Apparatus and method for digital data management

20 1 3 1 54 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIGITAL DATA MANAGFM~NT Backqround of the Invention The present invention relates generally to apparatus and method for file management of a large amount of information, such as pictures, audio and the other data, to enable an editing operation.

In recent years, an information processing system has been used for the processing of digital audio data, digital moving picture data, and the like, to meet the requirement that the mass data can be managed as a file on a computer for editing at high speed.

In this case it is especially important to provide apparatus and methods for managing the data in a processable form at high speed, and such developments are much in demand.

To enable the prior art to be described with the aid of a diagram the figures of the drawings will first be listed.

Brief Description of the Drawinqs Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating digital data management according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between information in management means and information in storage means;

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a file editing method according to the present invention;

Figs. 4(a) and (b) are diagrams illustrating management blocks of one embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 5(a) and (b) are diagrams illustrating management blocks of another embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of operational flow of regulation in the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing another example of the flow of regulation of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating conventional apparatus and method for digital data management; and Fig. 9 is a diagram for the apparatus of Fig. 8 showing the relationship between information in management means and information stored in storage means.

Further Backqround of the Invention In the conventional arrangement of Fig. 8, numeral 21 is B~ 2 2 0 1 3 1 5 4 a memory means for storing data, numeral 22 is an input-output means for inputting and outputting the data into the memory means 21, and numeral 23 is a management means for managing the data on the memory means 21 through the input-output means 22.

Numeral 24 within the management means 23 is a data management means for dividing the areas on the storage means 21 into a plurality of blocks of constant size to manage them, and numeral 25 is a block management means for managing a plurality of blocks as one file.

The data management means 24 manages the continued areas on the storage means 21 as a block.

The block management means 25 obtains information about the storage location and so on on the storage means 21 of the respective blocks from the data management means 24, and manages the logical concatenation information and so on so that one file can be configured with one or more blocks.

When an access operation is effected into one file to output it, the management means 23 first refers to the block concatenation information for each of the files that the block management means 25 is managing.

The location information on the storage means 21 of the respective blocks is then obtained from the data management means 24 to drive the input-output means 22 to obtain sequential access into the respective blocks on the storage means 21, so that the data of each block configuring the file from the storage means 21 can be sequentially outputted.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the management information that the data management means 23 has and the data of the storage means 21.

The operation of the management means 23 will be described with reference to Fig.

9, in which numeral 21 is a storage means for storing the data, numeral 22 is a system memory for storing the information for effecting the data management, numeral 23 shows one file in the storage means 21, with one file 23 being composed of data blocks of 23a, 23b and 23c.

Numeral 24 is a data block address storage part in the system memory 22 to store the address on the storage means 21 of the data blocks ~.

20 ~ 3 1 54 23a, 23b, 23c configuring the file 23. The block management - means 25 obtains the address as storage location information of the data blocks 23a through 23c from the data management means 24 - and respectively stores them on elements 24a, 24b, 24c constituting the data block address storage part 24.

The management means 23 reads respectively from the elements 24a, 24b, 24c the address in the storage means 23 of the data blocks 23a, 23b, 23c configuring the file 23 from the data block address storage part 24 on the system memory 22. The management means 23 can manage the file 23 by accessing the memory means 21 in accordance with the read address information, the number information and the sequential information thereof.

Editing of the file will now be described by way of an example of the deletion of the data block from the file. When the data block 23b is deleted from the file 23, the management means 23 deletes the element 24b with the address of the data block 23b stored on it from the data block address storage part 24, so as to write the address of the data block 23 to be stored in the 24c onto the element 24b. The data block 23b is deleted from the file 23 by these steps.

But in this method, all has to be rewritten in the worst case after editing has generated the elements 24a, 24b, 24c constituting the data block address storage part 24 during the editing operation of the file. As the number of data blocks constituting the file 23 increases, this represents an adverse influence on the processing speed of the system, so that editing of the mass file cannot be carried out at high speed.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to provide a method for digital data management, that is adapted to file and manage on the computer the mass data required to be processed without interruption at the input, output operation at high speed.

