JPH06131128A - Using method for information recording medium on information recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure an area that the information recording device uses on the information recording medium. CONSTITUTION:Part of a data area that the user uses on the information recording medium 9 is registered as a defective area. At this time, the area is secured divisionally as one fixed area where a control table is stored and plural areas which are controlled by it. Further, information at the time of the initialization of the information recording medium 9 is recorded in the data area registered as the defective area and transferred at a request from a host device 2. Further, the data area registered as the defective area is secured for each user area and the position and contents of an error occurring in the area are recorded; when the number of errors exceeds a predetermined certain value, that is warned to the host device 2, the position and contents of the error are transferred at a request from the host device 2, and the position and frequency of access in the area are recorded and transferred at a request from the host device 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of using an information recording medium in an information recording device such as a hard disk device, a floppy disk device, an optical disk (including magneto-optical disk) device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Information recording devices such as optical disk devices are
For example, as seen in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-10575,
Some information recording media have a management area used only by the device.

[0003]

However, in order to increase the area used by the user, the minimum necessary information (for example, total area number, replacement area management table) is stored in this management area.
Only recorded. In particular, in the optical disc device, the management form of the disc is determined by ISO to maintain compatibility, and therefore, even if there is information that the optical disc device wants to manage independently or there is information to be recorded,
I couldn't record it.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to ensure an area for an information recording medium to be used independently by an information recording apparatus.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises at least one information recording medium,
In an information recording apparatus for recording / reproducing information on / from the information recording medium, an information recording medium in which a part of a data area used by a user in the information recording medium is registered as a defective area for the apparatus to independently use Provide usage instructions.

The data area to be registered as the defective area may be divided into a fixed area for storing a management table of areas used by the information processing apparatus and a plurality of areas managed by the management table. Further, it is preferable to record the information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium in the data area registered as the defective area and transfer the information at the time of the initialization at the request of the host device.

Further, a data area to be registered as a defective area is secured for each certain user area, and the position of the error occurring in the area and the content of the error are recorded, and the number of errors is fixed at a predetermined number. When the value exceeds the value, a warning is issued to the higher-level device, and the position of the recorded error and the error content may be transferred at the request of the higher-level device.

Furthermore, a data area to be registered as a defective area is secured for each fixed user area, the position accessed in the area and the number of accesses are recorded, and the recorded access position and access are requested by the host device. You should transfer the number of times. Further, an unused position may be searched from the access position and the number of times of access to newly secure an area for the host device to independently use.

[0009]

According to the method of using the information recording medium of the present invention, a part of the data area used by the user in the information recording medium is registered as a defective area for the device to use independently, so that the user can use the information recording medium. It is possible to secure an area that is independently used by the information recording device and is not destroyed.

Since the data area registered as the defective area is divided into one fixed area for storing the management table of the area used by the information processing apparatus and a plurality of areas managed by the management table, the data area is secured. There is no need to manage all the areas that the information processing device uses independently.

Further, usually, only the minimum necessary information (for example, the number of user areas, the number of replacement areas, etc.) is recorded on the information recording medium. Therefore, when a problem occurs later such as an abnormality in defect management, that is, an abnormality due to a problem at the time of initialization of the information recording medium, information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium cannot be obtained. Therefore, by recording the information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium (such as the presence or absence of certification and the number of defective areas) in the data area registered as the defective area, and transferring the information at the time of initialization at the request of the host device. , Change of state (deterioration) of information recording medium from initialization
Can be grasped.

Further, the information recording medium deteriorates due to long-term use or use environment. Since the user normally uses the information recording medium without being aware of the deterioration of the information recording medium, the deterioration of the information recording medium cannot be known until the replacement area of the defective area is exhausted. Therefore, a data area to be registered as a defective area is secured for each fixed user area, the position of an error occurring in the area and the content of the error are recorded, and the number of errors is set to a predetermined value (for example, a predetermined value). When the number of failures in the use of the information recording medium is exceeded, a warning is issued to the upper-level device, and the position of the recorded error and the content of the error are transferred at the request of the upper-level device to record the information to the user. The deterioration state of the medium can be notified immediately.

