JP6842641B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

One image forming apparatus performs a memory check of a part of the volatile memory during the startup process, and then performs a memory check of another area when a stop factor such as a transition to the energy saving mode occurs (for example). See Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-666502

For an image forming apparatus provided with a sleep mode, the user often keeps the image forming device in the sleep mode without turning off the power during the period when the image is not used. Therefore, since such an image forming apparatus is continuously powered on for a long period of time, even if a startup process (that is, a memory check) is not executed and a part of the volatile memory fails, the power is not executed. Failure is difficult to detect.

In the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, since the memory check is not performed for the area for which the memory check was performed during the startup process after the startup process until the next startup process, one of the volatile memories is maintained during the operation until the next startup process. If a unit fails, the failure is not detected and the operation is continued, which may cause a problem (stop operation, poor image quality, etc.) in the entire system in the device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus capable of continuing normal operation even if a part of the volatile memory fails after the startup process. To do.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a volatile memory, a system control unit that executes a predetermined operation according to a program expanded in the volatile memory, and a memory check control unit that performs a memory check of the volatile memory. .. Then, the memory check control unit performs the memory check when a predetermined event is detected after the activation process of the system control unit, and the system control unit (a) detects an error in the memory check. When the predetermined area is separated as an error area, (b) the predetermined operation is continued using the area other than the separated error area , and (c) the error area is separated by the memory check control unit. When the size of the usable area in the volatile memory is not equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the user is notified of the decrease in the usable area, and the predetermined operation is continued without adding the additional memory module, or the additional memory module is added. After the addition of, the user is allowed to select whether to continue the predetermined operation.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus capable of continuing normal operation even if a part of the volatile memory fails after the start-up process.

The above or other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further clarified from the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating details of the user selection process (step S13) in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction device, or the like, and includes a display device 1, an input device 2, a non-volatile memory 3, a volatile memory 4, a controller 5, a socket 6, and an image forming apparatus. A unit 21 is provided.

The display device 1 is a device such as a liquid crystal display that displays various messages to the user. The input device 2 is a device such as a touch panel or a hard key that accepts user operations. The image forming unit 21 includes a printing device for printing an image, an image reading unit for optically reading an image from a document, and the like. The non-volatile memory 3 is a flash memory or the like that stores a program that describes a predetermined operation executed by the controller 5, data necessary for the predetermined operation, or the like.

The volatile memory 4 is a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like in which the above-mentioned program loaded from the non-volatile memory 3 is expanded.

The controller 5 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and dedicated hardware, executes a program expanded in the volatile memory 4 on the processor, and uses the processor and the dedicated hardware to execute the memory control unit 11. , The system control unit 12, the memory check control unit 13, and the sleep control unit 14, and the processing units thereof execute a predetermined operation. Further, the controller 5 controls the image forming unit 21 to execute printing, image reading, and the like.

The memory control unit 11 executes data read / write to the volatile memory 4 (and the additional memory module connected to the socket 6). The system control unit 12 uses the memory control unit 11 to read / write data to the volatile memory 4 (and the additional memory module connected to the socket 6).

The system control unit 12 executes predetermined operations (acceptance of various jobs, image processing, control of internal devices such as a printing device and an image reading device, etc.) according to a program expanded in the volatile memory 4. At that time, the system control unit 12 secures a storage area necessary for the predetermined operation in the volatile memory 4, and uses the storage area as a work memory or the like to execute the predetermined operation. The system control unit 12 may include an operating system.

The memory check control unit 13 performs a memory check of the volatile memory 4. Specifically, the memory check control unit 13 performs a memory check when a predetermined event is detected after the activation process of the system control unit 12. When an error is detected in the memory check, the system control unit 12 separates the area in which the error is detected in the memory check as an error area, and uses an area other than the separated error area to perform the above-mentioned predetermined operation. To continue.

This "predetermined event" is that the sleep mode transition condition is satisfied, the job is not accepted for a predetermined time, and the like.

The memory check control unit 13 is dedicated hardware and accesses the volatile memory 4 or the like separately from the memory control unit 11.

