JPS60258785A - Management system of information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify management control by providing a table storing management information of a recording medium to each recording medium library device and constituting a copy of a recording medium management table for the entire system in an information processor. CONSTITUTION:The information processor 1 reads a cell number and side information in an optical disc library device OLU2a from a management table 101 stored in a main memory 41 and loads an optical disc cartridge onto an optical disc driver ODD15. The optical disc cartridge 13 having a designated cell number is extracted from the cell 12 and loaded to the ODD15. The optical disc cartridge loaded on the ODD15 is restored to the original cell 12 at the end of access to the optical disc cartridge. The optical disc cartridge loaded onto the ODD15 is restored to the cell 12 of the designated number and the operation is finished. All the optical disc cartridges in the system are managed and the management control is simplified.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an information recording medium management system, and particularly relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus that has several information recording media to store a large amount of information. This invention relates to an information recording medium management method in a system that processes information while automatically exchanging these media.

[Background of the invention]

In order to obtain a large amount of recorded information, for example, in a system that has multiple information recording media such as optical disks and processes information while automatically exchanging them, it is possible to quickly select the recording medium to be accessed. In order to make a selection, it is necessary to know in advance the label information of all optical disks used in the system.

There are two possible ways to manage such information:

One method is to access all optical disks to be managed, read their contents, write the necessary information to the storage device in the information processing device, and refer to this stored information each time the system is started up. This is a method for performing subsequent media management operations.

The other method is to access all Hikari Nice files to be managed and read their contents, and then extract the necessary information.
-,0- This is a method of writing information onto another external storage medium such as a magnetic disk, and then managing the optical disk based on the information read from this external storage medium.

However, with the former method, all optical disks must be accessed each time the information processing system is started up, and it takes several seconds to several tens of seconds to access one optical disk. The disadvantage of the first system is that it takes a huge amount of time to set up and finish.

On the other hand, in the latter method, the information necessary for optical disk management is stored in a separate storage medium, so once the information has been collected, it cannot be used at the time of system startup as in the former method. Although the time loss problem is solved, a process is required to create the optical disk management table on an external storage medium such as a magnetic disk.

It is possible to incorporate this process into the existing process of the information processing device, but in this case, the control in the information processing device becomes complicated, and the work of changing the existing process due to the incorporation of the new process is enormous. It has the disadvantage of becoming

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems (7) and provide an information recording medium management method that simplifies the management control of information recording media in an information processing device d and requires less changes for incorporating a management process. It is about providing.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the information recording medium management method of the present invention includes an information processing device, a device connected to the information processing device,
and stores a plurality of recording media, and automatically mounts the recording media on the drive device. In an information processing system having one or more recording medium library devices that demount and write or read information on the recording medium, each of the recording medium library devices is provided with a table storing management information of the recording medium, and the information processing When starting up the system] Transfer the information in the table 1 to the above information processing device,
A feature is that a copy of the recording medium management table of the entire system is configured in the information processing device.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of an information processing system to which the present invention is applied.

In this embodiment, a case will be described in which an optical disk is used as the information recording medium, but other information recording media such as magnetic tape or magnetic disk may also be used. If it is N (also 3).

Of course, it can be applied.

In Fig. 1, ■ is an information processing device, and 2a and 2b are optical disk library devices (hereinafter referred to as OLU) each capable of storing a plurality of optical disk cartridges.
It is. The OI-U accommodates a plurality of optical disk cartridges and has a function of automatically mounting and demounting them on an optical disk drive.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the OLU shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a specific structure of the OLU.

In FIG. 2, 11 is an optical disk cartridge 13.
The storage is made up of a plurality of cells 12 for storing .The location of each storage 11 is designated by an address number from 0 to X. Reference numeral 15 denotes an optical disk drive device (hereinafter referred to as "optical disk drive device") which rotates the optical disk in the supplied cartridge 1-ridge and positions an optical head on a predetermined track on the optical disk to read/write information. (referred to as OD, D)
1.1 is an automatic loading mechanism (hereinafter referred to as A p C) that moves the optical disk car 1-ridge 13 between the storage 11 and the DD 15.

