Patent Application
20110271051
The present invention relates to an array type disk device and a control method for an array type disk device, and more particularly, an array type disk device that executes an information processing on a plurality of recording media, and a control method for the array type disk device that executes an information processing on a plurality of recording media.
In recent years, together with an advancement of information processing technologies, optical disk drives (hereinafter, referred to as “optical disk devices”) that record information in a recording medium like an optical disk become popular. These optical disk devices are built into a recorder, for example, one that records a TV program or a personal computer (PC) with a hard disk drive (HDD), or the like, and are mainly used for recording information like video pictures and images.
Along with improvements in the processing speed of PCs, a high-speed recording process and a reproduction processes of information are in demand for the above-explained optical disk devices. In recent days, various technologies for achieving improvements in information processing speed have been proposed, such as technology for having an optical head stand by at an optimized position after recording information in the recordable optical disk or the reproduction of information recorded in the recordable optical disk is completed, and for enabling the rapid recording or reproduction of information in accordance with the next instruction (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
An array type disk device or an optical disk library device configured by a plurality of such optical disk devices is known. Such a device operates a combination of a plurality of optical disk devices in order to achieve a memory device having a larger memory capacity, and to achieve a high-speed recording process or reproduction process (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).
Furthermore, recently, a technology for improving the accessing capability of such array type disk devices has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Literature 3).
With regard to the technology disclosed in Patent Literature 3, after using a plurality of optical disk devices and recording or reproducing information, at least one optical disk device unloads an optical disk from an optical disk device, and other optical disk devices store the optical disks as is, to thereby maintain a state that allows for the immediate recording or reproduction of information. Accordingly, the accessing capability of the device is improved.
Conversely, various devices for improving the information processing speed of the solo optical disk device are made so far.
However, even if the improvement of the information processing speed of the solo optical disk device is realized, it is not always true that the processing speed of an array type disk device configured by the plurality of optical disk devices improves as much as it is expected from the improvement of the information processing speed of the solo optical disk device.
For example, each of the plurality of optical disk devices may have a difference in the information processing capability because of an individual difference or a difference in the aging of respective devices even if all devices employ the same configuration. In this case, a time necessary for performing the same process varies among the optical disk devices, and as a result, the optical disk device with a slow processing speed determines the processing speed of the whole device.
Moreover, even if there is no difference in the information processing capability of the device itself among the plurality of optical disk devices, when there is an individual difference in optical disks for recording or reproduction of information, that is, when the decentering level varies among the optical disks or when an optical disk has a unique warpage, at the time of a tracking control or a focus control, the travel distance of the head for recording and reproduction of information varies among the optical disk devices. As a result, there is a difference in the processing speed among the optical disk devices, and the optical disk device with a slow processing speed determines the processing speed of the whole devices.
When it is presumed that the operation of the whole array type disk device includes a plurality of steps: conveying of an optical disk; loading and unloading of an optical disk; and recording or reproduction of information in or from the optical disk, respectively, in order to improve the processing speed of the array type disk device, it is important to individually and cumulatively consider each step. That is, in the case of the array type disk device, it is necessary to not only control the optical disk devices, device by device, configuring the array type disk device, but also control each optical disk device so that the operation of the whole array type disk device is optimized from the standpoint of processing speed. When such a control is not performed, the array type disk device may become awkward to use as a whole.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an array type disk device that is capable of speeding up a process for an optical disk.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a control method for an array type disk device that is capable of speeding up a process for an optical disk.
An array type disk device according to the invention includes: a plurality of optical disk devices, wherein each of the plurality of optical disk devices records and reproduces information in and from an associated recording media; and controller configured to control the each of the plurality of optical disk devices to search for information relating to the associated recording media, respective, when causing the each of the plurality of optical disk devices to execute information processing of the associated recording media, wherein each associated media comprises information of a same volume or a same content, to determine information based on the searched information, and to cause the each of the plurality of optical disk devices to start a next operation based on the determined information.
According to the present invention, a control method for an array type disk device which includes a plurality of optical disk devices and which performs information processing on a plurality of recording media loaded in the plurality of optical disk devices, each optical disk device having a same volume or a same content, the method including; searching for information in each of the plurality of optical disk devices relating to the recording medium loaded in each of the plurality of the optical disk devices, respectively; determining information to be determined information from the searched information; and executing in each of the plurality of optical disk devices a next operation based on determined information.
Performance of a high-speed recording process and/or a reproduction process of information to a recording medium is possible. Moreover, performance of a precise recording process and/or a reproduction process of information to a recording medium is possible.
