Non-volatile memory controlling apparatus and applications of the same to electronic computer peripheral equipment

• US 5,767,647 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Akiyama, Yoshiki, Inazawa, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/460,211
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 318/575, 318/576, 318/569, 318/9, 364/424.04, 364/431.11, 364/483, 364/478.01, 364/478.02, 364/478.03, 364/478.06, 364/478.07, 364/478.05, 364/478.16, 364/478.17, 360/78.04, 360/77.05, 395/185.01, 395/185.02, 365/189.01, 365/228
• US Class Current: 318/569
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3037 where the computing system component is a memory, e.g. virtual memory, cache accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures G06F12/00; checking stores for correct operation G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/68 Automatic cassette changing arrangements; automatic tape changing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/688 the cassettes being transferred to a fixed recorder or player using a moving carriage
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/22 from random access magazine of disc records
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/228 Control systems for magazines G11B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0838 with H-bridge circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/903 Protective, e.g. voltage or current limit

Abstract

A control apparatus for a non-volatile memory and applications of the control apparatus to electronic computer peripheral equipments are disclosed. For example, a NOVRAM (non-volatile static random access memory) is used as the non-volatile memory so that data of the status of the apparatus are stored into the non-volatile memory while the apparatus is operating in order to perform recovery of the apparatus quickly after a trouble such as turning off of the power or service interruption occurs.

Claims

1. A library apparatus comprising:

a reading and writing mechanism;

a cartridge charging/discharging mechanism for performing charging/discharging of a cartridge type recording medium;

a cartridge storage cell capable of accommodating a plurality of cartridge type recording media therein;

a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing data onto/from said cartridge type recording medium;

an accessor mechanism section for accessing said cartridge storage cell and said recording and reproducing apparatus said accessor mechanism section including a cartridge transport section for grasping and transporting said cartridge type recording medium;

an accessor control section for controlling said accessor mechanism section;

a sensor for detecting whether or not said cartridge type recording medium is grasped in said cartridge transport section;

a microprocessor unit including, a microprocessor section and a non-volatile memory section;

said non-volatile memory section having a program area and a reading and writing mechanism setting information area into and from which data can individually be written and read out concerning setting information of said reading and writing mechanism;

said data being capable of being read out from a microprogram of said program area and said microprocessor section and written into said setting information area or vice versa;

said accessor control section including said non-volatile memory section for storing therein cartridge information indicating whether or not a cartridge type recording medium is grasped in said accessor transport section, said accessor control section said at least one microprocessor unit for storing said cartridge information into said non-volatile memory section upon interruption of power from a power source, and said at least one microprocessor unit for comparing, in initial diagnosing processing after turning on of said power, said cartridge information stored in said non-volatile memory section and sensor information retrieved from said sensor and, when said cartridge information and said sensor information are inconsistent with each other, determining that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivering an error report to a host equipment.

2. A library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process executed by said at least one microprocessor unit detects an abnormal condition by:

writing cartridge information into said non-volatile memory section;

comparing said cartridge information read out from said non-volatile memory section with said sensor information; and

determining, when said cartridge information and said sensor information are inconsistent with each other, that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivering an error report to said host equipment.

3. A library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one microprocessor unit determines that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivers an error report to said host equipment when at least one of the following two conditions are met:

when said sensor information indicates that no cartridge type recording medium is present while said cartridge information indicates that a cartridge type recording medium is present in said cartridge transport section; and

when said sensor information indicates that a cartridge type recording medium is present while said cartridge information indicates that no cartridge is present in said cartridge transport section.

4. A library apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when said at least one microprocessor unit determines that said cartridge information is inconsistent with said sensor information and the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition, recovery processing of the library apparatus is inhibited, so as not to perform an operation of said accessor mechanism thereafter.

10. A library apparatus for a non-volatile memory according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit includes a monostable multivibrator which generates a single signal in response to a variation of a control signal supplied thereto from said voltage monitor means.

11. A library apparatus for a non-volatile memory according to claim 1, wherein said non-volatile memory is a non-volatile static random access memory, and said control circuit produces a recall signal and a store signal by which reading out and writing of data from and into said non-volatile static random access memory are controlled, respectively.