Further, in the memory check, the memory check control unit 13 writes data of a specific value (for example, all 0s, all 1, random values, etc.) to the target area of the memory check, and (b) the target area. Data is read from (c), the read value is compared with a specific value, and the presence or absence of an error is specified based on the comparison result.

In this embodiment, when the error area is separated by the memory check control unit 13, the system control unit 12 does not write the usable area (that is, the error area and the data is not written) in the volatile memory 4. When the size of the area) is not greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the user is notified of the decrease in the usable area, and the above-mentioned predetermined operation is continued without adding the additional memory module, or the above-mentioned predetermined operation is continued after the addition of the additional memory module. Let the user choose whether to continue the operation.

For example, when the system control unit 12 notifies the user of the decrease in the usable area, the system control unit 12 displays a message to that effect on the display device 1 and either continues the above-mentioned predetermined operation without adding an additional memory module. After the addition of the additional memory module, the display device 1 displays a soft key for selecting whether to continue the above-mentioned predetermined operation, and the input device 2 detects a user operation for any of the soft keys.

Further, in this embodiment, if it is selected to continue the predetermined operation described above after the addition of the additional memory module, the memory check control unit 13 is added at least when the additional memory module is added. A memory check of the memory module (for example, the entire area other than the error area) is performed, and the system control unit 12 reallocates an area other than the error area as an area for the above-mentioned program.

Further, in this embodiment, the memory check control unit 13 (a) divides the volatile memory 4 (that is, the entire storage area of the volatile memory 4) each time the predetermined event described above is detected. One block is selected in order from the blocks, and (b) a memory check is performed on the selected block. Therefore, when the predetermined event is executed a predetermined number of times, the memory check of all the blocks including the used area of the operating system (that is, the entire storage area of the volatile memory 4) is executed.

When selecting a block, the memory check control unit 13 selects the block having the longest elapsed time since the previous memory check.

The system control unit 12 issues a command to the memory check control unit 13 to start the memory check, and when the memory check is completed, the memory check control unit 13 generates an interrupt to the system control unit 12. Notifies the completion of the memory check.

Further, the sleep control unit 14 detects the establishment of the sleep mode transition condition as the above-mentioned "predetermined event", and performs sleep mode transition processing (switching of power mode, etc.) according to a command from the system control unit 12.

Further, the socket 6 is a socket to which an additional memory module (for example, a DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module) having a RAM) can be attached and detached. The additional memory module mounted in the socket 6 is used as a series of storage areas together with the volatile memory 4. That is, the storage area is expanded by installing the additional memory module.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

For example, when it is detected that the sleep mode transition condition is satisfied, the memory check control unit 13 selects one block from the plurality of blocks of the volatile memory 4 (step S1), and the data written in the selected block. A storage area (memory area for saving) for saving the data is secured (step S2), and the data is copied to the memory area for saving (step S3). The backup memory area is an unused area in which no data is written. After that, the memory check control unit 13 performs a memory check of the selected block (step S4).

Then, the memory check control unit 13 determines whether or not an error has been detected in the memory check of the selected block (step S5).

If no error is detected in the memory check of the selected block, the memory check control unit 13 writes back the saved data to the block (step S6).

After that, the system control unit 12 switches the power supply mode from the normal mode or the ready mode to the sleep mode (step S7).

On the other hand, when an error is detected in the memory check of the selected block, the system control unit 12 disconnects the error area (step S8) and specifies the size of the currently usable area in the volatile memory 4 (step S9). , It is determined whether or not the size of the usable area is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value (step S10). The separation of the error area is to prohibit access to the error area.

When the size of the usable area is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the system control unit 12 secures an alternative area of the error area from the usable area and changes the memory allocation from the error area to the alternative area (step S11). ). At this time, if the data is saved from the error area, the data may be written back to the alternative area, or the address setting is changed and the area where the data is saved is used instead of the error area. May be good.

After that, the system control unit 12 switches the power supply mode from the normal mode or the ready mode to the sleep mode (step S7).

