JPH0635619A - Information multiple reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a multiplex processing performance at the time of executing simultaneously plural read requests to a storage device in which many pieces of animated picture information, etc., are accumulated. CONSTITUTION:A storage device 5 consists of each independent storage unit 5-1 to 5-4. Each set of storage device interface parts 2-1 to 2-4 and temporary storage parts 3-1 to 3-4 corresponds to each of the storage units. Read data from the storage unit 5-1 are transferred and written in the temporary storage part 3-1 through the storage device interface part 2-1 and subsequently, read out of the temporary storage part and sent out of a common bus 6. With regard to other storage units 5-2 to 5-4, as well, the same operations are executed in parallel by shifting a prescribed phase, respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information multiple reading apparatus, and more particularly, in a request type moving picture information providing system, in the case of simultaneously executing a plurality of reading requests to a storage device which stores a large number of moving picture information including voice information. The present invention relates to a moving image information multiple reading device which is optimal for improving multiple processing performance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a request type moving picture information providing system, a center is connected to a large number of terminals, and the center apparatus reads moving picture information requested by the terminals from a storage device and transmits the moving picture information to the terminals. In this case, a request from another terminal may arrive while the information in the storage device is being read in response to a request from one terminal, so it is desirable to be able to realize multiple read processing for the storage device. Be done. Japanese Patent Application No. 3-53310 filed earlier by the present applicant discloses a multiple reading method in which reading of a storage device (magnetic disk device) is performed at a speed higher than the bit rate of moving image information and in time division. There is. Its multiprocessing performance can be increased by the faster access and read speed of the storage device.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional moving image information multiple reading device. In the figure, 11 is a multiple reader, 1
Reference numeral 5 is a magnetic disk array device. Multiple reader 1
1 comprises a storage device interface unit 12, a temporary storage unit 13 connected to the storage device interface unit 12, and a control unit 14. The control unit 14 controls the operation of the storage device interface unit 12 based on an instruction from a connected upper device (not shown). Storage device interface unit 12
In accordance with an instruction from the control unit 14, the control unit 14 controls the reading of the magnetic disk array device 15 and also controls the transfer / writing of the read data from the magnetic disk array device 15 to the temporary storage unit 13. The temporary storage unit 13 temporarily stores the read data sent from the storage device interface unit 12, and transfers the read data to an external communication device (not shown) connected to the multiple reading device 11. . The magnetic disk array device 15 has a plurality of (four in this example) magnetic disk devices 16 built therein, but a high-performance magnetic disk device 16 is provided for the storage device interface unit 12 and the control unit 14 of the multiple reading device 11. It looks like a magnetic disk unit.

The operation of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. The read data from the magnetic disk array device 15 is written to the temporary storage unit 13 via the storage device interface unit 12 for each time slot of the time division reading process. Then, the read data is transferred from the temporary storage unit 13 to an external communication device. During this time, the control unit 14 controls the magnetic disk array device 15 via the storage device interface unit 12.
To read for the next time slot. After the data transfer from the temporary storage unit 13 to the communication device is completed, that is, at the beginning of the next time slot, the read data of the magnetic disk array device 15 is started to be written in the temporary storage unit 13. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated to realize the time division multiplex reading process.

Here, assuming that the read speed of the magnetic disk device 16 is 3 M / sec, the read speed of the magnetic disk array device 15 is four times as high as 12 Mbytes / sec. On the other hand, if the writing / reading speed of the temporary storage unit 13 is 12 Mbytes / second, the temporary storage unit 13 within one time slot
The transfer / write time to and the read / transfer time from the temporary storage unit 13 become equal. Therefore, the throughput of the multiple reading device 11 is reduced to 6 Mbytes / sec, which is 1/2 of the reading speed of the magnetic disk array device 15.

[0006]

As described above, in the conventional multiplex reader for information, the operation of transferring / writing the read data from the storage device to the temporary storage unit and the transfer from the temporary storage unit to the communication device. Since the read / transfer operation needs to be exclusively processed, there is a drawback that the throughput of the multiple reading device is reduced and the multiple processing performance is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to improve the multiprocessing performance in a multiplex reading apparatus for information in a request type moving image information providing system or the like by disposing storage devices and temporary storage units in parallel and operating them in parallel.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a storage device comprising a plurality of storage units, a plurality of storage device interface sections connected to each storage unit, and one port each. Is provided to each storage device interface section, and a plurality of temporary storage sections each having the other port commonly connected to the output bus, and a control section are provided, and each storage unit and the storage section are stored based on the control of the control section. The sets of the device interface section and the temporary storage section are shifted in phase to operate in parallel.

