JP4342288B2 - Drive device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drive device such as an optical disk playback device.

  An optical disk reproducing device used as an external device of a personal computer is composed of a drive motor that rotates an optical disk, a mechanism such as an optical pickup, and an electronic circuit that operates the mechanism.

  The electronic circuit is constructed by a control unit having a microcomputer as a main part, and as a method for updating the firmware in which the operation content of the microcomputer is recorded without a host computer, an update recording medium in which the update content is recorded The firmware update is performed on the optical disc reproducing apparatus to be updated, and the update recording medium is ejected after the firmware update, so that the update process is completed without performing the firmware update again after the reset.

When the firmware is updated without a host computer as described above , the optical disk playback device itself diagnoses the operating function of the optical disk playback device without the host computer and confirms that the firmware has been updated correctly after the firmware update. It is necessary to.
JP 2002-116732 A

  However, in such a firmware update method, the update recording medium is ejected after the firmware update, so that the firmware update is not performed again after the reset. Two recording media are required, including a diagnostic recording medium for self-diagnosis.

  Further, in the conventional self-diagnosis method, the self-diagnosis firmware recorded on the diagnostic recording medium is added to the main body firmware that seems to have been updated of the optical disk playback device. When calling a function, it is also necessary to change the function entry address called by the self-diagnostic firmware when the main body firmware is changed and the function entry address is changed.

  In addition, since the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis firmware is an execution type load module, it is not possible to determine what kind of diagnosis the medium performs by simply reading the recording medium. There is a problem that even if it is recorded on a recording medium, it is not noticed until it is actually executed.

The present invention is a drive device receiving the firmware update, simply by setting a single recording medium, and an object thereof is to provide a drive apparatus for diagnosing a firmware update and the drive device can be continuously performed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drive device comprising: a storage unit that stores firmware that operates the device; an identifier that indicates an update state of the firmware; and update data that is recorded on the medium by accessing the mounted medium And a control unit for diagnosing the operation function of the device, the control unit for updating firmware and drive device operation function diagnosis on the mounted medium When it is determined that the program is recorded and the identifier is the first predetermined value, the firmware is updated using the update firmware recorded on the medium, and the identifier is changed to the second predetermined value. Then, the drive device is restarted without ejecting the mounted medium, and the update firmware and the drive device are added to the mounted medium. When the operation function diagnosis program is recorded and the identifier is the second predetermined value, the operation diagnosis of the drive device is performed using the operation function diagnosis program of the drive device recorded on the medium. And the identifier is changed to the first predetermined value, and the loaded medium is ejected .

Drive device of the present invention, without connecting the host computer and the drive device, using a recording medium that summarizes the operation function diagnosis program firmware and the drive device for the update to one, firmware only the drive device The update and the operation function diagnosis of the drive device can be continuously performed, and the reset can be performed even during the operation function diagnosis of the drive device .

The self-firmware updating method of the present invention will be described below based on specific embodiments.
1 and 2 show an external perspective view and a configuration of a drive device to which the present invention is applied.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes an optical disk reproducing device as a drive device that receives firmware update, 2 denotes a recording medium on which firmware to be updated and a self-diagnosis program are recorded, and 3 denotes a power source necessary for operating the optical disk reproducing device 1 independently.

The optical disc playback apparatus 1 is configured as shown in FIG.
The recording medium 2 is driven by the motor M, and the digital information recorded on the recording medium 2 is read by the optical pickup 5, demodulated by the EFM demodulator 6, and sent to the signal processor 7.

  The signal processor 7 performs the first error correction based on CIRC and sends it to the decoder 8. The decoder 8 performs second error correction based on the ECC. During normal operation, the error-corrected data is transferred to an externally connected host computer through the interface controller 9.

  These controls are performed using a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11 based on a control program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12 is connected to an EFM demodulator 6, a signal. This is executed by instructing the processing unit 7, the decoder 8, and the interface controller 9.

  Here, in the ROM 10, a loader program 10a for downloading firmware, a firmware 10b for the optical disc playback apparatus 1 to perform normal operation, and a firmware update for reading and interpreting and processing self-firmware update and self-diagnosis procedures A diagnostic program 10c and a function entry table 10d are stored.

