JPH01227273A - File format method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record, reproduce and erase a large quantity of data by sectioning a track on a recording medium into at least two steps and controlling the data with the sections of a high-order step as a unit. CONSTITUTION:By making two adjoining tracks TR as one frame F, 25 Fs are assigned to one unit U and 16 Rs are assigned to one block B. In a sub-code area of each TR, the numbers of the B and the U to which the track belongs are recorded in BCD code and they are file control information. In zero-th B, data to control all files in the tape is stored and data to show the names of the files, the attributes of the files, directory data and the usage condition of a storage area, etc., are contained. In case of using a new tape, the zero-th B is formed at the head of the tape. This is the format operation of the tape. When the format operation is performed, the above-mentioned data are all made 0. Thus, the title file format method capable of recording, reproducing and erasing a large quantity of data can be obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a file formatting method when data is recorded on a recording medium by a computer or the like.

(Prior Art and Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In a system using a computer or the like, a hard disk is a recording medium that can record, reproduce, and erase data and can handle a relatively large amount of data.

Magneto-optical disks and compact cassette/tables are commonly used.

Hard disks are widely used because they allow high-speed data transfer and high-speed access. However, except for those used in relatively large-scale systems, the capacity is 2.
It is approximately 0MB, cannot be replaced, and is expensive.

Although magneto-optical disks are capable of high-speed data transfer, high-speed access, and replacement, they are expensive, and the cost of recording and reproducing devices is significantly higher than those for other media.

Compact cassette tapes are inexpensive and replaceable, but have a small capacity (e.g. 2400bps)
When recorded on a tape for 120 minutes, it is approximately 2.1MB)
Moreover, it has the disadvantages of slow data transfer speed and long access time.

As described above, conventional recording media and recording/reproducing devices therefor have the disadvantages of having a small capacity or being very expensive, and are therefore unsuitable for handling large amounts of data. Recently, there has been a demand for handling large amounts of data such as image data with simple systems such as personal computers. However, there is no conventional recording medium and recording/playback device for the same, and it is desired to develop a recording medium and a recording/playback device that can handle a large amount of data with a relatively simple system and is inexpensive. ing.

The present invention was made in view of the current situation, and
The objective is to develop a file formatting method that allows large amounts of data such as image data to be recorded, played back, and erased on replaceable and inexpensive recording media using a recording/playback device with a simple configuration. It is to provide.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The file formatting method of the present invention includes forming a large number of tracks on a recording medium, each having a subarea and a main area in which data to be recorded is recorded, and forming a large number of tracks on a recording medium. , a first track consisting of at least one track
partitioning into at least two stages including a stage division and a second stage division consisting of a plurality of first stage divisions, and the name of at least the second stage division to which the truck belongs to the subarea of the track; The above purpose is achieved.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below.

This embodiment is a digital audio recording/playback device based on the R-
Recently developed and commercialized based on DAT recommendations.

R-DAT (Rotary he
ad Digital Audio Tape recorder
der) magnetic tape is used as the recording medium.

This R-DAT will be briefly explained. R-DAT uses magnetic tape as a recording medium and is equipped with a motor-driven rotating drum having two magnetic heads. The magnetic tape is wound and brought into contact with the rotating drum at a predetermined inclination angle and a winding angle of 90 degrees. The audio information to be recorded is recorded as a digital signal on each track formed so as to be inclined at the above-mentioned predetermined angle with respect to the tape running direction.

The recording format of these tracks is the R-DA above.
T recommendation, each track T on the tape TA
As shown in FIG. 9, R records a subcode area 91 for recording control information during playback, sub-channel signals, etc., an ATF area 92 for recording tracking control information, and audio information. A PC sandwiched between each pair of both areas? 1 area 93. PCM area 9
3 consists of 128 blocks. Each block includes a synchronization signal, ID code, block address, parity data, and 256-bit PCM data.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of the file format according to this embodiment. In the following, the magnetic tape used in R-DAT will be simply referred to as "tape." The format of the tape track used in this example is shown in Figure 1 (
As shown in e), the format is completely (same) as the above-mentioned R-DAT format (FIG. 9).

The gap portion 94 not shown in FIG.

This is provided to ensure a margin during recording. Two adjacent tracks TR (
Figure 1(d)) into one frame F (Figure 1(C))
shall be. One frame has a storage capacity of 5760 bytes. These 25 frames are combined into one unit U (Fig. 1(b)
)) (128 bytes). Furthermore.

