JPH06149483A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce access to disk devices and to reduce current consumption by tentatively storing transfer data to/from the disk devices in a nonvolatile memory corresponding to write time or read time. CONSTITUTION:This computer system is provided with the nonvolatile memory 4 such as EPROM or the like for tentatively storing the transfer data to/from the disk devices 3 and 5 corresponding to whether it is the write time or the read time. Then, at the time of write access to the disk devices 3 and 5, write data are tentatively stored in the nonvolatile memory 4 and the transfer data stored in the nonvolatile memory 4 are transferred to the disk devices 3 and 5 at the optional point of time. Also, at the time of read access to the disk devices 3 and 5, data to be required are read from the nonvolatile memory 4 when the data to be required are present in the nonvolatile memory and the data are directly read from the disk devices 3 and 5 when the data are not present in the nonvolatile memory 4. Thus, even when poweroff or suspension occurs, a trying processing to the disk devices 3 and 5 can be immediately performed at the time of restarting.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system using a hard disk device or a floppy disk device as an external storage device, and more particularly, it is an effective technique for supplying power to the disk device by a battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a disk device such as a hard disk device or a floppy disk device, a spindle motor is rotated to access the disk, which consumes a large amount of current. Especially when the disk drive is driven by a battery, the life of the battery is greatly reduced due to the large current consumption, and the work must be interrupted or a spare battery must be prepared. It was very complicated. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the current consumption. As a conventional technique for reducing current consumption in a disk device, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-059413,
There is a device in which the power consumption of the hard disk device is reduced by turning on the power supply of the hard disk device only when the hard disk device is needed.

[0003]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, there is a problem that a large current consumption is consumed because the motor is always turned on when the disk is accessed. It is an object of the present invention to reduce current consumption by reducing the number of accesses as much as possible.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a non-volatile memory such as an EPROM for temporarily storing transfer data to or from a disk device, an AC mounting detection circuit, according to a write time or a read time, A battery remaining amount detection circuit, an AC mounting detection circuit, and a non-volatile memory state control circuit for controlling the state of the non-volatile memory according to information from the battery remaining amount detection circuit. The write data is temporarily stored in the non-volatile memory, the transfer data stored in the non-volatile memory is transferred to the disk device at an arbitrary time, and the necessary data is stored in the non-volatile memory at the time of read access to the disk device. If it exists, read from the non-volatile memory. Controls so as to directly lead. A
The C attachment detection circuit detects whether the power supply is AC drive or battery drive, and the battery remaining amount detection circuit detects the remaining capacity of the battery. The AC attachment information and the battery remaining amount information detected by each are controlled in a non-volatile memory state. Tell the circuit. The non-volatile memory state control circuit has a function of automatically switching whether the non-volatile memory is used as a disk memory or a disk cache according to the AC mounting information.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the data transferred to or from the disk device is temporarily stored in the non-volatile memory depending on whether the disk device is writing or reading. The current consumption is reduced by turning off the motor of the device. In addition, by using the non-volatile memory, the data is saved in the non-volatile memory even when the system is powered off or suspended after writing the data in the non-volatile memory at the time of writing, so the disk is not restarted when restarting. The writing process to the device can be done immediately.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention. In FIG.
1 is a central processing unit (CPU), 2 is a control circuit, 3 is a hard disk device (HDD), 4 is a nonvolatile memory (for example, EPROM such as flash memory), 5 is a floppy disk device (FDD), and 6 is a nonvolatile memory. A state control circuit, 7 is a battery remaining amount detection circuit, 8 is an AC mounting detection circuit, and 9 is a battery. The control circuit 2 manages the data storage areas (addresses, capacities, etc.) of the hard disk device 3 (HDD) and the floppy disk device 5 (FDD), and also prevents malfunctions when the diskette is replaced or the removable hard disk device is replaced. When a data transfer command is issued from the CPU 1 to the hard disk device 3 (HDD) or the floppy disk device 5 (FDD) while holding the disk ID, control of the data transfer destination will be described later with user setting information, AC mounting information, This is done based on the battery level information. The AC mounting detection circuit 8 detects whether the power source is AC drive or battery drive, and the battery remaining amount detection circuit 7 detects the remaining capacity of the battery 9, and the detected AC mounting information and battery remaining amount information are nonvolatile. Notify the memory state control circuit 6.

The non-volatile memory 4 (EPROM such as flash memory) is a hard disk device 3 (HDD),
It is used for temporary storage of transfer data to the floppy disk device 5 (FDD) and also used as a normal disk memory. If a flash memory is used as the non-volatile memory, the structure of the memory is simple and the size of the chip can be small. The AC mounting information from the AC mounting detection circuit 8 and the information on the range of the data storage area of the non-volatile memory 4 are held by the control circuit 2 and used for controlling the area management of the non-volatile memory 4. When AC is not installed, the non-volatile memory 4 is
Alternatively, the nonvolatile memory 4 can be used as a memory for temporarily storing data in the disk device, and the non-volatile memory 4 can be used as a normal disk memory when the AC is mounted. The range of the data storage area of the non-volatile memory 4 can be efficiently utilized by allowing the user to freely set the range of the data storage area by software, for example. As described above, the non-volatile memory state control circuit 6 uses the non-volatile memory 4 (EPROM) as a disk memory according to the AC mounting information from the AC mounting detection circuit 8 or a disk cache (for temporary storage of the transfer data). Memory) is a circuit for automatically switching whether to use.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the process shown in part (A) of the flowchart of FIG. 2 will be described. In step (1), it is determined whether the hard disk device 3 (HDD) or the floppy disk device 5 (FDD) is accessed. First, consider the case where there is access. In the case of read access, in step (2), the read data is compared with the address previously written in the non-volatile memory 4 (EPROM) to check whether the addresses match. As a result of the comparison, if the two addresses match, the data at the address and the nonvolatile memory 4
Since the data in (EPROM) match, the data is read from the non-volatile memory 4 (EPROM) instead of being read directly from the hard disk device 3 (HDD) or the floppy disk device 5 (FDD). On the other hand, if the compared addresses do not match, the hard disk device 3 (HDD) or floppy disk device 5 (FD
Read the data directly from D).