A procedure for updating the firmware 10b of the optical disc reproducing apparatus 1 using the recording medium 2 without connecting to the host computer will be described with reference to a flowchart.
FIG. 3 shows the first half of this flowchart, and FIG. 4 shows the second half.

First, conditions for shifting to the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis mode will be described.
When the optical disk playback apparatus 1 is turned on and the recording medium 2 is loaded into the optical disk playback apparatus 1, it is detected in step S1 that the recording medium 2 is loaded, and the process proceeds to the spin-up operation in step S2.

  In step S3, it is determined whether the recording medium detected in step S1 is the recording medium 2 on which the firmware to be updated and the self-diagnosis program are recorded, or other optical discs. Specifically, in the case of a CD medium in which a program for self-firmware update and self-diagnosis is recorded, specific data is recorded in the subcodes R to W of the LEAD-IN area for self-firmware update and self-diagnosis. In the case of a DVD medium on which a program is recorded, specific data is recorded by a SendDVDStructure command of the ATAPI command or the like.

  When a self-firmware update and self-diagnosis CD medium or DVD medium is loaded, the optical disk playback device reads user data when performing a spin-up operation, and identifies the disk as a self-firmware update and self-diagnosis disk.

  In this way, when it is recognized in step S3 that the set is the recording medium 2 for self-firmware update and self-diagnosis, the self-diagnosis index is read in step S4, and in step S3, If it is recognized that the recording medium 2 is not used for self-firmware update and self-diagnosis, the flow proceeds to the end of FIG. 4 (step S00) via the branch A and ends as it is, and the operation as a normal optical disk drive is performed.

  The self-diagnosis index may be anywhere in an area that does not disappear even when the power is turned off, and may be in an unused area such as the loader program 10a, firmware 10b, firmware update diagnosis program 10c, function entry table 10d.

  In step S4, the self-diagnosis index recorded in the readable / writable nonvolatile recording memory indicating which self-diagnosis is to be executed is referred to. If 0, firmware and self-diagnosis procedure are read from the recording medium 2 in step S5. If the self-diagnosis index is 1 or more, the process proceeds to step S12 in FIG.

  In step S6 following step S5, it is confirmed whether or not the reading is normally completed. If the reading is normally completed, steps S7 and S8 are executed to store the self-diagnosis procedure in a readable / writable nonvolatile recording memory, and the firmware is stored. Write. Next, in step S9, it is determined whether the writing is normally completed. If the writing is normally completed, “self-diagnosis index = 1” is stored in the nonvolatile recording memory in step S10, and reset is performed in step S11.

  At the time of restart after the firmware update in step S8 is normally completed and reset in step S11, “self-diagnosis index = 1” is set in step S10 before resetting in step S11. After step S4, step S12 is executed, and the firmware update routine of steps S5 to S11 is not executed.

  When “self-diagnosis index = 1” is detected in step S12, the first self-diagnosis is executed in step S13, the result of step S13 is determined in step S14, and in the case of normal termination of the first self-diagnosis, In step S15, the self-diagnosis index is incremented and the second self-diagnosis and its normal end determination are executed in the same manner as in steps S13 to S15. And the self-diagnosis is repeated until step S18.

  If it is determined that all diagnoses are normal through steps S13 to S18, “self-diagnosis index = 0” is set in step S19, the recording medium 2 is ejected in step S20, and all in step S21. In step S22, the normal end is declared and the end of step S00 is executed.

If it is determined in step S21 that the diagnosis is abnormal, an abnormal end is announced in step S23, and the end of step S00 is executed.
If it is determined that there is an abnormality in steps S6, S9, S14,..., An abnormal end is announced in step S23 through steps S19, S20, S21, and the end of step S00 is executed.

  In this embodiment, the CPU 12, the ROM 10 and the RAM 11 are set by operating the EFM demodulation control unit 6, the signal processing control unit 7, the decoder control unit 8, and the host interface control unit 9 according to the built-in firmware. The control unit is configured to access the recording medium 2 and read at least data.

