JPH10143982A - Device and method for recording/reproducing disk - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To safely and surely perform ejection of a disk. SOLUTION: When an eject button 12 is depressed, an OS 14 receives an eject request message issued from a microcontroller 11, and ends application software 15. Thereafter, the OS 14 issues an eject reception message to the microcontroller 11, and issues the eject request message to a mechanical controller 3. The mechanical controller 3 opens a tray 4 according to this eject request message to eject the disk set in there. When the eject reception message from the OS 14 isn't supplied to the microcontroller 11 in a prescribed time, the eject request message is supplied directly to the mechanical controller 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk recording / reproducing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a disk recording / reproducing apparatus capable of performing an eject processing of a disk after application software is terminated so that the eject processing can be performed safely. The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus and a method.

[0002]

FIG. 8 shows a conventional CD-ROM (compact).
Disc read only memory) shows an example of the configuration of a drive. Eject button 2 of CD-ROM drive 1
Is operated when the tray 4 is slid to the front in this case. The mechanical controller 3 controls the tray 4 and slides it to the front or stores it in the main body. The CD-ROM can be set or taken out by sliding the tray 4 to the front.

When the user presses the eject button 2, the mechanical controller 3 of the CD-ROM drive 1 recognizes that the eject button 2 has been pressed,
Under the control of the mechanical controller 3, the tray 4 is slid to the front and opened, and the CD-ROM is ejected. As a result, the user can set the C
The D-ROM can be taken out. Also new CD
-ROM can be set.

[0004]

For this reason, for example, C
While application software executed on a personal computer or the like (not shown) connected to the D-ROM drive 1 is reading data from a CD-ROM set in the tray 4 of the CD-ROM drive 1, When the eject button 2 is pressed by the user, the application software causes an error in reading data from the CD-ROM drive 1, and there is a danger that the application software may run away in some cases.

Therefore, in order to safely eject (eject) the CD-ROM, the user must press the eject button 2
Before pressing, it is checked whether there is any running application software. If there is running application software, it is necessary for the user to perform a predetermined operation and terminate the application software normally. . However, this series of operations is complicated for the user, and there is a possibility that the eject button 2 may be pressed before terminating the application software due to a user's operation error or the like, which poses a very dangerous problem. .

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is an object of the present invention to safely and securely take out a disk such as a CD-ROM without performing a troublesome operation.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: an access unit for accessing data on a disk; an execution unit for executing application software; and an ejection unit for ejecting the disk. An eject instructing means for instructing the ejection of the disc, and a supply means for generating a message instructing the ejection of the disc when the eject instructing means is operated and supplying the message to the executing means. According to the supplied message, execution of the application software for accessing the disc via the access means is terminated, and a message for instructing the ejection means to eject the disc is supplied to the ejection means,
The ejecting means ejects the disc in accordance with the message supplied from the executing means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk recording / reproducing method, wherein when an instruction to eject a disk is given, execution of application software for accessing the disk is terminated, and after the application software is terminated, the disk is ejected. Features.

In the disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the access means accesses data on a predetermined disk, the executing means executes predetermined application software, and the ejecting means reads the disk. Ejecting, the eject instructing means instructs the ejection of the disc, and the supply means, when the eject instructing means is operated, generates a message instructing the ejection of the disc, supplies the message to the executing means, supplies the executing means,
According to the message supplied from the supply unit, the execution of the application software for accessing the disk via the access unit is terminated, and a message for instructing the ejection unit to eject the disk is supplied to the ejection unit, and the ejection unit is supplied from the execution unit. Eject the disc according to the message.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when an instruction to eject a disk is given, execution of application software for accessing the disk is terminated, and after the application software is terminated, the disk is ejected.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment of a computer system to which a disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied. Since the configuration and operation of the CD-ROM drive 1 are basically the same as those shown in FIG. 8, corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The eject button 12 (eject instruction means) is a button provided separately from the eject button 2 provided on the CD-ROM drive 1. When the eject button 12 is operated, a predetermined electric signal is output. Is supplied to the microcontroller 11 (supplying means, timing means).

When the microcontroller 11 detects an electric signal from the eject button 12, in this case, the microcontroller 11 slides the tray 4 to the front and sets the CD set there.
-An ejection request message for instructing to eject a recording medium such as a ROM is sent to the OS of the personal computer 13 once connected to the CD-ROM driver 1.
(Operating system) 14 (execution means).

