Memory device and recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing this memory device

• US 20060282446A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kaoru, Onodera, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/08 from or to individual record carriers, e.g. punched card , memory card, integrated circuit [IC] card or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

The present invention provides a memory card (1) using a write-once memory IC (17), such as PROM. In this memory IC (17), an entity data recording area, where the entity data of a file is recorded, and a management data recording area, where management data for supervising the recorded files in accordance with a hierarchical director structure is recorded, are formed at the outset. In the management data recording area, a file entry specifying the files recorded in the memory card (1), a root entry specifying the uppermost order director in the hierarchical directory structure and a sub-entry specifying sub directories in the hierarchical directory structure, are recorded as management data in association with the files, root directory and the sub-directories generated, respectively.

Claims

1. A write-once memory device having a recording medium on which data can be written only once on the bit basis and which includes an entity data recording area where entity data of a file is recorded and a management data recording area where management data for the write-once format for supervising said files in accordance with a hierarchical directory structure is recorded, wherein

a file entry, specifying a file recorded on a recording medium, a root entry for specifying the uppermost order directory in the hierarchical directory structure and a sub-entry for specifying a sub-directory in the hierarchical directory structure, are recorded in the management data recording area, in association with the file, root directory and the sub-directory generated, respectively;

the name of the file specified, the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry specifying a parent directory of said file and the information for identifying a recorded position of the entity data of said file(s) are included in the file entry;

the name of the sub-directory specified and the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry specifying a parent directory of the sub-directory are included in the sub-entry;

the physical format of said entity data recording area is identified with the physical format of an effective area of a recording medium of a rewritable memory device capable of re-writing data a plural number of times and having the effective area and a reserve area for data substitution, said effective area being an area where entity data is recorded; and

wherein

the physical format of said management data recording area is identified with the physical format of said reserve area in said rewritable memory device.

2. The write-once memory device according to claim 1 wherein said entity data recording area and the management data recording area are each divided into blocks each being a predetermined data unit which is the same as the data unit of the physical format of the effective area and the reserve area of said rewritable memory device.

3. The write-once memory device according to claim 2 wherein

a file allocation table, a root directory and a sub-directory of the same format as that of the file management data of said rewritable recording medium are recorded in said entity data recording area or the management data recording area;

said file allocation table states a connection sequence of said blocks;

said root directory states an entry which is the information stating the names of the files and the sub-directories arranged in the uppermost order directory in the hierarchical directory structure and the recording positions of entity data of the sub-directories; and

wherein

said sub-directories state the entries for the files in the sub-directories and the sub-directories.

4. The write-once memory device according to claim 3 wherein the physical format of the effective area and the reserve area of said rewritable memory device is divided into blocks each being a predetermined data unit, each block having a physical block number set therefor;

and wherein

the entity data recording area and the management data recording area are divided into blocks, which are the same as those of the rewritable memory device, and in each of which the same physical block number as that of the rewritable memory device is set.

5. The write-once memory device according to claim 4 wherein the physical address is recorded in each block of the entity data recording area.

6. The write-once memory device according to claim 5 wherein only entity data of one file are recorded in one block of said entity data recording area and wherein entity data of one file is recorded in one or more blocks formed by consecutive logical addresses.

7. The write-once memory device according to claim 6 wherein said block is formed by a plurality of pages each being of a predetermined data volume.

8. The write-once memory device according to claim 7 wherein

one root entry, a sub-entry and a file entry are recorded on one page;

a management address is set for each page of said management data recording area; and

wherein

said management address is included in said sub-entry and said file entry as the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry of the parent directory.

9. The write-once memory device according to claim 8 wherein

the root entry, sub-entry and the file entry are consecutively recorded from one of the lower order side and the upper order side of the management addresses.

10. The write-once memory device according to claim 9 wherein

the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, initially recorded on a recording medium, are recorded in said entity data recording area, and wherein the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, recorded updated, are recorded in the management data recording area.

11. The write-once memory device according to claim 10 wherein

the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, initially recorded on a recording medium, recorded updated, are consecutively recorded from one of the upper order side and the lower order side of the management addresses opposite to the side from which the management data for the write-once format is recorded.

12. The write-once memory device according to claim 11 wherein the logical address of the block where the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory yet to be updated are recorded is recorded in a block of a management data recording area where said file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory are recorded updated.

13. The write-once memory device according to claim 12 wherein an area for recording a block status flag indicating the fact of deletion of the entity data recorded in the block is provided in each block of the entity data recording area and the management data recording area.

