JPH07325668A - Information recording/reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to carry out the rewriting of a program without the necessity of removing a ROM from a device by performing a writing in the ROM from a data output means through an option setting connector when the writing in the ROM is performed. fit CONSTITUTION:When the bug, etc., of a program is generated and the rewriting of the program is performed within a flash memory 12, the data of the program is transmitted to an optical disk drive via an option setting connector 3. The optical disk drive receives this transmission data and sites the data of the program in the flash memory 12 by the control of a CPU 11. In this case, as the operating mode within the drive, the prescribed pin of the option setting connector is assigned to a select signal A setting a mode rewriting data in the flash memory 12. At this time, the local bus of the CPU becomes high impedance, the data signal E from a write circuit 14 is selected and the signal is outputted as an output signal B.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of an information recording / reproducing apparatus such as an optical disk drive or a magneto-optical disk drive, and more particularly to an R storing a control program
The present invention relates to an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of rewriting a program without having to remove it from the apparatus when a bug or the like occurs in the OM.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information recording / reproducing apparatus such as an optical disk drive, a ROM storing a program is used to control the system. In this case, if a program causes a bug (unreadable area) for some reason, it is necessary to replace the ROM storing the program.

However, since the replacement of the ROM is troublesome, a microcomputer having a built-in one-time programmable ROM has been used in the past, and the program portion in which a bug has occurred is stored in a preset recording area (unrecorded area). A method for correcting a bug by writing is known (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-189227). In this method, "00" is written at the beginning of the bug, and the block in which the bug has been corrected is written in the unrecorded area to correct the bug.

According to this method, if the amount of bugs is within the writable area in the unrecorded area, it can be dealt with. However, there is a problem that if the amount of bugs increases and exceeds the capacity of the unrecorded area, it cannot be dealt with.

In the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention, in order to avoid such a problem, an electrically erasable and writable ROM, for example, a flash ROM is used as a memory for storing the control program. However, here, a configuration example of the system, which is the premise thereof, including the optical disk drive and the host computer will be described in detail.

An information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium, such as an optical disk drive, is used as an external storage device of a host computer. In this case, a SCSI interface device is generally used as an interface between the optical disk drive and the host computer. Therefore, the optical disk drive has a SCSI connector,
It is connected to the host computer by the I bus.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the main configuration of a conventional system to which an optical disk drive is connected. In the figure, 1 is an optical disk drive, 2 is its SCSI connector, 3 is an option setting connector, 4 is a host computer, 5 is an option setting switch, 6 is a SCSI bus, and 7 is an option setting cable.

As described above, the optical disk drive 1 is generally used as an external storage device of the host computer 4, and SCSI is generally used as an interface. In FIG. 7, the optical disk drive 1
A SCSI connector 2 is added to the host computer 4 and is connected to the host computer 4 by the SCSI bus 6.

Further, one host computer 4 has
In many cases, a plurality of optical disk drives (1) are connected and used, so the optical disk drive 1 is usually provided with an option setting connector 3. As described above, the SCSI connector 2 for connecting the SCSI interface with the host computer 1,
Option setting switch 5 for setting the ID number defined by SCSI and the operation mode of the drive
And an option setting connector for connecting to the option setting switch 5 via a cable 7, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium according to a command from the host computer 4, for example, an optical disk drive 1 Is conventionally known.

[0010]

In the conventional information recording / reproducing apparatus, there is known a method of recording the program of the corrected portion in the unrecorded allier when a bug occurs in the ROM storing the program. However, this method requires a program area and an area for bug countermeasures.
Will increase the capacity.

In addition, if there are bugs in a plurality of places, there is a problem that the bug countermeasure area may not be able to be completely corrected. Further, when a flash ROM is used for storing a program, a rewriting connector is required, which is an obstacle to downsizing the device (drive).

