JPH1116246A - Removable disk device provided with write cache and write cache control method and record medium recording medium ejecting switch control program accompanied with write cache - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the writing speed of a removable disk device in the manner of using a buffer memory in the device as the write cache by performing the transfer of data to the write cache in the device and the writing out of the write cache contents to the medium at the medium ejecting time, not only at the time of writing into a substitutive sector for a defective sector but also at the time of writing into the normal sector. SOLUTION: The data from a host computer 109 are transferred to the write cache 102 in the device by a data writing mechanism 101, and after that, the device is independently judged taking the operating state of the device into consideration by a write-in judging mechanism 103 for data in the write cache, and the writing out of the data in the write cache is requested from the host computer, and also the data in the write cache 102 are written out to the medium 105 when the medium ejecting switch is depressed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to disk cache memory control, and more particularly, to a write cache control method in a removable disk device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cache memory (buffer memory) is used to improve the performance of a disk or the like. A cache memory used for writing is called a write cache, and a cache using this technique has been disclosed.

The first of such a conventional cache control system is as follows.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-166911 is disclosed as a case of the above. In this conventional method, for the purpose of active maintenance, an input / output command sent to a disk unit is provided with a control flag corresponding to the disk unit, and the input / output command is sent to an input / output device that controls the disk unit.
When an input / output command with the control flag turned on is received by an input / output device, a display for prohibiting hot insertion / removal is performed or a disk is not structurally inserted / removed.

[0004] As a second case of another system, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 68603/1996 is disclosed. The conventional method of using a write cache in a removable disk medium such as an optical disk is to store data from a higher order in a write cache when writing to a defective sector and store the stored data in the medium when the medium is ejected. Was to write to.

The conventional write cache control system will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of a conventional write cache control system.

When a write request comes from a host computer,
Seek the head of the device to the target sector (step 40)
1) Write the data received from the host computer into the work area in the buffer memory (step 402).
Next, the state of the target sector is checked (step 404). If the sector is a defective sector, the data in the work area is transferred to the alternative sector area of the buffer memory (step 407), and the process is terminated (step 406). If the target sector is not a defective sector, the data in the work area is written to the target sector on the medium (step 40).
5), end (step 406).

[0008]

A first problem is that when a write cache is used as in the first case described above, a notification (display) indicating that the cache content has not been written to the medium is issued. There is a risk of data loss if the operator ignores and removes the medium. In a mechanism for locking the removal of the medium when the contents of the write cache are not written in the medium, the medium cannot be removed when the operator intends.

The reason for this is that the input / output command and the medium discharge switch are independent of each other, so that an erroneous operation by the operator is likely to occur, and the medium discharge switch is operated after generating a command to lock the removal of the medium. This is because the procedure enters and the operation becomes complicated.

A second problem is that, as in the second case described above, it is impossible to improve the write performance as viewed from the host computer for a normal sector having no defect or the like.

The reason is that the transfer of data to the write cache in the apparatus and the writing of data from the write cache to the medium when the medium is ejected are performed only when the defective sector is written to the substitute sector. Is not taken into account.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to transfer data to an internal write cache and write the write cache contents to a medium when the medium is ejected, and to write the write cache contents to a substitute sector for a defective sector. By performing not only when writing to normal sectors,
An object of the present invention is to improve the writing speed in a removable disk device by using an internal buffer memory as a write cache and to improve the reliability of data writing.

Therefore, in the removable disk device with a write cache of the present invention, in a removable disk device in which a medium discharge switch and a medium discharge mechanism are electrically connected, data from a host computer is stored in a write cache in the device. By storing and writing the data from the write cache to the disk medium in a timely manner, the write performance as viewed from the host computer is improved, and the data of the write cache is written to the disk medium when the medium ejection switch is pressed when the medium is ejected. After that, the disc medium is ejected.

The removable disk device with a write cache according to the present invention is characterized in that when the medium discharge switch for discharging the disk medium is pressed, the write cache data is written to the disk medium and then the disk medium is discharged. I have.

A removable disk device with a write cache according to the present invention has a data writing mechanism for transferring data from a host computer to a write cache in the device.
Thereafter, data writing in the write cache for requesting the writing of data from the write cache to the disk medium when the device is independently determined in consideration of the operation status of the device, a request from the host computer, or a press of the medium discharge switch. A write mechanism for writing data from the write cache to the disk medium in response to a request from the write cache data write determining mechanism; and a write cache data write mechanism when an operator presses the medium discharge switch. Notification of the press of the medium ejection switch to the write-in determination mechanism, and waits for a write completion notification of the data in the write cache from the write-in-cache data write determination mechanism. Media discharge control mechanism It is set to.

