JPH05314659A - Method for setting data recording zone for disk storage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically set a zone while matching with an actual characteristic by switching a head in a radius direction, writing data at a prescribed rate, reading the data after deviating for a prescribed time and setting the zone according to the result. CONSTITUTION:While switching the position of the head 3 in the radius direction on a disk 1, the test data TD is written on a track at a prescribed transfer rate. The presence of the generation of an error ER is verified by reading repeatedly the timing of a reading clock CK according to the transfer rate when the test data TD is written in the state of deviating it alternately in a positive/negative direction by a time margin tm on the read operation of e.g. a device for a prescribed time. From the result of reading, the zones Z0, Z1, etc., corresponding to respective transfer rates are set from the outer diameter side with the high transfer rate of the disk 1 successively. Thus, the zone is set automatically at every device while matching with the characteristic of a recording medium and the head.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CDR (Constant) that sets a plurality of zones having different radial positions and different data transfer rates so that the linear recording density of data on the surface of the disk becomes substantially uniform. In order to maximize the effective use of the area of the disk for the disk storage device of the Density Recording method or the zone bit method, the zone is set rationally according to the characteristics of the recording medium of the disk and the head that reads and writes data from it. And a method for setting a data recording zone of a disk storage device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a disk storage device, since the data written on the disk by the head is read through the head, the recording / reproducing performance is mainly influenced by the characteristics of the recording medium of the disk and the head for reading / writing data. The linear recording density at which data should be recorded on the disc is set in accordance with the characteristics of. However, since there is a difference between the inner and outer circumferences of the disc, and the linear recording density on the inner diameter side is higher than that on the outer diameter side in a normal disk storage device, if the linear recording density is set on the inner diameter side as usual, the outer diameter side In that case, the performance of the recording medium and the head cannot be fully utilized, and the storage capacity originally possessed by the disk is wasted.

Recently, in order to solve this problem, the above-mentioned C
The DR method has come to be adopted. As is well known, the CDR method divides the disk surface into a plurality of zones in the radial direction, and switches the so-called data transfer rate at the time of data reading / writing for each zone, thereby providing a linear recording density on the entire surface of the disk. It is intended to make effective use of the disk area by arranging them substantially uniformly. The switching of the data transfer rate for this purpose can be relatively easily performed by switching the frequency of the clock pulse given to the circuit related to the reading and writing of data for designating the operating speed according to the zone.

This CDR system can increase the storage capacity of the disk storage device and can specify a higher data transfer rate than the conventional zone on the outer diameter side, so that the data read / write speed is improved and the average access time to the data is increased. There is an advantage that it can be shortened. In this method, the method of dividing the disk surface into multiple zones and the data transfer rate for each zone have conventionally been set for each model of disk storage device, and this setting content is incorporated in each device. The data is stored in the mask ROM of the control processor, the radial position of the head in the disk is detected to determine which zone it is in, and then the data transfer rate corresponding to that zone is read from the mask ROM. It is customary to

[0005]

However, in practice, considerable variations may occur in the characteristics of the recording medium and head of the disk depending on the device. Therefore, as described above, the disk is different for each model of the CDR type disk storage device. If the zone division of the surface is fixed and the data transfer rate is set for each zone, the discrepancy in characteristics cannot be absorbed no matter how carefully the settings are carefully considered and decided. Can not be fully utilized, or if the setting contents are slightly changed, even the usable device becomes defective. This problem is further amplified because variations among devices occur in the operating characteristics of the data write circuit and read signal reproduction circuit.

In order to alleviate this problem, it is difficult and practically costly to mass-produce a device because it is difficult to reduce variations in device characteristics due to a large number of fluctuation factors. Furthermore, the problem can be solved if the setting contents are decided according to the actual characteristics for each device,
Optimally setting the zone division including the influence of various factors and the transfer rate is an unexpectedly complicated work, and takes a lot of time and effort. In a normal disk storage device, the setting content can be determined by examining the device characteristics only for the innermost side track of the weakest point, but in the CDR method the linear recording density is aligned so that there are no weak points, so many tracks in the disk This is because it is necessary to check the device characteristics for. In order to solve such a problem, an object of the present invention is to automatically set zone division of a disk according to actual characteristics for each disk storage device without any particular trouble.