In the case of a write access, in step (3), it is checked whether or not the write data is an update of the data previously written in the nonvolatile memory 4, and if it is an update, the nonvolatile memory 4 is checked. Overwrite the new data on that data of. If it is not updated, it is checked in step (4) whether the write data is larger than the empty area on the non-volatile memory 4, and if the write data is larger than the empty area, it is directly written to the accessed disk device. If the write data is smaller than the empty area, the transfer destination address and the disk ID are written in the nonvolatile memory 4 in addition to the write data. Disc ID here
Is to prevent erroneous transfer when replacing a diskette or when replacing a removable hard disk drive.
If not, write it to disk. Hard disk device 3 (HDD) and floppy disk device 5 (FDD)
The access to F is performed as described above.

Next, it becomes necessary to return the data temporarily stored in the non-volatile memory 4 to the disk device due to the user's convenience, power-off of the system, suspension, or the like. In that case, the process shown in the part (B) of the flowchart of FIG. 2 is performed. When the battery capacity is sufficient (I), the data on the flash memory 4 is written to the disk device by the user's command input. This can be done whenever needed. If the battery capacity is not enough to start the disk unit motor, the system will be suspended (II).
Or move to power off (III). At that time, the non-data transfer information is held in the non-volatile memory 4. And B after resume or system power on
The IOS (basic input / output system) reads the non-volatile memory 4, and if there is untransferred information, writes the first stored data to the disk device. As described above, the present invention can reduce a large amount of power consumption at the time of starting and rotating a motor of a hard disk device or a floppy disk device by the configuration of FIG. 1 that operates in the flow shown in FIG. it can.

Another embodiment will be described. Although the above embodiment is an example of a single access from the central processing unit (CPU) to the disk device, the present invention is applied to the case of driving a plurality of disk devices such as copying between a hard disk device and a floppy disk device. Useful for. Conventionally, the copying process between the disk devices had to activate the motors of both disk devices at the same time, but in the present invention, the information read from one disk device is temporarily stored in the non-volatile memory and then the non-volatile memory is stored. It is not necessary to activate the motors of both disk units at the same time at any time, since it is possible to move the memory of one of the disk units to the other. The consumption of large current can be suppressed.

[0012]

In the past, when accessing a hard disk drive or floppy disk drive, the motor had to be started and rotated for a certain period of time, and a large amount of current was consumed during that time. To the non-volatile memory, and when the non-volatile memory is full or the AC power supply is installed, take measures such as writing to the disk.
The number of times the motor of the disk device is activated can be significantly reduced, and the life of the battery can be extended. Further, at the time of reading, the non-volatile memory is used like a cache memory. That is, when the read data matches the data stored in the non-volatile memory, the read data is read from the non-volatile memory and the motor of the disk device is not activated to reduce the current consumption.

In the past, when copying between a hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, the motors of both disk drives had to be started at the same time. However, according to the configuration of the present invention, either one of the disk drives can be operated at any time. Since only the motor of the device needs to be activated, it is possible to suppress the instantaneous consumption of a large current. or,
Whether the non-volatile memory is used as a normal disk memory or used for temporary storage of transfer data is automatically determined by determining the AC mounting information from the AC mounting detection circuit, depending on whether the power supply is the AC power supply or the battery power supply. Since it is designed to be switched automatically, the safety of the system can be maintained without bothering the user.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a computer system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 Control Circuit 3 Hard Disk Device 4 Non-Volatile Memory 5 Floppy Disk Device 6 Non-Volatile Memory Status Control Circuit 7 Battery Remaining Detect Circuit 8 AC Installation Detection Circuit 9 Battery

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A computer system having a disk device as an external storage device, comprising a non-volatile memory for temporarily storing transfer data, and writing data to the non-volatile memory at the time of write access to the disk device. When the transfer data stored in the non-volatile memory for temporary storage is transferred to the disk device at any time, and when necessary data exists in the non-volatile memory at the time of read access to the disk device. Is read from the non-volatile memory, and if it does not exist in the non-volatile memory, it is controlled to read from the disk device. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the disk device is removable.
A computer system characterized in that the ID of each disk in a disk device is stored in a non-volatile memory together with transfer data at the time of write access. 3. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising means capable of setting a range of an area for temporarily storing transfer data to the disk device in the non-volatile memory. 4. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting that the battery capacity has decreased when the battery is driven and temporarily storing write data to the disk device in the non-volatile memory. Characteristic computer system. 5. The computer system according to claim 1, which detects whether the power source is an AC power source or a battery power source,
A computer system comprising means for switching to use the non-volatile memory as a normal disk memory when an AC power source is used and to use the non-volatile memory as a temporary storage memory for transfer data when a battery power source is used.