The microcontroller 11 has a timer circuit (not shown), and when an electric signal from the eject button 12 is detected, drives the timer circuit.

The OS 14 is a personal computer 13
, Input / output processing, resource management, and the like. In addition, in accordance with the ejection request message from the microcontroller 11, a termination request command for instructing termination of the process is issued to the application software 15 which is now in the execution state, and the ejection request message is received with respect to the microcontroller 11. Is returned. Application software 1
5 terminates the processing in response to a termination request from the OS 14, and then notifies the OS 14 of a termination completion indicating that the processing has been terminated.

Further, the OS 14 recognizes that the processing of the application software 15 has been completed by the completion completion notification from the application software 15 and issues an ejection request message to the mechanical controller 3 (access means, ejection means). It has been made like that. The mechanical controller 3
In accordance with the eject request message from the OS 14, the tray 4 is controlled in the same manner as when the eject button 2 is pressed, and the tray is slid to eject the CD-ROM. CD-ROM
, And control reading and writing of data.

The microcontroller 11 determines that the system is abnormal when the OS 14 does not return an eject reception message before the timer circuit elapses a predetermined time, and directly sends the eject request message to the mechanical controller 3. Has been made to supply.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows the microcontroller 11
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the OS 14. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the mechanical controller 3.

In the microcontroller 11, first, in step S1 of FIG.
It is determined whether the eject button 12 has been pressed.
When it is determined that the eject button 12 has not been pressed by the user, the process of step S1 is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the eject button 12 has been pressed by the user, the process proceeds to step S2, where the microcontroller 11 opens the tray 4 and sends the OS1 an eject request message requesting that the disc be ejected.
4 Then, in step S3, the built-in timer circuit is driven to prepare for a timeout process described later.

In step S4, it is determined whether or not an eject acceptance message, which is a response message from the OS 14 to the eject request message requesting the ejection of the disc supplied to the OS 14, has been received. When it is determined that the eject acceptance message from the OS 14 has been received, the timer is reset in step S7, and the process returns to step S1, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the eject acceptance message from the OS 14 has not been received yet, the process proceeds to step S5, and it is determined whether or not the count value of the timer driven in step S3 has exceeded a predetermined reference value and timed out. Is determined.

If it is determined that the timeout has not occurred, the process returns to step S4, and the processes after step S4 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the time-out has occurred, the OS 14 determines that the eject acceptance message cannot be returned to the microcontroller 11 due to some abnormality, and the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, the microcontroller 11 supplies a control signal for instructing the mechanical controller 3 to open the tray 4 and eject the disk directly. Thus, as described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, the tray 4 is opened and the disc is forcibly ejected under the control of the mechanical controller 3. Then, after resetting the timer in step S7, the process returns to step S1, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the OS 14 will be described. First, step S11
In the OS 14, the microcontroller 11
It is determined whether or not an eject request message for requesting the ejection of the disk from has been received. When it is determined that the ejection request message for requesting the ejection of the disc from the microcontroller 11 has not been received, the process of step S11 is repeatedly executed.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the message requesting the ejection of the disk from the microcontroller 11 has been received, the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the OS 14
A termination request command for instructing the application software 15 to terminate the processing is issued. The application software 15 starts the ending process of the process being executed according to this command. Next, in step S13, the OS 14 sends an ejection acceptance message as a response message indicating that the ejection request message requesting the ejection of the disc from the microcontroller 11 has been received.
To return.

Next, the process proceeds to step S14, where the OS 14 determines whether or not the application software 15 has been normally terminated. This determination is made based on whether or not the application software 15 has notified the OS 14 of the completion completion. If it is determined that the application software 15 has not been terminated normally yet, the process of step S14 is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the application software 15 has ended normally, the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the OS 14
The tray 4 is opened, and an eject request message requesting that the disc be ejected is supplied to the mechanical controller 3. Thereby, as described later with reference to FIG.
Under the control of the mechanical controller 3, the tray 4 is opened, and the disc is ejected. Thereafter, the process returns to step S11, and the processes after step S11 are repeatedly executed.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the mechanical controller 3 will be described. First, in step 21, the mechanical controller 3
Thus, it is determined whether or not an ejection request message for requesting ejection of the disc from the OS 14 has been received. If it is determined that the eject request message for requesting the disc ejection from the OS 14 has not been received, the process proceeds to step S22, and it is determined whether the eject request message for requesting the disc ejection from the microcontroller 11 has been received. Is done.

