JPH0793980A - Data recording and reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a data recording and reproducing apparatus whose rewrite efficiency is excellent when data is rewritten. CONSTITUTION:In a data recording and reproducing apparatus which is provided with an erasable type nonvolatile semiconductor memory, the memory is constituted of a NAND-type flash memory 2 and of a NOR-type flash memory 1. File data is recorded in the NAND-type flash memory 2, and attribute data accompanying the file data and file management data which manages the content of the NAND-type memory 2 are recorded in the NOR-type flash memory 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data recording / reproducing device using two types of flash memories of NAND type and NOR type as a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various semiconductor memories are known for recording data in order to record and reproduce the data. Among semiconductor memories, ROM (Read Only Memory), PROM (Programmable
ROM) etc. The PROM allows the user to rewrite the data. Due to the difference in the erasing method, a UV EPROM (UV Erasable PROM),
It can be classified into an EEPROM (Electrical Erasable PROM) and the like.

The EEPROM has a conventional EE in which rewriting is possible for each byte due to a difference in rewriting method.
There are a PROM and a flash EEPROM (hereinafter referred to as a flash memory) that electrically erases all bytes or selected blocks at a time and electrically writes to the erased portion.

The flash memory also includes a NOR type flash memory and a NAND type flash memory depending on the difference in the memory cell configuration. Since the NOR type enables high-speed random access, it can be used as a peripheral memory of a microprocessor for programs and fixed data. Suitable for storage of
It is not suitable as a replacement for magnetic disks such as hard disks and floppy disks that handle serial data, and magnetic tapes for recording and reproducing voice.

On the other hand, the NAND flash memory is used for a voice device because it is fast in writing, erasing, and reading when considering the operation of a certain unit of data and is suitable for large capacity. The replacement of magnetic tapes and the replacement of hard disks and floppy disks are considered.

[0006]

By the way, generally, the data to be recorded in the memory are the file data of the file, the attribute data such as the capacity and file name of this file data, and where in the memory these data are stored. Or file management data for indicating how much free memory is available.

However, considering the case where only the NAND flash memory is used as the memory and the above-mentioned file data, attribute data, file management data, etc. are collectively recorded in the memory, the file data has a certain amount of capacity. As a result, if the data is collectively recorded in block units, it is easy to erase / write. However, the file management data needs to be rewritten every time a file is erased or written.

Since this file management data does not require a large capacity, it is useless to handle the data in block units, and the rewriting work is performed, for example, as shown in FIG. It is assumed that the data of B, C and D have already been entered. When newly inputting E and D data there, basically all the contents of the block including this page are once deleted and then A, B, and
A, B, C, D, E, and F must be input in this order together with C and D. For this reason, the data of A, B, C, and D must be saved once somewhere, so that the work time is wasted. Further, the same work is required not only when newly inputting data but also when rewriting the data A, for example.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a data recording / reproducing apparatus having a high rewriting efficiency when rewriting data.

[0010]

According to the present invention, in a data recording / reproducing apparatus having a rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory, the memory is composed of a NAND flash memory and a NOR flash memory, and file data is reproduced. Is a NAND flash memory, and attribute data accompanying the file data and file management data for managing the contents of the NAND flash memory are recorded in the NOR flash memory.

[0011]

Since the configuration is as described above, the serial data such as voice is the most suitable NAND for serial access.
Attribute data associated with other file data and file management data for managing the contents of the NAND flash memory are recorded in the NOR flash memory suitable for random access. When rewriting a file, since the file data is recorded in the NAND flash memory, it can be erased and rewritten collectively for each block. Further, since other attribute data associated with the file data and file management data for managing the contents of the NAND flash memory are recorded in the NOR flash memory, it is possible to rewrite each byte at random. There is no need to handle data that does not need to be rewritten.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of a data recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, a file includes file data (eg, music) that is the content itself, a file name, a file size, and other DAT.
It is composed of attribute data such as E information.

Further, the data recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment for recording this file has a flash memory 1 and a flash memory 2 as memories, as shown in the figure. The flash memory 2 is of NAND type, and the shared portion of the data to be recorded is the file data of the file. The flash memory 1 is of NOR type, and the shared portion of the data to be recorded is:
First, the attribute data of the file and the address / link information such as the start address and the end address of the file data, and the other N so that the address of the NAND flash memory in which the file data is input can be known.
This is the free capacity of the AND type flash memory.

With this structure, when writing data, the data is recorded in the memory by the above-mentioned sharing. When rewriting the file, the file data is recorded in the flash memory 2 and the other attribute data and address / link information are recorded in the flash memory 1. Therefore, the file data can be erased and rewritten collectively for each block. Since data and the like can be randomly rewritten for each byte, there is no need to handle data that does not need to be rewritten.

FIG. 2 shows a concrete circuit as an embodiment of the data recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, NOR type 28F010 (manufactured by Intel) is used for the flash memory 1, and NA is used for the flash memory 2.
ND type TC5816 (manufactured by Toshiba) is used. The CPU 3 is a commonly used one.

The write operation of this circuit will be described. When the write signal is input to the CPU3 after the start signal, CP
U3 determines whether the signal from the data bus is file data or attribute data of the file. Normally, attribute data is input first, but in the case of attribute data, the address of the flash memory 1 is specified from the ADDR terminal and the signal from the data bus is written.

When the signal of the data bus is changed to file data, the CPU 3 transfers the IDDR of the flash memory 2 from the ADDR terminal.
The address is specified via the / O terminal and the file data from the data bus is written. When the writing of the file data is completed, the CPU 3 subsequently specifies the address of the flash memory 1 and writes and records the address / link information including the start address and the end address of the file data recorded in the flash memory 2 at that address. To do.

At this time, the flash memory 2 is
Since it is a NAND type, the input of data is serial, and once through the register, it is written in the memory body when the register is full of data. On the other hand, since the flash memory 1 is a NOR type, it has no registers and is directly written into the memory body in byte units.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the file data is written and recorded in the NAND type flash memory and the attribute data and the file management data are written and recorded in the NOR type flash memory respectively, the attribute data and the file management data can be easily accessed and unnecessary when rewriting the file. Since it is not necessary to handle data, work time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of a data recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a specific circuit diagram of the data recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a problem of a NAND flash memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 NOR flash memory 2 NAND flash memory 3 CPU

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data recording / reproducing apparatus having a rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory, wherein the memory comprises a NAND flash memory and a NOR flash memory, and file data is NAN.
A data recording / reproducing apparatus characterized in that a D-type flash memory records attribute data associated with the file data, file management data for managing contents of the NAND-type flash memory, etc. in the NOR-type flash memory.