In the present invention, the R in which the program is stored
An object of the present invention is to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of rewriting a program without the need to remove the ROM from the apparatus, while solving the above-mentioned inconvenience in the case where a bug occurs in the OM. (Inventions 1 to 3). In other words, it goes without saying that a bug occurs at multiple locations. When a bug occurs even at one location, the ROM program can be rewritten from outside the device without disassembling the device, and the device can be made smaller. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus that enables the above.

[0013]

According to the present invention, firstly,
A SCSI connector for connecting a SCSI interface with a host computer, an option setting switch for setting an ID number defined in SCSI and an operation mode of a drive, and a cable for connecting with the option setting switch An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising an option setting connector and recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium in response to a command from the host computer, and a CPU for controlling the information recording / reproducing apparatus and an electric circuit storing a control program. ROM that can be erased and written,
A data write circuit for writing data to the ROM; and a data output means for outputting control program data to the data write circuit. When writing to the ROM, the ROM is passed from the data output means through the option setting connector. It is configured to write to.

Secondly, in the first information recording / reproducing apparatus, by sending predetermined data to the data writing circuit through the option setting connector, the recording / reproducing apparatus can write data into the ROM. It is configured to set to.

Thirdly, in the first information recording / reproducing apparatus, the recording / reproducing apparatus is set to a state in which data can be written in the ROM by using one or more signal lines in the option setting connector. It is configured to switch between the operating state and the operating state according to a command from the host computer.

[0016]

According to the present invention, an electrically erasable and writable R such as a flash ROM for storing a program is used.
If the OM is used and the option setting connector added to the conventional recording / reproducing apparatus is also used for rewriting the data of the program, the program can be rewritten without removing the ROM from the apparatus and the size of the optical disk drive is small Focusing on the fact that it can also be realized,
The data is written to the ROM through the option setting connector (the invention of claim 1).

Secondly, the internal circuit of the optical disk drive is switched according to the signal assigned to the pin of the option setting connector, so that the internal circuit can be switched easily and accurately ( The invention of claim 2). Thirdly, the data itself to be transferred is used to switch the internal circuit of the optical disk drive, thereby avoiding the inconvenience of accidental switching and improving the reliability of the write operation. Invention of Item 3).

[0018]

Embodiment 1 Next, an information recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. This embodiment mainly corresponds to claims 1 and 2, but is also related to the invention of claim 3. In the first embodiment, an electrically erasable and writable ROM such as a flash ROM is used as a program storage memory for program storage.
The second feature is that the option setting connector added to the information recording / reproducing apparatus such as an optical disk drive is used for rewriting the program (the invention of claim 1).

As already described with reference to FIG. 7, the conventional information recording / reproducing apparatus, for example, the optical disk drive 1, has an SCS.
An option setting switch 5 for setting the ID number defined by I and the operation mode of the drive and an option setting connector 3 for connecting by a cable 7.
Is provided. This embodiment is characterized in that the option setting connector 3 is shared when the program is rewritten, and the option setting connector 3 is switched between the option setting switch side and the write data side for use.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a main part related to a data writing operation of the optical disc drive 1 shown in FIG. 7. Reference numerals in the figure are the same as those in FIG.
Is a CPU, 12 is a flash memory, 13 is an MPX (multiplexer), 14 is a writing circuit, 15 is a local bus (thick line), A is a select signal, and B is MPX1.
3 is an output signal of the writing circuit 14, C is a writing control signal output from the writing circuit 14, D is a signal provided from the option setting connector 3 to the writing circuit 14, and E is a writing circuit 1.
4 shows a data signal output from No. 4.

The circuit shown in FIG. 1 shows the internal configuration of the optical disk drive 1 shown in FIG. 7, and includes a CPU 11 for controlling the optical disk drive 1, a flash memory 12 in which a control program is stored, and data in the flash memory 12. The write circuit 14 for writing is written in. The CPU 11 has a function of controlling the optical disc drive 1 which is an information recording / reproducing device.

The flash memory 12 is an electrically erasable and writable ROM in which a control program is stored. As the flash memory 12, for example, a CMOS flash memory (M5M28F101 series) manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is known.