14. The write-once memory device according to claim 13 wherein a session anchor indicating the fact of updating is recorded in the management data recording area next to the management data for the write-once format.

15. The write-once memory device according to claim 14 wherein at least two pages of the session anchor are recorded.

16. The write-once memory device according to claim 1 wherein said recording medium is a write-once non-volatile semiconductor memory.

17. A file management method for a write-once recording medium on which data can be written only once on the bit basis, comprising:

dividing a recording area of said write-once recording medium into an entity data recording area for recording entity data of files and a management data recording area for recording management data for the write-once format supervising the recorded files in accordance with a hierarchical directory structure, and supervising the so divided data recording area;

recording a file entry, specifying a file recorded on said recording medium, a root entry for specifying the uppermost order directory in the hierarchical directory structure and a sub-entry for specifying a sub-directory in the hierarchical directory structure, as management data for the write-once format, in the management data recording area, in association with the file, root directory and the sub-directory generated;

including the name of the file specified, the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry specifying a parent directory of said file and the information for identifying a recorded position of the entity data of the file, in said file entry; and

including the name of the sub-directory specified and the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry specifying the parent directory of the sub-directory, in said sub-entry;

supervising said entity data recording area as being of the same physical format as the physical format of an effective area of a rewritable recording medium capable of rewriting data a plural number of times, said effective area being an area where entity data are recorded, said rewritable recording medium having a reserve area for data substitution in addition to said effective area; and

supervising said management data recording area as being of the same physical format as that of said reserve area in said rewritable recording medium.

18. The file management method according to claim 17 wherein said entity data recording area and the management data recording area are divided into blocks each being of the same predetermined data unit as that of the physical format of said effective area and the reserve area of said rewritable recording medium.

19. The file management method according to claim 18 wherein a file allocation table, a root directory and a sub-directory of the same format as that of the file management data of said rewritable recording medium are recorded in said entity data recording area or the management data recording area;

the connection sequence of said blocks is stated in said file allocation table;

an entry which is the information stating the names of the files and sub-directories arranged in an uppermost order directory in the hierarchical directory structure and the recording positions of the entity data of the respective files and the sub-directories is stated in said root directory; and

wherein

the entries of the files and the sub-directories arranged in the sub-directories are stated in the sub-directories.

20. The file management method according to claim 18 wherein

a hierarchical directory structure of files identified by management data for the write-once format recorded in the management data recording area and the root directory as well as the sub-directories supervising the files by the same hierarchical directory structure are recorded in the entity data recording area or in the management data recording area;

and wherein

a file allocation table stating the connection sequence of the blocks identified by the management data for the write-once format recorded in the management data recording area is also recorded in the entity data recording area or in the management data recording area.

21. The file management method according to claim 20 wherein

a logical address is recorded in each block of said entity data recording area to supervise each block.

22. The file management method according to claim 21 wherein entity data of only one file is recorded in one block of said entity data recording area and wherein entity data of one file is recorded in one or more blocks formed by consecutive logical addresses.

23. The file management method according to claim 22 wherein said block is formed by and supervised as a plurality of pages each being of a predetermined data volume.

24. The file management method according to claim 23 wherein one root entry, a sub-entry and a file entry are recorded on one page, a management address is set for each page of said management data recording area, and wherein said management address is included in said sub-entry and said file entry as the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry of the parent directory.

25. The file management method according to claim 23 wherein

the root entry, sub-entry and the file entry are consecutively recorded from one of the lower order side and the upper order side of the management addresses.

26. The file management method according to claim 25 wherein

the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, initially recorded on a write-once recording medium, are recorded in said entity data recording area, and wherein the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, recorded updated, are recorded in the management data recording area.

27. The file management method according to claim 26 wherein

the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, recorded updated, are consecutively recorded from one of the upper order side and the lower order side of the management addresses opposite to the side from which the management data for the write-once format is recorded.

28. The file management method according to claim 27 wherein the logical address of the block where the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory yet to be updated are recorded is recorded in a block where said file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory are recorded updated.

29. The file management method according to claim 28 wherein a block status flag indicating the fact of deletion of the entity data recorded in a block where the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory yet to be updated are recorded, is recorded in said block.

30. The file management method according to claim 29 wherein, when a file is updated, a session anchor indicating the fact of updating the file is recorded in the management data recording area next to the management data for the write-once format.

31. The file management method according to claim 30 wherein at least two pages of the session anchor are recorded.

32. The file management method according to claim 17 wherein said recording medium is a write-once non-volatile semiconductor memory.

