JPH0668038A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the information processor where data stored till then is prevented from being erased by registration of data. CONSTITUTION:A large quantity of data like data inputted by keys can be stored in a RAM 22, and data in the RAM 22 is transferred to and registered in an EEPROM 23 and is protected. The data volume of data stored in the RAM 22 and that already stored in the EEPROM 23 are compared with each other before this transfer; and if the former is smaller than the latter, a warning that data registered in the EEPROM 23 is going to be erased by new registration is displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a non-volatile storage device for storing and holding data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electronic device, a RAM (random access memory) is used as a storage medium. However, since the RAM is a volatile memory, it has a drawback that the data stored therein is erased when the supplied voltage is reduced. Therefore, for example, a floppy disk, an EEPROM, or the like is used. Data is backed up, that is, stored in a non-volatile memory.

However, if data is stored and held in a magnetic storage medium such as a floppy disk, not only the price becomes expensive, but also the apparatus itself becomes large and portability is impaired. It was Therefore, it is considered to temporarily store data in a semiconductor nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM. That is, an EEPROM having the same capacity as the storage area of the RAM should be provided, and the RAM data should be stored in the EEPROM at the time of backup.
Contents of the EEPROM by transferring to the RA
The storage content is exactly the same as M, and the data is saved.

[0004]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] RA during backup
EE by transferring M data to EEPROM
If the memory contents of the PROM are set to be exactly the same as the RAM contents and the data is saved, the RAM contents are erroneously stored.
If you back up the data in the above, or if the data in the RAM is damaged or abnormal due to fluctuations in the battery voltage, etc., the data in the EEPROM will be stored exactly as in the RAM. There is a drawback that the original data is lost because it becomes the content.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an information processing apparatus capable of preventing the stored data from being erased or from becoming abnormal data. That is the purpose.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, main storage means for storing data, the data stored in the main storage means are transferred and stored, and the transferred and stored data is transferred. And a comparison means for comparing the data stored in the main storage means with the data stored in the sub storage means, and a sub storage means provided for holding the And a control unit that controls whether or not the data stored in the main storage unit is transferred to the sub storage unit.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a handy type electronic notebook 1 to which the present invention is applied. The upper case 2 of the electronic notebook 1 can be opened and closed with respect to the lower case 3 via a hinge portion 2a. A card insertion hole 4 for accommodating an IC card described later is formed on a side surface of the lower case 3. Inside the card insertion hole 4, there is provided a lock mechanism (not shown) that prevents the stored IC card from being pulled out when the slide switch 5 for locking the card is slid. A connector (not shown) for electrically connecting the electronic circuit inside the IC card and the electronic circuit inside the electronic notebook 1 is also provided. As an IC card,
Application ROM card for translation function, dictionary function, game function, or RA for storing input data
M card etc. can be used. Also, the electronic notebook 1 alone can be used without mounting the IC card.

The lower case 3 is turned on / off at every operation.
A key input device 7 having a power on / off key 6 for reversing off, a character key such as a numerical value and an alphabet, a reset (clear) key described later, a registration key, a setting key, and a call key is provided. .

The upper case 2 has a dot-matrix type liquid crystal display device 8 for displaying input data, stored data, etc., a card key 9 for operating an IC card and setting an IC card use mode, and a telephone number. A telephone number function key 10, a memo function key 11, a schedule function key 12 and a clock function key 13 for setting respective modes of a function, a memo function, a schedule function and a clock function are provided.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of the electronic notebook 1. The control unit 20 is composed of a CPU, and controls the entire system according to a micro program stored in the ROM 21. The RAM 22 is a main storage device that stores key input data, display data, data from an IC card, and the like, and includes a volatile memory that erases internal data when the power supply voltage drops. The RAM 22 will be described later.

The EEPROM 23 is a sub memory device to which the data in the RAM 22 is transferred and stored or retained, or as described later, the stored and retained data is sent back to the RAM 22. Even if the power supply voltage drops, the internal data is erased. It consists of non-volatile memory.