[0007]

According to the data recording zone setting method of the present invention, the object is to write data to a track at a predetermined transfer rate while switching the radial position of the head in the disk surface, and to write the track. Read data from the device under the condition that the timing of the clock for reading corresponding to the transfer rate at the time of writing is shifted by a predetermined time,
At this time, it is achieved by setting the zone from the track in which the data is successfully read in correspondence with the transfer rate.

Although there are almost no exceptions to a plurality of disk surfaces in the disk storage device, it is preferable that the zone setting according to the method of the present invention is performed independently for each disk surface. When switching the head position as described in the above configuration of the present invention, the approximate size of each zone is set in advance,
It is advantageous to move the head according to this schedule in order to shorten the time required for zone setting. Further, it is advantageous to increase the storage capacity and shorten the average access time by starting the head position from the outer diameter side track of the disk where the maximum transfer rate can be set and switching to the inner diameter side track. .. The data to be written in each track on which the head is placed is preferably test data composed of various data, for example, data in which 00 to FF in hexadecimal system are circulated. It is preferable to put an error code in this test data as usual, and to judge the success or failure of the reading.

Further, it is preferable to write a synchronization code at the same time as writing such data to each track, and in this case, a so-called data separation circuit based on the synchronization code is used in the data separation circuit when reading the data. Since the internal clock is generated, it is rational to set the time for shifting the timing of the reading clock referred to in the above configuration of the present invention to the time margin value that should be given to the jitter that can occur in this internal clock. .. In order to determine the success or failure of the data reading, it is desirable to repeat the reading a plurality of times while switching the direction for shifting the timing of the reading clock to positive or negative, and to determine the reading as successful when no error occurs. ..

In the zone setting, writing and reading of such data at a predetermined transfer rate are performed by sequentially switching the positions of the heads. It may be set as the boundary of the zone, or it may be set as the boundary of the zone when the head position is switched by the predetermined size of the zone and it is successfully read on the track. To

[0011]

According to the present invention, it takes a great deal of time and effort to measure the actual characteristics of the recording medium, the head, etc. for each disk storage device and optimally set both the zone and the transfer rate accordingly. Focusing on the disadvantage of mass production, first set multiple data transfer rates to be used for each model of disk storage device, and accurately verify the characteristics for each device under the condition that the timing of the data reading clock is shifted However, by setting a zone suitable for each transfer rate, the device itself can be automatically set by a simple method suitable for mass production to increase its storage capacity and shorten the access time. ..

That is, the method of the present invention writes data from a track at a predetermined or preset transfer rate while sequentially switching the radial position of the head in the disk surface as described in the above-mentioned configuration. The timing of the clock for reading according to the transfer rate at the time of reading, for example, under the condition that it is shifted by a predetermined time that is the time margin required at the time of reading, the device characteristics are actually verified from the success or failure, The zone corresponding to each transfer rate is automatically set.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration circuit diagram showing a main configuration example in a disk storage device relating to implementation of a data recording zone setting method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a zone layout diagram showing an example of a zone setting procedure according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an operation example of the method of the present invention. In the embodiment described below, the timing of the internal clock generated from the read signal of the data in the data separation circuit based on the synchronization code is set by writing the synchronization code at the same time as writing the data in each track in the disk. It is assumed that the data is read and the success or failure thereof is determined in a state of being shifted by a time margin which is an operational margin of the apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this particular mode.