In accomplishing this and other objects, the present invention comprises a data management method comprising the computer implemented steps of: managing, using data management means, each of a plurality of logically adjacent storage areas of a storing means respectively constituting a plurality of data ~' 20 1 3 1 54 blocks by storing addresses of the data blocks in plural respective data block address storage parts of a block order storage part; managing, using block management means, at least one data block as a data file based on concatenation information of the at least one data block according to addresses stored in the block order storage part, and storing address information of the block order storage part containing the data block address storage parts and a number of the data block address storage parts of the block order storage part in a block order address storage part; and reading, using management means, the address information of the block order storage part containing the data block address storage parts and the number of the data block address storage parts of the block order storage part stored in the block order address storage part, accessing the block order storage part in accordance with the thus read information to obtain an address of a data block of the storing means, and accessing data in the storing means via an input-output means in accordance with the thus read address of the data block.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention there is provided a data management method comprising the computer implemented steps of: managing, using data management means, each of a plurality of logically ad~acent storage areas of a storing means respectively constituting a plurality of data blocks by storing addresses of the data blocks in plural respective data block address storage parts of a block order storage parti managing, using block management means, at least one data block as a data file based on concatenation information of the at least one data block according to addresses stored in the block order storage part, and storing address information of the block order storage part containing the data block address storage parts and a number of the data block address storage parts of the block order storage part in a block order address storage part; and editing, using management means, one of said data of the storing means by rewriting an address of the data block address storage parts of the block order storage part corresponding to said one data block to be stored in the block order storage part and the number of data block address storage parts of the block order storage part stored in the block order address storage part.

5 2 0 1 3 t 54 As a result, it becomes possible to provide a method for digital data management that is adapted to manage on the computer as a file the mass data required to be processed without interruption at the input-output operation, thus effecting the processing operation at high speed and with ease.

As described herein, apparatus and method for digital data management makes it possible to input and output the data without interruption into a constant value of a proper size.

Since the existence of a free area is allowed within the block, the data management means manages the increase and decrease of the data caused by the editing of the file, such changes being easily absorbed simply by a change in one portion of the file.

This makes it possible to process even mass data at high speed without a requirement for the regular data rearrangement.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment of the Invention In the embodiment of the present invention shown in Fig. 1, numeral 1 is the storage means, numeral 2 is the input-output means, numeral 3 is the management means for managing the data on the storage means 1 through the input-output means 2.

Numeral 4 is the data management means for managing the data on the storage means 1 as a plurality of blocks of a constant size, numeral 5 is the block management means for managing a plurality of blocks as one file, and numeral 6 is a regulation means that is adapted to receive information from the data management means 4 and from the block management means 5, and to move the input-output means 2 to move the data of the logically contiguous blocks.

In Fig. 2, numeral 11 is the storage means, numeral 12 is the system memory for storing the information, where the management means 3 manages the data as a file, numeral 13 shows one file in the storage means 11 with the file 13 being composed of the data blocks 13a, 13b and 13c.

Numeral 14 is a block order storage part located in the system memory 12, in which part the block management means 5 stores the order on the storage means 11 of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c.

~ D 20t31~4 Numerals 14a, 14b, 14c are data block address storage parts in which the data management means 4 stores the addresses on the storage means 11 of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c. Numeral 15 is a block order address storage part in which the block management means 5 stores the addresses on the memory 12 of the block order storage part 14 and the number of the data block order address of the storage part 14.

The management means 3 first reads the addresses in the system memory 12 of the block order storage part 14 and the number of the data block address storage parts constituting the block order storage part 14 from the block order address storage part 15 through the block management means 5. The block order storage part 14 is then accessed in accordance with the address of the read block order storage part 14, so as to read the addresses of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c in the storage means 11 from the data block address storage parts 14a, 14b, 14c within the block order storage part 14.

The order of the data block configuring the file 13 is equal to the order of the data block address storage parts 14a, 14b, 14c stored in the block order storage part 14.

In this manner, the system can know the addresses on the storage means 11 of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c and the order of the data block constituting the file 13, and can manage the file 13 on the storage means 11.

A method of editing a block unit of digital data will now be described.