A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
The optical disk 60 is, for example, an additionally recordable recording medium, and is a so-called Low-To-High media which increases the reflectivity upon recording.
The optical disk 60 has a recordable region where the recording layer 61 is formed. As shown in the conceptual diagram of
The system read-in area includes a control data zone. The control data zone is a region that records disk production information as system information. The data read-in area is a management information region that records information (disk management information) indicating the recording state of data to the optical disk 60. The disk management information (hereinafter, referred to as management information) includes necessary contents for managing a recording and reproduction process of data, such as up to which address in the data area 63 data is recorded, whether or not additional recording of data is possible, and whether or not recorded data contains only necessary information (for example, whether or not data is recorded with dummy data).
When recording of information on the optical disk 60 or reproduction of information from the optical disk 60 is performed, the beam spot of laser light travels along the guide groove formed in the substrate 60a. Moreover, in the present embodiment, the optical disk 60 employs a physical format that is an in-groove format having a bit pitch of 0.15 μm and a track pitch of 0.40 μm.
The spindle driving system 21 causes the optical disk 60 to rotate at a predetermined rotating speed based on an instruction from the drive control device 30.
The optical head 22 irradiates the optical disk 60 with laser light when recording information in the optical disk 60 or when reproducing information from the optical disk 60. As an example, the optical head 22 includes a laser diode 22d that emits laser light with a wavelength of 405 nm or so, an objective lens 22a having a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.65 or so, a beam splitter 22b, an optical receiver 22c, and pre-amplifiers 22e and 22f. The optical head 22 causes the laser diode 22d to emit laser light, the beam splitter 22b to reflect the laser light, and the objective lens 22a to collect light to the recording layer 61 of the optical disk 60. Reflected light from the optical disk 60 enters in the optical receiver 22c through the objective lens 22a and the beam splitter 22b. When receiving laser light reflected from the optical disk 60, the optical receiver 22c outputs a reproduction signal (photoelectric conversion signal) depending on the intensity of the received laser light. The reproduction signal is output to the RF circuit 25 and the address detecting circuit 26, respectively, through respective pre-amplifiers 22e and 22f.
For example, the servo controller 23 drives the objective lens 22a to focus and track laser light coming into the optical disk 60 in accordance with an instruction from the drive control device 30. Hence, the beam spot of laser light is positioned on a desired track on the optical disk 60.
The modulator 28 modulates a recording signal supplied from the drive control device 30, and outputs the modulated signal as a writing signal to the LD driver 24 and the RF circuit 25. Note that a recording signal means a signal that is generated based on information to be recorded in the optical disk 60. Moreover, the writing signal means a signal containing a pattern row used for a recording to the optical disk 60.
The LD driver 24 drives the laser diode 22d based on a writing signal output by the modulator 28. The power of laser light emitted from the laser diode 22d is thus controlled.
The RF circuit 25 performs a process like filtering on a reproduction signal output by the pre-amplifier 22e of the optical head 22 in order to binarize the signal, and outputs a binary signal to the demodulator 29. Moreover, the RF circuit measures the quality of a reproduction signal, and outputs a signal including the measurement result to the drive control device 30. As shown in the block diagram of
A reproduction signal output by the pre-amplifier 22e of the optical head 22 is filtered by the pre-filter 25a, is subjected to an amplitude control by the AGC 25b, and is digitalized by the ADC 25c. The digitalized signal is subjected to extraction of a clock signal by the PLL 25d, is synchronized with a predetermined channel frequency, and is output to the adaptive equalizer 25e.
The adaptive equalizer 25e converts the signal output by the PLL 25d so as to have a characteristic similar to a desired PR (Partial Response) characteristic, and outputs the converted signal as an equalized reproduction signal to the discriminator 25f and the signal quality calculating circuit 25h. The adaptive equalizer 25e includes a finite impulse response (FIR: Finite Impulse Response) filter. The tap coefficient of the FIR filter is adaptively corrected in accordance with a least mean square (LMS: Least Mean Square) algorithm.
The discriminator 25f includes a Viterbi decoder, selects a path having the smallest Euclid distance to an equalized reproduction signal output by the adaptive equalizer 25e, and outputs a sign bit sequence corresponding to the selected path as a binary signal (an estimated pattern sequence). The binary signal is output to the demodulator 29 and the signal quality calculating circuit 25h, and is subjected to a feedback to the adaptive equalizer 25e.
The memory circuit 25g stores a writing signal output by the modulator 28, and outputs the stored writing signal to the signal quality calculating circuit 25h in accordance with an instruction from the drive control device 30.