The flash memory 12 is capable of writing programs in byte units and batch erasing. Further, the write circuit 14 has a function of writing the program data in the flash memory 12 which is an electrically erasable and writable ROM in which a control program is stored.

When a program bug or the like occurs in the flash memory 12 and the program is rewritten, the program data is transmitted to the optical disk drive 1 via the option setting connector 3 shown in FIG. To do. The optical disk drive 1 receives the transmission data and writes the program data in the flash memory 12 under the control of the CPU 11.

In this case, as the operation mode in the drive 1, a predetermined pin of the option setting connector 3 in FIG. 7 is assigned to the select signal A for setting the mode for rewriting the data in the flash memory 12. When the select signal A has a predetermined level, the CPU
At the same time that the local bus 15 of 11 becomes a high impedance state, the data signal E from the write circuit 14 becomes
The configuration is selected by the MPX 13 and given to the flash memory 12 as the output signal B (the invention of claim 2).

Therefore, the MPX 13 has a function of selecting the data E and D input by the select signal A, and the option setting connector 3 side and the writing circuit 14 side are switched. For example, MPX13
When the select signal A becomes "L" level, the data signal E output from the writing circuit 14 is selected and is set as the output signal B. On the contrary, when the select signal A is at the "H" level, the signal D given from the option setting connector 3 is selected and becomes the output signal B.

Next, an example of a data writing operation of the circuit of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to a time chart. First, the operation when the flash memory 12 is erased (when the erase command is issued) will be described.

FIG. 2 is a time chart for explaining the operation at the time of erasing the block related to the data writing of the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. The symbols attached to the waveforms in the figure correspond to the symbol positions in FIG.

First, the signal D given from the option setting connector 3 is data, as shown by D in FIG.
It consists of address and strobe signals. In FIG. 2, the data signal 4 is output from the option setting connector 3.
Bits, 3 bits for address signals, 7 bits in total, and 1 strobe signal (flash memory 12 erase / write)
A signal for programming, a signal for verifying is omitted and not shown) is assigned.

The strobe signals shown in FIG. 2 are sequentially output from 7 to. In addition, as an example of the flash memory 12 (flash ROM), a memory having an address of 17 bits and data of 8 bits is used. As shown by E in FIG. 2, the address signal of the local bus 15 of An = 0 to 16 is used. (Total 17 bits), data signal of Dn = 0 to 7 (total 8 bits), and control signal (OE: output enable signal, CS: chip enable signal, W
E: write enable signal) is assigned.

Regarding the control signals (OE, CS, WE), the respective control signals (inversion signals in the figure) are shown in detail at the bottom of FIG. The write control signal C shown by C in FIG. 2 is a signal given from the write circuit 14 of FIG. 1 to the flash memory 12, and is output at the “H” level at the same time when the select signal A becomes the “L” level.

The write circuit 14 includes a local bus 15
Address signals (A _{16 to} A ₀ ), data signals (D _{7 to} D ₀ )
₀ ) and control signals (OE, CS, WE) are respectively set therein. In the signal D shown in FIG. 2, the address signal is the address of these registers, and 4-bit data is set in each register by this address and the strobe signal.

As described above, in the optical disc drive 1 shown in FIG. 1 above, when the flash memory 12 in the drive is erased or programmed (non-read), the select signal indicated by A in FIG. 2 is used. Set A to "L" level. That is, the select signal A is given at the “H” level in the non-erase (or non-program) state, and the flash memory 12
Is erased / programmed to "L" level.

In the optical disk drive 1, when the CPU 11 detects that the select signal A has become "L" level, the local bus (data bus, address bus, control signal) 15 in the optical disk drive 1 is brought into a high impedance state. . This select signal A is simultaneously sent to MPX1.
3 and the select signal A becomes "L" level, one of the two input signals, that is, the signal D given from the option setting connector 3 and the data E outputted from the write circuit 14 is given. Select to generate output signal B.

