Recording medium control method and recording medium adapter

• US 6,970,317 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Tatsuya, Takayama, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, KIN C
• Application Number:
  US10/297,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 360/69, 360/71, 340/10.1, 340/572.8, 342/42, 710/264, 710/106, 713/168, 235/487, 235/383, 700/214
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/07 on containers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/68 Automatic cassette changing arrangements; automatic tape changing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6875 wherein the recorder or player is moved towards a selected cassette in the magazine
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/22 from random access magazine of disc records
• 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 2220/655 Memory in cassette [MIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/087 using two different reels or cores
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/08714 Auxiliary features sensing such features G11B15/06
• 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 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

This invention provides a recording medium supportable device such as a library device (50), which authenticates each recording medium by identification information such as serial number and controls the recording medium by a command based on radio communication. In this case, a communication identifier like a session identifier corresponding to the identification number is set and provided and the communication identifier is included in a command at the time of execution of control, so that only a specified recording medium to be controlled carries out an operation corresponding to the command. When authenticating the recording medium, the identification information, which is proper information such as serial number, is confirmed through reliable communication using successive communication identifiers, and reliable authentication of the recording medium is carried out by several stages of communication.

Claims

1. A recording medium controlling method which is carried out by a recording medium supportable device having interface means capable of, with respect to a recording medium having memory means for storing identification information proper to the recording medium and communication means for executing non-contact data transfer with respect to the memory means, non-contact data transfer to/from the memory means by enabling execution of radio communication to/from the communication means, the method comprising:

an authentication step of sequentially communicating with the recording medium by using successive communication identifiers, thus confirming the identification information stored in the memory means of the recording medium and authenticating the recording medium;

a communication identifier provision step of setting a communication identifier for the recording medium authenticated at the authentication step and providing the communication identifier for the memory means of the recording medium; and

a control step of specifying the recording medium by a command including the communication identifier and carrying out operation control of the memory means of the recording medium,

wherein at the authentication step, the identification information is confirmed by n stages of communication using first to n-th successive communication identifiers, and

wherein the communication identifier provided for the memory means further comprises a communication identifier reset step of resetting to an initial value at the communication identifier provision step.

2. The recording medium controlling method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at the control step, the recording medium is specified by a write or read command including the communication identifier and data transfer is carried out as data writing to or data reading from the memory means of the recording medium.

3. The recording medium controlling method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication carried out between the recording medium supportable device and the recording medium at the authentication step, the communication identifier provision step and the control step is executed in accordance with a command from the recording medium supportable device and an acknowledgment from the recording medium in response to the command.

4. A recording medium supportable device which supports a recording medium having memory means for storing identification information proper to the recording medium and communication means for carrying out non-contact data transfer with respect to the memory means, the device comprising:

interface means capable of carrying out non-contact data transfer to/from the memory means by executing radio communication to/from the communication means;

authentication means for causing the interface means to execute communication with the recording medium by using successive communication identifiers, thus confirming the identification information stored in the memory means of the recording medium and authenticating the recording medium;

communication identifier setting means for setting a communication identifier for the recording medium authenticated by the authentication means and causing the interface means to write the communication identifier to the memory means of the recording medium;

control means for specifying the recording medium by causing the interface means to output a command including the communication identifier, and carrying out operation control of the memory means of the recording medium; and

communication identifier reset means for causing the interface means to output a command for resetting the communication identifier to an initial value, thus resetting to the initial value the communication identifier written in the memory means by the communication identifier setting means,

wherein the authentication means confirms the identification information by causing execution of n stages of communication between the interface means and the recording medium using first to n-th successive communication identifiers.

5. The recording medium supportable device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control means specifies the recording medium by causing the interface means to output a write or read command including the communication identifier and causes execution of data transfer as data writing to or data reading from the memory means of the recording medium.

6. The recording medium supportable device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the communication carried out between the interface means and the recording medium is executed in accordance with a command from the interface means and an acknowledgment from the recording medium in response to the command.