The signal quality calculating circuit 25h calculates and generates information indicating a signal quality based on outputs by the adaptive equalizer 25e and the discriminator 25f and an output by the memory circuit 25g, and outputs such information. As shown in the block diagram of
The region determiner 25i compares the input equalized reproduction signal with a predetermined reference value, and determines whether or not the equalized reproduction signal includes information recorded in the optical disk 60. The region determiner outputs a signal including the determination result to the drive control device 30.
The format determiner 25j determines, using the binary signal, whether or not the signal output by the optical head 22 matches a data format defined-beforehand for each optical disk medium. The format determiner outputs a signal including the determination result to the drive control device 30. The data format defined beforehand is defined by, for example, presence/absence of a VFO region, the number of sectors, a frame interval and the number of frames, the number of sink signals in a sector, the total number of data (in the present example, data field is 77376 bites, 77469 bites in 1ECC block, or the like), the arrangement of data, a data ID, or the like.
The error-rate calculator 25k calculates an error rate as needed based on a writing signal stored in the memory circuit 25g or a binary signal output by the discriminator 25f. The error-rate calculator outputs a signal including the error rate to the drive control device 30.
Returning to
The address detecting circuit 26 performs a process like filtering on a reproduction signal output by the optical head 22 in order to detect address information, and outputs the address information to the drive control device 30.
The stepper 27 causes the optical head 22 to perform seeking in accordance with an instruction from the drive control device 30.
The drive control device 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The drive control device 30 adjusts parameters mainly related to recording and reproduction of information. Moreover, in accordance with an instruction from the main control device 10 to be discussed later, the drive control device 30 comprehensively controls the whole optical disk devices 20, such as controlling of, relative to the optical disk 60, reproduction of information, recording thereof, and response to various errors when those errors occur. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the drive control device 30 of each of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 interrupts the main control device 10, and outputs information including respective states of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 as needed.
As an example, the above-explained optical disk device 20 records information on the optical disk 60 and reads (reproduces) information from the optical disk 60 in a unit of 1 ECC (Error Correcting Code) block of 64 KB. Moreover, according to the format definition of the optical disk 60 of the present embodiment, for example, 1ECC block includes a VFO field, a data field, a post-amble field, a buffer field, and the like. Furthermore, the data field includes 32 sectors, and a sector includes 26 frames. Each sector includes a data ID (identifier) including a frame number, and the ID is simultaneously recorded when information (data) is recorded.
Moreover, the optical disk device 20 performs recording on the optical disk 60 using a modulation code which is so-called an ETM (8/12 modulation: Eight to Twelve Modulation). ETM has the shortest mark or shortest space which is 2 T (where T is a channel clock frequency) and is a type of (1-7) RLL coding (Run Length Limited Coding). When an input data sequence is a sequence of bit information of 1 and 0, a sequence of the same bit information is referred to as run (Run). (1-7) RLL coding is a modulation rule having the minimum run of 1 and the longest run of 7. According to the (1-7) RLL coding, the minimum mark or the minimum space becomes 2 T. Moreover, the longest mark or the longest space becomes 8 T.
Returning to
The accessor 40 takes out any one cartridge 51 from the holder 50 in accordance with an instruction from the main control device 10, and loads the four optical disks 601 to 604 held in the taken cartridge 51 into the optical disk devices 201 to 204, respectively. Moreover, the accessor 40 unloads the optical disks 601 to 604 to which a process like reproduction of information or recording thereof has been performed by the optical disk devices 201 to 204, respectively, retains the disks in the cartridge 51, and retains this cartridge 51 in the holder 50.
The main control device 10 includes a CPU, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) that stores a program run by the CPU, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that serves as a work area for the CPU, and the like.
When information to be recorded (hereinafter, referred to as recording data) is supplied from the host 120, the main control device 10 divides the recording data, and dividingly outputs the recording data to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204. Moreover, in response to a request from the host 120, the main control device 10 combines data output by respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 (hereinafter, referred to as reproduction data) and outputs the combined data to the host 120.
When recording information to be recorded in the optical disks 60 is supplied from the host 120, the main control device 10 outputs an instruction to optical disk devices 201 to 204 and the accessor 40 to prepare starting a recording (step S201). In response to this instruction, the accessor 40 conveys the optical disks 601 to 604 from a predetermined cartridge 51, (where 1≦i≦N) in the holder 50, and loads the optical disks 601 to 604 in respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 (step S202). Moreover, when the optical disks 601 to 604 are loaded in respective optical disk devices 201 to 204, respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 notify the main control device 10 of completion of the loading of the optical disks 601 to 604 (step S203).