In this way, the selection signal A causes M
The flash memory 12 can be accessed through the PX 13. In this case, the write circuit 14 includes a strobe signal (see FIG. 2) as the signal D supplied from the option setting connector 3.

In FIG. 2D, the strobe signal shows the timing when the erase command 20h is issued when the flash memory 12 is erased. First, the control signal is set by the strobe signal, and the erase command 20h is set by the next strobe signal.

Then, the control signal is set by the strobe signals ,, and the erase command 20h is issued twice to the flash memory 12 (ROM). Although the above description is for erasing the flash memory 12, the same applies to the case of programming the flash memory 12, and basically, instead of the erase data (all "0" data), The only difference is that the program data is written.

That is, in the case of programming, FIG.
In the time chart of, the data signal E is set by the signal D shown in D of the drawing, and the program data is written at the same timing. Thus, the option setting connector 3 is used for rewriting the program data (the invention of claim 1), and the signal itself (for example, the select signal) assigned to the pin of the option setting connector 3 is used.
By switching the internal circuit of the optical disk drive 1 by utilizing the above, the switching control of the internal circuit can be performed reliably and easily (the invention of claim 2).

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a main processing flow at the time of writing data in the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, # 1 to # 5 indicate steps.

At step # 1, the select signal A is "L".
Determine if it is a level. If the select signal A
Is not "L" level, other processing is performed. On the other hand, if the select signal A is at “L” level, the MPX 13 selects the data E as the output and outputs it to the flash memory 12 in step # 2.

In the next step # 3, the data E from the write circuit 14 is written in the flash memory 12 under the control of the CPU 11. In step # 4, it is judged whether or not the writing of all the data E is completed, and all the data E
When it is detected that the writing has been completed, the processing of the flow of FIG. 3 is completed.

The program is written in the flash memory 12 according to the first embodiment by the processing in steps # 1 to # 4 described above. In this way, by using the signal itself assigned to the pin of the option setting connector 3, for example, the select signal A, to switch the internal circuit of the optical disk drive 1, for example, the MPX 13 or the write circuit 14, the internal circuit switching control is performed. Can be performed reliably and easily (the invention of claim 2).

[0043]

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. This embodiment mainly corresponds to claim 3, but is also related to the invention of claim 1. In the first embodiment described above, the internal circuit of the optical disk drive 1 is switched using the signal itself (for example, select signal) assigned to the pin of the option setting connector 3, but this second embodiment In the example, the internal data of the optical disk drive is switched using the data itself to be transferred so that no error occurs in the circuit switching control.
The feature is that the reliability of the operation is improved (the invention of claim 3).

FIG. 4 shows a second main configuration of the optical disk drive according to the present invention, which is related to data writing.
It is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of. Reference numerals in the figure are the same as those in FIG.

In the previous FIG. 1 (first embodiment), the data given to the writing circuit 14 via the option setting connector 3 was given as 4-bit parallel data. In the second embodiment), the data is transferred as serial data and then converted into parallel data, and the other configurations are the same. When setting the mode for rewriting data to the flash memory 12 of FIG. 4, a predetermined code for instructing the mode setting is given to the writing circuit 14 through the option setting connector 3 of FIG.

When the writing circuit 14 receives the code instructing this mode setting, it outputs the select signal A to bring the local bus 15 of the CPU 11 into a high impedance state and, at the same time, controls the MPX 13 so that the writing circuit 14 side. The circuit connection is selected (set) so that the signal from is output to the flash memory 12 through the MPX 13.

By such control operation, writing to the flash memory 12 becomes possible. After that, the data in the flash memory 12 is rewritten with the data given through the option setting connector 3.

FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining the operation at the time of erasing the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. The symbols attached to the waveforms in the figure correspond to those in FIG.

In FIG. 5, only the signal D shown by D in FIG. 2 is shown, and the other signals A to C and E are shown in FIG.
Is the same as. In the second embodiment, the write data is serially transferred, so the option setting connector 3
Data will be transferred bit by bit.
In this case, the load signal and the strobe signal in the signal D are output at the timing shown in FIG.

