JPH04239698A - Optical card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an optical card characterized by that the recognition or control of the track format of a separate track for each optical card on the side of a host computer is not required, the track format can be judged on the side of an optical card recording and regenerating device and an arbitrary track format can be selected after the optical card production. CONSTITUTION:An optical card 1 is used by dividing a data part 30c in which information can be written into at least two sectors with respect to a plurality of tracks 2 provided parallel to one another. Of the two or more sectors provided in one track 2A, for example, at least one sector is a sector 3z for storing the track format information so constituted as to permit recording of the track format information indicating the sector structure of the track 2A containing this sector and the other is a sector 3a or 3p in which the information can be written.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved optical card that allows a user to freely select a plurality of track formats for recording/reproduction.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of the information industry, optical information recording and reproducing devices have attracted attention as large capacity storage devices. This optical information recording/reproducing device includes an optical card device that records and/or reproduces information using an optical card as a recording medium. The optical card has a storage capacity several thousand to ten thousand times that of a magnetic card, and cannot be rewritten like an optical disk, but because of its large storage capacity of 1 to 2 MB, it is often used as a bank deposit. A wide range of applications are being considered, such as bankbooks, portable maps, and prepaid cards used for shopping. Additionally, since it cannot be rewritten, it is also being considered for application in applications that do not allow tampering with data, such as personal health care cards.

[0003] Such an optical card device is usually connected to a host computer such as a personal computer, and reads information recorded on the optical card or writes information onto the optical card in sector units according to commands from the host computer. or

By the way, the amount of data recorded on optical cards at one time varies depending on the application of the host computer. For example, recording a large amount of information at once/
Play. In applications for 1 per sector
It is effective to use a track format with a storage capacity of 0.024 bytes, 256 bytes, etc. Furthermore, when the amount of information in one recording/reproduction is small, it is effective to use an application that records/reproduces in a track format having a storage capacity of 32 bytes, 16 bytes, etc. per sector. Therefore, in order to effectively use the limited recording area of an optical card, it is necessary to prepare individual optical cards each having a track format with a sector size suitable for the host application. That is, there are as many types as there are sector sizes, and it is necessary to prepare multiple types.

[0005] On the other hand, generally, a plurality of types of track formats are often recorded in a mixed state on one optical card, and this is highly necessary partly because the total storage capacity of the optical card is large. When reproducing an optical card having a mixture of different track formats, normal reproduction cannot be performed unless the track format can be determined. To determine the track format, there are two ways to determine the track format: one on the host computer side, and one on the optical card recording/
There are two ways to do this, one is to do it on the playback device side, and the other is to do it on the playback device side.

[0006] In the former case, when the host computer side performs data recording, it is necessary to sequentially manage different track formats for each track, and also for each optical card. The burden will become heavier.

[0007] As an example of the latter, JP-A-63-2
There is one disclosed in JP No. 00319. In the example described in this publication, the address information section (ID section) provided for each track of the optical card is preformatted with address information and format information indicating the format configuration of each track. In the case of this optical card, when reading the track address, the format information is also read to determine the format configuration of the track to be played, and based on the determination result, the data in the data area of the track is Can be read.

[0008]

However, in conventional optical cards, format information is preformatted in the ID section of the optical card in order to determine the track format on the optical card recording/reproducing device side. The track format is already determined at the time of manufacture. Therefore, not only does the user not be able to write to the optical card in a free track format, but the applications that can be used on the host side are limited. Furthermore, when managing on the host computer side as described above, there is a drawback that the burden of creating an application increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and eliminates the need for the host computer to recognize or manage the track format of each track for each optical card, and also eliminates the need for the optical card recording/reproducing device to recognize or manage the track format of each track for each optical card. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical card in which the track format can be determined and any track format can be selected after the optical card is manufactured.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] The optical card of the present invention has a plurality of tracks parallel to each other, and the data recording area in each track where information can be written is divided into two or more sectors. At least one of the two or more sectors provided on the track is configured to be capable of recording track format information indicating the sector configuration of the track including the sector.

[0011]

[Operation] With this configuration, during recording, track format information indicating the sector configuration of the track including the sector is recorded in at least one sector among the two or more sectors provided on the track, and during playback, the track format information Playback is performed after accessing the sector in which information is recorded.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 relate to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
is a block diagram showing an example of the track format of an optical card, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing that tracks are formed on the optical card, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sector position detection circuit, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a recording/reproducing device.