Furthermore, the information recording medium has a variation in the area used by the host device, and in particular, the file management table managed by the host device is frequently accessed. Frequently accessed areas of the information recording medium deteriorate faster than areas that are less frequently accessed. Typically,
The user cannot grasp the access status (the number of times of access to a specific area) to the information recording medium.
Therefore, a data area to be registered as a defective area is secured for each fixed user area, the position accessed in the area and the access count are recorded, and the recorded access position and the access count are transferred at the request of the host device. As a result, the user can grasp the access status of the information recording medium.

If the amount of information increases, the area used by the information recording device will overflow, making it impossible to manage information. Therefore, an unused position is searched from the access position and the number of times of access, and a new area is newly secured by the upper-level device so that a new area can be created without destroying the data in the user area. Can be secured.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an information recording apparatus for carrying out the method of using an information recording medium according to the present invention. I / F (interface) controller 3, CPU 4, ROM 5, RAM 6, buffer RAM
The information recording medium 9 and the controller section 1 including the read / write control circuit 7 and the read / write control circuit 8.

The host device 2 sends commands such as read and write to the controller section 1 of the information recording device. I
The / F controller 3 controls the interface with the higher-level device 2. The ROM 5 stores control software for the controller unit 1, and the CPU 4 operates the controller unit 1 in accordance with the control software. RAM6 is
Stores data used by control software. The buffer RAM 7 stores data to be read / written.
The read / write control circuit 8 controls read / write on the information recording medium 9.

Next, a method of using the information recording medium in this information recording apparatus will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the information recording medium 9 has a data area used by the user (hereinafter referred to as “user area”) and, if there is a defect in the user area, for replacement of the defective area and for replacement of the defective area. Area exists.

Therefore, the controller unit 1 registers a part of the user area as a defective area for the information recording apparatus to independently use. Then, for example, when the area A in FIG. 2 is registered as a defective area, the information processing apparatus uses the area A independently and accesses the area B when the user accesses the area A.

In this case, the user area to be registered as a defective area is secured by dividing it into one fixed area for storing a management table of areas used by the information processing apparatus and a plurality of areas managed by the management table. As shown in FIG. 3, the management table is composed of management contents and position information. The management contents record the management contents of the area that the information recording device independently uses, and the position information records the information indicated by the management contents. The respective positions are shown. In addition, in a plurality of areas managed by the management table, an information recording medium 9 to be described later is provided.
Initialization information, error information, and access information are stored.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium 9. Of the information, the presence or absence of certify indicates whether or not certify was performed at the time of initialization of the information recording medium 9, the number of defects before initialization is the number of defects before initialization of the information recording medium 9, and the number of defects after initialization. The number is the number of defects after initialization of the information recording medium 9, the number of initializations is the number of times the information recording medium 9 is initialized, and the name of the initialized information recording device, lot number, and ROM version are the information recording medium 9.
The name, lot (manufacturing) number, and version of the ROM 5 of the information recording device that initialized the are shown.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing error information. In the error information, the error position indicates the position where the error occurred, and the error content indicates the error content at the error position. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing access information. In the access information, the access position indicates the accessed position, and the access count indicates the number of times the access position is accessed.

Next, the initialization process for the information recording medium 9 by the controller unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the initialization process of the information recording medium 9 is performed, and then the area to be used by the information recording apparatus is secured, and then the secured area is registered as a defective area. Then
The secured area is initialized according to the purpose of use, the information at the time of initialization is recorded therein, and the processing is ended. The information at the time of initialization is transferred at the request of the higher-level device 2.

