Recording and reproducing apparatus provided with a batch erasable nonvolatile semiconductor memory device for batch erasing of specific data group(s)

Abstract: In a recording and reproducing apparatus (1), in which a plurality of data groups having arbitrary data capacities are recorded in and reproduced from a memory card (6) formed of a plurality of batch erasable semiconductor memories (17-21) having equal capacities, at least one of the plurality of semiconductor memories, which does not contain the recorded data, is set to be a spare memory. For erasing only one data group, the data groups, other than the data group to be erased, in the semiconductor memory containing the data group to be erased is recorded in the spare memory, and individual index data as well as card index data, of which reproduction order data and rewrite number data have been updated, are recorded in the spare memory. The semiconductor memory containing the data group to be erased is batch-erased and changed into a new spare memory.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus, and in particular, to an apparatus preferably applicable, for example, to an audio recording and reproducing apparatus, which carries out a recording operation in such a manner that analog signals obtained, e.g., through a microphone is converted into digital signals and is recorded in a semiconductor memory, and also carries out a reproducing operation in such a manner that the digital signals recorded in the semiconductor memory is converted into the analog signals and is output, e.g., through a loud speaker. Description of the Background Art So-called cassette tape recorders using magnetic tapes, i.e., cassette tapes are well-known as apparatuses for recording and reproducing sound. Such apparatus using the magnetic tape has advantages, for example, that the tape itself is inexpensive and that recording and reproducing for long time periods are allowed. However, since the apparatus requires a drive mechanism for travelling the tape it is difficult to reduce sizes and weight of the apparatus. Further, it disadvantageously requires a long time for the access such as so-called cuing of an intended recorded sound. As an apparatus overcoming the above disadvantages, an audio recording and reproducing apparatus utilizing a semiconductor memory, instead of the magnetic tape, has been developed. The semiconductor memory can achieve the access speed in the order of microsecond, which enables instantaneous cuing of the sound, and can also easily reduce the sizes and weight because the driving mechanism is not required. However, the semiconductor memory is generally expensive, and requires backup of a power supply. These disadvantages are overcome by a non-volatile batch erasable memory which is relatively inexpensive and does not require the backup of the power supply. However, the batch erasable memory erases all the sound data groups recorded therein, and it is impossible to erase the recorded sound data only in a specific unnecessary region. EP-0 477 503 being a document falling within the terms of Art. 54 (3) EPC discloses a method and an apparatus of recording data in a memory card having EEPROM and a memory card system using the same. That method and system are not published prior to the priority date of the present application. It is obvious from column 7, lines 30 to 36 and column 11, lines 45 to 49 that order data or total index data as expressed by "the memory supervising table" is recorded in the dedicated non-volatile RAM 34 or 280 and not in the EEPROM card itself. In EP-0 544 252, which likewise falls within the terms of Art. 54 (3) EPC, information showing how many times programming (or erasing) of the memory area has been carried out is stored in the memory area itself or in the main memory (ref. to column 5, lines 41 to 47). Order information is stored in the memory FM, when data groups in the memory M are transferred to a second memory part. The order data for the whole memory is always stored in the same memory area FM. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a recording apparatus using a batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory device, in which flexibility for usage is improved. Another object of the invention is to provide a recording apparatus using a batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory device, in which only a specific data group can be erased. A further object of the invention is to provide a method of recording a plurality of data groups in batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory devices so that the use of the memory devices is rendered more flexible. In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a recording apparatus comprises: a batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory device including first memory means and second memory means; recording means capable of recording a data group in said first or second memory means; erasing