JPH0283614A - Storage information readout system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the reproduction delay of information by adopting a means which eliminates the access delay time of an accumulation device which sets different access delay time by appearance according to an information storing position. CONSTITUTION:The title system consists of an immediate access memory device 8 to store the information of the maximum access delay time of the accumulation device 2 from the forefront of storing information, an information transmission path 10, and a selector 12 to connect either the readout output of the immediate access memory device 8 or the information transmission path 10 to an access device 6 alternatively. When a readout request for the accumulation device 2 is generated at the access device 6, the information of the maximum access delay time with respect to the information designated by the readout request is transferred to the access device 6 via the selector 12. Following the transfer, the succeeding part of the information designated by the readout request following the information of the maximum access delay time is transferred from the accumulation device 2 to the access device 6 via the selector 12. In such a way, it is possible to shorten a readout delay time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [1 Already Required] Regarding a stored information readout method that apparently eliminates readout delay, the access delay time is varied depending on the information storage location for the purpose of significantly shortening the readout delay time. In a system that includes a storage device that accesses the storage device, an access signal path, and an access device that accesses the storage device via the access signal path, the maximum access of the storage device is an immediate access storage device for storing information corresponding to the delay time; an information transfer path; and a selector that selectively connects either the readout output of the immediate access storage device or the information transfer path to the access device. is installed in the access signal path, and after reading the information for the maximum access delay time for the information specified by the access request of the access device from the immediate access storage device, the subsequent information portion of the specified information is stored. The configuration is such that the information specified by the read request from the access device is read out from the device.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a stored information readout method that seemingly eliminates readout delays.

Communication networks that have traditionally been centered around telephones and telegraphs are now incorporating information processing devices, and the integration of these two is progressing. There is an increasing demand for communication services in which communication information is temporarily stored in a storage device such as a database connected to the original back end, and the information is referenced when necessary. For example, it is an e-mail service that assigns a destination to audio information or image information of still images or videos, stores it in a database, and allows the recipient indicated in the destination to retrieve and refer to the information when necessary. .

In such services, when the recipient accesses the storage device to refer to the stored information, reading starts instantly and the stored information is quickly displayed on the recipient's terminal, which can be frustrating for the recipient. It is necessary to reduce the number of errors and build a good human interface. Therefore, it is necessary to shorten the time it takes to start reading information from the storage device.

(Prior Art) A conventional system of this type is shown in FIG. from cable 1
A read request is sent to the storage device 2 via the cable 17, the information specified in the read request is searched and read from the storage device 2, and the information specified in the read request is retrieved and read from the storage device 2, and sent to the personal computer etc. 1 via the cable 17.
6 for its use.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As the storage device 2 of the above-mentioned system needs to be able to store a large amount of information, a large-capacity, low-cost device is used. Specific examples of storage devices include magnetic disk devices such as hard disks and floppy disks, and optical disk devices such as laser disks and compact disks for video information.

These devices require retrieval of desired information prior to reading the information. Mechanical access operations such as rotation of the disk and movement of the head are required for this search. Therefore, after a read request is generated from the personal computer 16, the information specified in the read request is processed. It takes several milliseconds to several seconds (approximately 10 seconds for laser discs) until reading starts. If such a storage device is simply employed in the communication system shown in FIG. 2, the reading delay will give the terminal user a sense of discomfort in operation, which is not desirable in terms of human interface.

The present invention was created in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a system for successively distributing stored information that significantly shortens the read delay time and is useful for constructing a good human interface.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. The present invention provides the following components in the access signal path 4 for accessing the storage device 2, which has different access delay times depending on the information storage location, from the access device 6 (for example, a personal computer, etc.) to reduce the access delay time. This is an attempt to significantly shorten the time. Those components are the storage device 2
The storage device 2 starts from the beginning of the stored information for each stored information.
an immediate access storage device 8 for storing information corresponding to the maximum access delay time; an information transfer path 10; either the readout output of the immediate access storage device 8 or the information transfer path 10; and the access device. 6 and a selector 12 that selectively connects 6 to 6.

[For production]

When a read request to the storage device 2 is issued to the access device 6, information corresponding to the maximum access delay time for the information specified in the read request is transferred to the access device 6 via the selector 12.

Following this transfer, the subsequent portion of the information specified in the read request following the information corresponding to the maximum access delay time is transferred from the storage device 2 to the access device 6 via the selector 12.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 shows a communication system implementing the invention.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the invention. The FIG. 3 embodiment shows details of the application service processor shown in FIG. The signal pipe 22 and information vibrator 24 of FIG. 3 are connected to the communication network of FIG.
This is the H channel.

The signal pipe 22 is connected to the personal computer 16 via the communication interface 14, while the TFF information vibrator 24 is connected to the laser disc device via the access signal path 4 configured as follows under the control of the personal computer 16. 20 (corresponds to the storage device 2 in FIG. 1) and is configured to be connectable.

