HOST DEVICE, STORAGE DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING STORAGE DEVICE

Abstract

A host device is connected to a storage device via a bus and reads and writes data in the storage device. The host device includes a command transmitter that sequentially transmits a command in a command sequence, which includes a set of commands which do not change data stored in the storage device, and a response receptor that accepts a response from the storage device for each command transmission from the command transmitter and determines whether or not an error exists. An acceptable/unacceptable access determiner provided in the host device enables access to the storage device when a normal response is identified by the response receptor and otherwise determines that access to the storage device is unacceptable. The normal response is when the responses received from the storage device for the transmissions of all commands in the command sequence do not include an error.

Description

This is a divisional application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/571,592, filed Jan. 3, 2007, which is a National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP05/011799 filed Jun. 28, 2005 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Application No. 2004-201511 filed on Jul. 8, 2004 the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a host device, storage device, and method for accessing the storage device that execute the initialization of the storage device and data transmission/reception with use of a command, wherein the storage device is connected to the host device.

BACKGROUND ART

In devices (referred to as host devices below) that control digital data such as a digital camera, movie, and portable music player, there is a memory card, as a storage device for retaining digital information, mounting a non-volatile memory. In order to realize compatibility between memory cards manufactured by multiple makers and host devices, a scheme for the host device to access a memory card is standardized. A version of the standard is upgraded along with enlargement of capacity and addition of functions of a memory card. A method for making a host device to execute access by showing different storage capacities to each host device with use of multiple ways of capacity reference is proposed (for example, see Patent document 1).

• Patent document 1: Unexamined Patent Publication 2004-86505.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, the conventional technique described above has following problems. That is to say, there is such a problem that a host device of an old version may destroy data written by a host device of a new version because host devices which are in different versions can access the same storage area. Also, there is such a problem that internal configuration and control of a memory card becomes complex since multiple areas are provided in a memory card and access control based on a host device is executed.

In view of the above mentioned problem, the present invention is designed to provide a host device, storage device, and method for accessing a storage device which can execute access control in simple configuration and control.

Means to Solve the Problems

To solve the problem, a host device which is connected to a storage device via a bus and reads and writes data in the storage device comprising: a command transmission unit for sequentially transmitting a command in a command sequence composed of a set of commands which does not cause change on data stored in the storage device; a response reception unit for accepting a response from the storage device for each command transmission from the command transmission unit and determining whether an error exists or not; and an acceptable/unacceptable access determination unit for enabling access when normal reception is identified by the response reception unit after each command transmission from the command transmission unit and otherwise determining that access to the storage device is unacceptable.

To solve the problem, a storage device which is connected to a host device via a bus and stores and reads data based on a command from the host device comprising: a memory for retaining data given from the host device; a memory control unit for controlling data-reading and data-writing to the memory; a command reception unit for receiving a command issued from the host device and executing processing in accordance with each command; a response transmission unit for returning a response in the case of a predetermined command every time when the command reception unit receives each command; and an access determination unit for determining whether a command received by the command reception unit is a predetermined command sequence or not and accepting access when the command sequence is the predetermined command sequence.

To solve the problem, a method for accessing a storage device by a host device which is connected to the storage device via a bus and reads and writes data in the storage device comprising: sequentially transmitting a command in a command sequence composed of a set of commands which does not cause change on data stored in the storage device; accepting a response from the storage device for each command transmission and determining whether an error exists or not; and enabling access when normal reception is determined after each command transmission and otherwise determining that access to the storage device is unacceptable.

Effectiveness of the Invention

In the present invention, a host device, storage device, and method for accessing a storage device which can execute access control in simple configuration and under simple control can be provided since the storage device determines a sequence of a transmission command from the host device and determines access from the host device as acceptable when the sequence is identical with a predetermined sequence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing first command sequence processing in a host device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing second command sequence processing in the host device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing reception processing of the first command sequence in a storage device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing reception of the first and second command sequence processing in the storage device.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing third command sequence processing in the host device.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing reception processing of the third command sequence in the storage device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing fourth command sequence processing in the host device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing reception processing of the fourth command sequence in the storage device.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing after determining access from the host device as unacceptable.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 1 Host device
• 101 CPU
• 102 ROM
• 103 RAM
• 104 Interface
• 101a Command transmission unit
• 101b Response reception unit
• 101c Access determination unit
• 2 Storage device
• 201 Interface
• 202 Control unit
• 203 Memory control unit
• 204 Memory
• 202a Command reception unit
• 202b Response transmission unit
• 202c Access determination unit
• 3 Bus