On the other hand, in step S10, when the size of the usable area is not equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the system control unit 12 notifies the user of the decrease in the usable area (step S12) and executes the user selection process (step S13). ).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating details of the user selection process (step S13) in FIG.

In the user selection process, first, the system control unit 12 specifies whether or not the user has selected the addition of the additional memory module based on the user operation on the input device 2 (step S21).

When the addition of the additional memory module is selected, the system control unit 12 turns off the power of the image forming apparatus (step S22).

After the power is turned off, the user attaches an additional memory module to the socket 6 and performs a power on operation.

According to the power-on operation, the system control unit 12 starts up (step S23) and checks the memory of the entire storage area of the volatile memory 4 and the additional memory module (step S24).

The system control unit 12 determines whether or not an error has been detected in the memory check (step S25). When an error is detected, the system control unit 12 disconnects the area where the error is detected (the area of the smallest unit including the location where the error is detected) (step S26).

Then, the system control unit 12 specifies the size of the current usable area in the volatile memory 4 (step S27), and determines whether or not the size of the usable area is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value (step S28). ..

When the size of the usable area is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the system control unit 12 secures an alternative area of the error area from the usable area and changes the memory allocation from the error area to the alternative area (step S29). ). At this time, when the data is saved from the error area, the data may be written back to the alternative area, or the area where the data is saved may be used instead of the error area.

On the other hand, in step S28, if the size of the usable area is not equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the system control unit 12 notifies the user of the decrease in the usable area (step S30), and returns to step S21.

On the other hand, if the user does not select to add the additional memory module in step S21, the system control unit 12 changes the memory allocation so as not to use the error area (step S31), and sets the currently available area. Use to continue the predetermined operation described above.

Therefore, when the additional memory module is added, the predetermined operation can be continuously executed, but when the additional memory module is not added, the storage area is insufficient in the currently available area. Specific processing (image processing). For example), its execution is prohibited or the processing time of a specific process becomes long.

In this way, the user selection process (step S13) is executed. When the user selection process (step S13) is completed, the power supply mode is set to the ready mode. If the additional memory module is not added, the power mode may be set to the sleep mode after the user selection process is completed.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the system control unit 12 executes a predetermined operation according to the program expanded in the volatile memory 4. The memory check control unit 13 performs a memory check of the volatile memory 4. Then, the memory check control unit 13 performs a memory check when a predetermined event is detected after the start processing of the system control unit 12, and the system control unit 12 (a) an area in which an error is detected in the memory check. Is separated as an error area, and (b) a predetermined operation is continued using an area other than the separated error area.

As a result, even if a part of the volatile memory fails after the startup process, the normal operation of the image forming apparatus can be continued.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the intent and scope of the subject and without diminishing the intended benefits. That is, such changes and amendments are intended to be included in the claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, the size of the above-mentioned block may be fixed or may be determined according to the size of the above-mentioned usable area.

The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus.

4 Volatile memory 12 System control unit 13 Memory check control unit

Claims (4)

With volatile memory
A system control unit that executes a predetermined operation according to a program expanded in the volatile memory, and
It is equipped with a memory check control unit that checks the memory of the volatile memory.
The memory check control unit performs the memory check when a predetermined event is detected after the activation process of the system control unit.
The system control unit, (a) disconnecting a region where the error is detected in said memory check as an error area, using a region other than the error area, separated (b), and continues the predetermined operation, ( c) When the error area is separated by the memory check control unit and the size of the usable area in the volatile memory is not equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, the user is notified of the decrease in the usable area and added. To let the user select whether to continue the predetermined operation without adding the memory module or to continue the predetermined operation after adding the additional memory module.
An image forming apparatus characterized by. When the additional memory module is added, the memory check control unit at least performs a memory check of the additional memory module.
The system control unit reallocates an area other than the error area to the program.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The memory check control unit (a) selects one block in order from a plurality of blocks obtained by dividing the volatile memory each time the predetermined event is detected, and (b) the said block for the selected block. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a memory check is performed. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the predetermined event is either that the sleep mode transition condition is satisfied or that the job reception is not performed for a predetermined time.

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