Next, respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 execute reading of system information recorded in respective optical disks 601 to 604 loaded in respective optical disk devices (step S204). In this process, respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 drive respective steppers 27, thereby moving respective optical heads 22 to positions corresponding to the system read-in areas of respective optical disks 601 to 604. Next, disk production information are obtained from respective optical disks 601 to 604, and based on this information, information on the loaded optical disks 601 to 604, that is, the type of a disk and information on a manufacturer company is obtained. Based on the obtained system information, the drive control device 30 determines that, for example, the loaded optical disk is an additionally recordable optical disk which meets a standard A, and is a Low-To-High type medium where the recording mark has a higher reflectivity than that of the un-recorded region. Moreover control method, the drive control device 30 specifies the company name based on information on the manufacturer, and generates a parameter table relating to the medium. Generation of the parameter table is carried out based on the system information recorded in the optical disk.
The optical disk device 20 may store, for example, a plurality of parameter tables beforehand, and the drive control device 30 may select any one of the parameter tables in accordance with the type of loaded optical disk. Moreover, when the type of an optical disk to be loaded is limited beforehand, the process of determining the type of the optical disk and the process of specifying the manufacturer of the optical disk may be skipped. Furthermore, the process of determining the type of the optical disk and the process of specifying the manufacturer of the optical disk may be executed by the main control device 10. In this case, it is necessary for the drive control device 30 to output system information obtained from the optical disk device 20 to the main control device 10.
Next, respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 execute reading of the management information of respective optical disks 601 to 604 (step S205). In the present embodiment, reading of the management information is autonomously executed by the drive control devices 30 of respective optical disk devices 201 to 204, and not by an instruction from the main control device 10. As explained above, data are recorded in respective data areas 63 of the optical disks 601 to 604 loaded in respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 up to the address α. Hence, management information with the same contents are read from the optical disks 601 to 604, respectively. If management information different from other information are read from at least one of the optical disks 601 to 604, it is possible to determine that this optical disk has an abnormality.
Moreover, the management information may be stored in a memory device other than the optical disk. In this case, the main control device 10 or the drive control device 30 may read the management information from the memory device. Furthermore, instead of autonomous reading, the main control device 10 or the drive control device 30 may instruct a device having the memory device to transmit the management information. An example of such a recording device is a device including a non-volatile memory, or a hard disk drive.
Next, the drive control device 30 executes searching for a beginning position of a region where information can be additionally recorded in the data area 63 (step S206). In this process, the drive control device 30 detects the end address of the region where information is recorded, based on the read management information. Next, the optical head 22 is caused to perform seeking around the position corresponding to this address (hereinafter, referred to as a target position). This seeking is carried out by causing the optical head 22 to pass through the target position along the guide groove of the optical disk.
More specifically, the drive control device 30 roughly moves the optical head 22 to the target position by driving the stepper 27 having the driving position calibrated beforehand. Next, the address of the actual position (the current position) of the optical head 22 relative to the optical disk 60 is detected based on an output signal by the address detecting circuit 26. When the current position is far from the target position on some level, the optical head 22 is roughly moved based on the difference between the current position and the target position. Moreover, when the current position and the target position are close to each other, the optical head 22 is precisely moved. When the optical head 22 is precisely moved, for example, the drive control device 30 moves the optical head 22 while counting the number of traverses of the grooves formed in the optical disk 60. While the optical head 22 approaches the target position when precisely moving, the optical head 22 is positioned for each track on the tracks. Through the foregoing operation, the optical head 22 can be quickly moved to the vicinity of the target position.
Eventually, by causing the optical head 22 to perform tracing along the guide groove, the beginning position of the un-recorded region of the optical disk 60 is detected. The region determiner 25i is used for this detection. In the present embodiment, the tracing is started from the position of at least 4ECC blocks ahead of the address of the target position. How to move the optical head 22 as explained above is just an example, and other schemes may be employed.
The drive control device 30 always monitors an output signal by, for example, the region determiner 25i configuring the signal quality calculating circuit 25h shown in
When the beginning address is specified as explained above, for example, a verify operation may be performed which checks again that the specified beginning address corresponds to the boundary between the recorded region and the un-recorded region. In this case, the same operation including the seeking operation is repeated, thereby permitting the beginning address of the un-recorded region to be more precisely specified.
