JPH05265825A - File managing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speedily read a file in a recording medium without interposing any complicated software processing by managing the files by a second recording medium paired with the first recording medium. CONSTITUTION:The filing system is provided with a first recording medium 10 and a second recording medium 20 preserving files transforming the arrangement of small file groups in the first recording medium. On the side of the first recording medium 10, plural small files a1, a2..., b1, b2..., c1, c2... recorded in the first recording medium 10 for a unit 11 of memory management are successively read according to serial managing numbers instructed by a managing table 12 in the first recording medium 10. Further, on the side of the second recording medium 20, the respective read small files are successively recorded in the second recording medium 20 while successively updating physical addresses 1, 2, 3, 4... on the second recording medium 20, and files A, B, C... are preserved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a file management system in a file system. The recording medium in which files are stored is usually managed under an operating system having a predetermined file management format. Therefore, the file is recorded on the recording medium in a predetermined memory management unit. Then, the management table is also recorded together with the file. This management table manages the small files in the memory management unit by assigning a serial management number to each memory management unit. The management table generally includes a root directory area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The file management system described above will be described below with reference to a concrete example. First, as an example of the operating system having the above-mentioned predetermined file management format, MicroSoft Disc Op
erating System, so-called MS-DOS
Is mentioned. Since this operating system is extremely widely used, the following description will be given with reference to this MS-DOS.

In this MS-DOS, a unit called a cluster is adopted as the above-mentioned predetermined memory management unit. One cluster usually consists of 512 bytes, and when this cluster is a small file, one file is composed of a plurality of clusters (a plurality of small files). Therefore, each cluster is assigned a continuous management number, that is, a cluster number, and each cluster is individually managed by its unique cluster number.

[0004]

Under an operating system having a file management format such as the above MS-DOS, files are recorded from a recording medium such as a floppy disk or hard disk created under the operating system. When reading, this MS-
It is necessary to read according to DOS. That is, the small files (clusters) corresponding to the sequential management numbers are sequentially read while referring to the management table. In this case, it is necessary to refer to the management table because the physical addresses on the recording medium in which the small files respectively corresponding to the serial management numbers are recorded are not necessarily continuous. That is, the small file group belonging to one file is normally recorded on the recording medium in discrete physical addresses instead of along continuous physical addresses. Of course,
On the recording medium immediately after being initialized, the continuity of the management number matches the continuity of the physical address. However, on a recording medium, usually, a large number of small file groups are deleted many times as each file is deleted, and a trace of the deleted small file group is appropriately selected to record a new small file group. Since the operation of, is repeated, in the end,
Even small file groups of the same file will be stored in the recording medium in small file units (cluster units).

To read a file from such a recording medium, a predetermined operating system (MS-DO) is used.
According to S), the operation of searching for the next small file (cluster) one by one while referring to the management table and accessing the physical address is performed. Thus,
Software processing for the operation is essential. However, the software processing is quite complicated, and there is a problem that the size of the firmware is increased.

Therefore, the present invention enables a file in a recording medium recorded under an operating system having a predetermined file management format to be quickly read without intervening complicated software processing. It is intended to provide a file management method.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the principle of the present invention. In the figure, a file system to which the present invention is applied has a first recording medium 10 and a second recording medium 20 holding a file obtained by converting the arrangement of a small file group therein. Specifically, regarding the first recording medium 10, the files A, B, C, ... Are recorded in a predetermined memory management unit (cluster) 11, and
Under the operating system (MS-DOS) having a predetermined file management format, each memory management unit 11
Small files a1, a2 ..., b1, b2, c1, c2 ...
For each memory management unit, serial management number (1), (2),
(3), (4) ... Management table 1 that is individually managed
2 is recorded integrally with the files A, B, C ...

Looking at the second recording medium 20, the files A, B, C, ... Are recorded in a file management format different from the above-mentioned file management format. Here, on the side of the first recording medium 10, a plurality of small files a1, a2, ... Recorded in the first recording medium 10 by the memory management unit 11 are recorded.
.. b1, b2 ... C1, c2 ... Are sequentially read according to the above-mentioned continuous management number designated by the management table 12 in the first recording medium 10.

On the side of the second recording medium 20, the physical addresses on the second recording medium 20 are sequentially updated for each of the read small files in the second recording medium 20. However, the files are sequentially recorded and the files A, B, C ... Are retained. In addition, in FIG. 1, a plurality of files, for example, A and B
Although shown for C and C, the same operation as above is performed even when only a single file (A or B or C only) exists.

