated when the operation element is operated in a state where the external storage device is unmounted. Comprising reconnection means for electrically reconnecting to the processing device;
The information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the control unit remounts the external storage device when the reconnection is performed. The control means periodically sends an inquiry to the external storage device,
9. The information processing according to claim 7, wherein the operation signal transmission means transmits the operation signal as a response to the inquiry only when the operation element is operated when the inquiry is received. system.

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