16 units are allocated to one block B (FIG. 1(a)). One tape contains 720 blocks.

In the subcode area 92 of each track, the block number and unit number to which the track belongs are recorded in BCD code as file management information.

Block number 0 stores data for managing all files recorded on that tape. This data includes directory data indicating the file name, file attributes, and recording location of the file, and file management data indicating the usage status of the tape storage area. When using a new tape, a block numbered 0 is formed at the beginning of the tape. This is called a tape formatting operation. When a format operation is performed,
The above data are all set to 0.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a file device and its control device for carrying out this embodiment. File device (hereinafter referred to as rDAT device) ■.

A digital control device (hereinafter referred to as a "host computer") 2 such as a personal computer is connected via respective interfaces 12, 21 and serial data transmission lines 3.

The DAT device 1 has 047 parts 10. Controller 11.
It is equipped with a ROM 13° working memory and an operation section 17. The 047 unit 10 is for recording and reproducing data on and from a tape.

Drum servo control, memory system? I1. Error correction, ^T
It is equipped with an LSI that includes F control and RF amplifier circuits.

It is controlled by a controller 11. When recording data, the 047 unit 10 adds parity to the digital data transmitted via the interface 21.12, performs interleaving between two tracks, performs D/A conversion, and records the obtained data on tape. do.

During playback, data is read from the tape, A/D conversion is performed on the read data, and error correction processing is performed.
It is output to the interface 12 as serial digital data.

The interface 12 is controlled by the controller 11, and performs data transmission in units of 16-bit words while synchronizing the host computer 2 and the 047 unit 10.

The controller 11 that controls each part has an RO? that stores a control program. +13 and a working memory 15 configured in RAM 14 are connected via a path line 16. The controller 11 controls the file format by controlling the subcodes described above.

The working memory 15 includes command registers, which will be described later.
Contains a frame counter, unit counter, etc.

The operation unit 17 is provided for performing external operations such as taking out a tape.

The host computer 2 has a main CPt120. The CPt 120 is connected via a path line 26 to an interface 21 . ROM 22 that stores system programs. Working memory 23. DAT memory 24° DMA controller 25. and other I1
0 port (not shown) is connected.

The interface 21 is a DMA controller 25
It performs data transmission with the DAT device 1 under the control of the DAT device 1, and performs data conversion in both directions, from parallel to serial and from serial to parallel.

The working memory 23 stores user application programs and processing data.

Further, data for data exchange with the DAT device 1 is also stored in the working memory 23. Image data read by an image scanner (not shown) is also temporarily stored in the working memory 23.

After that, processing for filing into the DAT device 1, which will be described later, is performed. Working memory 23 is further.

It has a unit register outside the position register, which will be described later.

Based on a request from the interface 21, the DMA controller 25 transfers data between the interface 21 and the working memory 23 without intervening the CPt 120.

The DAT management memory 24 has a directory table and a file management table in which the above-mentioned directory data and file management data read from block No. 0 of the tape when accessing the DAT device 1 are stored.

File management table and directory table in the third
This will be explained using figures. The file management table 30 has an entry corresponding to each unit, and each entry is accessed using a table address. Each entry stores a block number 31, a unit number 32, and usage information 33.

If no data is recorded in the corresponding unit on the tape, the usage information 33 contains a code rFF indicating that it is unused.
HJ is recorded. If data is recorded in that unit and subsequent data is recorded in another unit, the table address (NEXT address) of the entry corresponding to the primary unit is stored. An END code is stored in the entry of the unit in which the last data of the file is recorded. When erasing data recorded in a certain unit, the usage information 33 of the entry corresponding to that unit is sent to rFFnJ.
Change to

The directory table 34 is a table having an entry for each file, and each entry has an entry.

The file name 35 and the block number and uni-node number 36 of the first unit storing the file are stored.

An outline of the data transmission procedure between the DAT device and the water strike computer 2 will be explained. First, during recording, the number of blocks and units required for recording on the tape are calculated based on the amount of data to be recorded generated by the host computer 2. after that.

A set of a block number and a unit number for starting recording and the number of units to be continuously recorded are sent to the DAT device 1, and a recording command (REC) is sent together with them. After receiving the confirmation signal from the DAT device 1, the host computer 2 continuously sends data. When data is divided and recorded on a tape, data transmission is performed multiple times, and a command is sent each time.

At the time of playback, in the host computer 2.