  In the above embodiment, the identification information is recorded in the subcodes R to W of the LEAD-IN area of the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis CD medium, or ATAPI if the medium is a DVD medium, as a condition for shifting to step S4. Recording specific data by the command SendDVDStructure command is merely an example, and it may be discriminated from the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis disk by other methods.

  In the above-described embodiment, it is preferable to add and save the state of the optical disc playback apparatus 1 before the medium replacement or immediately before the reset. Specifically, the self-diagnosis index is saved when it is necessary to update the timing (before resetting or before DISC replacement), that is, at any of steps S4, S10, S15, and S18.

  Specifically, the “normal expression” and “abnormal expression” described above, for example, eject the tray on which the recording medium 2 is placed to notify the user when the operation ends normally. When the operation ends abnormally, the tray is not ejected but stopped while the tray is loaded, and the user is notified. As another example, during normal use, an access lamp that is generally provided to light up when accessing the optical disk set in the tray is lit at normal end and flashes rapidly at abnormal end. The state can be expressed by making it. Furthermore, it is possible to notify more clearly by combining the operation of the tray and the display state of the access lamp.

  In addition, when implementing the present invention, it is useless to have the same process separately between object modules having different main firmware and self-firmware update and self-diagnosis procedures. You may want to use it directly. In this case, since the self-firmware update / self-diagnosis procedure and the main unit firmware are separate object modules, the function entry address of the processing desired to be used by the main unit firmware is normally specified and called from the self-firmware update / self-diagnosis procedure. .

  However, when the main unit firmware is changed, if the function entry address of the process to be used is moved, the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis procedures need to be changed in accordance with the main unit firmware. In order to avoid this, a function entry table 10d associating a function entry name with a function entry address is prepared on the main body firmware side, and a function entry name is designated instead of a function entry address from the self-firmware update and self-diagnosis procedures. Thus, even if the function entry address is changed due to the change of the main body firmware, it is not necessary to change the function entry self-firmware update and the self-diagnosis procedure.

  In each of the above embodiments, the optical disk reproducing apparatus has been described as the drive apparatus. However, all of the recording / reproducing apparatuses that reproduce information using various recording media, such as an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus, a magnetic disk apparatus, and a magnetic tape apparatus. It is applicable to.

  The present invention provides an operation for independently updating firmware installed in a recording / reproducing apparatus that reproduces information using various recording media such as an optical disk reproducing apparatus, an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus, a magnetic disk apparatus, and a magnetic tape apparatus. Can improve.

External perspective view of the drive device of the present invention Configuration diagram of the device Flow chart of the first half of processing related to firmware update of the same device Flow chart of the latter half of the processing related to firmware update of the same device

Explanation of symbols

1 Optical disk playback device (drive device)
2 Recording Medium 3 Power Supply 5 Optical Pickup 6 EFM Demodulation Control Unit 7 Signal Processing Control Unit 8 Decoder Control Unit 9 Host Interface Control Unit 10 ROM (Read Only Memory)
10a Loader program 10b Firmware 10c Firmware update diagnostic program 10d Function entry table 11 RAM (random access memory)
12 CPU (Central Processing Unit)

Claims (1)

A storage unit for storing firmware for operating the apparatus, and an identifier indicating an update state of the firmware;
A drive device comprising: a controller that accesses an installed medium and updates the firmware using update data recorded on the medium, and that diagnoses an operation function of the device;
The controller is
If it is determined that the update firmware and the drive function diagnostic program for the drive device are recorded on the loaded medium, and the identifier is the first predetermined value, the update medium recorded on the medium is recorded. Updating the firmware using the firmware, and restarting the drive device without changing the identifier to a second predetermined value and ejecting the mounted medium,
When it is determined that the firmware for update and the program for diagnosing the operating function of the drive device are recorded on the mounted medium, and the identifier is the second predetermined value, the drive recorded on the medium A drive device characterized in that an operation diagnosis of the drive device is performed using an operation function diagnosis program of the device, the identifier is changed to the first predetermined value, and the mounted medium is ejected.

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