At the upper part of FIG. 1, there is shown a mechanical portion of a disk storage device including a disk 1, a spindle motor 2 for driving the disk 1 at a constant speed, a head 3 for reading and writing data, and an actuator 4 for operating the same. The outermost diameter track T0 in the disk 1 is a so-called system area of this device, and data recording zones Z0, Z1, Z2, etc. are provided between this and the innermost shipping zone SZ in which the head 3 is placed in a rest state. It shall be set by the method of the present invention. The position of the head 3 in the radial direction within the disk 1 is operated by an actuator 4 via a swingable arm 3a.

A plurality of heads 3 in the disk storage device are connected to a read / write circuit 5, and the heads 3 designated by the selection command HS from the control processor 10 are read / write commands.
Put in write or read state depending on RW. The read / write circuit 5 receives a write signal WS of data encoded by a predetermined modulation method at the time of writing and writes the data on a track of the disk 1 via the head 3, and at the time of reading, an analog read signal RSa of the data to the demodulation circuit 6. It is given and converted into a read signal RS of a predetermined modulation method. This read signal
The data separation circuit 7 that receives RS is a PLL circuit as usual.
The internal clock is generated from the read portion of the synchronization code included in the read signal RS and the data portion is separated from the read signal RS based on the internal clock. Encoder
The decoder circuit 8 decodes such a data portion of the read signal RS into a pulse train signal PS of the usual NRZ system, or encodes the pulse train signal PS into a write signal WS.

In addition to this, an off-track detection circuit 9 is incorporated in the apparatus to receive an analog read signal RSa and shift the servo information read portion (not shown) in the disk 1 contained therein from the position of the head 3 from the track. To detect. The control processor 10 is usually built in for control including the mechanical part in the device, and is an R such as a PROM.
Setting means 30 for carrying out the method of the present invention, including OM11
Are loaded into the RAM in the form of software. The clock circuit 12 associated with the control processor 10 plays a role in giving a clock pulse CP for designating a data transfer rate to the encoder / decoder circuit 8 and the like in the embodiment of the present invention.

In the example of FIG. 1, in addition to the control processor 10 for the disk storage device, a controller 20 which is a processor for interconnection with a computer of the host is provided, and an internal bus is provided.
23, an interface circuit 24, and an external bus 25 are connected to a computer (not shown), and the control processor 10 is also a communication bus.
Connected through 26. The data processing unit 21 in the controller 20 receives data from the computer on the internal bus 23 as R
After being temporarily stored in the AM22, it is converted into a serial pulse train signal PS and given to the encoder / decoder circuit 8, or the pulse train signal PS received from it is converted into data and RAM.
It plays a role of loading on the internal bus 23 via 22 and plays a role of detecting the presence or absence of the error ER of the read data and notifying the control processor 10 in the practice of the present invention.

In the method of the present invention, a plurality of data transfer rates R are preset for each model of the disk storage device and stored in the ROM 11 of the control processor 10, and the setting means 30 described above is used to store the data in the ROM 11 of the control processor 10. Ten
To load. The setting means 30 includes the test data TD to be written in the tracks of the disk 1, the time margin tm which is a margin for the reading operation, and the number of tracks di which is the planned size of each zone in this embodiment. Is included in this. Further, in this embodiment, a timing shift circuit 40 is provided for the data separation circuit 7, and the test data TD whose timing is deviated from the internal clock generated by the PLL circuit 7a according to the designation from the setting means 30 by τ. Let's make a clock CK for reading. The timing shift circuit 40 is configured by combining a delay element and a logic gate, for example.

The above description of the disk storage device of FIG. 1 is completed, and before the description of the operation of the method of the present invention according to FIG.
First, the zone setting procedure will be described with reference to. As shown by track numbers j = 0 to n in the figure, n + 1 tracks are set on the disk 1, and in this example, track number 0
Transfer rate R0 from the 1st track excluding the outermost diameter track
M + 1 zones Z0 to Zm respectively corresponding to Rm to Rm are set in descending order of transfer rate R. For convenience of description below, the zone number is represented by i = 0 to m, and the maximum track number on the innermost diameter side of each zone Zi is represented by Xi.