The write circuit 14 of FIG. 4 has a built-in shift register, and the shift register is loaded with data by the load signal of FIG. 5, and the serial data is converted into parallel data. This parallel data is set in the register by the strobe signal and output to the local bus 15. Next, the above operation is shown in the flow.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the main processing flow at the time of writing data in the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, # 11 to # 17 indicate steps.

In step # 11, an instruction code for setting a mode for rewriting data in the data D from the option setting connector 3 (rewriting mode setting instruction code)
Check if there is. If there is no rewrite mode setting instruction code, other processing is performed.

If it is the rewriting mode setting instruction code, the process proceeds to step # 12, and the transferred data D is sequentially received by the shift register provided in the writing circuit 14 (D in FIG. 5). Next step # 1
At 3, the presence or absence of a strobe signal is checked, and if a strobe signal is detected, the process proceeds to step # 14.

In step # 14, the writing circuit 14
The select signal A is converted to "L" level. In the next step # 15, the MPX 13 selects the data E as an output and outputs it to the flash memory 12.

In step # 16, the data E from the write circuit 14 is written in the flash memory 12 under the control of the CPU 11. In step # 17, it is judged whether or not the writing of all the data E is completed, and all the data E
When it is detected that the writing has been completed, the processing of the flow of FIG. 6 is completed.

By the processing in steps # 11 to # 17 described above, the program is written in the flash memory 12 according to the second embodiment. Thus, the second
In the embodiment of the present invention, a predetermined code (rewrite mode setting instruction code) included in the transferred data itself is used, and the internal circuit of the optical disk drive, for example, the MPX13.
The write circuit 14 is switched. Therefore, the occurrence of an error in the circuit switching control is prevented, and the reliability of the operation is improved (the invention of claim 3).

[0057]

According to the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the option setting switch and the option setting connector for rewriting the data of the memory can be shared.
Therefore, miniaturization of the optical disc drive is realized.

In this case, if the serial data is sent to the optical disk drive, the number of pins of the option setting connector can be reduced. Further, if parallel data is sent to the optical disk drive, high speed data transfer becomes possible.

According to the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the second aspect, in the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the internal circuit of the optical disk drive is switched by the signal assigned to the pin of the option setting connector. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, it is possible to easily switch the internal circuit.

According to the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the third aspect, in the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the internal circuit of the optical disk drive is switched by the code for instructing the write mode contained in the data to be transferred. I'm trying to do. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the optical information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect, the inconvenience of erroneous switching is avoided, and the reliability of operation is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention and is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a main part relating to a data writing operation of the optical disc drive 1 shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 2 is a time chart for explaining an operation at the time of erasing a block related to data writing of the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a main processing flow at the time of writing data in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a second embodiment of the main configuration of the optical disc drive of the present invention related to data writing.

FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining the operation during erase of the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a main processing flow at the time of writing data in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing an example of a main part configuration of a conventional system to which an optical disc drive is connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 12 Flash Memory 13 MPX (Multiplexer) 14 Write Circuit 15 Local Bus

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A SCSI connector for connecting a SCSI interface with a host computer,
An option setting switch for setting the ID number defined by SCSI and the operation mode of the drive,
An information recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising an option setting connector for connecting to the option setting switch by a cable, for recording / reproducing information on / from a recording medium according to a command from the host computer. An electrically erasable and writable ROM in which a control program is stored, a data writing circuit for writing data in the ROM, and a data output means for outputting control program data to the data writing circuit. An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: when writing to the ROM, writing from the data output means to the ROM through the option setting connector. 2. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus is set to a state in which data can be written in the ROM by sending predetermined data to the data writing circuit through the option setting connector. An information recording / reproducing apparatus characterized by: 3. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus is capable of writing data to the ROM by using one or more signal lines of the option setting connector, and An information recording / reproducing apparatus characterized by switching between an operating state and an operating state in response to a command from a host computer.