means capable of erasing the data group recorded in said first or second memory means; first instruction means for instructing recording of a plurality of data groups in said first memory means; first control means for controlling said recording means so as to sequentially record said data groups in said first memory means in response to an instruction output of said first instruction means and to store first order data in said first memory means, said first order data being indicative of the actual recording order of the respective recorded data groups in said first memory means; second instructing means for instructing erasing of a specified one of said data groups recorded in said first memory means; second control means, in response to an instruction output of said second instruction means, for controlling said recording means such that the data groups in said first memory means other than the data group which is instructed to be erased are transferred to said second memory means, and for controlling said erasing means such that the recorded contents of said first memory means are erased after the transfer of said other data groups to said second memory means is completed; and third control means for controlling said recording means such that a second order data indicative of the actual recording order of the respective recorded data groups in said second memory means is recorded in said second memory means. Depending claims 2 to 7 are respectively specifying advantageous developments thereof. According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of recording a plurality of data groups in batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory devices comprises the steps of: sequentially recording said plurality of data groups in at least one of said memory devices such that each recorded memory device also includes respective first order data, said first order data indicating the actual recording order of said data groups in a respective memory device; transferring those data groups in a given memory device other than a said data group to be erased to a spare one of said memory devices; recording in said spare memory device second order data, which second order data indicates the actual recording order of said data groups stored in said spare memory device; and erasing all data groups in the given memory device and thereby defining said erased memory device to be a new spare memory device. The recording apparatus thus constructed first stores the first order information being indicative of the actual recording order of the data groups in the first memory means along with said data groups and then erases specified recorded contents in the first memory means after recording the necessary data groups, other than the data group to be erased together with the second order information indicative of the actual recording order of the respective data groups, in the second memory means. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the semiconductor memory device is of the batch erasable type, only the specific data group can be erased, and thus flexibility for usage is improved. The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a system block diagram showing a basic construction of a recording and reproducing apparatus of an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic construction of a memory card in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows recorded states, in timer series, of data of a memory card in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing operations for erasing a specific data group in a recording and reproducing apparatus in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing operations for additional recording of data by a recording and reproducing apparatus in Fig. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic construction of a recording and reproducing apparatus 1 of an embodiment of the invention. Referring to the figure, the recording and reproducing apparatus 1 includes a recording and reproducing main unit 1a, and a memory card 6 which is removably attached to the main unit 1a and serves as a recording medium for recording sound. In the sound recording operation, the sound is converted by a microphone 2 into an electric signal (analog signal), which is amplified by an amplifier 3 and then is converted into a digital signal by an AD (analog-digital) converter 4. If the digital signal were recorded in the memory card 6 as it was, an expensive memory having a large capacity would be required. Therefore, the digital signal is compressed to several tenths or several twentieths by a sound compression circuit 5. A system control circuit 7 controls the sound compression circuit 5 according to a control signal CONT1 to read the compressed data and to write the same in the memory card 6 at addresses sequentially designated by address signals AD. More specifically, the system control circuit 7 sequentially fetches the