In FIG. 3, the cartridge storage 1.1 has two ODDs stacked under 15; i, l 5 b.
It is located above the . Each cartridge 13
are stored horizontally in each cell 12 of the storage 11, and each can be slid in the horizontal direction to be taken in and out independently. 0DD15a, 15b each have a car 1-ridge entrance/exit 16. j7 and receives the car 1-ridge 13 from this doorway 16.17,
The built-in spindle rotates the disk in the cartridge 13, and the optical panorama 1 writes information on the disk or reads information from the disk. Ar) In CI4, 18 is a box-shaped car 1 that can transfer cars 1 to 13 in the horizontal direction.
This is a helicopter holder, and this car 1 helicopter holder 18 has two ball screws vertically erected.
The kites 9a and 19b are attached to a carrier 20 that moves up and down so that they can be turned over. The carrier 20 is equipped with a light emitting element 21 in a part of one corner facing the storage 11, and facing the light emitting element 21, a light receiving element 22 indicating the car 1-ridge position is vertically located on the side of the income storage II. Arrange them side by side. Therefore, when the carrier 20 moves up and down, the light spot 1- from the light emitting element f-21 moves, and by detecting its position with the light receiving element 22, the car 1 to the ridge/boulder 18 are positioned at a predetermined cell position. You can score 11. The vertical movement of the car 1-ridge holder 18 is controlled by a motor 23 that rotates ball screw shirts hT9a and 19b, and the reversal of the front and back of the car 1-ridge holder 18 is provided on the side of the carrier 20. This is done by rotating the Holter support shaft 25 using the motor 24 that has been installed.

At the corner of the carrier 20 on the storage side, a car 1-ridge transfer mechanism is attached, which includes two rollers 26a, 26+] that contact the side surface of the car 1-ridge 13 and feed it horizontally. When the control unit (not shown) receives a loading command specifying the car 1 helicopter number and drive device from the F-position device, the motor 23 rotates, and its rotation causes the ball screw shirt h 1.9 a .

+9b, and the car 1 to the rigid holder 18 are raised or lowered together with the carrier 20. During this movement, when a predetermined light receiving element 22 detects the light output from the light emitting element 21, the motor 23 is stopped and the car 1 to the rigid holder 18 are positioned at a desired cell position. The motor 27 is then driven and its rotation is transmitted to the splined shaft 28 via the belt. Further, the clutch mechanism 29 is connected, and the feed roller 26a contacts the side surfaces of the car 1 to ridge 13 in the cell, and sends the car 1 to ridge 13 from the cell 12 toward the car 1 to ridge holder 18. When this feeding operation is completed, the clutch mechanism 2
9 is disconnected, and the motor 27 is also turned off.

Next, the motor 23 is restarted and the carrier 20 is lowered.

01 with carrier 20 specified) DI 5 a or 1
When reaching the entrance/exit 5h, the motor 23 stops. In this case as well, a light-receiving element facing the light-emitting element 21 is provided, or a microswitch is provided.Thus, position detection is performed. Note that 30 is a motor for taking the cartridge I3 in and out of the storage 11.

The recovery operation of the cartridge 1-carriage 1:3 from the 0Dn 15a, 15b is performed in the reverse order of the series of loading operations. Note that the automatic loading operation of Cartridge 1-3 can be executed in parallel with the writing and reading of information on the disk, so while the disk is being accessed on one ODD, the next Can be loaded with Nokart Liso I3.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a cartridge management table.

In the management system of the present invention, information indicating the relationship between each cell 12 and the optical disk cartridge 13 stored therein is stored in the main memory of the information processing device 1 in a table format, and the information ρ) is stored in the main memory of the information processing device 1. A predetermined optical disc is automatically loaded into a predetermined ODD while being referenced and updated.