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a storage system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a host device 1 and storage device 2 and connects the storage device 2 to the host device 1 with use of a bus 3. The host device 1 includes a CPU 101, ROM 102 for storing one or more programs for the CPU 101, RAM 103 for a work area of the CPU, and interface 104. The interface 104 transmits a command, data, and addresses to the storage device 2 and receives a response. The ROM 102 stores one or more access programs for realizing an access method executed by the CPU 101 and one or more command sequences used by the host device 1. In addition, the CPU 101 achieves a function of a command transmission unit 101a, response reception unit 101b, and access determination unit 101c. The command transmission unit 101a transmits a command sequentially in a command sequence composed of a set of commands retained in the ROM 102 via the interface 104. The response reception unit 101b accepts a response each command transmission from the command transmission unit and determines whether an error exists or not. After each command transmission, the access determination unit 101c determines whether access is acceptable or not in a way that access is approved when normal response is identified by the response reception unit and otherwise access is disapproved.

The storage device 2 includes an interface 201, control unit 202, memory control unit 203, and memory 204. The interface 201 receives a command and data from the host device 1 and transmits a response. In addition, the control unit 202 includes a command reception unit 202a, response transmission unit 202b, and access determination unit 202c. The command reception unit 202a receives a command issued from the host device and executes processing corresponding to each command. The reception transmission unit 202b, each time the command reception unit receives a command, determines whether the command is based on a predetermined command sequence or not, and normally responds in the case of the command of the predetermined command sequence. In addition, the access determination unit 202c determines whether the command received by the command reception unit is the predetermined command sequence or not, and executes processing for accepting access in the case of the predetermined command sequence. The memory control unit 203 controls reading and writing of data from and to the memory 204 and the memory 204 retains data given from the host device. The storage device 2 checks whether a command sequence transmitted from the host device 1 is a predetermined sequence or not and determines access from the host device 1 is acceptable in the case of the predetermined command sequence.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first example of a command sequence transmitted by the host device 1. In the command sequence of FIG. 2, the host device 1 transmits a command CMD_A at first (S201). And then the host device waits for a response from the storage device 2 (S202) and checks an error when receiving a response (S203). When the response is received and no error exists, a command CMD_B is transmitted at step S204. And, the host device waits for a response (S205) and checks an error when receiving the response (S206). When the response is received and no error exists, a command CMD_C is transmitted at step S207. And, the host device waits for a response at S208 and checks an error when receiving the response (S209). When no error exists at S209, it is determined that the storage device 2 approves access from the host device 1 because the response is returned correctly (S210). On the other hand, when no response or an error response is retuned to any of the commands, it is determined that the storage device 2 disapprove access from the host device (S211).

The commands CMD_A, CMD_B, and CMD_C used for the command sequence herein can be any commands which do not change data of the memory 204 in the storage device 2. For instance, a command for accessing a register or command for reading ID of the storage device 2 can be used. A command only for detecting whether normal access to the storage device is possible or not may be used.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a second example of a command sequence used by the host device. In the command sequence of FIG. 3, the host device 1 transmits the command CMD_C at first (S301). And then the host device waits for a response from the storage device 2 (S302) and checks an error when receiving the response (S303). When the response is returned and no error exists, the command CMD_B is transmitted at step S304. And, the host device waits for a response (S305) and checks an error when receiving the response (S306). When the response is received and no error exists, the command CMD_A is transmitted at step S307. And, the host device waits for a response at S308 and checks an error at S309 when receiving the response. When no error exists at S309, it is determined that the storage device 2 can accept access from the host device since the response is returned correctly (S310). When no response or an error response is retuned to any of the commands, it is determined that the storage device 2 does not accept access from the host device (S311). When it is determined that access is unacceptable, the storage device may completely reject a subsequent command from the host device or may wait for a correct sequence again.

The host device 1 may use only a specific command sequence, for example, a host device meeting a standard of an old version may use one of the command sequences of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 and a host device meeting a standard of a new version may use other command sequence. In addition, the host device meeting the standard of the new version may use both of the command sequences of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an example of a flowchart of command reception processing in the storage device 2 accepting a first command sequence. When a command is received by the command reception unit 202a (S401), the storage device 2 checks whether the command is a CMD_A or not. In the case of this command, the storage device executes the command at step S403 and responds to the command. Further more, command reception is checked at step S404, when a command is received, it is checked whether the command is a CMD_B or not (S405). When the command is the CMD_B, the storage device executes the command and responds at step S406, and waits for a next command. When a command is further received at step S407, it is checked whether the command is a CMD_C or not at step S408. In the case of the command, the storage device executes the command and responds at step S409. Since the commands correspond to a predetermined sequence, the storage device accepts subsequent access of a host device and responds to this (S410). After that, access of the host device is accepted with including data-writing to the storage area 201.