At the first step S1 of the flow chart showing the operation example of the setting means 30 of FIG. 3, 0 is put in the first zone number is. In the next step S2, the value of is is set in the zone number i and 0 is set in the track number j, and the flags Fi and Fo for controlling the flow of operation are reset to 0. In this embodiment, in order to shorten the time required for zone setting as much as possible, the approximate size of each zone is set in advance and the position of the head 3 is switched according to this schedule. Therefore, in step S3, the i-th zone is assigned to the track number j. The number of tracks di expected to be added to Zi is specified, and the tracks for reading and writing the test data TD are specified.

The above is, so to speak, a preparation step, and after step S4, the position of the head 3 is switched to test data TD.
Entering the operation of setting the zone while reading and writing.
In the first step S4, this j-th track
A seek operation of moving the head 3 to Tj is performed. For this purpose, for example, the track number j may be designated from the control processor 10 to the drive circuit in the actuator 4,
This track of the head 3 detected by the off-track detection circuit 9 during the subsequent reading and writing of the test data TD.
The control is applied so as to eliminate the positional deviation from Tj. Also,
In this step S4, the test data TD is added to this track Tj.
Write at the transfer rate Ri for the second zone Zi. The transfer rate Ri is read from the ROM 11 of the control processor 10 and given to the clock circuit 12, and the clock pulse CP is output at the frequency corresponding thereto.

The test data TD is preferably a combination of various data, for example, cyclic data of 00 to FF, and is edited by the setting means 30 and then written on the disk 1 via the communication bus 26 of the controller 20. Data processing unit 21
Give to. The test data TD is of course provided with a usual error code, and in this embodiment, the above-mentioned synchronization code is written simultaneously. Furthermore, in this step S4,
1 is set in the read count variable p, and the timing shift circuit
In this embodiment, the value of the time margin tm is entered as the deviation τ to be given to the clock CK by 40. The time margin tm is usually set within the range of 10 to 10nS.

Then, the flow goes to step S5 and the data processing unit of the controller 20 in a state where the test data TD written in the previous step S4 is shifted in the positive direction by the clock CK by τ.
Let 21 read. As described above, the data processing unit 21 verifies the presence or absence of an error in the read data with the error code and informs the control processor 10 of the result, so that the presence or absence of the error ER is determined in the next step S6. The operation when there is no error moves to step S7 to switch the positive / negative of the deviation τ, and it is determined whether or not this τ is positive in step S8. Since it is NO at this time, the operation returns to step S5, and the test data TD is read while the clock CK is shifted in the negative direction. If there is no error ER even if the clock CK is shifted in the positive or negative direction, the determination in step S8 comes out, so the operation proceeds to step S9, and it is determined whether or not the number of readings p has reached a predetermined set number pm, Until then, the number of readings p is incremented by one in step S10, the flow is returned to step S5, and the same operation is repeated. The reading set number pm is, for example, 2 to several times.

As described above, if there is no error ER even if the test data TD is repeatedly read a set number of times pm while switching the shift τ of the clock CK between positive and negative, the operation is performed in steps S5 to S
The loop of 10 is exited from step S8, and this means that the jth track Tj in which the head 3 is present has passed the zone Zi corresponding to the ith transfer rate Ri. Therefore, this j
The track Tj may be the boundary of the zone Zi, but the range may be further expanded. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the operation is performed in the zone Zi from step S8 to step S11.
To the flow for expanding the inner diameter side.

In step S11, the outer diameter side movement flag Fo is set to 0.
It is judged whether or not, but since it is right now, step S
At step 12, the inner diameter side movement flag Fi is set to 1, and the track number j at that time is put in the maximum track number Xi of the i-th zone Zi. In a succeeding step S13, it is determined whether or not the track number j is smaller than the maximum value n, and if so, the step is incremented by one in the step S14, and then the flow is returned to the step S4. After that, after the head 3 is moved to the inner diameter side by one track in step S4, the above-mentioned test data TD
The writing and reading operations of are repeated.