If the mechanical controller 3 determines that the eject request message from the microcontroller 11 has not been received, the process returns to step S21, and the processes after step S21 are repeatedly executed.
On the other hand, when it is determined by the mechanical controller 3 that an eject request message from the microcontroller 11 has been received, or when it is determined in step S21 that an eject request message requesting to eject the disk from the OS 14 has been received. ,
Proceeding to step S23, the tray 4 is opened under the control of the mechanical controller 3, and the disc is ejected.

As described above, on the personal computer 13 connected to the CD-ROM drive 1, the CD-R
Application software 15 using OM, for example, application software 15 that appropriately reads data recorded on a CD-ROM as needed.
Even if is operating, the user simply presses the eject button 12 and the processing of the application software 15 is completed under the control of the OS 14, and the ejection process of the CD-ROM is started after the ejection is safe. Done.

As a result, the user can press the eject button 1
2 is pressed, the application software 15
As described above, since the eject process is executed after the application software 15 has normally terminated even while the data is being read from the CD-ROM, the CD-ROM Can be ejected. In addition, OS1
4, even if the termination processing of the application software 15 is not performed normally, the microcontroller 11 directly supplies the eject request message to the mechanical controller 3 by the timeout processing, and the tray 4 is opened by the control of the mechanical controller 3.
Since the CD-ROM is forcibly ejected, the ejection process is performed safely and reliably.

Therefore, the user can easily press the eject button 12 without worrying about the operating state of the personal computer 13 whenever he wants to remove the CD-ROM, even if he is not familiar with the computer system. Will be able to do it.

FIG. 5 shows a front panel of an embodiment of a media station to which the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied. The power button (standby switch) 22 is operated when turning on the power to the media station 21. Eject button 2
The operation 3 is performed when a tray 30 described later slides in the front direction, a recording medium such as a CD-ROM set there is taken out, or a new CD-ROM is set.

The remote control light receiving section 24 is configured to receive infrared rays emitted from a remote commander (hereinafter, abbreviated as “remote control”) 51 described later. CD
-DA access lamp 25, Video CD access lamp 26, Hard Disk access lamp 27,
Photo CD access lamp 28 and CD-R
The OM access lamp 29 is an LED (light emitting d
iode), the tray 30
A CD-DA, a Video CD, a Photo CD, a CD-ROM, or the like is set therein, and when the user accesses the CD-DA, the built-in hard disk, or the like, the corresponding one is turned on.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the lid at the right portion of the media station 21 is opened. The cursor movement key 41 is operated when a cursor is displayed on a screen of a television receiver or the like (not shown) and when the cursor is moved up, down, left, and right. An Enter button 42 corresponds to the left button of the mouse, and is used to select an item or an icon where a cursor is located by a click operation or to execute software corresponding to an item or an icon or the like where a cursor is located. Be operated. Cancel (Canc
The el) button 43 corresponds to the right button of the mouse, and is operated, for example, when canceling the operation just performed.

Main power button (MAIN POWER) 4
The circuit 4 is operated when the main power is turned on. When the main power is turned on, even if the power button 22 is turned off, a circuit for recognizing a signal from the remote control light receiving unit 24 and other necessary minimum circuits Power is supplied to the circuit. The menu button 45 is operated when a predetermined menu screen is displayed on the screen of the television receiver.
The text button 46 is operated, for example, when displaying a picture of a keyboard on the screen. Therefore, by operating the cursor movement key 41, moving the cursor to a desired key of the picture on the keyboard displayed on the screen, and operating the enter button 42, the character corresponding to the key can be input. By repeating this operation, a desired text can be input.

The reset button 47 is operated when resetting the system. The keyboard connector 48
Used when connecting a keyboard. The mouse connector 49 is used when connecting a mouse.

FIG. 7 is an external view of a remote commander (remote controller) 51 for remotely controlling the media station 21. 7A is a top view of the remote controller 51, FIG. 7B is a front view, FIG. 7C is a bottom view, FIG.
7D is a side view, and FIG. 7E is a rear view.

The click button 52 corresponds to the enter button 42 and the cancel button 43 provided on the main body of the media station 21, and functions as the enter button 42 when the left part of the click button 52 is pressed.
When the right part of the click button 52 is pressed, it functions as the cancel button 43. TV
The Power button 53 is operated when turning on the power of the television receiver. Power button 54
Is operated when the power of the media station 21 is turned on.

