Storage Medium Storing Drive Configuration Setting Program

Abstract

A storage medium stores a set of program instructions including: acquiring a number of at least one virtual unit with which at least one of a plurality of storage units is associated, the number of at least one virtual unit being set smaller than a total number of the plurality of storage units; receiving, from an operating system, a first command that specifies one of the at least one virtual unit; registering, as an accessible storage unit, a single storage unit from among the at least one of the plurality of storage units that is associated with the one of the at least one virtual unit specified by the first command, the single storage unit being in condition for communicating data with a data processing device; and outputting, to a peripheral device, a second command that specifies the accessible storage unit based on the first command.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Illustrative aspects in accordance with the invention. will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an example of a multi-reader/writer as viewed from the front;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the multi-reader/writer as viewed from the rear;

FIG. 2 is a screenshot showing a sample window displaying the drive configuration on a personal computer connected to the multi-reader/writer via a USB cable;

FIG. 3 is a screenshot showing a sample window displaying the drive configuration on a personal computer connected to another multi-reader/writer;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating a multi-reader/writer and a personal computer executing a filter driver according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of the personal computer;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical structure of the multi-reader/writer;

FIG. 7A is a screenshot showing a sample LUN layout setting window;

FIG. 7B is a screenshot showing a sample drive configuration window displayed according to the LUN layout shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8 is a table conceptually illustrating an LUN map;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating data communication between the personal computer and the multi-reader/writer;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating data communication between the personal computer and multi-reader/writer when the user starts an LUN layout tool;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating steps in a GET_MAX_LUN reception process;

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating data communication between the personal computer and multi-reader/writer according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating steps in an Inquiry reception process;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the electrical structure of a multi-reader/writer used in a third embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating a personal computer and the multi-reader/writer according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram conceptually illustrating data communications between the personal computer and the multi-reader/writer;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating steps in a SCSI command reception process that the personal computer executes according to the filter driver; and

FIGS. 18A through 18C are explanatory diagrams showing sample LUN layout setting windows.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device that is configured to be connected to a peripheral device having a plurality of storage units, the data processing device having an operating system that manages the plurality of storage units, the set of program instructions comprising: acquiring a number of at least one virtual unit with which at least one of the plurality of storage units is associated, the number of at least one virtual unit being set smaller than a total number of the plurality of storage units;receiving, from the operating system, a first command that specifies one of the at least one virtual unit;registering, as an accessible storage unit, a single storage unit from among the at least one of the plurality of storage units that is associated with the one of the at least one virtual unit specified by the first command, the single storage unit being in condition for communicating data with the data processing device; andoutputting, to the peripheral device, a second command that specifies the accessible storage unit based on the first command.

2. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the set of program instructions further comprises: determining whether the accessible storage unit has already been registered in the registering instruction; anddetecting the single storage unit when it is determined in the determining instruction that the accessible storage unit has not been registered; andwherein the registering instruction includes registering, as the accessible storage unit, the single storage unit detected in the detecting instruction.

3. The storage medium according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral device accepts a plurality of types of media capable of storing data, each of the plurality of types of media being assigned to one of the plurality of storage units; and wherein the detecting instruction includes detecting, as the single storage unit, a storage unit in which an assigned media is mounted.

4. The storage medium according to claim 3, wherein the peripheral device includes at least one internal medium that is provided nondetachably in the peripheral device, and at least one slot in which an external medium can be detachably mounted; wherein the plurality of storage units is assigned to respective ones of both the at least one internal medium and the at least one slot; andwherein the detecting instruction includes detecting a first storage unit that is assigned to the at least one slot before detecting a second storage unit that is assigned to the at least one internal medium.

5. The storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the detecting instruction includes detecting the single storage unit when a prescribed time has elapsed after the second storage unit has been registered as the accessible storage unit in the registering instruction; and wherein the registering instruction includes registering the first storage unit as the accessible storage unit when the first storage unit has been detected as the single storage unit in the detecting instruction.

6. The storage medium according to claim 4, wherein the set of program instructions further comprises canceling registration of the accessible storage unit when the external medium assigned to the accessible storage unit has been removed from the at least one slot.

7. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the set of program instructions further comprises: inputting a desired number of at least one virtual unit through an operating unit that is operated by a user;receiving, from the operating system, a third command that requests the total number of the plurality of storage units; andreturning, to the operating system, the desired number of at least one virtual unit inputted through the operating unit as a response to the third command.

8. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the operating system displays the at least one virtual unit on a display unit; and wherein, when one of the at least one virtual unit displayed on the display unit is specified by a user, the operating system issues the first command that specifies the one of the at least one virtual unit specified by the user.

9. A method for managing a peripheral device having a plurality of storage units and connected to a data processing device, the method comprising: acquiring a number of at least one virtual unit with which at least one of the plurality of storage units is associated, the number of at least one virtual unit being set smaller than a total number of the plurality of storage units;receiving, from an operating system stored in the data processing device, a first command that specifies one of the at least one virtual unit;registering, as an accessible storage unit, a single storage unit from among the at least one of the plurality of storage units that is associated with the one of the at least one virtual unit specified by the first command, the single storage unit being in condition for communicating data with the data processing device; andoutputting, to the peripheral device, a second command that specifies the accessible storage unit based on the first command.