If the reading error ER is detected during the repetition of such an operation of expanding the zone Zi while moving the head 3 sequentially toward the inner diameter side, the operation is performed from step S6 to step S6.
Go to 15. At this time, the j-th track on which the head 3 is placed is unsuitable for the i-th zone Zi. Therefore, Xi which should be the maximum track number of the one outer diameter side zone Zi is stored in step S12. , This maximum track number Xi
It means that the i-th zone Zi has been set. In step S15, it is checked whether or not the inner diameter side movement flag Fi is 0. However, since the determination is of course negative, the flow moves to the operation after step S16 for setting the next zone.

In this step S16, it is judged whether or not the zone number i is smaller than the maximum value m, that is, unless the setting of all zones is completed, the zone number i is incremented by one in step S17 and The planned track number di of the zone Zi is added to the track number j. In the next step S18, it is checked whether or not this track number j is larger than the maximum value n, and if it is not, it is kept as it is, and in that case, the track number j is set to the maximum value n in step S19, and then the operation is performed in step S20. Then, 0 is set in the inner diameter side movement flag Fi and the outer diameter side movement flag Fo.
After that, the flow is returned to step S4 and the operation for setting the zone Zi of the new zone number i is started.

If the j-th track Tj designated in steps S17 and S19 for this next zone Zi is unsuitable for this zone Zi and an error ER is detected when reading the test data TD, the operation proceeds to step S6. Then, the process proceeds to step S15, and it is checked whether or not the inner diameter side movement flag Fi is 0. However, since the determination comes out this time, the operation proceeds to step S21. In this step S21, the outer diameter side movement flag Fo is set to 1, and the outer diameter side track is designated by subtracting 1 from the track number j,
And, the value of j is put in the maximum track number Xi of the zone Zi. After that, the flow is returned to step S4 and the head 3 is sequentially moved to the inner diameter side to search for a track suitable for the zone Zi. If this succeeds, the operation proceeds from step S9 to step S11.
When the process moves to, the zone Si designated by the maximum track number Xi stored in step S21 has been set.

At this time, since the outer diameter side movement flag Fo is set to 1, the determination in step S11 is negative, and the operation moves to step S16 to enter the flow for setting the next zone. In this way, when the setting of all the planned zones on the one surface of the disk 1 is completed and the zone number i reaches the maximum value m, the flow moves from step S16 to step S22. Alternatively, when the setting of the planned zone is not completed but the track number j reaches the maximum value n and the reading error ER does not occur even on this innermost diameter side track, the flow goes from step S11 to step S22.

In step S22, the zone number i at that time is stored as the maximum zone number m of the zones set in the disc 1, and the storage capacity of the disc surface is calculated from the integration of the transfer rate and the number of tracks of each zone. To do. The next step S23 is a step of recording the zone setting result, in which the above-mentioned storage capacity, maximum zone number m, maximum track number Xi of each zone, etc. are written in the outermost diameter track T0 which is the above-mentioned system area, This completes all the operations of the method of the present invention. Such recorded contents are always read when the disk storage device is activated, and are used to specify a transfer rate when reading / writing data from / to the disk based on the read contents. Although only one surface of the disk 1 has been described above, the operation of FIG. 3 is repeated for all the disk surfaces in the disk storage device while switching the head 3 as a matter of course.

As described in the above embodiments, in the method of the present invention, the head position is switched and the data is actually written on the disk and read to read the storage medium, the head,
After confirming the performance of each disk storage device in a form that integrates the characteristics of the related circuits, it is possible to rationally set the most suitable zone. Since the performance is confirmed by the success or failure of the data reading with the clock timing being shifted, it is possible to set each zone with a sufficient margin in the data read / write operation at the corresponding transfer rate. In addition,
The data transfer rate in a CDR type disk storage device is usually set to about 10 to 20 MBS, and in the method of the present invention, the range is divided into several to 10 steps to set a zone for each. Good.