In FIG. 4, 100a is Ol, U22 shown in FIG.
The management chiful corresponding to 1, I OOb is the same < o
r−, LJ 2 )) is a management chifur corresponding to
Both are stored in the main memory within the information processing device ifI. Management tables 100a and 100 have an area 31 for storing cell numbers, and light-i:21',
Area 3 where information about whether or not there is a cartridge is stored
2. An area 33 for storing information indicating whether or not the management table needs to be updated due to factors such as a new optical disk being added to the cell and the information recording surface of the photon disk. j, area 3/I for storing the volume order number
, 35. In this case, area 34 indicates the volume sequence number on the front side of the optical disc, and area 35 indicates the volume sequence number on the back side of the photon disk. Note that the last column 36 of the table is 0D.
Management information regarding the optical disk cartridge that is being or should be installed in the D 15a or 15b is stored.

In the management information column 36, the first area 31 stores the cell number corresponding to the optical disk cartridge to be loaded. Also, in the second area 32, ODD]
5a or 15b, information indicating whether or not the optical disk cartridge 23 is installed; third area 33, information indicating the information recording surface (front or back) of the optical disk cartridge to be used; fourth and fifth areas. 34.3
5 stores the volume sequence numbers of the optical disk cartridges to be installed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining changes in the management table during the process in which the information processing device accesses the optical disk cartridge.

101, 103, 105 are optical disk cartridges 1
3, the management table 100a, ]OO
b shows the change in 102.10/I for cartridge J3.
This shows the processing operation when accessing .

The information processing device 1 records the volume sequence number (ODOOO) of the optical disk cartridge 13 accessed by the user.
I). The information processing device 1 searches the management table using the given volume sequence number (ODOOOOI), and searches the OLU 2a in which the target optical disk cartridge 1-ridge 13 is stored, and enters the cell number 0 and the back side of the optical disk cartridge. Obtain information on (I O]). Based on this information, O1, U 2 a is operated and the target optical disk cartridge 13 is mounted on the DD so that it can be accessed (+02). Next, the contents of the management table are updated to the current state (103), and the target volume is accessed. When the access to the target volume is completed, the information processing device 1 operates the OLU 2a and returns the target optical disk cartridge 1-ridge 13 to the cell where it was stored (104). Thereafter, the management table is updated to its original state again (105). Note that the state of the management table 105 has been changed due to the insertion of the optical cartridge 13 in cell number 1 during the above processing. In this case, this optical disc
The cartridge 13 is mounted on the DD] 5, and the volume sequence number is obtained by reading the contents, and the management table is updated. ” - If the following changes occur,
The management table in the main memory is constantly updated, and at the same time, the management tables stored in 0LU2a and 0LU2b are also updated.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an information processing system showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

The information processing system includes an information processing device 1, an optical disk controller (hereinafter referred to as ○DC) 5, and an optical disk connection device (ODC) 5.
8C) 6 and OL U 2 a. The information processing device 1 includes a processor/IO, a main memory 41 that stores various information including programs and management tables for operating the processor, and an ODC interface control section .

0DC5 controls 08C6 in response to commands for writing/reading data, moving the optical disk cartridge, and reading/writing information from the semiconductor memory management table from the information processing device 1. ○ The DC 5 includes a channel interface control unit 50 connected to the information processing device 1 via a bus 45 and a control line 46, a microprocessor 52 that controls the operation of the ○ DC 5, and a control operation necessary for the microprocessor 52 to execute. a memory 53 for storing microprograms, a buffer 5]a for temporarily storing transmitted and received data, a data bus 60, and a control line 6.
1 and a selector 51b. Selector 5
],b connects the buffer memory 5]a to a bus 55 connected to the channel interface control section 50, a bus 56 connected to the microprocessor 52, and a bus 57 connected to the O8C interface control section 54. Either one is selectively connected to the other, and data input/output to the information processing device 1 side and data input/output to the ○SC 6 side are thereby switched.