[0009]

[Operation] First for each time slot of the time division reading process
The read data from the storage unit is transferred to and written to the corresponding temporary storage unit via the storage device interface unit connected to the storage unit, the data in the temporary storage unit is subsequently read, and the data is read via the common bus. Transfer to an external communication device. With respect to the second, third, ... Storage units, the same operation is executed in parallel with a phase shift. As a result, the throughput is improved and the multiprocessing performance can be improved.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference numeral 1 is a multiple reading device, 5 is a storage device, and 6 is a common bus. In this embodiment, the storage device 5 is composed of four independent storage units 5-1 to 5-4. The multiple reading device 1 includes each storage unit 5-1 of the storage device 5.
~ 5-4 corresponding to four sets of storage device interface units and temporary storage units 2-1 and 3-1, 2-2 and 3-2,
2-3 and 3-3, 2-4 and 3-4, and single control unit 4
Composed of.

Each storage device interface section 2-1 to 2-
4 is, for example, SCSI (Small Computer System Sysnt
erface) control function, according to the instruction of the control unit 4,
The read control of the corresponding storage unit of the connected storage device 5 is performed, and the transfer / write control of the read data to the corresponding temporary storage unit is performed. Each temporary storage unit 3-1 to 3-3-
Reference numeral 4 denotes, for example, a dual port memory or a first rain first out memory, each of which has two independent ports, one of which is connected to the corresponding storage device interface section and the other of which is connected to the common bus 6. To be done. The control unit 4 is composed of a microprocessor and controls each of the storage device interface units 2-1 to 2-4 based on an instruction from a host device (not shown). The storage device 5 is, for example, a SCSI magnetic disk device.
In each of the storage units 5-1 to 5-4 of the storage device 5, for example, with respect to a block sequence obtained by dividing a digital moving image information file into a plurality of blocks, the first block is 5-1, the second block is 5-2, and the third block is Block 5-3, 4th block 5-
Relevant information is stored in order in each of the fourth and fifth blocks, such as 5-1 again. The common bus 6 is, for example, a SCSI or computer bus, and is connected to an external communication device (not shown).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. For example, paying attention to the first storage unit 5-1, the read data from the first storage unit 5-1 is connected for each time slot of the time division reading process under the control of the control unit 4. It is transferred and written to the corresponding temporary storage unit 3-1 via the storage device interface unit 2-1. After this, the data is
It is read from the temporary storage unit 3 and transferred to the communication device through the common bus 6. During this time, the control unit 4 instructs the first storage unit 5-1 to read for the next time slot via the storage device interface unit 2-1. In the next time slot, the first storage unit 5-
The read data from No. 1 is transferred to and written in the temporary storage unit 3-1 via the storage device interface unit 2-1 and then read from the temporary storage unit 3 and the common bus 6 is read.
Go out to. Hereinafter, the same operation is continued for the first storage unit 5-1. Regarding the second, third, and fourth storage units 5-2 to 5-4, under the control of the control unit 4, the first storage unit has a phase shifted by a time obtained by dividing each time slot into four. The same operation as 5-1 is executed. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, each storage unit 5-1 to 5-4 to each temporary storage unit 3-1 to 3-4.
Data transfer to and writing from the temporary storage unit 3 is performed in parallel while overlapping each time slot.
Reading data from -1 to 3-4 to an external communication device
The transfer is performed serially with a time-shifted phase obtained by dividing each time slot into four.

Here, the storage device (magnetic disk device) 5
The reading speed of each of the storage units 5-1 to 5-4 is 3 Mbytes / sec as described in the conventional example, and each temporary storage unit 3-
The transfer / write speeds to 1 to 3-4 are 3 Mbytes / sec, which is lower than the conventional example, and the read / transfer rates from each temporary storage unit 3-1 to 3-4 are 9 Mbytes / sec, which are lower than the conventional example. To do. The read / transfer time from each temporary storage unit 3-1 to 3-4 to the communication device is 1/3 of the transfer / write time to each temporary storage unit 3-1 to 3-4, that is, one time slot. / 4 hours. Since the processing time for each storage unit 5-1 to 5-4 is out of phase by a quarter time slot, the transfer rate to the communication device via the common bus 6 is maintained at 9 Mbytes / sec. That is, FIG.
The multiplex reader 1 has a throughput of 9 Mbytes / sec, which is 1.5 times that of the conventional example. Therefore, the multiplicity of the reading process, which is proportional to the throughput of the multiple reading device, is improved by 1.5 times.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By arranging the storage devices and temporary storage units in a distributed manner and operating the transfer / write from the storage device to the temporary storage unit and the read / transfer from the temporary storage unit to the external device in parallel, the throughput is improved and the multiprocessing performance is improved. There is an advantage that it can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of an information multiplex reading apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional information multiplex reading device.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the conventional example of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Multiple Reading Device 2-1 to 2-4 Storage Device Interface Unit 3-1 to 3-4 Temporary Storage Unit 4 Control Unit 5 Storage Device 5-1 to 5-4 Storage Unit 6 Common Bus

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Hirotaka Nakano 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A storage device including a plurality of storage units, a plurality of storage device interface units connected to the respective storage units, and one port each connected to each storage device interface unit and the other port output. A plurality of temporary storage units commonly connected to the bus, and a control unit,
An information multiplex reading device characterized in that, under the control of the control unit, each storage unit, storage device interface unit and temporary storage unit are operated in parallel by shifting their phases.