The key input section 24 includes the power key 6, the function key 7, the card key 9, the telephone number function key 10, the memo function key 11, the schedule function key 12, and the clock function key 13 shown in FIG. . Then, the function key 7 of the key input unit 24 has a reset key 24 for clearing the data in the RAM 22 as shown in FIG.
a, send data from RAM 22 to EEPROM 23 E
A registration key 24b that makes the contents of the EPROM 23 the same as the RAM 22; a call key 24c that sends data from the EEPROM 23 to the RAM 22 (calls the data); and whether or not to send data from the RAM to the EEPROM at a predetermined time described below. A transfer setting key 24d is provided.

The oscillation circuit 25 outputs a clock signal of a predetermined cycle, and the timing signal generation circuit 26 receives the clock signal and generates various timing signals for controlling the operation timing of each part. The clock / timer circuit unit 27 includes a crystal oscillator (not shown) inside, and includes a clock circuit that counts a reference signal obtained by the crystal oscillator to obtain current date and time data, and is controlled by the control unit 20. It also has a timer circuit for obtaining time data.

The power supply circuit section 28 is usually a main battery 29.
The drive voltage is supplied to each part based on the battery voltage from the battery, and when the battery voltage of the main battery 29 is lowered, the drive voltage is supplied to each part based on the battery voltage from the backup sub battery 30.

Reference numeral 31 is the IC card described in FIG.
As described above, the card can be used, or the electronic notebook 1 alone can be used without using the IC card 31.

The display driver 32 decodes the display signal from the control unit 20 and supplies a display drive signal to the dot matrix display unit 33 (the liquid crystal display device 8 in FIG. 1).

FIG. 3 shows a storage area of the RAM 22. The display register 34 includes the dot matrix display unit 3
The data displayed in 3 is stored. Data storage area 3
5 stores various data of each function such as a telephone number function, a memo function, a schedule function, etc. set by key input.

The set time storage area 36 has predetermined time data (time data, that is, hours and minutes) set in advance.
As will be described later, data is transferred from the RAM 22 to the EEPROM 23 at the predetermined time as will be described later. The flag register F ₂ stores "1" when the above transfer, that is, the automatic transfer is performed (the automatic transfer mode is on), and "0" when the transfer is not performed (the automatic transfer mode is off). Is.

The flag register F ₀ is a register for storing "1" when the power is on and "0" when the power is off. Further, the flag register F ₁ is a register for storing "1" when the above transfer is not carried out even when the predetermined time has come. The flag register P is a register that stores that the power is turned on.

The register N is a register for setting the number of times the registration key is operated. Incidentally, 37 is a work area.

FIG. 4 shows a storage area of the EEPROM 23. The EEPROM 23 is provided with a date / time storage area 38 for storing the date and time of transfer and a data storage area 39 for storing the data sent from the RAM 22. It is desirable that all the data stored in the RAM 22 be transferred to the data storage area 39, but unnecessary contents such as the contents of the display register and those remaining in the work area can be omitted. Therefore EE
The PROM 23 data storage area 39 is set to have, for example, a storage capacity which is substantially the same as that of the RAM 22 or a storage capacity excluding unnecessary data according to the amount of data to be stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the entire operation.

In step A1 of FIG. 5, it is determined whether or not the power key 6 has been operated. When the power key 6 is operated, the process proceeds to step A2, and the content of the flag F ₀ is reversed.
That is, when the power key 6 is operated to turn from the off state, which has not been turned on until then, to the on state, the flag F ₀ changes from 0 to 1, and vice versa. At the next step A3, it is judged if F ₀ = 1. F ₀
If = 1 is determined, it is considered that the power key 6 has been operated to turn on the power, and the power system is set to the power-on state in the next step A4 (the power-on state means that the display is on and In addition, the state that the voltage is supplied to the circuit necessary for the functional operation of the electronic notebook). Then, in the next step A5, 1 is stored in the register P in order to store that the power is turned on. On the other hand, in step A3, F ₀
If not equal to 1, the process proceeds to step A6 and the power is turned off (the display is turned off when the power is turned off, and the data stored in the clock / timer circuit unit 27 and the RAM 22 is not erased). Such as supplying a voltage, the power is supplied only to the minimum necessary circuit, and the power is cut off otherwise.)