[0010]

With the first recording medium 10 alone, the management table 1
The files A, B, C, ... Can be read only by software processing while referring to 2. However, if the files are managed by the second recording medium 20 paired with them, the management table is no longer necessary and the hardware is not required. The same files A, B, C, ... Can be read out only by ware processing. This is because, for example, in order to read the file A, it is sufficient to simply update the physical address sequentially as →→. This is the same for the file B and the file C. Although it is preferable to provide the management table 22 also in the second recording medium 20, this is very simple unlike the management table used under the MS-DOS in the above example ( (See below)

[0011]

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an application example of the present invention. This figure shows an example of an information service system including the file system of the present invention. This information service system belongs to so-called electronic publishing, but is quite different from conventional electronic publishing. This conventional electronic publishing has various problems as follows.

(1) The first problem is that the target of the information service is limited to a certain book or the like, and the range of information sources that can be provided to the user is limited. That is, the recording medium in the conventional electronic publishing is mass-produced at the publisher's factory and delivered to a store or the like by a transportation route similar to that of an ordinary book. Therefore, only the product (recording medium) having the information that can be expected to be sold in large quantities can be provided to the user, and the range of the information source is extremely limited.

(2) The second problem is that it becomes very uneconomical for the user to handle transient information, for example, information sources such as morning newspapers and evening newspapers. Mass sales of such information sources can be expected. However, the information is usually only once for the user, and it is not economical to purchase an expensive recording medium each time. (3) The third problem is lack of immediacy. In addition to the above-mentioned newspaper information, it is significant that stock information, exchange information, etc. have immediacy. However, it takes at least several days to write such information on a recording medium at the factory and to put it on the distribution channel, and the information value becomes extremely low by the time it is provided to the user.

(4) The fourth problem is that the places where the user can see and listen to the information on the recording medium are limited. However, according to the information service system of FIG. 2, the above problems (1) to (4) are solved. The main components of the information service system shown in FIG. 2 are an information center 40, a dedicated terminal or information server 50, a second recording medium or copy card 20, and an information terminal or information viewer 60.

The information center 40 stores various information to be provided to the user. The dedicated terminal 50 communicates with the information center 40, and the first recording medium (buffer means) 10 that temporarily holds the information obtained through the communication means 51.
And write means 52 for writing to an external recording medium. The second recording medium (copy card) 20 constitutes the external recording medium, and copies the information once held in the dedicated terminal (information server) 50.

The information terminal (information viewer) 60 is the second
The recording medium (copy card) 20 is provided with a receiving portion, and the information in the copy card (20) is read and displayed to the user. An information center 40 that stores computerized information in a publisher or a newspaper company is usually located far from users. It is the information server (50) that allows the information center 40 (database) to be installed near the user. Information server (5
0) temporarily holds the information in the information center 40 via the communication means 51. The information server (50) further provides the held information to the outside.

On the other hand, the user holds the copy card (20) and copies only the necessary information into the copy card (20) at the information server (50). The user also holds an information viewer (60). Copy card (2
Just plug 0) into this information viewer (60),
You can see and hear the information you need.

The information viewer (60) may be as small as a small portable television, and the information can be seen and heard even on a train, for example. In addition, the information center 40 can store as many information sources as possible without worrying about whether mass sales are possible. User is basically 1
If one copy card (20) is held, this can be used repeatedly as many times as possible, and even if the copy card is expensive, the cost per information is low and it is economical.

Once the information center 40 has registered the information in the database, the information can be immediately provided to the user. Therefore, the promptness of information acquisition by the user is satisfied.
In FIG. 2, the present invention is particularly related to a first recording medium (buffer means) 10, a second recording medium (copy card) 20, a dedicated terminal (information server) 50 and an information terminal (information viewer) 60 that handle these. To do.

In the above information service system,
Assuming that the above file is book data,
Further, an embodiment of the present invention will be described assuming that the first recording medium 10 is a hard disk and the second recording medium 20 is an IC memory card. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a transition of the book data on the first recording medium 10, and a plurality of files (book data) are recorded in different areas eventually, and the software processing referring to the management table 12 is necessary. Indicates that the file cannot be read. That is, (A) 512 KB hard disk (first recording medium)
It is assumed that a plurality of book data are continuously written immediately after the initialization as shown in FIG. (B) Book 1 and book 3 are no longer sold and are therefore deleted. (C) The total remaining area is 192 KB, so Book 5
It stores (160 KB).

As a result, the books 5 are stored in discontinuous areas. Therefore, in order to search the discontinuous area, software processing referring to the management table 12 is performed. However, as described above, the information terminal 60 is a small and portable type, and a microprocessor (not shown) in the information terminal 60 does not impose a heavy burden. Therefore, on the information terminal 60 side, clusters in one file can be continuously taken out by simply incrementing the physical address sequentially. That is, book data (files) are stored in the IC memory card in a configuration similar to that of the second recording medium 20 in FIG. The storage of the book data having such a configuration is executed by the dedicated terminal 50 side, and is performed by a microprocessor (not shown) in the dedicated terminal 50.

