JPH0476142B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] In a semiconductor file device, when power to a semiconductor memory constituting the semiconductor file device is cut off,
Previously, data stored in semiconductor memory was evacuated to an evacuation mechanism such as a microdisk, and the evacuated data was restored in its original format when the power was turned on. Depending on the situation, you can perform detailed management and management of saved data by configuring it to be restored in multiple restoration formats.
Enables restoration.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a semiconductor file device that can be accessed at high speed from a central processing unit constituting an information processing system.

Semiconductor file devices, which have recently come to be used as external storage devices for information processing systems, use semiconductor memory for their storage elements, making them more mechanically efficient than conventional magnetic disk devices, for example. It has become possible to achieve access speeds several tens of times faster than file devices with this mechanism.

However, on the other hand, semiconductor memory used in semiconductor file devices is usually a volatile element, and in order to make this a file device with data non-volatility, the data on the memory element must be saved before the device power is turned off. For example, it is necessary to save the data to a nonvolatile storage element (or device) corresponding to a microdisk or the like.

In this state, nonvolatile generation of data is guaranteed while the device power is turned off, and data is restored from the nonvolatile storage element (or device) onto the memory element when the power is turned on again.

It is said that it is important to perform data restoration in such a semiconductor file device in a detailed manner depending on the state at the time of saving in order to use the semiconductor file device efficiently.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram illustrating a conventional example.
FIG. 6 shows an overview of the configuration of an information processing system that performs data input/output processing, and the configuration consists of data input/output commands to semiconductor file devices 3 connected to each of a plurality of channels 2 based on a program, etc. a central processing unit 1 that issues and processes instructions; a channel 2 that instructs a plurality of semiconductor file devices 3 under its control to execute instructions in response to instructions issued from the central processing unit 1; The semiconductor file device 3 is configured to include a semiconductor file device 3, etc., which executes data input/output processing based on instructions.

Further, the semiconductor file device 3 is connected to the central processing unit 1.
Alternatively, it is controlled from channel 2 as if it were a single file device similar to a magnetic disk device, etc., and its configuration is as follows:
It is comprised of an input/output control device 4 that controls the exchange of data and signals with the information processing system, and a plurality of semiconductor memory elements corresponding to the storage capacity required for the information processing system, and stores data according to a predetermined recording format. Consisting of a readable/writable semiconductor memory device 5 and, for example, a microdisk (MD),
When the power supplied to the semiconductor memory device 5 etc. is cut off, the data stored in the semiconductor memory device 5 is saved, the data is guaranteed while the power is cut off, and the semiconductor memory device 5 is saved when the power is turned on again. At the top, there is a data save/restore unit 6 having a function of restoring the data, and a power cutoff signal a from a power supply device (not shown).
and a power-off/on control section 7 which sends control signals regarding power-off/on to each of the functional blocks 4 to 6 in the device in response to a power-on signal b.

Semiconductor file device 3 configured as above
When the normal power-on signal b is input, the power-off/on control unit 7 notifies each of them that the power-on is complete and that processing can be started using signals c to e.

As a result, the input/output control device 4 reports completion of preparation to the upper channel 2 and receives a processing command from the channel 2.

Next, when the channel 2 issues a data write processing command to the semiconductor file device 3 based on a command from the central processing unit 1, the contents of the processing command (that is, the write processing command) and the storage location of the semiconductor file device 5 are transmitted. The address and data to be stored are transferred to the input/output control device 4.

Based on the information transferred from the channel 2, the input/output control device 4 controls the writing process of the transfer data to the designated address of the semiconductor file device 5.

During such processing, if the power is turned off (POWEWR Off) for some reason, a notification from the power-off/on control unit 7 based on the power-off signal a is sent to the input/output control device using signals c to e. 4 and the data save/restore unit 6 receive the data.

As a result, the data save/restore unit 6 executes a process to save data stored in the semiconductor file device 5 (data save process) under the control of the input/output control device 4.

That is, the data save/restore unit 6 transfers all data stored in the semiconductor file device 5 to the signal line f.
Save (SAVE) processing within a predetermined time through
The data is retained during power-off.

Next, in response to the power-on signal b, the data save/restore unit 6 executes data restoration processing (restore processing) to the semiconductor file device 5 under the control of the input/output control device 4.

That is, the saved data is transferred to the semiconductor file device 5 while being saved in the data save/restore unit 6, and is restored onto the semiconductor file device 5.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, when restoring the data saved in the data evacuation/restoration unit 6 onto the semiconductor file device 5, the data is restored in the same state as it was saved. The data has been written to the file device 5, and it is completely unclear what kind of save state it was in.

