JPH0728741A - Semiconductor disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a semiconductor disk device which can be connected to a printer port. CONSTITUTION:An input pin prepared in a printer port 2 for input of a control signal is used when the data are read out of a semiconductor disk device 10 and sent to a personal computer 1. Under such conditions, the read data of 16 bits which are read out of a flush EEPROM are divided into four pieces according to the number of input pins of the port 2. These divided data are transferred to the input pins of the port 2 every 4 bits. When the data are written into the device 10, eight data output pins of the port 2 are used as they are. Therefore the device 10 can be connected to the port 2 provided on the computer 1 as a standard equipment.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor disk device equipped with a flash EEPROM which is a non-volatile memory capable of electrically erasing all at once.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Many conventional information processing apparatuses such as workstations and personal computers use magnetic disk devices as storage devices. The magnetic disk device has advantages such as high recording reliability and a low bit unit price, but has drawbacks such as a large device size and weak physical shock.

That is, the magnetic disk drive is based on the operation principle of running data on the surface of a rotating disk by a magnetic head to magnetically write data on the rotating disk or read them. Mechanically movable parts such as the rotating disk and the magnetic head may naturally malfunction or fail due to physical impact on the device. Further, the need for such a mechanically movable portion is an obstacle to reducing the size of the entire device.

For this reason, the magnetic disk device does not hinder the use of a desktop type computer which is fixedly mounted on a desk, but these disadvantages exist in a portable and small laptop computer or notebook computer. Is a big problem.

Therefore, in recent years, attention has been focused on a semiconductor disk device which is small in size and resistant to physical shock. The semiconductor disk device uses a flash EEPROM, which is a non-volatile memory that can be electrically collectively erased, as a secondary storage device such as a personal computer like a conventional magnetic disk device. Since this semiconductor disk device does not have a mechanically movable part like a magnetic disk device, malfunctions and failures due to physical shocks are unlikely to occur. Further, there is an advantage that the size of the device is reduced.

Recently, a semiconductor disk device having a large storage capacity has been developed, and the semiconductor disk device tends to be used not only in a portable computer but also in a desktop type personal computer.

However, since the conventional semiconductor disk device cannot be connected to the personal computer without using the IDE interface or the SCSI interface, it is necessary to prepare an expansion board dedicated to these interfaces. Even if the IDE interface and the SCSI interface are already prepared, there are cases where they are already used for connecting the magnetic disk device, and in that case, the semiconductor disk device may not be added. .

[0008]

The conventional semiconductor disk device cannot be connected to a personal computer unless an IDE interface or a SCSI interface is used, so that an expansion board dedicated to those interfaces must be prepared. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables the personal computer to be connected to a printer port provided as a standard equipment and directly to the personal computer without preparing an expansion board for an IDE interface or a SCSI interface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor disk device that can be electrically connected.

[0010]

Means and Actions for Solving the Problems
In a semiconductor disk device having a plurality of flash EEPROMs, a disk address supplied from the host device via a data output pin provided in a printer port of the host device is stored in the plurality of flash EEPROM chips according to address conversion information. A plurality of flash EEPROMs are provided in accordance with the address conversion means for converting into a real memory address for access and the real memory address converted by the address conversion means.
Memory access means for read / write access to
A data register for temporarily holding the read data read from the plurality of flash EEPROMs by the memory access means, and the read data held in the data register in correspondence with the number of input pins of the printer port. A host device through the printer port, the data reading unit dividing the read data into a plurality of data blocks, and sequentially reading the read data in units of the divided data blocks to an input pin for inputting a control signal of the printer port. It is characterized in that it is configured to be connected to.

In this semiconductor disk device, when data is read from the semiconductor disk device to the host device, an input pin for inputting a control signal prepared in advance in the printer port is used. In this case, the read data read from the flash EEPROM is divided into a plurality of data blocks each having a bit number corresponding to the number of input pins of the printer port, and the input pin of the printer port is divided into the divided data blocks. Transferred to. Since the printer port is provided with a data output pin for outputting parallel data, the data output pin is used for data transfer when writing data to the semiconductor disk device. Therefore, it becomes possible to use the printer port equipped as standard in the personal computer, and it is possible to directly connect to the personal computer without preparing an expansion board for an IDE interface or a SCSI interface.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a semiconductor disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor disk device 10 is used by being connected to a personal computer 1 as an alternative to a hard disk device or a floppy disk device, and is usually connected to the personal computer 1 via an IDE interface or a SCSI interface. As shown in the figure, the personal computer 1 can be connected to a printer (PRT) port connector 2 which is standard equipment. In this case, the semiconductor disk device 10 is connected to the PRT port connector 2 via the dedicated connection cable 3. The connection cable 3 includes a plug 4 for the PRT port connector 2 and the semiconductor disk device 1
It has a plug 5 for the 0 IDE connector 12.