In the above embodiment, in order to avoid complication, in step S1 of FIG. 3, 0 corresponding to the highest transfer rate R0 is inserted as the first zone number is on the outermost diameter side of the disk. Depending on the performance, this first zone setting may not be suitable, so it is actually desirable to automatically set the first zone number is as well. To do this, write and read the test data TD from zone number 0 with the head placed on the outermost diameter side track, and if there is no error, set is to 0, but if there is an error, It suffices to increment the number i in order and put the zone number in is when the error does not occur. As described above, the present invention is not limited to the exemplification of the embodiment and can be implemented in various modes.

[0033]

As described above, in the method of setting the data recording zone in the present invention for the CDR type disk storage device, the data is transferred to the track in a predetermined manner while switching the radial position of the data read / write head in the disk surface. Data is written at that rate, and data is read from that track under the condition that the timing of the read clock corresponding to the transfer rate at the time of writing is shifted by a predetermined time, and at this time, the zone is set from the track that succeeded in reading the data corresponding to the transfer rate. By doing so, the following effects can be achieved.

(A) Since the zone division, which has been fixedly set for each model in the past, can be variably set for each device according to the actual characteristics of the recording medium, head, etc., and further for each disk surface, there is considerable variation in characteristics. Even if there is, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of device failure by almost never causing unavailability or insufficient performance after setting. (b) The zone of high data transfer rate and therefore high linear storage density can be set as widely as possible from the outer diameter side of each disk surface according to the characteristics of the recording medium, head, etc. It can have a combined maximum storage capacity. Therefore, the mass-produced devices can be ranked according to their rated storage capacities to maximize the performance of each device.

(C) Since the zone of high data transfer rate can be set wide on the disk surface, the average access time of the disk storage device can be shortened. (d) Since the zone is set after the data is actually written on the track and the read timing is verified with the clock timing being shifted, the time margin necessary for the operation of the disk storage device is excessive or insufficient over the entire surface of each disk. It is possible to improve the reliability of the read / write operation by reasonably having it. Further, the time margin confirmation test, which is conventionally required, can be omitted by the method of the present invention.

(E) The zone can be automatically set in the apparatus itself without much trouble during mass production of the disk storage apparatus by simply loading simple software.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration circuit diagram showing a main configuration example in a disk storage device related to implementation of a data recording zone setting method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a zone layout diagram showing an example of zone setting according to the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an operation showing an example of a zone setting procedure according to the method of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 disk 3 head 7 data separation circuit 10 control processor 20 controller 30 setting means loaded in the control processor 40 timing shift circuit CK clock for reading data i zone number j track number R data transfer rate Ri i data transfer rate of i-th zone TD test data tm Time margin τ Clock timing deviation Xi i-th zone maximum track number Zi i-th zone

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method of setting a plurality of zones having different radial positions and different data transfer rates on the disk surface so that the linear recording density of the data becomes substantially uniform. While switching the radial position, write data to the track at a predetermined transfer rate,
Data is read from that track under the condition that the timing of the reading clock corresponding to the transfer rate at the time of writing is shifted by a predetermined time, and at this time, the zone is set corresponding to the transfer rate from the track that has successfully read the data. A method for setting a data recording zone of a disk storage device characterized in that 2. A data recording method for a disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein the disk storage device has a plurality of disk surfaces, and zones are independently set for each disk surface. How to set the zone. 3. The data separating clock according to claim 1, wherein the read clock is generated based on a synchronization code written accompanying the data by a data separating circuit receiving a read signal of the data. The method for setting the data recording zone of the disk storage device is characterized in that the time for shifting the timing is set to a time margin value that should be provided for reading the data with respect to the jitter of the clock.