Using the file name of the file to be played, the corresponding block number and unit number are stored in the directory table 34.
taken from. These numbers are the playback command (PL)
After being sent to the DAT device 1 along with AY), the data reproduced by the DAT device 1 is received.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be explained in more detail using FIGS. 4 to 7.

(1) No format is formed on the tape used for the first time during recording, and data is recorded while forming tracks.

When using a tape that has already been recorded, the file management data, directory data, etc. recorded at the beginning of the tape (block number 0) are stored in the file management table 30. of the host computer 2 as described above. The data is loaded into the directory table 34 or the like, and the format is controlled based on these tables.

When filing image data read by an image scanner or the like, the host computer 2 obtains the IN of the data to be recorded (step 101). The number of units required for recording is calculated by dividing this data in by the number of bytes m per unit (in this example, 128 bytes). 3) (step 102).

Next, a search for free ↓nits is performed from the beginning of the file management table 30 (Fig. 3). If the unused code 'FFH is recorded in the usage information 33, it is determined that the unit is empty. If an END code or other data is recorded in the usage information 33.

It is determined to be a used unit. When a vacant unit is found in this manner, its block number and unit number are stored in the position register 40 (FIG. 3) in the working memory 23 (steps 103-104). UNC
The counter 42 is preset to 1 (step 105).
).

Calculated in step 1'02 and unit register 4
It is stored in 1. The number of units corresponding to the data amount is compared with the UNC counter 42 (step 10).
6). If the tlNc counter 42 is smaller, steps 107 to 123 are executed to search for the next free unit until the UNC counter becomes equal to the number of units.

If the UNC counter 42 and the number of units are equal, that is, if the recording area is secured, steps 130 and subsequent steps are executed.

In step 107, the unit next to the unit searched above is searched. If it is determined that it is a free unit (FFn), its table address is stored in the NEXT register 44 (FIG. 3), the contents of the NEXT1z register 44 are stored in the previous unit's usage information 33,
The tlNc counter 42 is counted up (steps 108 to 111). By repeating this action,
Ensure continuous areas, ie consecutive units on the tape.

If the amount of data to be recorded can all be stored in a continuous area through the above operations, the process moves from step 106 to step 130, and an END code is recorded in the usage information 33 of the last unit. Step 140
Move to.

On the other hand, if data other than rFFH is detected during operation, the process moves to step 120 and continues searching for unused units. When the rFF, J unit is retrieved, its table address is stored in the NEXT register 44,
The address is stored in the usage information 33 of the last unit in the empty area. In this state, the search is interrupted and the process moves to step 140 where a recording operation is performed in order to divide and record the data.

In step 140, the difference (unit UNC) between the value of the unit register 41 and the value of the UNC counter 42 is set as the content of the unit register 41. Then step 1
04 or in step 148 described below.
The block number and unit number stored in 0 and
The data of the tlNc counter 42 is transferred to the command register 4.
3 (FIG. 3), and transfers the RFC command and the contents of the command register 43 to the DAT device 1 via the interface 21 (step 141).

The image data is transmitted sequentially, and the tlNc counter 42 is counted down each time an amount corresponding to the number m of bytes per unit is transmitted. This is repeated until the value of the UNC counter 42 becomes O (steps 142 to 14).
5).

If the unit register is not 0 in step 146, it is determined that there remains data to be divided into one and recorded,
An entry in the file management tape 30 is selected based on the contents of the NEXT register 44.

The block number and unit number are stored in the position register 40.
(steps 147 and 148). Step 1
Return to step 11 and secure the next continuous area.

If the unit register 41 is 0, it is determined that all recording has been completed, and the block number and unit number of the first unit of the recorded file are stored in the directory table 34, and various registers and counters are stored. Reset (steps 149 and 150).

The DAT device 1 receives the above RFC command.

Execute the flow shown in Figure 5.

Working memo 1 contains the block number and unit number transmitted from host computer 2 along with the RFC command.
Enter the position register created on month 4. Furthermore,
Working Memo Reset the frame counter formed on January 4 (steps 201-203).

Serially transmitted data is received. The received data is stored in a buffer in the working memo January 4, parity data is added, and interleaving processing is performed (step 204).

When one frame of the above processing is completed, a recording instruction is given, and a track corresponding to the block number and unit number is searched at high speed. At this time.

As explained earlier, read the block number and unit number stored in the subcode area.