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical card 1 includes a recording area section 30 in which a plurality of tracks 2 extending in the long side direction of the card are formed in the card width direction (short side direction). FIG. 1 shows a part of the recording area section 30 in detail, and this recording area section 30 includes a guide track that extends in the long side direction of the optical card 1 and serves as a guide for tracking. A plurality of ID sections 30a and 30b are provided between the guide tracks 2G, parallel to the guide tracks 2G, and having track address information, etc. at both ends thereof. Between the pair of ID sections 30a and 30b in the track direction,
Each has a data section 30c in which data can be recorded in an arbitrary track format. The ID section 30a,
In the optical card 30b, track address information corresponding to each track is preformatted at the time of manufacturing the optical card so that it can be read from opposite directions, and the guide track 2G is also preformatted in the same way.

Six examples of the format of sectors in each track 2 are shown in FIG. Track 2 in Figure 1
A is an example of a format in which one track has 17 sectors, and includes 16 sectors 3a to 3p and one sector format information storage sector 3z. Sectors 3a to 3p each consist of 16 user bytes and redundant bytes of a correction code for error correction. Also, the sector format information storage sector 3z has a storage capacity of 16 bytes, and has a storage capacity of 16 bytes.
The sector format information of A is written.

Track 2B is an example of a format in which one track has 13 sectors, and one sector has 12 sectors each consisting of 32 user bytes and a redundant byte of a correction code for error correction. sector 4a
4l to 4l and one sector format information storage sector 4z. Track 2C is an example of a format in which one track has nine sectors, and one sector consists of eight sectors each consisting of 64 user bytes and redundant bytes of a correction code for error correction. 5a to 5h, and one sector format information storage sector 5z. Furthermore, track 2D is an example of a format in which one track has six sectors, and one sector is five sectors each consisting of 128 user bytes and redundant bytes of a correction code for error correction. 6a to 6e, and one sector format information storage sector 6z. Furthermore, the track 2E has four sectors 7a to 7c each consisting of 256 user bytes and redundant bytes of a correction code for error correction, and one sector format information. A storage sector 7z is provided. Track 2F is
It is provided with a sector 8a and one sector format information storage sector 8z each consisting of 1024 bytes of user bytes and redundant bytes of a correction code for error correction. The sector format information storage sectors 4z, 5z, 6z, 7z, and 8z have a storage capacity of 16 bytes, and sector format information of each track is written therein. Furthermore, the ID section 30
A gap is provided between a, 30b and each sector to absorb speed fluctuations when the optical card 1 is driven at a constant speed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the optical card recording and reproducing apparatus 10 moves the optical card 1 in the track direction and the optical head 11.
The optical card 1 is mounted at a predetermined position on a conveyor belt 13 stretched between pulleys 12a and 12b.
A motor 15 whose drive is controlled by a motor drive circuit 14
By driving the optical card 1, the optical card 1 is transported back and forth in the track direction. An encoder 16 for detecting the position of the optical card 1 with respect to the optical head 11 is attached to the motor 15, and its output is supplied to a sector position detection circuit 17. The sector position detection circuit 17 detects the starting point (position) of each sector in the track direction based on the signal output from the encoder 16, and outputs a sector position detection signal to the controller 22. Further, the sector position detection circuit 17 detects the starting point (
position) and outputs a sector detection signal for storing track format information to the controller 22.

The optical head 11 includes a laser diode 18
It is configured to project writing or reading light from the optical card 1 onto the optical card 1 via an optical system 18b composed of a beam splitter, an objective lens, and the like. Further, the detector 18c of the optical head 11 converts the reflected light from the optical card 1 into an electrical signal and outputs it to the demodulation circuit 19, and the demodulation circuit 19 demodulates the output signal from the detector 11 to generate a demodulated signal. The RAM 20 is designed to temporarily store data.

The detector 18c also supplies its output signal to the focus/track servo circuit 21, and the focus/track servo circuit 21 uses this output signal to cause the optical head 11 to always focus the incident light in the focus and track directions. It is controlled so that it follows in a focused state. The demodulated data once stored in the RAM 20 is taken into the controller 22 and subjected to processing such as error correction, thereby obtaining a data reproduction signal and track address information.