33. A recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a recording and/or reproducing unit for recording and/or reproducing a file recorded on a one-time memory device including a recording medium capable of re-writing data on the bit basis, said recording medium having an entity data recording area for recording entity data of the file(s) and a recording area for management data for a write-once format for recording management data supervising the files in accordance with a hierarchical directory structure;

said recording and/or reproducing unit recording a file entry for specifying a file recorded on said recording medium, a root entry specifying an uppermost order directory in the hierarchical directory structure and a sub-entry specifying a sub-directory in the hierarchical directory structure, as said management data for the write-once format, in association with the file, root directory and the sub-directory generated, respectively, in said management data recording area;

including the name of the file specified, the information identifying the root entry or the sub-directory specifying a parent directory of said file and the information identifying the recording position of entity data of said file, in said file entry;

including the name of the sub-directory specified and the information identifying the root entry or the sub-directory specifying a parent directory of said sub-directory, in said sub-entry;

supervising said entity data recording area by identifying the physical format of said entity data recording area with the physical format of an effective area of a rewritable memory device capable of re-writing data a plurality of number of times, said rewritable memory device having said effective area and a reserve area for data substitution, said effective area being an area where entity data is recorded; and

supervising said management data by identifying the physical format of said management data recording area with the physical format of said reserve area in said rewritable memory device.

34. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 33 wherein said recording and/or reproducing unit divides the entity data recording area and the management data recording area into blocks, each being a predetermined data unit which is the same as the data unit of the physical format of the effective area and the reserve area of said rewritable recording medium, and supervises the so divided entity data recording area and the management data recording area.

35. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 34 wherein said recording and/or reproducing unit records a file allocation table, a root directory and a sub-directory of the same format as that of the file management data of the rewritable recording medium, in said entity data recording area or in the management data recording area;

states the connection sequence of said blocks in said file allocation table;

states an entry, which is the information stating the names of files and sub-directories arranged in an uppermost order directory in a hierarchical directory structure and the recording positions of entity data of each file and each sub-directory, in said root directory; and

states an entry of the files and the sub-directories, arranged in said sub-directory, in said sub-directory.

36. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 34 wherein said recording and/or reproducing unit records, in said entity data recording area or in said management data recording area, the hierarchical directory structure of a file identified by management data for the write-once format, recorded in said management data recording area, and said root directory and the sub-directory supervising the files by the same hierarchical directory structure;

said recording and/or reproducing unit also recording, in said entity data recording area or in said management data recording area, a file allocation table stating the connection sequence of blocks identified by the management data for the write-once format recorded in said management data recording area.

37. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 36 wherein

a logical address is recorded in each block of said entity data recording area.

38. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 37 wherein

said recording and/or reproducing unit records only entity data of one file in one block of said entity data recording area and records entity data of one file in one or more blocks formed by consecutive logical addresses.

39. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said block is formed by a plurality of pages each being of a predetermined data volume.

40. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 39 wherein

a management address is set in each page of said management data recording area;

said recording and/or reproducing unit recording one root entry, a sub-entry and a file entry in one page; and

wherein

said management address is included in said file entry and the sub-entry as the information identifying the root entry or the sub-entry of a parent directory.

41. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 39 wherein

said recording and/or reproducing unit consecutively records the root directory, sub-directory and the file entry from one of the upper order side and the lower order side of the management addresses.

42. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 41 wherein

the recording and/or reproducing unit records the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, initially recorded on a write-once recording medium, in said entity data recording area, and wherein the recording and/or reproducing unit records the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, recorded updated, in the management data recording area.

43. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 42 wherein

the recording and/or reproducing unit consecutively records the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory, recorded updated, from one of the upper order side and the lower order side of the management addresses opposite to the side from which the management data for the write-once format is recorded.

44. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 43 wherein

the recording and/or reproducing unit records the logical address of the block where the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory yet to be updated, are recorded, in a block where said file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory are recorded updated.

45. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 44 wherein the recording and/or reproducing unit records a block status flag indicating the fact of deletion of the entity data recorded in a block where the file allocation table, root directory and the sub-directory yet to be updated are recorded.

46. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 45 wherein, when the file allocation table, root directory or the sub-directory is updated, the recording and/or reproducing unit records a session anchor indicating the fact of updating in the management data recording area next to the management data for the write-once format.

47. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 46 wherein at least two pages of the session anchor are recorded.

48. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 33 wherein said recording medium is a write-once non-volatile semiconductor memory.