data from the sound compression circuit 5, and then writes the same in the memory card 6 at the addresses which are sequentially incremented, e.g., by one. The system control circuit 7 repeats the above write operation. In the sound reproducing operation, the system control circuit 7 designates the address in the memory card 6, and operates to read the digital data at the designated address and supply the same to a sound expansion circuit 8. The sound expansion circuit 8 is controlled by a control signal CONT2 to restore the data compressed by the sound compression circuit 5 to the original analog sound signal. The digital sound signal is converted by a DA (digital-analog) converter 9 to the analog sound signal, which is amplified by an amplifier 10 and is reproduced as the sound through a speaker 11. The system control circuit 7 applies signals CE, ERASE and WE, which will be described later, to the memory card 6, if necessary. The operations for controlling the above recording and reproducing are started by depressing key switches 12 connected to the system control circuit 7. The key switches 12 include several keys such as record (REC) key, reproduction (PLAY) key, stop (STOP) key, forward feed (FF) key, rewind (REW) key, document mark (D-MARK) key and erase (ERASE) key. Operation states (e.g., document number and remaining time) of the recording and reproducing apparatus 1 are displayed on a display 13 formed, e.g., of a liquid crystal display. The main unit la is powered by a battery 14 through a DC-AC converter 15. Then, operations for recording and reproducing will be schematically described below. For the recording operation, the record key among the key switches 12 is depressed, whereby the system control circuit 7 starts the recording of the sound caught by the microphone 2 in the memory card 6. If the document mark key is depressed during the recording, the sound data, which has been already recorded before the depression, is treated as one data group forming one document, and information (will be also referred to as an "index") for identifying this document is also recorded in the memory card 6. In this manner, the sound is recorded as one or more document units until the stop key is depressed. For the reproducing operation, the reproduction key is depressed, whereby the sound data is read from the memory card 6 and is output through the speaker 11. The forward feed key or rewind key may be depressed to forwardly or reversely skip the data by document units. The feature of the recording and reproducing apparatus 1 using the memory card 6 is that the forward feeding, i.e., skipping by document units as well as the rewinding, which is also the skipping by document units, can be executed instantaneously, i.e., in the order of microseconds. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a construction of the memory card 6 in Fig. 1. The memory card 6 includes an address decoder 16, batch erasable and programmable read-only memories (will be referred to as "F-EEPROMs" hereinafter) 17 -21, an address bus 22 and a data bus 23. The address decoder 16 supplies chip select signals CS1 - CS5 based on the higher addresses in the address signal received through the address bus 22 from the system control circuit 7. The chip select signals CS1 - CS5 are exclusive to each other, and the data can be written in and read from only the chip of which chip select signal is true ("1"). The address decoder 16 receives a card enable signal CE, which isolates all the F-EEPROMs from the data bus 23. When the card enable signal CE is true ("1"), the address decoder 16 decodes the address signal so that the chip select signals CS1 - CS5 become false ("0"). Each of the F-EEPROMs 17 - 21 (i.e., chips 1 - 5) receives, in parallel, lower addresses in the address signal through the address bus 22, the data DATA through the data bus 23, a write enable signal WE for the data writing, and an erase signal ERASE for the batch erasing of the data. As stated before, the F-EEPROMs 17 -21 receive the chip select signals CS1 - CS5 from the address decoder 16, respectively. In the recording and reproducing apparatus 1 of the invention, the memory card 6 is formed of the five F-EEPROMs, four of which are used for recording and reproducing the sound data, and the remaining one is used as a spare memory. Fig. 3 exemplifies recorded states of data in the memory card 6 in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation for erasing the data, and Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation for additionally recording the data. Procedures for partially erasing and additionally recording the sound data will be described below with reference to Figs. 3 - 5. In Fig. 3, (1) shows the recorded state of the data before erasing the data (time t1), (2) shows the recorded state of the data after erasing the data (time t2), and (3) shows the recorded state of the data after additionally recording the data (time t3). Before