The semiconductor disk device 10 includes flash EEPROMs 11-0 to 11-11 as data storage elements.
-4 is provided. These flash EEPROM 11
In -0 to 11-4, the minimum unit is set for the amount of data to be handled when writing or erasing, and the data for that unit is handled collectively. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the flash EEPROMs 11-0 to 11-4 can write data in page units of 256 bytes and the data erasing unit is a block unit of 4 Kbytes. In this case, it is preferable to use a NAND flash EEPROM as the flash EEPROM.

Further, this semiconductor disk device 10 has I
DE connector 12, host interface circuit 13,
An access control circuit 14 and a data buffer 15 are provided. The IDE connector 12 is a connector for connecting to the IDE interface of the personal computer 1, and is the same as the hard disk device connectable to the system bus of the personal computer 40.
It has a pin arrangement of pins.

The host interface circuit 13 has an ID
Communication with the personal computer 1 is performed via the E connector 12. The host interface circuit 13 includes a register group including an 8-bit width sector number register 131, an 8-bit width sector count register 132, a 16-bit width data register 133, and an 8-bit width drive head mode register 134. Is provided. These registers can be read / written by the host CPU of the personal computer 1.

The sector number is written in the sector number register 131 by the host CPU. The number of sectors to be read / written is written in the sector count register 132 by the host CPU. Write data input from the host CPU or read data output to the host CPU is set in the data register 133. The mode information set in the drive head mode register 134 includes a PRT flag bit indicating whether or not the PRT port connector 2 of the personal computer 1 is used for connection with the semiconductor disk device 10. The PRT flag is set by the host CPU. When using the PRT port connector 2, the PRT flag is set to "1" by the host CPU.

The access control circuit 14 uses the IDE
In response to a disk access request supplied from the host CPU via the connector 12 and the host interface circuit 13, the flash EEPROMs 11-0 to 11-
4 access control. This access controller 14
Is provided with an address conversion table 141.
The address conversion table 141 has logical addresses (determined by cylinder number, sector number, head number) from the host CPU and real addresses (chip number, memory) for accessing the flash EEPROM chips 11-0 to 11-4. Address) is defined.

The access control circuit 14 selects the flash EEPROMs 11-0 to 11-4 according to the conversion result of the address conversion table 141, and controls the read / write of data for the selected flash EEPROM. In this case, the access controller 12 uses the flash EEP corresponding to the memory chip number output from the address conversion table 121.
To select ROM, first, flash EEPROM
Chip selection signals CS-0 to CS for M11-0 to 11-4
-4 is selectively supplied. Further, the access control circuit 14 generates a memory address output from the address conversion table 141 as a head address, and performs a read / write operation of data corresponding to the number of sectors sent from the host CPU. The leading address is sequentially incremented.

In this case, access to the flash EEPROM is performed by a command method in which the operation mode of the flash EEPROM is designated by a command. That is, the access control circuit 14 firstly operates the flash EEPROM in the operation modes (write, read, erase,
Verify, etc.) is designated, and then an address indicating the access position (address and write data in the write mode) is supplied to the flash EEPROM. The flash EEPROM is provided with an input / output register of 256 bytes, for example. Therefore, in the write mode, for example, after the write data is transferred to the register, the write operation is executed inside the flash EEPROM, so that the access control circuit 14 is released from the control of the write access.

The data buffer 15 is provided with the write data sent from the host CPU and the flash memory 11-0.
The read data from 11-4 are held. FIG. 2 shows an example of an interface when the PRT connector 2 is used.

The PRT connector 2 has a 25-pin pin arrangement conforming to the Centronics specifications. This PR
When the semiconductor disk device 10 is connected to the T connector 2, pin number 1 is a strobe signal (STROBE) from the host CPU, and pin numbers 2 to 9 are register designation addresses and output data (OD0-OD) from the host CPU.
7), pin numbers 10 to 13 are used as input data (ID0 to ID3) to the host CPU, and pin number 15 is used as an input signal to the host CPU.

The strobe signal (STROBE) is PR
Similar to the case where a printer is connected to the T connector 2, it is used as a synchronization signal when transmitting output data (OD0 to OD7) to the semiconductor disk device 10. Pin number 2
Out of 9 to 9, the upper 4 pins of pin numbers 2 to 5 are used for address output for designating the register in the host interface circuit 13, and the lower 4 pins of pin numbers 6 to 9 are the hosts. It is used for data output from the CPU. In this case, since the data transfer unit of the IDE specification is 16 bits, the 16-bit data is divided into 4 times in units of 4 bits and transferred from the host CPU to the semiconductor disk device 10.