The media station 21 basically has a configuration as shown in FIG. However,
The eject button 12, the microcontroller 11, and the personal computer 13 in FIG. 1 are arranged inside the media station 21.

For example, when the user presses the eject button 23 of the media station 21, the built-in microcontroller recognizes that the eject button 23 has been pressed, and the built-in CPU includes an eject request message for requesting the ejection of the disc. (Cent
ral processing unit). Upon receiving the eject request from the microcontroller, the OS issues an end request command for instructing the execution of the processing to the application software being executed, and issues an end request command to the microcontroller.
An eject accept message indicating that the eject request message has been received is supplied.

The application software starts the end processing of the application software according to the end request command from the OS. When the application software terminates, the application software notifies the OS of termination completion. This allows
The OS recognizes the end of the application software and supplies an ejection request message requesting the mechanical controller to eject the disk. When the eject request from the OS is received by the mechanical controller, the tray 30 is opened and the disc is ejected under the control of the mechanical controller.

As described above, when the user presses the eject button 23 and instructs to eject the disk while the media station 21 is executing predetermined application software, the media station 21 executes After terminating the software, the tray 4 is opened and the disc is ejected. As a result, runaway of application software caused by pressing the eject button 23 and ejecting the disk can be suppressed. For example, even if application software that executes processing while accessing the disk is running,
The user can easily press the eject button 23 whenever he wants to remove the disc.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the eject button 12, the microcontroller 11, and the personal computer 13 are provided outside the CD-ROM drive 1 has been described. It can also be provided inside.

Further, the present invention is not limited to a CD-ROM,
The present invention can also be applied to a playback device that plays back other recording media such as a DVD (digital versatile disc).

[0045]

According to the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the first aspect and the disk recording / reproducing method of the third aspect, execution of application software for accessing the disk is terminated when an instruction to eject the disk is issued. Then, after the application software is terminated, the disc is ejected, so that the user can safely and securely execute the C without any troublesome operation.
A disk such as a D-ROM can be taken out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an embodiment of a computer system to which a disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the microcontroller 11.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an OS 14;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the mechanical controller 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a front panel of one embodiment of a media station to which the disk recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

6 is a diagram showing a state in which a right lid of the media station of FIG. 5 is opened.

7 is an external view of a remote commander 51 that remotely operates the media station of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of an example of a conventional CD-ROM drive.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CD-ROM drive, 2 Eject button, 3
Mechanical controller (access means, eject means), 4 trays, 11 microcontroller (supply means, timing means), 12 eject button (eject instruction means), 13 personal computer, 14
OS (execution means), 15 application software, 21 media station, 22 power button, 23 eject button, 24 remote control light receiving section, 2
5 CD-DA access lamp, 26 Video C
D access lamp, 27 Hard Disk access lamp, 28 Photo CD access lamp, 29
CD-ROM access lamp, 41 cursor movement key, 42 enter button, 43 cancel button, 4
4 Main power button, 45 menu button, 46 text button, 47 reset button, 48 keyboard connector, 49 mouse connector, 51 remote commander, 52 click button, 53 TV power
Button, 54 Power button

Claims (3)

[Claims] An access unit for accessing data on a disk; an execution unit for executing application software; an ejection unit for ejecting the disk; an ejection instruction unit for instructing an ejection of the disk; Supply means for generating a message for instructing ejection of the disc when the instruction means is operated, and supplying the message to the execution means, wherein the execution means performs the access in accordance with the message supplied from the supply means. Terminating the execution of the application software for accessing the disc via the means, and supplying a message instructing the ejecting means to eject the disc, the ejecting means responding to the message supplied from the executing means. Therefore, a disc recording / reproducing apparatus characterized in that the disc is ejected. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a timing unit that starts timing a time when the supplying unit supplies the message to the execution unit. The supplying unit is configured to execute a process until the timing unit measures a predetermined reference time. When a response message to the message from the execution unit is not supplied, supplies the message directly to the ejection unit, and the ejection unit ejects the disc according to the message supplied from the supply unit. The disk recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. An access unit for accessing data on a disc, an execution unit for executing application software, an ejection unit for ejecting the disc, an ejection instruction unit for instructing ejection of the disc, and the ejection unit. When the instructing means is operated, a message for instructing the ejection of the disc is generated, and in the disc recording / reproducing method in the disc recording / reproducing apparatus including the supplying means for supplying the ejecting means to the executing means, And a step of terminating the execution of the application software for accessing the disk, and ejecting the disk after the application software is terminated.