Therefore, the data restored on the semiconductor file device 5 is read and the state of the data at the time of saving is known as a result of predetermined processing, which becomes a factor that reduces the processing efficiency of the information processing system. Ta.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating the principle of the invention.

The present invention shown in FIG.
Read/read data according to a predetermined recording format
A semiconductor file device comprising a semiconductor memory device 5 for writing, and a data saving mechanism 6 for guaranteeing non-volatility of stored data while the semiconductor memory device 5 is powered off, the semiconductor file device comprising: As the status information when the data is saved to the data saving mechanism 6, there is a current area where the status information at the time of the current saving process is stored in a non-volatile manner, and a previous area where the status information at the time of the previous process is stored in a non-volatile manner. and a control storage means 80 for controlling processing at the time of restoring the data according to status information of the current area and the previous area, and writes "no save data" in the current area when the power is turned on. Afterwards, data is accessed to the semiconductor memory device 5, and when the power to the semiconductor memory device 5 is turned off, the data is saved in the current area and the previous area before starting to save the data to the data save mechanism 6. ” is written, and when the data is completely saved, the current area and previous area are rewritten as “evacuation complete”, and when the data is interrupted in the middle of saving, the current area and previous area are changed to “evacuation interrupted”. If the data is not saved at all, the current area and the previous area are left with the state information at the time of power-on, and when data is restored by power-on, the control storage means 80 is If "evacuation complete completion" is written in the current area and previous area, the data saved in the data evacuation mechanism 6 is restored to the semiconductor memory device 5, and "evacuation interruption complete" is written. If the current area "no save data" is written in the current area, the host device is configured to notify the state of the current area to the host device.

[Effect]

Status information when the data save/restore unit saves data in the semiconductor memory device, i.e. display of valid/invalid data due to an error in each address, whether there is no saved data at the time of saving, or whether the save ended due to interruption. It is restored in various restoration forms depending on the current state and whether the save has been completely completed.

In this way, efficient processing of the information processing system is enabled by fine-grained restoration processing according to the status information at the time of save data processing.

〔Example〕

The gist of the present invention will be specifically explained below with reference to embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the state information storage situation in the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining state information in the example of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 shows diagrams each illustrating state transitions associated with power-off/power-on in the embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

The control storage unit 80 in this embodiment includes an error list unit 80a and an MD status unit 80b, and is further equipped with a power source (such as a dry battery) that guarantees the non-volatility of these data even when the power is turned off. It is configured.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the error list section 80a has a management flag area j and an address area k.
Validity/invalidity of data is displayed for each address of the semiconductor memory device 5 in a management flag area j.

On the other hand, the MD status section 80b is the current
It has an MD status area m and a previous MD status area n, and the current MD status area m displays the current state of data on the data save/restore unit 6 among the state information defined in FIG. , the previous MD status area n displays the previous state of data on the data save/restore unit 6.

That is, if the data save processing to the data save/restore unit 6 is started due to a power cut, the result is as follows.
A local error in the semiconductor memory device 5 is stored in the current MD status area m and previous MD status area n of the MD status section 80b, and the error address is stored in the error list section 80b.
Store it in a.

The triggers for data save/restore processing in this embodiment include the following. That is, to save data to the data evacuation/restoration unit 6, the power off/on control unit 7 receives a power off signal a from, for example, an external power supply device (not shown), and transmits this through the signal line d. The process is started by notifying the data saving/restoring unit 6.

Further, the data list processing is started by similarly receiving the power-on signal b by the power-off/on control section 7 and notifying it to the data saving/restoring section 6 through the signal line d.

The states of the semiconductor memory device 5 based on the results of the data save/list processing described above can be broadly classified into two states.

In other words, when the power is turned off, the evacuated save data is valid, and there are (1) a save complete state, and (2) a save with error state (a state where the save data contains an error), and the save data is In the case of invalidity, there are (3) save invalid suspended state, (4) no save data state, etc.

On the other hand, the ready states of the semiconductor memory device 5 when the power is turned on include (5) fully ready state, (6) ready with data error state, and (7) ready with device check state (hereinafter referred to as ready with EQC state).
etc.

As described above, the state of the semiconductor memory device 5 when the power is turned off and when the power is turned on (strictly speaking, the state of each semiconductor memory element constituting the semiconductor memory device 5) is stored in the control storage section 80.