On the other hand, when the commands do not meet the predetermined sequence, an error response is made (S411). In FIG. 4, the storage device 2 accepts only access of the host device transmitting a command in the sequence of commands CMD_A, CMD_B, and CMD_C shown in FIG. 2. In addition to the error response, the order of the command sequence to be accepted by the storage device may be transmitted to the host device 1. In stead of the error response at S411, no response may be taken as an error.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing command reception processing of the storage device 2 corresponding to the first and second command sequences. In FIG. 5, when a command is received at S501, it is checked whether the command is the CMD_A or not (S502). In the case that the command is the CMD_A, the storage device executes necessary processing and responds (S503) and, subsequently, receives a command. Subsequent processing of S504 to S511 is the same as the processing of S404 to S411 in FIG. 4.

When a command is not the CMD_A in S502, it is checked whether the command is the CMD_C or not. When the command is the CMD_C, the storage device responds at S513 after executing the command and waits for a command at step S514. When the command is received, it is determined whether the command is the command CMD_B (S515) or not, when the command is the CMD_B, the storage device executes necessary processing and responds (S516). When a further command is received (S517), it is determined whether the command is the CMD_A (S518) or not. When the command is the CMD_A, the storage device executes necessary processing, responds (S519), and accepts access by a host device (S510). In addition, since the accepted command sequence is different from that in S509, access may be accepted as a command sequence having a different function on the storage device side at step S519. When the command sequence is different from the predetermined sequence in steps S512 to S518, the storage device executes an error response or does not respond (S520). Thus the storage device 2 can determine a plurality of command sequences. That is, the storage device 2 accepts access from the host device transmitting a command in the first or second sequence shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. Since the number of sequences determined by the storage device 2 is not limited to two, more sequences can be determined.

Next, a method for increasing kinds of command sequences with use of three commands will be explained. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing command transmission processing by the third command sequence from the host device 1. When an operation starts, the command CMD_A is transmitted at S601 and it is determined whether a response is received or not (S602). And, when the response to the CMD_A is received, an error is checked at S603, if no error exists, the CMD_A is transmitted in the predetermined number of times in a similar way (S601, S602, and S612). After that, the command CMD_B is issued. Subsequent processing of S604 to S611 is the same as that of S204 to S211 in FIG. 2.

A flowchart on the side of the storage device 2 corresponding to the third command sequence will be explained with use of FIG. 7. When the storage device 2 receives a command in a manner shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 (S701), the storage device determines whether the command is the command CMD_A or not (S702). When the received command is the CMD_A, the storage device 2 returns a response to the host device 1 and repeats similar processing until the number of repeats exceeds the number of predetermined times (S703 and S704). When the command is not the CMD_A, the storage device may return an error response at S712 or no response may be taken as an error.

Subsequent processing of S705 to S711 are the same as that of above described S404 to s410 of FIG. 4, and when commands are received in order of the commands CMD_B (S706) and CMD_C (S709), the storage device 2 determines that access by the host device 1 is acceptable. When the commands are not the command sequence, an error response or no response is made at S712.

Next, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the fourth command sequence of the host device 1. The flowchart shows a specific command sequence, for example the first command sequence, is repeated more than once. Processing of S801 to S809 is the same as that of S201 to S209 and the host device 1 transmits a command in a sequence of the CMD_A (S801), CMD_B (S804), and CMD_C (S807). When no error exists at S809, it is determined whether the sequence is executed in a predetermined number of times at S810 or not. When the times of execution do not achieve the predetermined number, the same processing is repeated back to S801, and, when the execution of the predetermined number of times is done, it is determined that access is acceptable at S811. When there is no normal response in the process of the sequence, it is determined that access is unacceptable at S812.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart on the storage device concerning the fourth command sequence. In the flowchart of FIG. 9, processing of S901 to S909 is the same as that of S401 to S409 of FIG. 4. And, it is determined whether the processing is executed in a predetermined number of times or not. When the processing is not executed in the predetermined number of times, the similar processing is repeated back to S901 and, when the execution of the predetermined number of times is done, access of the host device is accepted at S911. If it is not normal in the process of the command sequence, no response or an error response is made and acceptance of access is forbidden at S912. When it is determined access is unacceptable, no subsequent command from the host device may be acceptable or a next correct sequence may be waited for.