Further, according to the write cache control method of the present invention, when the medium ejection switch is pressed by the operator, the medium ejection control mechanism notifies the data writing judgment mechanism in the write cache that the medium ejection switch is pressed. A first step of waiting for a notification of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the data write judging mechanism in the write cache; and A search is performed to determine whether there is data. If there is data to be written, a write request for writing data in the write cache is notified to a data writing mechanism in the write cache. Is written to the medium, and the write data in write cache A second step of notifying the completion of writing of data in the write cache, and the write-in-cache data writing determining mechanism notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of completion of writing of the data in the write cache; The write judging mechanism searches whether or not there is data to be written to the medium in the write cache, and when there is no data to be written, the write cache data write judging mechanism A third step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache without notifying the writing request of the data in the write cache, and the ejection control mechanism writing the data in the write cache. After receiving the notification of completion, a media ejection request is notified to the medium ejection mechanism, and the medium ejection mechanism ejects the medium. Fourth step, and after a lapse of time from when the write data to the removable disk device is transferred to the write cache, write the data in the write cache by looking at the access position of the medium requested to the removable disk device. Even when the determination mechanism determines that data writing from the write cache to the medium is necessary, or when a request to write data from the write cache to the medium is notified, the data writing in the write cache is performed. And a fifth step of, when there is data to be written, notifying the write-in-cache-data writing mechanism of a write request for the write-in-cache data.

When a medium ejection switch is pressed by an operator on the recording medium on which the medium ejection switch control program associated with the write cache is recorded, the medium ejection control mechanism causes the data writing switch in the write cache to press the medium ejection switch. A first step of notifying that the data has been written, and waiting for a notification of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the data write determining mechanism in the write cache; and Whether or not there is data to be written to the medium, and if there is data to be written, notifies a write request for writing data in the write cache to the data writing mechanism in the write cache; Writes the data in the write cache to a medium, A second step of notifying the write-in-cache data writing mechanism of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache, and the write-in-cache data write determining mechanism notifying of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache to the medium ejection control mechanism; The write cache data write determination mechanism searches whether there is data to be written to the medium in the write cache, and if there is no data to write, the write cache data write determination mechanism
A third step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache without notifying the write request of the data in the write cache to the data writing mechanism in the write cache; Receiving a notification of completion of writing of the data in the write cache, notifies a medium ejection request to a medium ejection mechanism, and the medium ejection mechanism ejects the medium in a fourth step. After a lapse of time from when the write data is transferred to the write cache, the write cache data write judging mechanism checks the access position of the medium requested by the removable disk device and reads the data from the write cache to the medium. If it is determined that data writing is necessary, or a request to write data from the write cache to the medium Even in the case of being informed, the fifth step of notifying the write request in the write cache to the data write unit in the write cache when the data to be written is present, Is performed by a host computer.

As an operation, since the data write request to the removable disk device is completed when it is transferred to the write cache, the speed is increased from the viewpoint of the host computer or application software.

Also, when the medium is ejected, since the medium in the write cache is ejected after the data in the write cache is written out to the medium, there is a risk that the data in the write cache is not written out to the medium and the data is lost due to unexpected ejection of the medium. Loses sex.

[0020]

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is a data writing mechanism 101 for transferring data from a host computer to a write cache 102 in the apparatus.
Then, a device-specific determination in consideration of the operation status of the device (for example, after a lapse of time from when data is transferred from a higher-level computer to a write cache in a removable device, a medium requested by the higher-level computer is transferred to a medium) A write-in-cache data write determination mechanism 103 for requesting a write of data from the write cache 102 to the medium 105 at the request of the host computer or when the medium ejection switch is depressed. Write cache data write determination mechanism 10
3 from the write cache 102 to the medium 105
Write-in-cache data writing mechanism 104 for writing data to the write cache and data write-in-write cache mechanism 103 when the operator presses the medium discharge switch 106.
To the medium ejection switch 108, and waits for a write completion notification of the data in the write cache 102 from the write cache data writing judgment mechanism 103, and then requests the medium ejection mechanism 108 to eject the medium. And a medium discharge control mechanism 107 that performs the operation.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of this embodiment.

Data from the host computer 109 is transferred to the write cache 102 by the data writing mechanism 101.

Hereinafter, the operation of writing data transferred to the write cache to the medium will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The medium discharge switch 106 is operated by the operator.
Is pressed (step 201), the medium ejection control mechanism 107 sets the
3 is notified that the medium discharge switch has been pressed (step 202), and waits for a notification of the completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the write-in-cache data write determination mechanism 103 (step 203).