The status information stored in the MD status section 80b during data save processing is defined as shown in FIG. 4 and is stored under set and reset conditions. For example, taking the state (4) with no save data shown in FIG. 4A as an example, it is defined as follows.

In other words, this indicates that no saving was performed when the power was turned off. Therefore, the data in the data save/restore unit 6 is of an old generation.

The conditions for setting this state are that when the data restoration at power-on is complete or complete with some data errors, the power is turned on in non-save mode (NON SAVE MODE).
ON), “CE
For example, when you press "CE RE SET".

Further, as an example of the state of the semiconductor memory device 5 when the power is turned on, the fully ready state (5) shown in FIG. 4B is as follows.

In other words, non-save mode (NON SAVE
MODE), and data restoration is performed after the initialization is completed.If data restoration is completed correctly after startup in save mode (SAVE MODE), press "CE RESET" from the Ready with EQC state. ,
Data restoration is performed when initialization is completed.

Based on the above-mentioned states, FIG. 5 shows a state transition state of data restoration processing in the semiconductor memory device 5 from the state at power off (power off) to the state at power on (power on) (this is referred to as the power on sequence). ) and a state transition situation (this is referred to as a power-off sequence) from the storage processing state in the semiconductor memory device 5 to the power-off state in the power-on state.

In addition, the MD in the Power Off state in the figure
The upper row of the STATUS (MD status) section 80b is the current MD status information m, and the lower row is the previous one.
MD status area n is shown.

For example, if the Power Off state (shown in the middle of Figure 5) during the Power On sequence, that is, the MD STATUS section 80b is in the complete save state, the Power On Restore (in the Power On sequence) As a result of the Power On Restore) process, the ready state of the ready device 5 of the semiconductor memory device 5 becomes either a completely ready state or a ready with EQC state.

Also, power off sequence (Power Off sequence)
When the semiconductor memory device 5 is in the ready state (Power
(on state) is completely ready state and MD
If STATUS (MD status) section 80b indicates no save data, save mode (SAVE MODE)
The save process is performed, and the STATUS (MD status) section 80b stores any one of the save interruption end state, the save complete end state, and the save with error state.

Through the processing described above, data can be restored in various restoration forms depending on the state of each storage element at the time of power-off.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention as described above, from the viewpoint of data integrity of the information processing subsystem, there is an effect that the subsystem can be operated more efficiently and in a more detailed manner.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram explaining the principle of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram explaining an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the state information storage situation in the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the state information in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the power supply turning off/on in the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a block diagram explaining the conventional example.
are shown respectively. In the figure, 1 is a central processing unit, 2 is a channel, 3 and 30 are semiconductor file devices, 4 is an input/output control device, 5 is a semiconductor memory device, 6 is a data save/restore section, and 7 is a power cut/on control section. , 80 is a control storage section, 80a is an error list section, and 80b is a control storage section.
The MD status section is shown respectively.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A semiconductor memory device 5 that reads/writes data according to a predetermined recording format by arbitrarily specifying location information (address) from a host device, and A semiconductor file device comprising a data evacuation mechanism 6 for guaranteeing non-volatility of stored data during power-off of the semiconductor memory device 5, wherein the data is evacuated to the data evacuation mechanism 6. The current state information includes a current area that stores non-volatile state information at the time of the current save process, and a previous area that stores non-volatile state information at the time of previous processing, and the state of the current area and previous area. A control storage means 80 is provided to control the processing at the time of restoring the data according to the information, and when the power is turned on, after writing "no save data" in the current area, accessing the data to the semiconductor memory device 5 is disabled. When the power to the semiconductor memory device 5 is turned off, "Evacuation interruption end" is written in the current area and the previous area in the data evacuation mechanism 6 before the data evacuation starts, so that the data is completely evacuated. When the data has been saved, the current area and previous area are rewritten to "Evacuation Completely Completed", and when the data is interrupted in the middle of saving, the current area and previous area are left as "Evacuation Interrupted Completed", and further the data is saved. When the current area and the previous area are not performed at all, the current area and the previous area remain as the state information at the time the power was turned on, and when data is restored by turning the power on again, the control storage means 80 performs a "complete evacuation" in the current area and the previous area. If “end” is written, the data saved in the data saving mechanism 6 is restored to the semiconductor memory device 5, and “saving interruption ends”.
2. A semiconductor file device, characterized in that when the current area is written with "no save data" written in the current area, the state is notified to the host device.