Fig. 3 shows a diagram after the deleting and editing operations have been effected, to illustrate a method of editing the digital data as a file.

In Fig. 3, numerals 11 through 15 refer to the same parts as in Fig. 2.

Numeral 15a is a first element of the block order address storage part 15, numeral 15b is a second element of the block order address storage part 15, and numeral 15c is a third element of the block order address storage part 15.

The explanation will be effected by way of an example in which the data block 13b is deleted from the file 13.

In order to delete the data block 13b from the file 13, 7 201 31 54 the number of the data block address storage parts in the block order storage part 14 stored in the first element 15a of the block order address storage part 15 is first changed into one from three. The address on the memory 12 of the data block address storage part 14 with the address of the data block 13c being stored in it is then stored in the second element 15b of the block order storage part 15, and the number of the data block address storage parts is also stored as one.

The deleting edition is then complete.

The accessing operation into the file with the editing being completed in this manner is performed as follows.

First, the management means 3 reads the first address in the system memory 12 of the block order storage part 14 and the number of the first data block address storage parts constituting the block order storage part 14 from the first element 15a of the block order address storage part 15 through the block management means 5. The management means 3 also reads the second address in the system memory 12 of the block order memory part 14 and the number of the second data block address storage part constituting the block order storage part 14 from the second element 15b of the block order address storage part 15 through the block management means 5.

Then, in accordance with the first address of the read block order storage part 14, the block order storage part 14 is accessed through the block management means 5, and reads the address of the data block 13a in the storage means 11 from the data block address storage part 14a within the block order storage part 14. Further, in accordance with the second address of the read block order storage part 14, the block order storage part 14 is accessed through the block management means 5, and reads the address of the data block 13c in the storage means 11 from the data block address storage part 14c within the block order storage part 14. The order of the data block configuring the file 13 is equal to the order of the data block address storage part to be read from the block order address storage part 15 and the block order storage part 14.

f r ~, .' 20 1 3 1 54 In this manner, the management means 3 can know the address on the storage means 11 of the data blocks 13a, 13c configuring the file 13, and the order of the data block configuring the file 13, and can manage the file 13 after the deleting and editing operations have been effected on the storage means 11.

A method of managing the data by a much smaller unit than the block unit managed by the data management means 4 will now be described.

Fig. 4 shows a diagram of a plurality of blocks configuring one portion of the file on the storage means 1 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4(a) numerals 31 through 34 and in Fig. 4(b) numerals 35 through 37 respectively show discrete blocks arranged in the storage means 1. They are logically contiguous so as to configure one portion of the file. Each block is divided in its interior into a plurality of areas, the portions shaded as in numerals 38 through 41 showing the data storage areas with the data stored therein. The portions shown blank as in numerals 42 through 45 are empty areas with no data stored therein. Numeral 46 shows the size of the data storage area, in which the regulation means 6 effects a regulating operation into a constant value.

Fig. 5 shows another diagram of a plurality of blocks configuring one portion of the file on the storage means 1 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5(a) numerals 51 through 54 and in Fig. 5(b) numerals 55 through 57 are blocks each arranged discretely in the storage means 1, and contiguous logically to constitute one portion of the file. The interior of the block is divided into a plurality of records. The area shaded as in numeral 58 indicates a record stored therein, and the areas shown blank as in numeral 59 signifies an empty record. Numeral 60 shows the number of the data storage record in which the regulation means 6 effects a regulating operation into a constant value.

Operation of the described data management apparatus and method will now be described in accordance with Fig. 1 and - 9 2013154 Fig. 4.

The data management means 4 within the management means 3 manages the continued areas in the storage means 1 as a block, with one portion being conceptually shown as blocks 31 through 37.

The data management means 4 further divides the interior of the block logically into the data storage area and the free area. The block 31 shows an example where the block interior is divided into a storage area 38 with data being stored therein and a free area 42 with no data stored therein. In this diagram, although the data storage area starts from the head of the block, it can start from the halfway point of the block. Also, a plurality of data storage areas and free areas can exist within the block. Also, the size of the free area can be zero.