08C6 received the command from 0DC5 and sent the OL, U2a.
an ODC interface control section 62 connected to a bus 60 and a control line 61;
○Microprocessor 64 that controls the overall operation of SC6
and a memory υ63 that stores microprograms necessary for control operations executed by this microprocessor 64;
one buffer 7 memory 57a, 68a, and each buffer 7 memory 57a, 68a;
Selectors 67b and 68b that select the input/output buses of the memories 67a and 68b, a modulation/demodulation circuit 66 that modulates the H write data to the optical disk and demodulates the read data;
It includes an OLU interface control section 69 connected to the LU 2a by a bus 70 and a control line 71, and a register 65 in which TD information read from the optical disk is set. The selectors 67b and 68b are respectively general DC
interface control unit 62, microprocessor 64,
It is connected to a bus connected to the modulation/demodulation circuit 66 to select these buses, and the bus selection and read/write specifications for the buffer memories G7a and 68a are performed by control signals from the microprocessor 64. .

The OL U 2 a is equipped with an O8C interface control section 72 connected to a bus 70 and a control line 71, and an optical disk car 1 to a cartridge 13.
0DD 15 for reading/writing information, a cell 12 for storing the optical disk cartridge 13, and a cell 12 for storing the optical disk cartridge 13.
an ADC (automatic loading mechanism) 14 for moving the optical cartridge 13 between the optical cartridges 13 and ○DD] 5, a memory 73 for storing a management table for information recording media, and a battery 74 for supporting the memory 73 in the event of a power outage. It is equipped with The OSC interface control unit 72 issues an instruction to the ODD]5 in response to an instruction from the oSC 6.

The commands for the ADC] 4 and the commands for the memory 737\ are separated and sent to each unit to operate them. Also,
The ADCl 4 includes a microprocessor I 4 a that decodes operation commands from the O8C interface control unit 72 and operates the mechanical unit of the ADC 4, and a microprocessor I 4 a that decodes and operates the information of the sensor that detects the state of the cell 12. The microprocessor 14a includes a memory 14b that stores microprograms necessary for control operations executed by the microprocessor 14a.

In such an information processing system, there is a method for accessing the optical disk car 1-lino 13 and information processing device FM.
In the main memory 41 of I, each Of, U12a, b
This section explains how to read the management table and control the management.

The information processing device 1 uses the management table stored in the main memory 4I, that is, the management table +01 shown in FIG. Read information.

With this information, the optical disc cartridge (ODO
OOI) to be mounted (mounted) on 0DD15.
Command to DC5. OD C5 tells 0SC6 to accept this sentinel, and sends optical disk cars 1 to
mount request for ``DOOOI''.

○SC6 is based on this directive, OL 'TJ 2
Commands a marine 1- request to X+. OL tJ
2 a receives this command, ADC] 4
starts operation, takes out the optical disk cartridge (ODOOOOI) with the designated cell number (0) from the cell 12, and mounts it on the ODD 1 5 with the designated side (B) facing. After that, the completion report was sent back to 05C69, ○
SC6 reports this to 0DC5. Furthermore, 0DC5
Then, the information processing device 1 is notified of the completion of the mounting 1 to the mounting. When the information processing device 1 receives the above report, it updates the management table (103 in FIG. 5) and accesses the optical disk cartridge (ODoool). Optical disc car 1~ridge (OII 000 I')
To access ○D C5, use the route mentioned above.
+ ○Through SC6, for 0DI) 15? 5. When the access to the optical cartridge (ODOOOI) is completed, the information processing device 1 transfers the optical cartridge (ODOOOOI) installed in the ODD I 5 to the original cell 12 to 01]C5. Sea urchin (
demount), command to 0DC5.

Based on the above command, 08C6 instructs OfU2a to request demount 1. , OL U 2 a
When receives the above-mentioned finger 1, AD C] 4 starts operation and transfers the optical disk cartridge (ODOOOO+) installed in 0Dr) 1.5 to cell 1 of the specified cell number (0).
Return to 2. The role, Tae Maun 1- Completion report is ○SC6
○SC6 reports to ○DC5 in the same way. Furthermore, ○DC5 reports to the information processing device 1 that Te Maun 1~ is completed. When the information processing device 1 receives the recorded sound, the information processing device 1 updates the management table again using 1 in FIG.
05), the operation ends.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing management table reconfiguration by the information processing apparatus of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a formano 1 diagram of access information to ○LtJ.