Next, the error processing for the information recording medium 9 by the controller unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This routine starts every fixed user area, first finds the area that manages the error information corresponding to the position where the error occurred, records the position where the error occurred and the content of the error as the error information, and processes it. To finish. The error information is transferred at the request of the higher-level device 2. Further, when the number of error occurrences exceeds a predetermined constant value, a warning is issued to the host device 2.

Next, the access management process for the information recording medium 9 by the controller unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This routine starts every fixed user area, and first, for access to the user area, an area for managing access information corresponding to the accessed position is searched for. Next, it is checked whether or not the accessed position is registered, and if not registered, the access position and the number of times of access are registered as access information, and if registered, the number of times of access is updated and the process ends. The access information is transferred at the request of the higher-level device 2.

Next, when the area secured by the information recording apparatus is used as described above, the area may be used up and new information cannot be recorded. Therefore, a corresponding process is required. As the processing, the additional area registration processing for the information recording medium 9 by the controller unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, from the access information, the unused area (1
(Area that has not been accessed even once) is searched, and that area is registered in the management table as an area that the information recording device uses independently and as a defective area, and then the secured area is initialized according to the purpose. The process ends.

[0027]

As described above, according to the method of using the information recording medium of the present invention, it is possible to secure an area for the information recording medium that is uniquely used by the information recording device and is not destroyed by the user. it can. According to the information recording medium using method of the second aspect, it is not necessary to manage all the areas that the information processing apparatus uses independently.

According to the method of using the information recording medium of the third aspect, it is possible to grasp the change in the state of the information recording medium since the initialization. Furthermore, according to the method of using the information recording medium of the fourth aspect, it is possible to promptly notify the user of the deterioration state of the information recording medium.

Furthermore, according to the information recording medium using method of the fifth aspect, the user can grasp the access status of the information recording medium. Further, according to the information recording medium using method of the sixth aspect, it is possible to secure a new area without destroying the data in the user area.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an information recording apparatus for implementing an information recording medium using method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of using an information recording medium in the information recording device of FIG.

3 is an explanatory diagram showing a management table in a user area registered as a defective area by a controller unit in the information recording medium of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram similarly showing information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium in the user area.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing error information in the user area.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing access information in the user area.

7 is a flowchart showing an initialization process for an information recording medium by the controller unit of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing error processing for the information recording medium.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an access management process for the information recording medium.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an additional area registration process for the information recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Controller Section 2 Upper Device 3 I / F Controller 4 CPU 5 ROM 6 RAM 7 Buffer RAM 8 Read / Write Control Circuit 9 Information Recording Medium

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. At least one information recording medium is provided,
In an information recording apparatus for recording / reproducing information on / from the information recording medium, a part of the data area used by the user on the information recording medium may be registered as a defective area for the apparatus to independently use. Characteristic information recording medium usage method. 2. The information recording medium using method according to claim 1, wherein the data area registered as the defective area is managed by one fixed area storing a management table of an area used by an information processing apparatus and the management table. A method of using an information recording medium, characterized in that it is divided into a plurality of areas and secured. 3. The information recording medium use method according to claim 1, wherein information at the time of initialization of the information recording medium is recorded in a data area registered as the defective area, and the information is initialized at the request of a host device. A method for using an information recording medium, which is characterized in that information at the time of conversion is transferred. 4. The method of using the information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a data area to be registered as the defective area is secured for each certain user area, and the position of the error and the content of the error that have occurred in the area. Information is recorded, and when the number of error occurrences exceeds a predetermined constant value, a warning is issued to the host device, and the position of the recorded error and the error content are transferred at the request of the host device. How to use recording media. 5. The method of using an information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a data area to be registered as the defective area is secured for each fixed user area, and a position accessed in the area and an access count are recorded. Then, a method of using the information recording medium, characterized in that the recorded access position and the number of accesses are transferred at the request of the host device. 6. The method for using an information recording medium according to claim 5, wherein an unused position is searched from the access position and the number of times of access, and a new area is reserved for the host device to independently use. How to use information recording media.