5. A library apparatus comprising:

a reading and writing mechanism;

a cartridge charging/discharging mechanism for performing charging/discharging of a cartridge type recording medium;

a cartridge storage cell capable of accommodating a plurality of cartridge type recording media therein;

a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing data onto/from said cartridge type recording medium;

an accessor mechanism section for accessing said cartridge storage cell and said recording and reproducing apparatus said accessor mechanism section including a cartridge transport section for grasping and transporting said cartridge type recording medium;

an accessor control section for controlling said accessor mechanism section;

a sensor for detecting whether or not said cartridge type recording medium is grasped in said cartridge transport section;

said accessor control section including said non-volatile memory section for storing therein cartridge information indicating whether or not said cartridge type recording medium is grasped in said accessor transport sections said accessor control section further including said at least one microprocessor unit for storing said cartridge information into said non-volatile memory section upon interruption of power from a power source, said at least one microprocessor unit comparing, in initial diagnosing processing after turning on of said power, the cartridge information stored in said non-volatile memory section and sensor information retrieved from said sensor and, when said cartridge information and said sensor information are inconsistent with each other, determining that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivering an error report to a host equipment; and

a microprocessor unit including, a microprocessor section and a non-volatile memory section;

said non-volatile memory section including a first non-volatile memory section having a program area and a second non-volatile memory section having a reading and writing mechanism setting information area;

data concerning setting information of said reading and writing mechanism being read out from and written into said setting information area by a microprogram of said program area and said microprocessor section.

6. A library apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the said at least one microprocessor unit detects an abnormal condition of said apparatus by:

writing cartridge information into said non-volatile memory section;

comparing said cartridge information read out from said non-volatile memory section with said sensor information; and

determining, when said cartridge information and said sensor information are inconsistent with each other, that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivering an error report to said host equipment.

7. A library apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said at least one microprocessor unit determines that the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition and delivers an error report to said host equipment when at least one of the following two conditions are met:

when said sensor information indicates that no cartridge type recording medium is present while said cartridge information indicates that a cartridge type recording medium is present in said cartridge transport section; and

when said sensor information indicates that a cartridge type recording medium is present while said cartridge information indicates that no cartridge is present in said cartridge transport section.

8. A library apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when said at least one microprocessor unit determines that said cartridge information is inconsistent with said sensor information and the library apparatus is in an abnormal condition, recovery processing of the library apparatus is inhibited, so as not to perform an operation of said accessor mechanism section thereafter.

9. A library apparatus having a control apparatus for a non-volatile memory into which apparatus status data are stored, said control apparatus comprising:

a control circuit for controlling said non-volatile memory;

voltage monitor means for receiving supply of an arbitrary voltage and for monitoring the voltage to discriminate whether or not it is a lowest voltage necessary for operation of a circuit controlling medium transport and/or data reading and writing operations in said library apparatus; and

voltage regulation means for receiving supply of another voltage higher than the arbitrary voltage and for generating a voltage equal to the arbitrary voltage from the voltage supplied thereto and supplying the voltage thus generated to said non-volatile memory;

said control circuit respectively executing reading out and writing of the apparatus status data from and into said non-volatile memory upon rise and drop of a power source voltage, respectively, said status information relation to said transport and/or data reading and writing operations;

said voltage regulation means supplying to said control circuit a voltage equal to the voltage supplied to said non-volatile memory;

said control circuit respectively generating a data reading signal and a data writing signal in response to a control signal from said voltage monitor means upon rise and drop of the power source voltage, respectively;

reading out and writing of said status data from and into said non-volatile memory being controlled by the data reading signal and the data writing signal, respectively, generated by said control circuit.

12. A library apparatus comprising:

a library medium reading and writing mechanism section; and

a library medium reading and writing control section;

said mechanism section including an apparatus type setting mechanism to which information of an apparatus type is set, said apparatus type information depending upon a type of head in said medium reading and writing mechanism section;

said apparatus type setting mechanism section including a shield plate, wherein said apparatus type information is written on said shield plate, said control section including a processor for executing various controls based on microprograms and for automatically discriminating the apparatus type by detecting the setting information of said apparatus type setting mechanism;

said control section further including a non-volatile memory into and from which data is written and read out by said processor, the automatically recognized apparatus type information being stored into said non-volatile memory.

13. A library apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said processor updates, when the apparatus type is automatically discriminated, apparatus type information previously stored in said non-volatile memory, and reads out the updated information of said non-volatile memory to automatically discriminate the apparatus type when the apparatus type cannot automatically be discriminated by detecting the setting information.