Access programs to the storage device 2 in the host device of FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 according to the embodiment as shown here are retained in the ROM 102 of the host device 1.

In the embodiment described here, a different sequence is shown by combining the commands CMD_A, CMD_B, or CMD_C, however, an additional other command may be used and commands constructing a sequence may be different from the commands of the combination. In addition, a command sequence transmitting commands in a predetermined number of times is not limited to the third and fourth method and, for example, the host device 1 may combine the determination of the sequence of FIG. 5 with that of FIG. 7. And further, the specific command is transmitted in the predetermined number of times in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, however, Two or more commands may be transmitted more than once. The specific command is transmitted in the predetermined number of times in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, however, a plurality of command sequences may be repeated in a predetermined number of times. When the host device 1 transmits a plurality of commands, a transmission interval of the commands may be shorter than a predetermined period. In the case, when a transmission interval of the commands exceeds the predetermined period, the storage device 2 determines that access from the host device 1 is unacceptable. When it is determined that access is unacceptable, subsequent commands from the host device may be rejected or a next correct command sequence may be waited for again.

In the storage device 2, a plurality of command sequences may be acceptable as shown in FIG. 5, in that case, a function for being permitted to use in accordance with the command sequence may be switched. For example, a kind of a file system, that is, a file system such as FAT16, FAT32, or UDF may be selected and it is selected which address is permitted in unit of byte or block. In addition, it may be selected whether an additional function, for example, a function of interruption or high-rate interface is used or not in accordance with a command sequence at start of access.

In the storage device 2, an acceptable command sequence may be transmitted in making an error response. An operation on the host device in the foregoing case that the acceptable command sequence is transmitted will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing after the host device determines that access is unacceptable at S211, it is determined whether a command sequence is included in the response or not at S213 after the host device determines that access is unacceptable. When the command sequence is not included at S213, retry is executed by selecting other command sequence at S215 if other command sequence is stored in the host device. When the command sequence is included, it is determined whether a designated command sequence is supported or not at S214. If the command sequence is not supported, processing terminates, and if the command sequence is supported, retry is executed by transmitting a command in a designated command sequence at S216. That is, command transmission starts in the designated command sequence again. Thus, access can be made when a command sequence is identical with a command sequence stored in the storage device.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the storage device determines a command sequence transmitted by the host device, and determines that access from the host device is acceptable only when the command sequence is identical with a predetermined command sequence. As a result, access control can be executed by simple structure and control and it is useful in a storage device such as a memory card and various sorts of host devices using the storage device.

Claims

1. A host device which is connected to a storage device via a bus and reads and writes data in the storage device, the host device comprising:

a command transmitter that sequentially transmits a command in a command sequence, which comprises a set of commands which do not change data stored in the storage device;

a response receptor that accepts a response from the storage device for each command transmission from said command transmitter and determines whether or not an error exists; and

an acceptable/unacceptable access determiner that enables access to the storage device when a normal response is identified by said response receptor and otherwise determines that access to the storage device is unacceptable, the normal response being when the responses received from the storage device for the transmissions of all commands in the command sequence do not include an error.

2. The host device according to claim 1, wherein

said command transmitter of said host device issues a plurality of command sequences.

3. The host device according to claim 2, wherein

said acceptable/unacceptable access determiner selects a command sequence that is different from the command sequence transmitted from said command transmitter, when it is determined that access is unacceptable.

4. The host device according to claim 3, wherein

said acceptable/unacceptable access determiner selects an acceptable command sequence that is transmitted from the storage device, when it is determined that access is unacceptable.

5. A method for accessing a storage device by a host device, which is connected to the storage device via a bus and reads and writes data in the storage device, the method comprising:

sequentially transmitting a command in a command sequence, which comprises a set of commands which do not change data stored in the storage device;

accepting a response from the storage device for each command transmission and determining whether or not an error exists; and

enabling access to the storage device when a normal response is determined and otherwise determining that access to the storage device is unacceptable, the normal response being when the responses received from the storage device for the transmissions of all commands in the command sequence do not include an error.

6. The method for accessing a storage device according to claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a command sequence to be transmitted, which is different from the command sequence previously transmitted, when it is determined that access is unacceptable.

7. The method for accessing a storage device according to claim 6, further comprising:

selecting an acceptable command sequence transmitted from the storage device, when it is determined that access is unacceptable.