In data reproduction, the controller 22 first receives a sector detection signal 26 for storing format information detected by the sector position detection circuit 17, and outputs a format selection signal 23 indicating the type of track format to the sector position detection circuit 17. Then, select how many sectors one track consists of, that is, select the track format. Then, the controller 22 causes the laser diode 11a to output a low-power reading light via the laser drive circuit 24, controls the drive of the motor drive circuit 14, and outputs the track address information and sector information demodulated by the demodulation circuit 19. The position of a desired sector is recognized by counting the sector position detection signal 23 outputted by the position detection circuit 17, and data is reproduced by seeking a desired sector of a desired track.

[0020] Also, in recording data, the controller
The controller 22 first outputs a format selection signal 25 to the sector position detection circuit 17, selects a track format, and seeks a desired sector of a desired track on which data is to be recorded. A high-output writing light is modulated according to the data to be recorded and outputted from 18a, thereby recording the data in the sector. Then, the controller 22 records track format information in an area corresponding to the format information storage sector of the track on which data is recorded.

The sector position detection circuit 17 detects the optical head 3 at a position on the optical card 1 corresponding to the beginning (position) of the sector according to the track format selected by the format selection signal 25 from the controller 22. It outputs a sector position detection signal 21 when the sector position is approaching, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the circuit configuration. This sector position detection circuit 17 includes a format selector 32 that outputs a predetermined value corresponding to the position of a sector break on the optical card 1 to a comparator 31 in response to an input format selection signal 25, and a format selector 32 that outputs a predetermined value corresponding to the position of a sector break on the optical card 1 to a comparator 31; It consists of a counter 33 that counts output signals, and a comparator 31 that compares the output count value from the counter 33 and a predetermined value output from the format selector 32, and outputs a sector position detection signal when they match. Ru. The counter 33 is set at a point (
For example, it is necessary to reset at the edge of the optical card 1, etc.). Further, this counter 33 is connected to the encoder 16
From the output signal from the format information storage sector 3
When the starting point (position) of z to 8z is detected, a sector detection signal 26 for storing format information is output to the controller 22. Further, the format selector 32 can support a plurality of formats according to the input format selection signal 25, and inputs a plurality of predetermined values corresponding to the selected format, that is, the starting point (position) of the sector, in parallel to the comparator. 31. The comparator 31 sends the sector position detection signal 25 to the controller 22 every time the count value of the counter 33 matches any one of a plurality of predetermined values corresponding to the start points of the plurality of sectors output by the format selector 32. It is designed to output to. The controller 22 is capable of determining a desired sector by counting the sector position detection signal 25.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to the drawings. First, using the optical card 1 shown in FIG. 1, the operation of the optical card recording/reproducing apparatus 10 for recording information on the track 2 will be described.

When the track format to be selected is, for example, 1024 user bytes, the controller 22 sends the code "01H" to the format selection signal 25.
It is outputted to the sector position detection circuit 17 as a signal. and,
The controller 22 reads track address information in the ID section 30a or 30b of the optical card 1 via the demodulation circuit 19, and causes the optical head 11 to seek to a target track, for example, track 2F. At this time,
When the optical card 1 moves in the forward direction (right to left) in the figure with respect to the track 2F shown in FIG.
reads the ID section 30a side of the optical card 1. Further, when the optical card 1 moves in the opposite direction (from left to right) in the figure with respect to the track 2F shown in FIG. 1, the controller 22 reads the ID section 30b side of the optical card 1.