A high-speed search is performed to reach the target track. When the target track is searched, data recording is performed and the frame counter is counted up (steps 206 to 2).
09). Steps 204-209 are repeated until the frame counter reaches 25. When the frame counter reaches 25, update the unit counter in step 212.
), record data to the next unit.

During this recording, a block number and a unit number are recorded in the subcode area 91 of each track TR.

When all of the received data is recorded, in the last unit, data is recorded only in some frames, so the above format and data zero are recorded in the remaining frames where no data is recorded. (Step 2
13-215).

In the manner described above, data is recorded in a format as shown in FIG.

(2) During playback The flow of the operation of the host computer 2 during playback is shown in the 6th section.
As shown in the figure. Since the operation of the host computer 2 during playback is basically almost the same as that during recording, only an outline of the operation will be described.

When the file name to be read is input, the host computer 2 refers to its directory table 34 (FIG. 3) and extracts the recording start block number and unit number. Based on these block numbers and unit numbers, the file management table 30 (FIG. 3) is referred to, the number of consecutive units is determined, and is transmitted to the DAT device 1 together with the PLAY command. If the data is recorded in parts, the block number and unit number are extracted each time, and the DAT is sent along with the PLAY command.
ATiO3 is sent. The data that has been reproduced and transmitted is stored in the working memory 23.

Figure 7 shows the DATATiO3 production during playback. Since this operation is clear from the above explanation and the flow shown in FIG. 7, detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

An example of the operation during recording will be briefly explained using FIG. 8. Figure 8 shows block number 0 (in which directory data etc. are recorded) and three files 8 on the tape.
A state in which 1.82 and 83 are recorded is schematically shown. Each block has 25 units numbered 0 to 24. It is assumed that the file 83 occupies up to the fourth unit of the third block. Now suppose that a fourth file is newly registered. The size of the fourth file is 25 units. First, the tape is fast-forwarded (searched) to the beginning of unit number 0 in block number 3, and playback is performed from unit number 0 to the end of unit number 4. Record the data of the file.

When the end of the 24th unit of the 3rd block is detected, no block number or unit number is recorded in the subcode area 91 after that.

Unit numbers starting from block numbers 4 and 0 are recorded in the subcode area 91 of each track, and data is recorded in the PCM area 93.

The recording of the fourth file ends with the fourth unit of the fourth block. Then, with unit number 24, i.e. 4
Record the block number and unit number in the subcode area of each track until the end of block 4.
. Finally, information regarding the fourth file is registered in the directory data area of block 0, numbered 0.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, a large number of tracks on a recording medium can be reduced (
A first-stage section consisting of one track, and a second-stage section consisting of a plurality of first-stage sections. When recording data and reproducing data from the recording medium,
Data can be managed in units of partitions in higher tiers than the second tier partitions. Therefore, the storage area and processing time required for data management are small, and large amounts of data such as image data can be efficiently stored on inexpensive, large-capacity, and replaceable recording media such as R-DAT tape. File formatting methods are often provided that allow recording, playback, and erasure.

Since formatting according to the method of the present invention can be performed without breaking the standardized audio format, widely available and easily available recording media such as R-DAT tape developed for audio can be used. It can be used as is.

According to the invention, the track pattern of the file format can be the same as R-DAT for audio. Therefore, the file device to which the present invention is applied is R-DAT.
This allows for common use with the 9-turn drum and other expensive parts that are mass-produced for R-DAT, making it possible to use large-capacity file devices that can also be used as R-DAT for audio. It becomes possible to supply it at low cost.

4. Pa's Nabuds J Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a file format according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a file device and its control device for carrying out the embodiment, Fig. 3 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device during recording, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the file device during recording. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control device during reproduction. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the file device during reproduction. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the recording state of the magnetic tape as a recording medium. Figure 9 is R-D
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the format of a track in AT.

TA...tape (recording medium), TR...track,
F... Frame (first stage section L u... unit (second stage section), B... block (third stage section), 1... DAT device (recording/reproducing device), 2...
Host computer (control device), 91...Subcode area (subarea), 92...ATF area, 9
3...PCM area (main area).

that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Forming a large number of tracks on a recording medium, each having a subarea and a main area in which data to be recorded is recorded; partitioning into at least two stages including a first stage compartment consisting of a plurality of first stage compartments, and a second stage compartment comprising a plurality of said first stage compartments, and at least a second stage to which said truck belongs to a subarea of said truck. A file formatting method that includes recording the partition name.