Write cache data write determination mechanism 1
03 searches the write cache 102 for data to be written to the medium 105 (step 20).
8) If there is data to be written, the write request for writing data in the write cache is notified to the data writing mechanism 104 in the write cache (step 209).
Is written to the medium 105 (step 21).
0), the completion of writing of the data in the write cache is notified to the write-in-cache data write determining mechanism 103, and the write-in-cache data write determination mechanism 103 notifies the medium ejection control mechanism 107 of the completion of the write of the write cache data. Notify (step 211).

When there is no data to be written, the write-in-cache data write judging mechanism 103 does not notify the write-in-cache data write mechanism 104 of the write request of the write-cache data, and sends it to the medium ejection control mechanism 107. The completion of writing of the data in the write cache is notified (step 211).

The ejection control mechanism 107 receives the notification of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache, and then,
8 is notified of a medium discharge request (step 204),
The medium discharge mechanism 108 discharges the medium 105 (Step 205).

Also, during the elapsed time from when the data from the host computer 109 has been transferred to the write cache 102, the data write determination mechanism in the write cache is checked by checking the access position to the medium requested by the host computer 109. 103 is the medium 1 from the write cache 102
05 (step 206), or when a request to write data from the write cache 102 to the medium 105 is sent from the host computer 109 (step 206), As described above, when there is data to be written, the write judging mechanism 103 notifies the write cache data writing mechanism 104 of a write request of the write cache data (step 209).

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Tables 1 and 2 are tables showing the processing order in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Table 1 shows the processing order when there is no data to be written to the medium in the write cache when the medium is ejected.

[0034]

[Table 1]

When a data write request is issued from the host computer 109, the data writing mechanism 101 transfers the data to the write cache 102 (item 1 in Table 1). If the specified time has passed after the data was transferred to the write cache,
The write-in-cache-data writing mechanism 103 notifies the write-cache-data writing mechanism 104 of a request to write the data in the write cache to the medium (item number 2 in Table 1). Writes the data transferred to the write cache in the item 1 of Table 1 to the medium 105 (item 3 in Table 1), and instructs the write-in-cache data write determination mechanism 103 to write the data in the write cache to the medium. The completion is notified (item 4 in Table 1). Thereafter, when the operator presses the medium discharge switch, the medium discharge control mechanism 107 notifies the write data in write cache mechanism 103 of the press of the medium discharge switch (item 5 in Table 1), and writes the data in the write cache. Since the data in the write cache 102 has already been written to the medium 105 in item No. 3 of Table 1 and it is unnecessary to write the data in the write cache to the medium, the determination mechanism 103 performs no processing. Medium discharge control mechanism 10
7 is notified of the completion of writing the data in the write cache to the medium (item 6 in Table 1), and the medium ejection control mechanism 107
Notifies the medium discharge mechanism 108 of the medium discharge request (item 7 in Table 1), and the medium discharge mechanism 108 discharges the medium 105 (item 8 in Table 1).

Table 2 shows the processing order when there is data to be written to the medium in the write cache when the medium is ejected.

[0037]

[Table 2]

When there is a data write request from the host computer 109, the data writing mechanism 101 transfers the data to the write cache 102 (item 1 in Table 2). Thereafter, when the operator presses the medium discharge switch, the medium discharge control mechanism 107 notifies the write-in-cache data write determination mechanism 103 of the press of the medium discharge switch (item 2 in Table 2), and writes the data in the write cache. Judgment mechanism 10
No. 3 notifies the write request in the write cache to the medium to the write cache data writing mechanism 104 because there is data in the write cache 102 that has not been written to the medium 105 (item number 3 in Table 2). The write-in-cache-data writing mechanism 104 writes the data transferred to the write cache in item No. 1 of Table 2 to the medium 105 (item 4 in Table 2), and The completion of the writing of the data in the write cache to the medium is notified (item 5 in Table 2), and the data write determination mechanism 103 in the write cache notifies the medium ejection control mechanism 10
7 is notified of the completion of writing the data in the write cache to the medium (item 6 in Table 2), and the medium ejection control mechanism 107
Notifies the medium discharge mechanism 108 of the medium discharge request (item 7 in Table 2), and the medium discharge mechanism 108 discharges the medium 105 (item 8 in Table 2).

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second embodiment of the present invention includes a host computer 31, a removable disk device 32, and a recording medium 33.