Next, the optical head 11 moves to the target track 2F.
In the above track-on state, the controller 22 drives the motor 15 via the motor drive circuit 14 to move the optical card 1 in the track direction. The comparator 31 of the sector position detection circuit 17 outputs a sector position detection signal when the predetermined value of the format selector 32 set by the format selection signal 25 (code "01H") matches the count value of the counter 33. 23 is output to the controller 22. For example, the left edge of the optical card 1 (in FIG. 1) in the track direction is set to "0", and the right edge is set to "1000".
”, the counter 33 outputs a value from “0” to “1000” indicating the position of the optical card 1 in the track direction.Then, the positions (separators) of both ends of the sector 8a are , for example "100" and "800"
”, when the optical card 1 moves in the forward direction and records information, the format selector 32 outputs “100” as the beginning of the sector to the comparator 31. When the output of the counter 33 becomes "100", the comparator 31 outputs the sector position detection signal 23. Therefore, the comparator 31 outputs the sector position detection signal 23 when the output of the counter 33 becomes "800". Alternatively, when the optical card 1 moves in the opposite direction and records information, the format selector 32 selects "
800" may be outputted to the comparator 31. The counter 33 may be configured to output "800" to the comparator 31.
That is, when the motor 15 is driven in reverse or when moving to another track, it is reset in advance by, for example, the controller 22. Further, the counter 33 is not limited to one that counts up, but may also be a down counter or an up/down counter. When an up/down counter is used as the counter 33, the optical card 1 is moved up/down according to the forward/reverse moving direction.
While counting down, there is no need to reset this counter when moving on the same track.
You only need to reset it when moving to another track.

The controller 22 has a sector 1 detection circuit 1.
7 outputs a format selection signal 25,
When the count value matches the target sector number, it is recognized that a predetermined sector has been accessed. In this case, the optical card 1 is moving in either the forward or reverse direction. For example, if it is moving in the forward direction, the sector 8a is the first, so for example, the count value in the controller 22 is "
1" corresponds to the sector number "1", and in the case of the reverse direction, the track address information storage sector 8z is the first, so for example, the count value "2" in the controller 22 is associated with the sector number "1". By making sector 8a correspond to
The beginning of can be detected. The controller 22 controls and manages the moving direction of the optical card 1, so the controller 22 controls and manages the moving direction of the optical card 1.
The direction of movement is always known.

Further, when selecting 16 user bytes as the track format, the controller 22 outputs, for example, a code "06H" to the format selection circuit 17 as the format selection signal 25. When the optical head 11 moves to the target track 2A by seek and then moves the optical card 1 in the track direction to track the track 2A, the controller 22
The sector position detection signal 23 outputted by the sector position detection circuit 17 is counted up, and when it matches the target sector number, it is recognized that the target sector has been accessed. For example, when the optical card 1 is moving in the forward direction, the count value "1" is set to sector number "1" (sector 3a), and the count value "16" is set to sector number "16" (sector 3p).
correspond to When moving in the opposite direction, the count value "2" is set to sector number "16" (sector 3p), and the count value "17" is set to sector number "1" (sector 3a).
). The optical card recording/reproducing device 10 records information when accessing the target sector.

Furthermore, a case will be described in which a selected desired track format is recorded in a sector for storing track format information. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when recording a track format in the track format information storage sector 3z, the controller 22
As the format selection signal 25, for example, the code “06”
H" to the format selection circuit 17. Next, the controller 22 reads the ID section of the optical card 1, and causes the optical head 11 to seek to the target track 2A on which format information is to be recorded. is on the target track 2A, and the optical card 1
to move the track 2A in the direction of the track,
The sector position detection circuit 17 counts the sector position detection signal 23 outputted by the sector position detection circuit 17. The controller 22 counts the sector position detection signal 23 output from the sector position detection circuit 17. For example, when the optical card is moving in the forward direction, when the count value of the controller 22 is "17", it indicates that the format information storage sector 3z has been detected. Further, when the optical card is moving in the opposite direction, when the count value of the controller 22 is "1", it indicates that the format information storage sector 3z has been detected. Therefore, when the count value reaches the target value according to the moving direction of the optical card 1, the controller 22 sends information corresponding to the code "06H" by the optical head 11 via the laser drive circuit 24. is recorded in the format information storage sector 3z. Also, if the selected format is user byte "32 bytes" and the optical card is moving in the forward direction when recording to track 2B, when the count value of the controller 22 is "13", the format This indicates that the information storage sector 4z has been detected. Also, when the optical card is moved in the opposite direction, the count value of the controller 22 is “
1", it indicates that the format information storage sector 4z has been detected. When the count value reaches the target value according to the moving direction of the optical card 1, the controller 22 activates the laser drive circuit 24. Then, the optical head 11 records information corresponding to the code "05H" into the format information storage sector 4z.