Here, it is convenient to equip the dedicated terminal 50 with a third recording medium. The third recording medium is preferably composed of a memory area X (described later) and a memory area Y (described later), but the following operation is performed using the third recording medium. The dedicated terminal 50 is an IC
The small files (clusters) 11 already recorded on the memory card (second recording medium 20) are once transferred onto this third recording medium without any gap, and newly recorded from the hard disk (first recording medium 10). The files are combined by recording each read small file after that.

The dedicated terminal 50 transfers the files synthesized on the third recording medium to the IC memory card (second recording medium 20) as they are. As a result, the file structure shown in the right column of FIG. 1 is obtained. FIG. 4 is a flowchart (first half) showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart (second half) showing an embodiment of the present invention. The step groups S2 to S4 surrounded by the one-dot chain line in FIG.
This is processing by DOS.

In step S1, the user specifies favorite book data. In step S2, the head of the file having the designated book data is detected. This uses the root directory area created when the hard disk is initialized. In step S3, the cluster number (management number), which is a logical address, is converted into a physical address.

In step S4, the existing memory (RAM)
1 cluster is loaded once. In step S5, the memory area X forming a part of the above-mentioned third recording medium is sequentially written with 1
Stores cluster data. This memory area X is 1
It is enough if there is enough space for the documents for the files. In step S6, the cluster number to be taken out next is known. F
The AT is a File Allocation Table, which is a main part of the management table described above.

In step 7, it is judged whether or not the file is at the end, and if not, the above steps are repeated. Referring to FIG. 5, in step S8, the data (file) originally possessed by the IC memory card is transferred to the memory area Y forming a part of the above-mentioned third recording medium. At this time, the transfer is performed without a gap (for example, as shown in FIG. 3A). For this purpose, the dedicated terminal 50 refers to the management table 22 (FIG. 1). This management table 22
Is the file name of each file in the IC memory card,
Display only the start address of each file and information about the valid / invalid flag of each file. The valid / invalid flag (“1” or “0”) indicates whether each file currently stored in the IC memory card should be continuously saved (“1”) or may be discarded (“0”). Show.
If it is "0", this file can be removed and the file can be stored in the memory area Y in a packed form.

In step S9, a new file in the memory area X and a file to be saved again in the memory area Y are combined and combined. In step S10,
The combined files (each file is continuous)
Transfer to C memory card. In step S11, as shown in FIG.
The file structure in the right column of is completed.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a file recorded under a predetermined operating system can be read without using the operating system, which simplifies the firmware and improves the read speed. It is possible to improve.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an application example of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a transition of book data on a first recording medium.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart (first half) showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart (second half) showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... 1st recording medium 11 ... Memory management unit 12 ... Management table 20 ... 2nd recording medium 50 ... Dedicated terminal 60 ... Information terminal

Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Mariko Hayakawa 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fujitsu Limited

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A file is recorded in a predetermined memory management unit (11), and each small file of each memory management unit (11) is recorded under an operating system having a predetermined file management format. Memory management unit (1
A management table (12) that individually manages 1) with serial management numbers is provided in a file management format different from the first recording medium (10) that is integrally recorded with the file and the file management format. In a file system having at least a second recording medium (20) for recording the file, a plurality of small files recorded in the memory management unit (11) are stored in the first recording medium (10). Each of the small files read to the second recording medium (20) is sequentially read according to the serial management number designated by the management table (12) in the first recording medium (10), A file management system characterized in that the physical addresses on the second recording medium (20) are sequentially recorded while being sequentially updated and the files are retained. 2. The first and second recording media (10,
When a plurality of files are recorded in 20), the reading from the first recording medium (10) and the recording in the second recording medium (20) are executed for each of the files. The file management system according to claim 1. 3. The file system comprises a dedicated terminal (50) for handling the first recording medium (10), and the read-out from the first recording medium (10) via the dedicated terminal (50). The dedicated terminal (50) further comprises a third recording medium, which comprises an information terminal (60) that handles the second recording medium (20) recording a file, and the dedicated terminal (50) further comprises a third recording medium. Each of the small files already recorded on the second recording medium (20) is once transferred onto the third recording medium without any gap, and each of the small files newly read from the first recording medium (10). The files are subsequently recorded to synthesize the files, and the dedicated terminal (50) transfers the files synthesized on the third recording medium to the second recording medium (20) as they are. The file according to claim 2. Le management scheme.