The processes from the step S203 to the step S207 are executed by all of the optical disk devices 201 to 204. When receiving the notification of the beginning address first from any one of the optical disk devices 201 to 204, the main control device 10 determines the beginning address notified first as the writing start address of the optical disks 60 loaded in all optical disk devices 20, to 204 without waiting for notifications of respective beginning addresses from the other optical disk devices 20 (step S208). The main control device 10 notifies optical disk devices 201 to 204 of this writing start address (step S209). While at the same time, the main control device 10 divides recording data supplied from the host 120, and outputs the divided recording data into respective optical disk devices 201 to 204.
Each of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 executes writing of the divided recording data from the notified writing start address (step S210). Next, upon completion of the writing of the recording data, the successive processes by the array type disk device 100 complete.
As explained above, according to the present embodiment, when any one of the plurality of optical disk devices 20 notifies the main control device 10 of a beginning address first, the main control device 10 determines this beginning address notified first as a writing start address without waiting for notifications of respective beginning addresses from the other optical disk devices 20. Next, the main control device 10 notifies each optical disk device 20 of the determined writing start address. Accordingly, even if there is a difference in the processing speed among the optical disk devices 20 and thus the searching time for a writing start address differs, all optical disk devices 20 start writing of information like the optical disk device 20 which is first to complete the searching for the beginning address. Hence, the high-speed writing can be realized as the whole array type disk device 100.
Next, an explanation will be given of a second embodiment of the present invention with reference to
The array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment has the equivalent hardware configuration to that of the array type disk device 100 of the first embodiment.
When receiving a notification of a beginning address first from any one of the optical disk devices 201 to 204, and receiving another notification of a beginning address from another optical disk device 20, the main control device 10 compares the two beginning addresses with each other. When the compared beginning addresses are consistent with each other, the main control device determines a writing start address based on those beginning addresses.
Conversely, when those two beginning addresses differ from each other, every time the third or following beginning address is notified, the main control device 10 compares the newly notified beginning address with the already-notified beginning addresses, and determines the newly notified beginning address as a writing start address based on a majority theory when the newly notified beginning address is consistent with any one of the already-notified beginning addresses. Hence, in comparison with a case in which a beginning address notified first is determined as a writing start address, the reliability of the determined location of the writing start address is improved.
When the newly notified beginning address is consistent with any one of the already-notified beginning addresses, the optical disk devices 20 may be caused to further search for a beginning address, and when at least equal to or greater than three beginning addresses notified are consistent one another, such an address may be determined as a writing start address. In this case, in comparison with a case in which a writing start address is determined based on the two beginning addresses, the reliability of the determined location of the writing start address is further improved.
As explained above, when the writing start address is determined in the step S208a, the main control device 10 notifies optical disk devices 201 to 204 of the writing start address (step S209). While at the same time, the main control device divides recording data from the host 120, and outputs divided recording data to optical disk devices 201 to 204, respectively.
Respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 execute writing of the divided recording data from the notified writing start address (step S210). Upon completion of the writing of the recording data, the successive processes by the array type disk device 100 are completed.
As explained above, according to the second embodiment, based on the plurality of beginning addresses notified from the optical disk devices 201 to 204, the writing start address is determined. Hence, in comparison with a case in which a beginning address notified first is determined as a writing start address, the reliability of the determined location of the writing start address is improved, and the possibility where a false address is determined as a writing start address is reduced.
When all of the beginning addresses notified from respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 differ from one another, the main control device 10 returns the process to the step S206, and repeats the processes from the step S206 to the step S208a until a writing start address is determined.
In this case, each drive control device 30 of the optical disk devices 201 to 204 may specify a beginning address based on an output signal by, for example, the format determiner 25j instead of specifying a beginning address based on an output signal by the region determiner 25i.
Moreover, a beginning address may be determined based on both output signal by the region determiner 25i and output signal by the format determiner 25j.
When the processes from the step S206 to the step S208a are repeated, information from each of the same optical disk devices 201 to 204 may be treated as information with mutually different contents. In this case, information may be managed as #1DATA, #2DATA, . . . , #nDATA in accordance with an order of a notification to the main control device 10.
For example, when the array type disk device 100 includes only two devices: an optical disk device #1; and an optical disk device #2, it can be configured such that the third information is re-notified information by either one of the optical disk devices.
When information notified from respective optical disk devices 20 to the main control device 10 are not consistent one another within a predetermined number of notifications of a beginning address or within a predetermined time, the main control device 10 may determine that the optical disk 60 is defective and may terminate all processes. In this case, the main control device may notify the host 120 of the defect of the optical disk 60.