The block management means 5 obtains from the data management means 4 information on the position and so on in the storage means 1 of the respective block, and manages the logical concatenation information and so on to configure one file from one or more blocks.

Fig. 6 shows an example of an operational flow chart of the regulation means 6.

The regulation means 6 receives the information about the size of the data storage area of the optional block from the data management means 4 (Step S1). If the size of the data management area of the block is smaller than a constant value (Step S2), the information of the contiguous block configuring the file is obtained from the block management mea~ 5, and the information about the size of the data storage area and the free area of the contiguous blocks from the data management means 4. Thereafter, the regulation means 6 drives the inputoutput means 2 so that one portion or all the portions of the data can be moved into the block from the contiguous blocks to regulate the size of the data storage area within the block into a constant value.

Now, assume that the size of the block is 16 k byte and the constant value of the size of the data storage area within 20 1 3 1 54 ~ 10 the block the regulation means 6 tries to regulate is set to 12 k byte.

Fig. 4 (a) shows the condition where a block in which the size of the data storage area is less than the constant value has been brought about by the change in the S file.

The size of the data storage area of the block 31 is 4 k byte, the size of the data storage area of the block 32 is 14 k byte, the size of the data storage area of the block 33 is 12 k byte, and the size of the data storage area of the block 34 is 12 k byte.

Since the data storage area of the block 31 is 4 k byte and is less than the established constant value, the regulation means 6 obtains the information about the block after the logically contiguous block 32 from the data management means 4 and the block management means 5.

The regulation means 6 adds the size of the data storage area of the contiguous block, and sequentially examines the contiguous blocks until the conditions where the addition results become larger than the multiple of the established constant value and smaller than the multiple of the block size.

In the example shown in Fig. 4, the addition results of the size of the data storage area when the examination is effected as far as the block 33 satisfy the conditions of becoming 4 k + 14 k + 12 k = 30 k, being larger than 12 k x 2 = 24 k, and smaller than 16 k x 2 = 32 k.

The regulation means 6 moves the data of 11 k bytes from block 32 to block 31 so as to constitute the block 35.

Also, the data of 12 k byte is moved from block 33 to block 32 to constitute the block 36.

Change is not required after block 34.

In this manner, the regulation means 6 changes the plurality of blocks shown in Fig. 4 (a) to those in Fig. 4 (b) so that the size of the data storage area within each block becomes the constant value or more.

In accordance with Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, the operation of the apparatus and the method of digital data management in another embodiment of the invention will now be described.

The data management means 4 within the management means 3 manages the continued areas in the storage means 1 as a block, with one portion being shown conceptually as blocks 51 through 57.

- 11 2013154 The data management means 4 further divides the block interior into one or more data storage records and into zero or more empty records~ What is shaded as the record 58 is a record with data stored in it. A blank record as shown at 59 is an empty record with no data stored in it.

Although records of fixed length are shown in the drawing, the records may be of variable length. Also, the data storage record can start from the halfway point of the block, and may not be continued within the block.

The block management means 5 obtains the information of the position and so on of the storage means 1 of each block from the data management means 4 so as to manage the logical concatenation information and so on, so that one file can be configure~ from one or more blocks.

Fig. 7 shows another example of an operational flow chart of the regulation means 6.

The regulation means 6 receives information about the number of data storage records of the optional block from the data management means 4 (Step n).

If the number of data storage records of the block is smaller than the constant value, the information of the contiguous blocks configuring the file can be obtained from the block management means S and the information about the number of data storage records and empty records of contiguous blocks from the data management means 4.

Thereafter, the regulation means 6 moves the inputoutput means 2 to move the record into the block from one or more contiguous blocks so that the number of data storage records within the block is normally regulated into at least a constant value.

Now, assume that the record number within the block is 12, and the number of data storage records within the block that the regulation means 6 tries to regulate is set as eight records.

Fig. 4 (a) shows a condition where a block with a number of data storage records less than the constant value has been caused by the change in the file.

The number of data storage records of block 31 is 4, the number of data storage records of block 32 is 10, the number of data storage records 20 1 3 1 54 _ 12 of block 33 is 8, and the number of data storage records of block 34 is 8.