Pin numbers 10 to 13 are the PRT connector 2
If a printer is connected to the
The pin is used for inputting an acknowledge signal, a busy signal, a paper end signal, and a select signal to U. Here, it is used for inputting read data from the semiconductor disk device 10. In this case, the 16-bit read data is divided into four every 4 bits, and the pin numbers 10 to 10 are input from the semiconductor disk device 10 in 4-bit units.
13 is output. The signal output from the semiconductor disk device 10 to the pin number 15 is for notifying that there is data following the 4-bit read data being output, and is generated when the upper 12 bits are output.

As described above, regarding the transfer of the read data from the semiconductor disk device 10 to the host CPU, the ID
Unlike the case where the E interface is used, the read data is divided into four in units of 4 bits and transmitted from the semiconductor disk device 10 to the host CPU. Such divided transfer of read data is controlled by the host interface circuit 13 of the semiconductor disk device 10.

Regarding the transfer of write data from the host CPU to the semiconductor disk device 10, unlike the case where the IDE interface is used, the write data is divided into 4 by 4 bits and transmitted from the semiconductor disk device 10 to the host CPU. To be done. In this case, the division transfer of write data is controlled by the disk driver program.

In FIG. 3, the host interface circuit 1 is shown.
3 shows an example of a specific configuration of the data read circuit provided in FIG. This data read circuit includes the data register 133 and the drive head mode register 1 described above.
34, a data register switching control circuit 50, A
The ND gates 501 to 509 are provided.

The data register switching control circuit 50 is
The operation is controlled according to the PRT flag of the drive head mode register 134, and the PRT flag = “1”, that is, P
When the semiconductor disk device 10 is connected to the RT port 2, four data storage units (upper byte of upper byte) of the data register 133 are arranged so that read data is sequentially output from the data register 133 in units of 4 bits. 4 bits, lower 4 bits, upper 4 bits of lower byte, lower 4
Bit) are sequentially enabled. On the other hand, when the PRT flag = “0”, that is, when the semiconductor disk device 10 is connected to the normal IDE interface, the data register switching control circuit 50 sets the data register 1
The four data storage units 33 are simultaneously enabled.

When the PRT flag = "1", the AND gates 501 to 504 connect the lower 4 bits output of the upper byte or the lower byte of the data register 133 to the pins P10 to P13 corresponding to the pin numbers 10 to 13 described above. To do. The AND gates 505 to 508 have the PRT flag =
When it is "1", the lower 4 bits of the upper byte or the lower byte of the data register 133 are output to the pins P10 to P13.
It is prohibited to output to other pins other than, and when the PRT flag = “0”, output of the lower 4 bits is permitted. The AND gate 509 outputs a signal to the pin P15 corresponding to the above-mentioned pin number 15 in response to the enable signal to the upper three data storage units of the data register 133 when the PRT flag = “1”.

In the host interface circuit 13, when the PRT flag = “1” is set by the host CPU, the four data storage units of the data register 133 are sequentially enabled by the data register switching control circuit 50. It In this case, the lower 4 bits output of the upper byte of the data register 133 is connected to the same pins P10 to P13 as the upper 4 bits output of the upper byte by AND gates 501 to 504. The upper 4-bit data of the byte and the lower 4-beat data are output in order. The lower 4 bits of the lower byte of the data register 133 are also output by the AND gates 501 to 504 to the upper 4 of the lower byte.
Since it is connected to the same pins P10 to P13 as the bit output, the upper 4-bit data and the lower 4-beat data of the lower byte are sequentially output to the pins P10 to P13.
As a result, 16-bit data is sequentially output in 4-bit units.

On the other hand, when the PRT flag = “0” is set by the host CPU, 4 of the data register 133 is set.
The data storage unit is a data register switching control circuit 5.
It is simultaneously set to the enable state by 0. In this case, since the AND gates 501 to 504 are closed, 1
6-bit data is output at the same time.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the entire semiconductor disk device 10 at the time of reading data will be described. PRT of personal computer 1
When the semiconductor disk device 10 is connected to the port connector 2, a predetermined disk drive program for using the PRT port for disk access is activated in the personal computer 1, and the host CPU sets the PRT flag of "1" to the semiconductor. It is set in the drive head mode register 134 of the disk device 10. Then, parameters such as a read command, a sector number, and the number of sectors are sent from the host CPU to the semiconductor disk device 10 and set in the corresponding registers. In this case, the parameters such as the PRT flag, the command, the sector number, and the number of sectors are sent to the semiconductor disk device 10 via the output data pin numbers 6 to 9.