Unlike hard disks, optical disks are used under a situation in which a recording surface is not sealed. Hence, dirt or dusts may adhere to the recording surface or a scratch may be formed thereon. Adhesion of the dirt, or the like, to the recording surface affects reflective light from the optical disk, and due to this effect, a false address may be specified in the above-explained searching for the beginning address. According to the second embodiment, however, since the plurality of beginning addresses are compared and a writing start address is determined, recording error due to a false recognition of the writing start address for information can be effectively reduced.
Next, an explanation will be given of a third embodiment of the present invention with reference to
The array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment has the equivalent hardware configuration to that of the array type disk device 100 of the first embodiment.
The main control device 10 outputs target positions which differ among the optical disk devices 201 to 204 to the optical disk devices 201 to 204, respectively (step S301). As an example, target positions #1, #2, #3, and #4 are notified to the optical disk devices 201, 202, 203, and 204, respectively.
More specifically, the target position #1 that is the origin of the target positions #1 to #4 is set to a location offset from a writing start position by a predetermined amount based on management information. The remaining target positions #2 to #4 are successively set so that the target position #3 for example is located at an un-recorded region side relative to the writing start position based on the management information.
When notified of the target positions #1 to #4 from the main control device 10, respectively, the drive control devices 30 of respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 execute tracing in the vicinity of the respective notified target positions along the guide groove. The drive control device 30 determines whether or not the traced position includes a recorded region, and notifies the main control device 10 of the determination result (step S302).
For example, as shown in
Next, the main control device 10 determines an actual boundary position between the recorded region and the un-recorded region based on the notified determination results from respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 (step S303). In this example, the main control device 10 determines that an actual boundary position is present between the target position #2 and the target position #3.
Next, the main control device 10 determines whether or not it is possible to specify the actual boundary position between the recorded region and the un-recorded region based on the determination result in the step S303 (step S304). The optical disk 60 has a unit of recording of data of 1ECC, which has a size of 0x20. Hence, when the difference between consecutive addresses of two target positions that confine the actual boundary position between the recorded region and the un-recorded region is 1ECC, the main control device 10 determines that specifying of the boundary position at those target positions is possible. When the difference is larger than 1ECC, the main control device 10 determines that specifying of the boundary position is not possible.
More specifically, for example, when the address of the target position #2 belonging to the recorded region is 0x450000, and the address of the target position #3 belonging to the un-recorded region is 0x450020, the main control device 10 determines that the boundary between the recorded region and the un-recorded region is present between the address 0x450000 and the address 0x450020. Moreover, the main control device 10 specifies that the beginning address of the un-recorded region is 0x450020.
Conversely, when the address of the target position #2 is, for example, 0x450000 and the address of the target position #3 is 0x452000, unambiguously specifying the address of the boundary between the recorded region and the un-recorded region is difficult (step S304: NO). In this case, the main control device 10 returns the process to the step S301, and outputs different target positions from the optical disk devices 201 to 204 to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 (step S301). In this case, the target positions #1 to #4 are set based on the determination result in the step S303. For example, as shown in
Hereinafter, the processes from the step S301 to the step S304 are repeated until the main control device 10 determines in the step S304 that specifying of the boundary position is possible.
When the main control device 10 determines that all target positions are the recorded regions, for example, the interval between the target positions is set to remain the same, and the whole target positions are shifted so that the target position #1 becomes the original target position #4.
When the main control device 10 determines that all target positions are un-recorded regions, for example, the interval between the target positions is set to remain the same, and the whole target positions are shifted so that the target position #4 becomes the original target position #1.
The processes from the step S301 to the step S304 are repeated in this fashion until the recorded region and the un-recorded region change at any one position from the target position #1 to the target position #4.
As another scheme, the target position #1 or the target position #4 may be fixed, the interval between the target positions may be increased, and the processes from the step S301 to the step S304 may be repeated until the recorded region and the un-recorded region change at any one position from the target position #1 to the target position #4.
The processes thereafter are similar to a case in which the boundary between the recorded region and the un-recorded region is present between the target position #2 and the target position #3.
When the main control device 10 determines in the step S304 that the boundary position can be specified (step S304: YES), the main control device 10 determines the next address to the actual boundary position between the recorded region and the un-recorded region, that is, the beginning address of the un-recorded region as a writing start address (step S305), and notifies the optical disk devices 201 to 204 of the determined writing start address (step S306). While at the same time, the main control device 10 divides recording data from the host 120, and outputs the divided recording data to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204.
Respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 execute writing of divided recording data from the notified writing start address (step S307). Upon completion of the writing of the recording data, the successive processes by the array type disk device 100 complete.
As explained above, according to the present embodiment, the main control device 10 notifies the optical disk devices 201 to 204 of different target positions, respectively. Respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 simultaneously perform tracing relative to respectively notified target positions (address positions) among the four target positions. By causing the plurality of optical disk devices 20 to share the tracing operation, tracing for a wide range can be executed within a short time, and as a result, the actual boundary position between the recorded region and the un-recorded region of the optical disk 60 can be quickly detected. As a result, the additional writing operation to the optical disk can be started rapidly.
This is especially effective when the target position (in the present embodiment, the target position #1) and the true boundary position are distant from each other because the boundary position determined based on management information and the actual boundary position are largely distant from each other, or when the searching range is wide. Moreover, the method explained in the present embodiment is especially effective when the difference in the performance among the optical disk devices is small or when the varying of the performance of the optical disk media is little.
Moreover, as shown in
Next, an explanation will be given of a fourth embodiment of the present invention with reference to
The array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment has the equivalent hardware configuration to that of the array type disk device 100 of the first embodiment.
Respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 20, to 204 execute reading of system information from respective loaded optical disks 60, to 604 upon receiving the instruction from the main control device 10 of reading the system information, and notify the main control device 10 of respective reading results (step S204).
At the time of giving an instruction of reading the system information, the main control device 10 notifies respective drive control devices 30 as a target address of an address where the system information is recorded. Respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 search, through respective drive control devices 30 which have received the notification, for corresponding information in the vicinity of the notified address, and perform reading.
When receiving a notification of system information from any one of the optical disk devices 20, to 204, the main control device 10 uses the system information notified first as the system information for respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 (step S402). Next, the main control device 10 instructs respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 to read management information (step S403).
Upon receiving the instruction from the main control device 10 of reading the management information, respective drive control devices 30 of the optical disk devices 20, to 204 execute reading of management information from respective loaded optical disks 601 to 604, and notify the main control device 10 of the reading results (step S205).
At the time of giving the instruction of reading the management information, the main control device 10 notifies respective drive control devices 30 as a target address of an address where the management information is recorded. Respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 search, through respective drive control devices 30 which have received the notification, for corresponding information in the vicinity of the notified address, and perform reading.
When receiving a notification of management information from any one of the optical disk devices 201 to 204, the main control device 10 uses the management information notified first as the management information for optical disk devices 20, to 204 (step S404). Next, the main control device 10 instructs respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 to search for the beginning addresses of un-recorded regions (step S405).
Thereafter, the processes from the step S206 to the step S210 explained in the first embodiment are successively executed.
The main control device 10 instructs reading of the management information in the step S403. The main control device 10 may notify respective optical disk devices 20, to 204 of respective target addresses relating to the reading of the management information in order to cause the optical disk devices 201 to 204 to perform distributed searching, and different regions on the optical disks 60 specified by individual target addresses may be searched for, respectively. The main control device 10 may decide a next operation (for example, reading of the management information and searching for the beginning address) based on the management information notified first.
Moreover, when system or management information from the plurality of optical disk devices 201 to 204 are consistent among at least some optical disk devices 20, the main control device 10 may output a next instruction based on such consistent information.
Next, an explanation will be given of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The explanation for the same components as that of the fourth embodiment or the equivalent thereto will be omitted and/or simplified in the present embodiment.
An array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment differs from the array type disk device 100 of the fourth embodiment in that the main control device 10 gives an instruction to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 based on information notified from respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 which autonomously operate. Upon obtaining of management information notified first among the management information notified by the optical disk devices 201 to 204, the main control device 10 determines that management information which can be obtained from other optical disk devices 20 are obtained. Next, using this information, the main control device 10 gives an instruction to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 to execute the next operation. That is, according to the array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment, respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 autonomously operate, so that the step S401 that is an instruction of reading system information, the step S403 that is an instruction of reading management information and the step S405 that is an instruction of searching for the beginning address of the un-recorded region are eliminated all of which are given from the main control device 10 to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204.
As explained above, according to the array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment, respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 autonomously operate. Hence, without giving an instruction of, for example, reading of management information ect. to respective optical disk devices 201 to 204, the main control device 10 determines the recording state of the optical disk 60 and the state of each device upon obtaining of desired information notified from any one of the optical disk devices 201 to 204, and gives an instruction for the next operation. Thus, according to the present invention, the process load of the main control device 10 is reduced, and the performance of the whole array type disk device 100 is improved. Moreover, according to the array type disk device 100 of the present embodiment, since the load is distributed, it is possible to cope with further various operations. In the present embodiment, like the second embodiment, the main control device 10 may determine that reading of management information completes when information from respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 are consistent among at least some optical disk devices 20.