The host computer 31 includes an application 309 which is application software including a process of writing data to the removable disk device 32,
The write cache 302, the data writing mechanism 301 for transferring data to the write cache 302 by executing the application 309, and the independent determination of the upper computer 31 in consideration of the operation status of the upper computer 31 itself (for example, from the application to the write cache After the lapse of time from the transfer of the data, the access position to the medium requested by the application is determined and the necessity of writing is determined).
Alternatively, the removable disk device 32 (medium 30)
5) The write-in-cache data write determining mechanism 303 that issues a request to write data to the write cache data write-in determining mechanism 303 is notified that the medium eject switch 306 in the removable disk device 32 has been pressed. The removable device 32 (medium ejecting mechanism 308) notifies the completion of writing of the data in the write cache 302 from the write-in-cache data writing judging mechanism 303.
And a write cache data writing mechanism 304 that writes data from the write cache 302 to the medium 305 in response to a request from the write cache data write determination mechanism 303. The removable disk device 32 stores the medium 30
5, medium discharge switch 306, host computer 3
A data writing mechanism 311 for writing data from the medium 1 to the medium 305, and a medium discharge notification for notifying that the switch for transferring the medium 305 from the removable disk device 32 to the host computer 31 has been pressed when the operator presses the medium discharge switch 306. The mechanism 310 includes a mechanism 310 and a medium discharge mechanism 308 that discharges the medium 305 in accordance with a discharge request from the host computer 31 (medium discharge control mechanism 307).

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second embodiment of the present invention includes a recording medium 33 on which a program for executing the following steps is recorded. The recording medium 33 may be a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, or another recording medium.

This program is read from the recording medium 33 into the host computer 31, and controls the removable disk device 32. The following processing is executed by a program for controlling the second embodiment of the present invention.

Data written to the removable disk device 32 when the application 309 is executed is transferred to the write cache 302 by the data writing mechanism 301.

The medium discharge switch 306 is operated by the operator.
Is pressed, the medium discharge notification mechanism 310 notifies the medium discharge control mechanism 307 in the host computer that the medium discharge switch 306 has been pressed. The medium discharge control mechanism 307 notifies the write data in write cache 303 that the medium discharge switch has been pressed, and notifies the completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the data write determination mechanism 303 within the write cache. Wait for.

Write cache data write determination mechanism 3
03 searches the write cache 302 for data to be written to the medium 305, and if there is data to be written,
04 is notified of the write request of the data in the write cache,
The data writing mechanism 304 in the write cache transfers the data in the write cache 302 to the data writing mechanism 311 in the removable disk device, and the data writing mechanism 31
1 writes the transferred data to the medium 305, the data writing mechanism 311 notifies the data writing mechanism 304 in the write cache that the data writing is completed, and the data writing mechanism 304 in the write cache The data write determining mechanism 303 notifies the write completion of the data in the write cache, and the data write determining mechanism 303 notifies the medium ejection control mechanism 307 of the write completion of the data in the write cache.

When there is no data to be written, the data write determining unit 303 in the write cache does not notify the data writing unit 304 in the write cache of the write request of the data in the write cache, Notifies completion of writing of data in the write cache.

After receiving the notification of the completion of writing the data in the write cache, the ejection control mechanism 307 outputs
8 is notified of a medium ejection request, and the medium ejection mechanism 308 is notified.
Ejects the medium 305.

During the elapsed time from the transfer of the write data at the time of execution of the application 309 to the write cache 302, the position of the head access to the medium 305 requested at the time of execution of the application 309 is checked. Even when the data write determination mechanism 303 determines that data write from the write cache 302 to the medium 305 is necessary, or when a request to write data from the write cache 302 to the medium 305 by execution of the application 309 is given, In the same manner as described above, if there is data to be written, the write-in-cache-data writing mechanism 303 notifies the write-in-cache-data writing mechanism 304 of a write request for writing data in the write cache.

As described above, since the write cache is used for all the write data, the data write performance is much higher than in the case of the actual access to the medium (method not using the write cache). Will be faster.

[0053]

The first effect is that the improvement of the data writing performance and the improvement of the reliability of the data writing in the removable disk device can be achieved at the same time. As a result, even in a large-capacity removable medium such as an optical disk, a CD, and a PD, performance and reliability equivalent to a hard disk built into a computer can be realized.

The reason is that writing of data in the write cache to the medium can be guaranteed even when the medium is ejected, which is a feature of the removable disk device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an example of a conventional write cache control method.