The number of data storage records of block 31 being 4, which is less than the predetermined constant value 8, the regulation means 6 obtains this information from the data management means 4 and the block management means 5.

The regulation means 6 sequentially examines the contiguous blocks until the conditions are satisfied that the number of data storage records of the contiguous blocks are added, the addition results are larger than the multiple of the determined constant value, and are smaller than the multiple of the block size.

In the example, when the examination is effected as far as block 33, the addition results of the number of data storage records become 4 + 10 + 8 = 22, which satisfies the conditions of being larger than 8 x 2 = 16 and smaller than 12 x 2 = 24.

The regulation means 6 then moves the data of the seven records from block 32 to block 31 to constitute the block 35.

Also, eight records are moved from block 33 into block 32 to constitute the block 36.

No changing is effected after the block 34.

In this manner, the regulation means 6 changes the plurality of blocks shown in Fig. 4 (a) to those in Fig. 4 (b) to effect the regulating operation for the number of the data storage records within the block to become the constant value or more.

When the block interior has been divided into a plurality of fixed length records, the data movement unit between the blocks is limited to a record, but the information the data management means 4 needs to manage will become less.

A secondary storage apparatus, which is generally used, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk or the like will be used for the storage means 1, 11.

Although such apparatus needs to seek access into each block, the amount of data within the block is managed at the constant value of the proper size by the regulation means 6, as in the apparatus and the method for digital data management.

The proper size, for example, for a buffer of two block portions is provided on the input-output means 2, so that the data can be inputted and outputted 13 201 31 54 without interruption during the input-output operations.

Although the size of the data storage area within the block to be regulated by the regulation means 6 and the number of data storage records, namely, the amount of data within the block can be optionally set, it can be determined by the performance of the storage means 1, 11, and the necessary data output speed and so on, as in equation (1), Lb = Vo Vr Ta / (Vr - Vo) ...... (1) wherein Lb is a size (byte) of the data storage area, Vo is a data output speed, Vr is a disk transfer speed (byte/second), Ta is a disk access time (second).

When a standard magnetic disk of the 52 ms in disk access time, 960 K byte in disk transfer speed, is used for the storage means 1, 11, and 170 K byte/second is required in the continuous output speed of the data from the input-output means 2, the size of the data storage area will be sufficient if it is 11 K byte or more.

In the present embodiment, although the data of one block is supposed to be inputted or outputted at each access to the storage means 1, 11, two or more blocks can be inputted or outputted.

In the present apparatus and method, since a free area is allowed within each block that the data management means 4 manages, the increase and decrease of data caused by editing of the file can easily be absorbed simply by a change in one portion of the file, and the data is not required to be periodically rearranged.

The size of the data storage area of the block which is less than the constant value in the data storage area is assumed to be Eo, the size of the data storage area of the blocks that are continuous logically to the block are El, E2, ...

Ej, with the addition of them being represented with Sj.

Assume that the constant value to be regulated by the regulation means 6 is Rmin, the block size is Rmax, and the size of the data storage area within all the blocks has only to be Rmin or more and to be Rmax or less. If the minimum j which satisfies equation (2) is obtained, the number j + 1 of 20 1 3 1 54 14 blocks necessary for regulation is less than the constant value Rmin in the size of the data storage area and can be obtained.

N X Rmin < Sj < N X Rmax .... (2) In equation (2), N is an integer of 1 or more.

Since O < Rmin < Rmax, and O < SO < Rmin, it is possible to derive equation (3) from the equation (2).

j < Rmax / (Rmax - Rmin) .... (3) As the j that may be obtained from the size Rmin of the data storage area and the block size Rmax shows a finite part from equation (3), the regulation means 6 can retain the size of the data storage area of all the blocks at the constant value or more by movement of data from the block with the finite part.

Since the seek time into the next block does not have to be taken into consideration about the final block configuring the file, the size of the data storage area can be the constant value or lower.

Also, the size of the data storage area to be regulated by the regulation means and the number of data storage records can be different for each file. In this case the block management means 5 retains this information.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted here that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, they should be construed as included therein.