In the above-explained respective embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which data is recorded beforehand in the optical disk 60, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and can be applied to a case in which recording and reproduction of information are performed on a new optical disk which records no data. In this case, the present invention is applied to the operation relating to the reproduction of system information and management information. For example, when no management information is recorded, the main control device 10 determines this state, and then outputs an instruction for the next operation. Examples of contents of the instruction for the next operation are recording of data and a calibration operation of correcting the state of the optical disk device.
In the above-explained respective embodiments, the region determiner 25i is used for a determination of a region where data is recorded and a region where no data is recorded, but the format determiner 25j may be used, or both region determiner 25i and format determiner 25j may be used for this purpose. In the latter case, in comparison with a case in which only the region determiner 25i performs determination, the determination precision improves.
In the above-explained respective embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which data are recorded in the optical disks 60 loaded in respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 up to the same address. However, the recording of data may not be completed up to the same address, such as, when a power supply, for example, is abruptly terminated because of a sudden disaster, or the like.
The array type disk devices 100 of the above-explained respective embodiments are based on a presumption that the same volume of data is recorded in each of the optical disks 60 loaded in respective optical disk devices 201 to 204. Hence, when the volume of data recorded in respective optical disks 60 is different among each other, it is inappropriate if the beginning position of the region where information is additionally recorded is searched for through the method explained in the above-explained embodiments. In this case, the main control device 10 may notify an upper-class host of the abnormality of the device. Moreover, the abnormality of the device may be indicated by ejecting the optical disk 60.
Moreover, in the above-explained embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which system information, management information, or the like, are individually notified to the main control device 10, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and information may be notified to the main control device 10 at the same time. In this case, the main control device 10 may re-construct base data using those information, distribute the base data and cause respective optical disk devices 201 to 204 to keep recording.
In the above-explained embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which data is additionally recorded, but the same effect can be obtained if the first, second, fourth and fifth embodiments are applied to a case in which data is reproduced. In this case, a reproduction start address is determined based on an output by the address detecting circuit 26, and regarding
Moreover, in the above-explained embodiments, as an example, the optical head 22 includes the laser diode 22d that emits laser light with a wavelength of 405 nm or so and the objective lens 22a with the numerical aperture (NA) of 0.65 or so, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The optical head 22 may be configured by a laser diode 22d with another wavelength and an objective lens 22a with another numerical aperture.
Moreover, in the above-explained embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which the optical disk 60 is a Low-To-High type additionally recordable medium, but the present invention is not limited to this case. The optical disk 60 may be a medium which is so-called a High-To-Low type that reduces the reflectivity than that of the un-recorded region when recoding information. Moreover, the optical disk 60 may be a rewritable recording medium.
The optical disk 60 has a substrate whose thickness is 0.6 mm or so, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the medium may have a substrate whose thickness is substantially 0.1 mm. Moreover, loading/unloading of optical disks to/from the plurality of optical disk devices may be performed at the same time or separately. For example, when four optical disks and four optical disk devices are used, even if the loading timing is different, information obtained first can be used and the next operation can be applied to the other optical disk devices.
According to the above-explained respective embodiments, the explanation was given of a case in which the array type disk device 100 includes the four optical disk devices, but the number of the optical disk devices is not limited to this number, and the array type disk device may include a plurality of optical disk devices.
Although the present invention was exemplarily explained as an optical disk device, the present invention is not limited to this type of device, and the same effect can be obtained if the present invention is applied to general disk devices.
The present invention can be changed and modified in various forms without departing from the broad scope and spirit of the present invention. The above-explained respective embodiments are for explaining the present invention, and are not for limiting the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope and spirit of the present invention are indicated by attached claims rather than the embodiments. Various modifications within the scope and spirit of the present invention and the equivalent thereto are included in the scope and spirit of the present invention.
20[0129] The present application claims a priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-011434 filed on Jan. 21, 2009 and including specification, claims, drawings and abstract. The entire disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference in this application.
The array type disk device and the control method for the same of the present invention can be utilized in order to execute high-speed and precise information processing on a plurality of optical disks.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009011434 | Jan 2009 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2010/050643 | 1/20/2010 | WO | 00 | 7/6/2011 |