the data erasing (time t1), as shown in Fig. 3(1), six documents d1 - d6, i.e., sound data, are sequentially recorded at record regions C1 - C4 of the chips 1 - 4,. The document d2 is formed of a document d2-1 recorded in the record region C1 and a document d2-2 recorded in the record region C2. Similarly, each of the documents d4 and d6 is divided into two portions recorded in the different regions. A record region C5 in the chip 5 is a spare record region and thus is an unrecorded region. The record regions C1 - C4 include chip index regions CHI1 - CHI4, in which individual index data to be referred to for the reproduction are recorded, respectively. Further, the record region C4 includes a card index region CAI, in which a total index data of the entire memory card 6 is recorded. A following Table 1 represents contents of the chip index data and card index data at time t1. The chip index data is recorded in each chip, as described before, and the card index data is recorded in the chip, which contains the last recorded data, after the completion of a series of recording operations. Chip Index Card Index Rg E/Ad S/Fl E/Fl N/No N/Ad D/Fl W/No Rp/Ord R/No C1 a 1 1 - - 1 1 b 1 0 +1 0 1 2 C2 c 0 1 - - 1 3 d 1 1 - - 1 4 e 1 0 +1 0 1 5 C3 f 0 1 - - 1 6 g 1 1 - - 1 7 h 1 0 +1 0 1 8 C4 i 0 1 - - 1 9 j - - - - 0 10 - - - - - - 1 1,2,3,4 11 C5 - - - - - - - - 12 In the table 1, as well as tables 2 and 3 described later, "Rg" represents "region", "E/Ad" represents "end address", "S/Fl" represents "start flag", "E/Fl" represents "end flag", "N/No" represents "next number", "N/Ad" represents "next address", "D/Fl" represents "data flag", "W/No" represents "write number", "Rp/Ord" represents "reproduction order", and "R/No" represent "row number. The chip index data includes end address data, start flag, end flag, next No. data, next address data and data flag. The end address data indicates a record terminating position of the document. The start flag and the end flag indicate whether the document is completed in the same chip or not. More specifically, the start flag indicates whether the record starting position of the document is in the same chip or not. The start flag is set at "1", if it is in the same chip, and is set at "0", if not. The end flag indicates whether the record terminating position of the document is in the same chip or not. The end flag is set at "1", if it is in the same chip, and is set at "0", if not. The next No. data is a relative value indicating the chip to which the document not completed in one chip continues. The next address data indicates the address in the chip designated by the next No. data, to which the document not completed in one chip continues. The data flag indicates whether the document part is the recorded part or the unrecorded part. The data flag is set at "1", if it is the recorded part, and is set at "0", if it is the unrecorded part. The card index data includes reproduction order data and write No. (number) data. The reproduction order data indicates the order of record and reproduction of the chips, and corresponds to the next No. data in the chip index data. At time t1 shown in Fig. 3(1), the data is sequentially recorded in the chips starting from the chip 1, so that the reproduction order data is "1, 2, 3, 4". The write No. data indicates whether the card index data is the latest or not, and one is added thereto each time the card index data is rewritten and renewed. At time t1 shown in Fig. 3(1), since the recording is the first, the write No. data is "1". At time t1, as shown in Fig. 3(1), the document d1 is recorded at the addresses 0 - a in the record region C1. Therefore, as indicated at the row number "1" in the table 1, the end address data of the chip index data is "a", start flag is "1", end flag is "1" and data flag is also "1". The document d2 is divided into portions which are recorded at the addresses a+1 - b in the record region C1 and at the addresses 0 - c in the record region C2. Therefore, as indicated by the row number "2" in the table 1, the end address data is "b", start flag is "1", end flag is "0", next No. data is "+1", next address data is "0" and data flag is "1". Further, in the chip index data at the row number 3, the end address data is "c", start flag is "0", end flag is "1" and data flag is "1". The same is true with respect to the other documents d3 - d6. In the F-EEPROM, the data in each chip is batch-erased, e.g., by irradiation of ultraviolet ray. Therefore, if the above chip index data were written in the different chip, it would be necessary to correct the chip index data each time the data was erased, which would complicate the procedures for erasing the data. Conversely, according to the invention, the chip index data is recorded in the same chip, so that it is not necessary to correct the chip index data of the other chips, and thus the procedures for erasing the data can be simple. Further, provision of the write No. data in the card index data, indicating whether the card index data is the latest, eliminates the necessity of erasing the old card index data, which further simplifies the procedures for erasing the data. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the procedures for erasing the data will be described below. In this embodiment, description will be made in connection with the erasing of the document d3 shown in Fig. 3(1). In a step n1, documents d2-2 and d4-1, which are the necessary data in the data recorded in the record region C2, are recorded in the record region C5 which has been reserved as the spare record region. More specifically, the document d2-2 is recorded at the addresses 0 - c in the record region C5, and the document d4-1 is recorded at the addresses d+1 - e. In step n2, the chip index data is written in the chip index region CHI5 of the record region C5. More specifically, as shown in a following table 2, various chip index data indicated by row numbers 12 - 14 is written in the chip index region of the record region C5. Chip Index Card Index Rg E/Ad S/Fl E/Fl N/No N/Ad D/Fl W/No Rp/Ord R/No C1 a 1 1 - - 1 1 b 1 0 +1 0 1 2 C2 - - - - - - - - 3 4 5 C3 f 0 1 - - 1 6 g 1 1 - - 1 7 h 1 0 +1 0 1 8 C4 i 0 1 - - 1 9 j - - - - 0 10 - - - - - - 1 1,2,3,4 11 C5 c 0 1 0 d 1 - - 12 d - - - - 0 13 e 1 0 +1 0 1 14 - - - - - - 2 1,5,3,4 15 Then, in step n3, the card index data is written in a card index region CAI2 of the record region C5. More specifically, as shown in the row number 15 in the table 2, since the necessary data has been transferred from the record region C2 to the record region C5, the reproduction order is "1, 5, 3, 4". Since this is the second writing of the card index data, the write No. data is "2". Thereafter, at step n4, the data in the record region C2 of the chip 2 is batch-erased, and ultimately the record state becomes as shown in Fig. 3(2). As shown in Fig. 3(2), since the addresses c+1 - d in the record region C5 are unrecorded parts, the data flag in the chip index data becomes "0", as shown by the row number 13 in the table 2. Subsequently, referring to Figs. 3 and 5, the operation for additionally recording the data will be described below. In step m1 shown in Fig. 5, the document is recorded at the addresses i+1 - j, i.e., in the unrecorded part of the record region C4, based on the reproduction order data of the card index data. As shown in Fig. 3(3), if the document d7 cannot be completely recorded in the unrecorded part of the record region C4, the document d7 will be subsequently recorded at the addresses c+1 - d which are the unrecorded part of the record region C5. In this embodiment, the document d7-1 is recorded at the addresses i+1 - j of the record region C4, and the document d7-2 is recorded at the addresses c+1 - k of the record region C5. The document d7 consists of the documents d7-1 and d7-2. In step m2, correspondingly to the additionally recorded data, the chip index data to be set in the record region, in which the data is additionally recorded, is rewritten. Thus, the chip index data is rewritten as shown in a following table 3. Chip Index Card Index Rg E/Ad S/Fl E/Fl N/No N/Ad D/Fl W/No Rp/Ord R/No C1 a 1 1 - - 1 1 b 1 0 +1 0 1 2 C2 - - - - - - - - 3 4 5 C3 f 0 1 - - 1 6 g 1 1 - - 1 7 h 1 0 +1 0 1 8 C4 i 0 1 - - 1 9 j 1 0 -2 c 1 10 - - - - - - 1 1,2,3,4 11 C5 c 0 1 0 d 1 12 d - - - - 0 13 e 1 0 +1 0 1 14 k 0 1 - - 1 15 - - - - - - 2 1,5,3,4 16 Since the document d7-1 is recorded at the addresses i+1 - j in the record region C4, as described above, the chip index data at the row number 10 in the table 3 has such contents that the start flag is "1", end flag is "0", next No. data is "-2", next address data is "c" and data flag is "1". Moreover, since the document d7-2 is recorded at the addresses c+1 - k in the record region C5, the chip index data corresponding to the row number 15 in the table 3 has such contents that the end address data is "k", start flag is "0", end flag is "1" and data flag is "1". According to the embodiment, as described hereinabove, only the intended document, i.e., sound data can be erased in the recording and reproducing apparatus 1 using the batch erasable nonvolatile memory device. Further, the index data to be referred to for reproduction of the document is recorded in the same chip, and the new card index data is written each time the data is erased. Therefore, the procedures for partially erasing the documents can be simplified. The above embodiment utilizes the five EEPROMs, one of which is used as the spare memory. However, the EEPROMs may be less or more than five in number, and two or more spare memories may be employed. According to the embodiment, as described hereinabove, one of the multiple data groups is erased in the following manner. The data groups other than the data group to be erased in the same semiconductor memory are recorded in the spare memory. The individual index data as well as the total index data containing the renewed reproduction order data and the renewed rewrite number data are recorded in the spare memory. The semiconductor memory containing the data group to be erased is batch-erased and changed to the spare memory. Therefore, only one data group in the specific semiconductor memory can be erased. In this operation, it is not necessary to rewrite the individual index data in the other semiconductor memories, and also it is not necessary to rewrite the total index data. Thus, only the specific data group can be erased, and only the minimum data needs rewriting. Therefore, convenience and usability for the data recording are significantly improved. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Claims: A recording apparatus comprising: a batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory device (6) including first memory means (C 2 ) and second memory means (C 5 ); recording means (7) capable of recording a data group in said first or second memory means; erasing means (7) capable of erasing the data group recorded in said first or second memory means; first instruction means (12) for instructing recording of a plurality of data groups (d 2-2 , d 3 , d 4-1 ) in said first memory means; first control means (7) for controlling said recording means so as to sequentially record said data groups (d 2-2 , d 3 , d 4-1 ) in said first memory means (C 2 ) in response to an instruction output of said first instruction means and to store first order data (CHI 2 ) in said first memory means, said first order data (CHI 2 ) being indicative of the actual recording order of the respective recorded data groups (d 2-2 , d 3 , d 4-1 ) in said first memory means; second instructing means (12) for instructing erasing of a specified one (d 3 ) of said data groups (d 2-2 , d 3 , d 4-1 ) recorded in said first memory means (C 2 ); second control means (7), in response to an instruction output of said second instruction means, for controlling said recording means such that the data groups in said first memory means other than the data group which is instructed to be erased are transferred to said second memory means (C 5 ), and for controlling said erasing means such that the recorded contents of said first memory means are erased after the transfer of said other data groups (d 2-2 , d 4-1 ) to said second memory means (C 5 ) is completed; and third control means (7) for controlling said recording means such that a second order data (CHI 5 ) indicative of the actual recording order of the respective recorded data groups in said second memory means is recorded in said second memory means (C 5 ). A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor memory device includes an EEPROM. A recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first and second memory means constitute a memory card (6), which is removably attached to said recording apparatus. A recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: third instruction means (12) for instructing recording of a new data group (d 7-2 ); and third control means (7), in response to an instruction output of said third instruction means, for controlling said recording means such that said new data group (d 7-2 ) is recorded in a region of the second memory means (C 5 ) in which no data group is recorded, based on said second order data (CHI 5 ) stored in said second memory means (C 5 ). A recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising read means (7) for sequentially reading the recorded data groups in accordance with said order data. A recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said data groups include sound data. A recording apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising reproducing means (8,9,10,11) for reproducing the corresponding sound based on said read sound data. A method of recording a plurality of data groups in batch erasable non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, comprising steps of: sequentially recording said plurality of data groups (d 1 -d 6 ) in at least one of said memory devices such that each recorded memory device also includes respective first order data (CHI), said first order data indicating the actual recording order of said data groups in a respective memory device; transferring those data groups (d 2-2 , d 4-1 ) in a given memory device (C 2 ) other than a said data group (d 3 ) to be erased to a spare one of said memory devices; recording in said spare memory device (C 5 ) second order data (CHI 5 ), which second order data indicates the actual recording order of said data groups stored in said spare memory device; and erasing all data groups in the given memory device and thereby defining said erased memory device to be a new spare memory device.

Inventors: SUDOH KENGO, SUMITOMO YUJI, SUDOH, KENGO, SUMITOMO, YUJI
Applicants: SHARP KK, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G11C16
IPC codes: G06F12, G06F3, G11C17, G11C16