The access signal path 4 includes a communication interface 30, a transmission buffer 32, first selectors 34 and 12, a semiconductor disk device 36 (corresponding to the instant access storage device 8 in FIG. 1), an information transfer path 10, a second Selector 38 and A
/D conversion circuit 40. The first selector 12 selects the transmission buffer 3 under the control of the personal computer 16.
2 is selectively connected to either the readout output of the semiconductor disk device 36 or the information transfer path 10. The second selector 38 selectively connects the A/D conversion circuit 40 to either the write input of the semiconductor disk device 36 or the information transfer path 10 under the control of the personal computer 16 . The communication terminal 102, the communication network 100, the signal pipe 22, the communication interfaces 14, 30, the personal computer 16, the transmission buffer 32, and the information vibrator 24 described above represent a configuration example of the access device 2 in FIG.

The semiconductor disk device 36 includes a radar disk device 20.
From the beginning of each file stored in , the beginning of the file is written for the maximum access delay time of the laser disk device 20.

The file is, for example, video information.

Next, from the communication terminal 102 connected to the front end of the communication system shown in FIG.
The following describes how to read a desired file when a request to access the file occurs.

When the IT communication system starts operating, the personal computer 16 selects the second selector 38 from the semiconductor disk device 36.
At the same time, the laser disk device 20 causes each of the above-mentioned file head portions to be read. Each of the file head portions read from the laser disk device 20 is written to the semiconductor disk 36 via the A/D conversion circuit 40 and the second selector 38.

Broadband l5DN100 for access requests from user terminals
The personal computer 16 receives the data through the signal pipe 22 and the communication interface 14, and starts reading the beginning of the file specified by the access request from the semiconductor disk 36, and also starts reading the first file specified by the access request from the semiconductor disk 36.
selector 12 is switched to the semiconductor disk 36 side.

At the same time, in order to read the file specified by the access request, the laser disk device 20 is activated to start searching for the file, and the second selector 38 is switched to the information transfer path 10 side. Then, when the file search reaches the file reading start point, the laser disk device 20 is caused to pause.

The leading portion of the file read from the semiconductor disk device 36 is sequentially written to the transmission buffer 32 under the control of the personal computer 16.

At the end of the continuous reading, the - time stop is canceled and the file portion specified by the access request following the file head portion is read out from the laser disk device 20. Thereby, the access delay time of the laser disk device and, by extension, the image reproduction delay time at the user terminal can be significantly reduced. The file portion is written in succession to the top portion of the file that has already been written to the transmission buffer 32. As described above, the files written in the transmission buffer 32 are read out under the control of the personal computer 16 at a successive output speed consistent with the communication speed of the information pipe 24 of the broadband I5DN 100. By doing this, image distortion is prevented.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention. An example of this ability is
The storage device is a plurality of hard disk devices 2121□,...
, 211, these hard disk devices are read in parallel, their serial focus signals are converted into parallel bit signals by the serial/parallel conversion circuit 42, and this is outputted to the semiconductor disk device 36 or the information transfer path 10. do. By doing so, it is possible to function as an application service processor equivalent to the case where the storage device is the laser disk device 20. Since the other components are the same as those shown in FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are given to these components and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In the above embodiment, the beginning portion of the above-mentioned file may be stored in advance in an instant access storage device such as a semiconductor disk device.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the delay in reproducing information is significantly reduced by employing a means for eliminating the access delay time of the storage device, which has different access delay times depending on the information storage location. be done.

This helps alleviate the discomfort felt by the user due to the information display delay.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a communication system, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and Part 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 5 is a conventional system configuration diagram. 32, information pipe 24), is an immediate access storage device (semiconductor disk device 6), O is an information transfer path, and 2.38 is a selector. 1, 3, and 4, reference numeral 2 denotes a storage device (laser disk device 20, A/D conversion circuit 40, hard disk device 21..., 21., serial/parallel conversion circuit). 42), 6 is an access device (communication terminal 102, communication 'f1100
, Signal pipe 22, Communication interface 1430, Personal computer 16, Transmission Hamefu Principle block diagram of the present invention FIG. Front end Back end communication system One embodiment of the present invention FIG. Other embodiments of the present invention FIG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A storage device (2) whose access delay time varies depending on the information storage position, an access signal path (4), and access to the storage device (2) via the access signal path (4). In a system having an access device (6), instant access for storing information corresponding to the maximum access delay time of the storage device (2) from the beginning of the storage information for each stored information of the storage device (2). a storage device (8); an information transfer path (10); and one of the read output of the immediate access storage device (8) or the information transfer path (10) and the access device (6). a selector (12) connected to the access signal path (4), and a selector (12) connected to the immediate access storage device (8) for the information specified in the access request of the access device (6) by a maximum access delay time. After reading out the information, the following information part of the designated information is read out from the storage device (2), and the information designated by the read request from the access device (6) is read out. A stored information readout method.