The access control circuit 14 converts a logical address into a real memory address by the address conversion table 141, selects the flash EEPROMs 11-0 to 11-4 according to the conversion result, and performs read access to the selected flash EEPROM. To do. Then, the data buffer 15 reads the data of the data size designated by the host CPU and
Hold on. The data held in the data buffer 15 is sequentially transferred to the data register 133.

Next, the host interface circuit 13
The data register switching control circuit 50 performs a mode determination process to check whether the mode is the PRT mode (steps S11 and S12). When the PRT flag = “0”, it is determined that the normal IDE interface is connected, the four data storage units of the data register 133 are enabled at the same time, and all 16 bits are simultaneously read by the personal computer 1. (Step S13). The data read operation from the data register 133 is repeated until there is no read data in the data buffer 15 (step S14).

On the other hand, when the PRT flag = “1”, the PR
It is determined that the data register 133 is connected to the T port connector 2, and first, the upper three data storage units of the data register 133 are sequentially set to the enable state, and the read data is read from the pins P10 to P13 in units of 4 bits. , A signal "1" indicating that there is subsequent data on the pin P15 is output (step S15). Next, the lowest-order data storage section of the data register 133 is set to the enable state, the last 4-bit data is read from the pins P10 to P13, and the signals output on the pin P15 are changed from "1" to "0". To "" (step S16). Such a data register 1
The data read operation in 4-bit units from 33 is repeated until there is no read data from the data buffer 15 (step S17).

As described above, in the semiconductor disk device 10 of this embodiment, when data is read from the semiconductor disk device 10 to the personal computer 1, P
Input pins (P10 to P13) for inputting control signals, which are prepared in advance in the RT port connector 2, are used.
In this case, the read data read from the flash EEPROM is divided into four in 4-bit units corresponding to the number of input pins of the PRT port connector 2, and the divided 4-bit data unit is used in the PRT port connector. It is transferred to the two input pins (P10 to P13). When writing data to the semiconductor disk device 10,
Of the eight data output pins of the PRT port connector 2, the lower four are used. Therefore, the personal computer 1 can use the standard printer port, and the semiconductor disk device 10 can be directly connected to the personal computer 1 without preparing an expansion board for an IDE interface or a SCSI interface. Become.

Although the eight data output pins 2 to 9 of the PRT port connector 2 are divided into address transfer and data transfer here, the address and data are time-divided onto the eight data output pins 2 to 9. It is also possible to transfer.
In this case, from the host CPU to the semiconductor disk device 1
Write data can be transferred to 0 in 8-bit units.

Further, the semiconductor disk device 10 is SCSI
If the read data complies with an interface of 8-bit transfer such as the above, the read data is divided into 4 bit units and output twice from the semiconductor disk device 10, and the write data is directly transmitted from the host CPU to the semiconductor unit in 8 bit units. Of course, it is sent to the disk device 10.

[0038]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to use the printer port equipped as standard in the personal computer, and the personal computer can be used without preparing an expansion board for an IDE interface or a SCSI interface. It is possible to directly connect the semiconductor disk device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an interface when the semiconductor disk device of the embodiment is connected to a printer port of a personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of a host interface circuit provided in the semiconductor disk device of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a data read operation of the semiconductor disk device of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Personal computer, 2 ... Printer port connector, 10 ... Semiconductor disk device, 11-0 to 11-4
... Flash EEPROM, 12 ... IDE connector, 1
3 ... Host interface circuit, 14 ... Access control circuit, 15 ... Data buffer, 133 ... Data register, 134 ... Drive head mode register, 5
0 ... Data register switching control circuit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor disk device having a plurality of flash EEPROMs, wherein a disk address supplied from the host device via a data output pin provided at a printer port of the host device is used as the plurality of disk addresses according to address conversion information. Address conversion means for converting into a real memory address for accessing the flash EEPROM chip, and memory access means for performing read / write access to the plurality of flash EEPROMs according to the real memory address converted by the address conversion means, A data register for temporarily holding read data read from the plurality of flash EEPROMs by the memory access means, and read data held in the data register for input to the printer port. And a data reading unit that sequentially reads the read data in units of the divided data blocks to the input pins of the printer port, the host device via the printer port. A semiconductor disk device, which is configured to be connected to. 2. A status signal indicating whether or not there is a data block following the data block being read at the input pin of the printer port by the data reading means is output to another input pin of the printer port. The method according to claim 1, further comprising means.
The semiconductor disk device described.