Similarly, in the track format of track 2C shown in FIG. 1, when the optical card 1 is moving in the forward direction, when the count value of the controller 22 is "9", In the track format of track 2D shown, when the optical card 1 is moving in the forward direction,
When the count value of the controller 22 is "6" or when the optical card 1 is moving in the forward direction in the track format of the track 2E shown in FIG.
When the count value of the controller 22 is "4", and also in the track format of track 2F shown in FIG. 1, when the optical card 1 is moving in the forward direction, when the count value of the controller 22 is "2" Predetermined format information may be recorded in each. Further, when the optical card 1 is moving in the opposite direction, predetermined format information may be recorded when the count value of the controller 22 is "1" in any format.

On the other hand, during playback, it is necessary to seek to the target track, then detect the sector for storing format information, and read the format information. In this case, when the optical head 11 is located on the ID section 30a side, the optical card 1 is moved in the forward direction and the beginning (position) of the sector for storing track format information is detected. Furthermore, when the optical head 11 is located on the ID section 30b side, the optical card 1
is moved in the opposite direction to detect the beginning (position) of the sector for storing track format information. Specifically, the detection of this sector for storing track format information is as follows. As shown in FIG. 1, the positions (separators) at both ends of sectors 3z to 8z for storing track format information
For example, if they are "805" and "815" and the information recording direction is recorded from position "805" to "815", the beginning of the sector will be "805", so the sector position detection circuit 17 The counter 33 of the encoder 1
Based on the signal output by the controller 6, when the count value of the counter 33 is "805", a format information storage sector detection signal 26 is output to the controller 22. Then, the controller 22 recognizes that the optical head 11 is located at the top of the format information storage sector (for example, 3z).

Next, the controller 22 reads the format information of the format information storage sector (for example, 3z) via the optical detector 18c and the demodulation circuit 19, and outputs the format selection signal 25 (for example, the code "06H").
) is output to the sector position detection circuit 17. Then, in the same way as during recording, the controller 22 counts the sector position detection signal 23, causes the optical head 11 to access a desired sector, and reads information.

When recording is performed using the optical card 1 of this embodiment, information is recorded in a desired format on a desired track, and the format is recorded on the track where the recording was performed, and the track is It can be used as a sector for storing format information. Furthermore, during playback, the format can be determined by detecting the position of the track format information storage sector of the optical card 1 and reading out the track format, so there is no possibility of reading in an incorrect format. Therefore, even after the optical card 1 is manufactured, recording/reproduction can be performed even in a state where a plurality of desired formats are mixed, and even if the formats are different for each optical card, recording/reproduction can be performed. In addition, there is no need to manage formats on the host computer side, which reduces the burden on the application. Can distinguish formats.

In the illustrated example, the format information storage sector is set at the right end, but is not limited to this, and may be at the left end or center of the data section 3c. Further, the number of sectors for storing format information is not limited to one, but may be set, for example, at the left end of the data section 3c, so that it can be quickly accessed from both sides. If there are two sectors for storing format information, no matter whether the optical card 1 moves in the forward or reverse direction, the ID section 3
Since the same sector is located next to 0a and 30b, there is no need for a configuration of the counter 33 that outputs the sector detection signal 26 for storing format information. controller 22
To do this, count the sector position detection signal 23 output by the comparator 31, and set that the beginning of the format information storage sector has been detected when the count value is "1" regardless of the moving direction of the optical card position. good.

Alternatively, in addition to the format information, the format information storage sector may also record additional information such as track address information, replacement information indicating that a track cannot be used, or information recording direction. .

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, at least one of the two or more sectors provided on a track can record track format information indicating the sector configuration of the track including the sector. This allows the optical card recording/playback device to determine the track format for each optical card and for each track, reducing the burden on the application on the host computer. This has the advantage that any track format can be selected for each card and each track.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a track format of an optical card.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing that tracks are formed on an optical card.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a sector position detection circuit.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an optical card recording/reproducing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1... Optical card 2A-2F... Track 2G... Guide track 3a-3p, 4a-4l, 5a-5h, 6a-6e, 7
a to 7c, 8a... Sectors 3z, 4z, 5z, 6z, 7z, 8z... Track format information storage sector 30... Recording area section 30a, 30b... ID section 30c... Data section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical card having a plurality of tracks parallel to each other and in which a data recording area in each track in which information can be written can be divided into two or more sectors. An optical card characterized in that at least one sector among the sectors described above is configured to be capable of recording track format information indicating a sector configuration of a track including the sector.