[Explanation of symbols]

31, 109 Upper-level computer 32 Removable disk device 33 Recording medium 101, 301 Data writing mechanism 102, 302 Write cache 103, 303 Data writing determination mechanism in write cache 104, 304 Data writing mechanism in write cache 105, 305 Medium 106 , 306 Medium ejection switch 107, 307 Medium ejection control mechanism 108, 308 Medium ejection mechanism 309 Application 310 Medium ejection notification mechanism 311 Data writing mechanism

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a removable disk device in which a medium discharge switch and a medium discharge mechanism are electrically connected, data from a host computer is stored in a write cache in the device, and timely written from the write cache to a disk medium. Thereby, the write performance as viewed from the host computer is improved, and when the medium discharge switch is pressed when the medium is discharged, the data in the write cache is written to the disk medium, and then the disk medium is discharged. Disk drive with write cache. 2. The removable disk device with a write cache, wherein when the medium ejection switch is pressed when the disk medium is ejected, the data of the write cache is written to the disk medium, and then the disk medium is ejected. 3. A data writing mechanism for transferring data from a host computer to a write cache in the apparatus, and after transferring the data to the write cache, the host computer determines whether or not the apparatus is operating in consideration of the operation state of the apparatus. Or a write-in-cache data write determining mechanism that issues a request to write data from the write cache to the disk medium when the medium eject switch is pressed, and A write cache data writing mechanism for writing data from the cache to the disk medium; and an operator pressing the medium discharge switch notifies the write cache data write determination mechanism that the medium discharge switch has been pressed. Before write cache data write decision mechanism A removable disk device with a write cache, comprising: a medium discharge control mechanism for requesting the medium discharge mechanism to discharge the medium after waiting for a write completion notification of the data in the write cache. 4. When a medium ejection switch is pressed by an operator, a medium ejection control mechanism notifies the write cache data writing determination mechanism that the medium ejection switch is pressed, and writes the data in the write cache. A first step of waiting for a notification of completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the determination mechanism; and a determination whether the write cache data write determination mechanism has data to be written to the medium in the write cache. When there is data to be written, a write request for writing data in the write cache is notified to the data writing mechanism in the write cache, and the data writing mechanism in the write cache writes the data in the write cache to a medium. Notify write cache data write completion mechanism to write cache data A second step in which the data write judging mechanism in the write cache notifies the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of writing the data in the write cache; and a data writing judging mechanism in the write cache writes the medium in the write cache. A search is performed to determine whether there is data to be written. If there is no data to be written, the write-in-cache-data write determining mechanism notifies the write-in-cache-data write mechanism of a write request for write-in-cache data. A third step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache; and a step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache. A fourth step of notifying the medium ejection request to the medium and ejecting the medium by the medium ejection mechanism; After a lapse of time from when write data to the storage device is transferred to the write cache, the write cache data write determination mechanism checks the access position to the medium requested by the removable disk device, and Even when it is determined that data writing to the medium is necessary, or when a request to write data to the medium is sent from the write cache, the data write determination mechanism in the write cache keeps the data to be written. And a fifth step of notifying the data writing mechanism in the write cache of a write request for the data in the write cache. 5. When a medium ejection switch is pressed by an operator, a medium ejection control mechanism notifies the data write-in-write cache judging mechanism that the medium ejection switch is pressed, and writes the data in the write cache. A first step of waiting for a notification of completion of writing of the data in the write cache from the determination mechanism; and a determination whether the write cache data write determination mechanism has data to be written to the medium in the write cache. When there is data to be written, a write request for writing data in the write cache is notified to the data writing mechanism in the write cache, and the data writing mechanism in the write cache writes the data in the write cache to a medium. Notify write cache data write completion mechanism to write cache data A second step in which the data write judging mechanism in the write cache notifies the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of writing the data in the write cache; and a data writing judging mechanism in the write cache writes the medium in the write cache. A search is performed to determine whether there is data to be written. If there is no data to be written, the write-in-cache-data write determining mechanism notifies the write-in-cache-data write mechanism of a write request for write-in-cache data. A third step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache; and a step of notifying the medium ejection control mechanism of the completion of the writing of the data in the write cache. A fourth step of notifying the medium ejection request to the medium and ejecting the medium by the medium ejection mechanism; After a lapse of time from when write data to the storage device is transferred to the write cache, the write cache data write determination mechanism checks the access position to the medium requested by the removable disk device, and Even when it is determined that data writing to the medium is necessary, or when a request to write data to the medium is sent from the write cache, the data write determination mechanism in the write cache keeps the data to be written. And a fifth step of notifying the write-in-cache data writing mechanism of a write request of the write-in-cache data. A recording medium on which a control program is recorded.