In order to reconfigure the management table stored in the main memory 41, the information processing device 1 instructs the OII) C5 to read the management table information 110a of the memory (semiconductor memory) 73 of the ○I-U 2a. command. 7th
As shown by the arrows in the figure, the management table information 110a of ○L U 2 a and the management table of ○L U 2 b]
I Ob is transferred to the management table 1ooa,]-00b of the main memory 41 of the information processing device 1.

Information processing device! As shown in FIG. 8, the control information for instructing reading from il may include, for example, position information 80 indicating the main address of the memory 7'3 and data length 81 to be read. OI) When C5 receives the [2 command], it instructs OL U2 a to transfer the data in the memory 73 via ○S C6. OL
When U 2 a receives the above command, it transfers the data in the memory 73 to Ol) C5 via 03C6 in accordance with the commanded control information.

OD C5 temporarily stores the data transferred from ○L U 2 a in the buffer memory 51a. Then, when the preparation for the requested data length is completed, 01'l)
C5 reports Q to the information processing device 1 to that effect. When information +1 processing head 1 receives the report, it instructs DC 5 to transfer the prepared data and receives the transferred data. The information processing device 1 stores the received data in a predetermined location in the main memory 41. In the same way, the memory contents are read from all the OL Lj 2a in the system, and the management table of the information recording medium of the entire system is reconfigured as shown in the seventh mausoleum. Note that the reconfiguration of the management table in the information processing system is performed only when the system is started up, and subsequent access to the information recording medium is performed by the main server in the information processing device 1.
This is done using the management table reconfigured in the memory 4L. Further, the contents of the management table stored in the memory 73 of the 0LU2a may be updated using the control information shown in FIG. 8 in the same way as when reading. For example, the optical disk cartridge 13 is changed to ○L U 2 due to operator intervention.
When a change occurs in the management table, not only the change in the management table stored in the main memory 41 in the information processing device 1 but also the change in the management table stored in Or, U
If the memory 73 of 2a is also rewritten at the same time, it is effective when ○L U 2a is connected to a plurality of information processing devices 1.

In this way, even in an information processing system in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses I are installed, management becomes easier by storing management information in the information recording medium storage device. Furthermore, using a semi-uniform memory as a storage medium for OLU2a shortens the access time for O1, IT 2 a -\, which has a performance effect.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to
The optical system installed in the library kR (or-tJ),
The management information of optical disk cartridges is read into the main memory within the information processing device and the management table is reconfigured, so all optical disk cartridges in the system can be managed, simplifying management control. can do. In addition, the amount of change to existing management processes may be extremely small.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an overall block diagram of an information processing system to which the present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the optical disc library device of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the optical disc library device. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an optical disk car 1-ridge management table showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a detailed block diagram of an information processing system showing an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing management table reconfiguration by the information processing apparatus of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is the information center PI! Device I') Format 1 of access information to a library device. 1: Information processing device, 2a, 2b: Optical disk liferary device (Ot, U), 5: Optical disk control device (ODC
), 6: Optical disk connection device (O8C'), 12: Cell, ]/I: Automatic loading mechanism (ΔDC), 15: Optical disk drive device 12 (ODD), 13: Optical disk drive car 1
-Ridge. Patent Applicant Hitachi, Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Iso )'・t ffE Toshinori Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 1 Figure 3 a Figure 4 Figure 5 101 04

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An information processing device, connected to the information processing device and storing a plurality of recording media, automatically mounting and demounting the recording medium on the drive device, and writing information on the recording medium. Alternatively, in an information processing system having one or more recording medium library devices that perform reading, a table storing management information of recording media is provided in each of the recording medium library devices, and the information in the table is stored at the time of startup of the information processing system. 1. An information recording medium management method characterized by transmitting the information to the information processing apparatus and configuring a copy of the recording medium management table of the entire system in the information processing apparatus.