In the next step A7, it is judged whether or not both the flags F ₁ and F ₂ are 1, and if both the flags F ₁ and F ₂ are 1, the clock / The timer of the timer circuit section 27 (hereinafter referred to as timer T ₀ ) is started. This timer T ₀ is a predetermined time after the power is turned off as described above,
For example, it measures 6 minutes, and the processing when 6 minutes have passed will be described later.

Key operations other than the power key are discriminated in step A9. These key operations are determined in step A9 and then in step A10 it is determined whether F ₀ = 1 (power on). If the power is on, the process proceeds to step A11, and the key corresponding to the operated key is pressed. Processing is performed.

When there is no key input, it is determined in step A12 whether the current time obtained by the clock / timer circuit section 27 and the time in the set time storage area 37 match. When it is determined that they match, it is determined in the next step A13 whether or not F ₀ = 0 (power off). If F ₀ = 0, that is, if they match, if the power is off, the process proceeds to step A14. At step A14, it is detected whether or not the value of the register P is 1. The register P is set to the step A when the power is turned on as described above.
When it is detected that the value of the register P is 1, the process proceeds to step A15 and the RAM 2
2 data is transferred to the EEPROM 23. In step A15, first, it is determined whether F ₂ = 1 or not, that is, whether the automatic transfer mode is on, and the transfer is performed only when the automatic transfer mode is on. That is, first, at that time, the current date / time data measured by the clock / timer circuit unit 27 is stored in the date / time storage area 38 of the EEPROM 23, and the data stored in the RAM 22 is stored in the EEPR.
The data is transferred to and stored in the data storage unit 39 of the OM 23. When the transfer is completed, the value of the register P is set to 0 in step A16, and the register F ₁ is set to 0 in step A17.

As described above, when the transfer is performed, the value of the register P is set to 0 in step A16. Therefore, the next day after the transfer, when the time coincidence is detected in step A12 and the process proceeds to step A14. , If the power is not turned on by the power switch 6 during that time, that is, if the electronic notebook 1 is not used,
In step A14, it is determined that P = 1 is not satisfied, and the process is immediately terminated.

Even if the times match in step A12, no data is transferred in the next step A13, that is, F ₀ = 1 that is, the power is on (the electronic notebook is in use), and the times match in step A18. That is, the register F _{1 is set} to 1 and the processing is ended.

That is, even if the times match, the power is on and something
Function is being used, and the
It is remembered in A18, and after that, it is no longer used and the power turns off.
Then, this is detected in S6 and the process proceeds to the next step A7.
Mu. In this step A7, F ₁= 1, that is, there was a match
Was stored without being transferred, and F₂= 1
Assuming that the mode is set to perform no-transfer
To step A8 and timer T₀Will start. So
After that, the power off state is detected in step 19, and the
F at A20₁= 1, F₂= 1 is determined and the next step
Detects whether 6 minutes have passed since the power was turned off at A21
And it is detected that 6 minutes have passed, step A15
Transfer data from RAM 22 to EEPROM 23
Is done.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the transfer key 24
In a, the user can transfer at any time, but even if he forgets this, it will be transferred at a predetermined time (a predetermined time or a predetermined time after turning off the power, 6 minutes in the embodiment). You can reliably protect your data. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform a key operation for transfer every use, and the transfer key can be omitted.

Further, in this case, if the power is not turned on once after the previous transfer is completed, the transfer is not performed even if the predetermined time is reached.
Useless power consumption can be suppressed.

Further, if the power is turned off at the set time, the data is transferred and stored at that time, and if the power is turned on and something is used, the data is transferred after a predetermined time from the power being turned off, in the embodiment, 6 minutes later. Therefore, it does not interfere with the use of the electronic notebook. Since the data is transferred after the power is turned off, the used contents (newly set data and corrected data) can be surely protected.

Therefore, the key processing of step A11 is performed as shown in FIG. That is, first, in step B1, it is detected whether or not the reset key 24a is operated, and when the reset key 24a is operated, the process proceeds to step B2 to clear the data in the data storage area 35 of the RAM 22. In the next step B3, the register P is set to 0. As a result, even if it is detected in step 12 of FIG. 5 that the transfer time has come in advance, the process ends in step A14 and the transfer process in step A15 is not performed. That is, since the transfer process is a process for making the contents of the EEPROM 23 the same as the contents of the RAM 22, if the transfer process is performed without any data in the RAM 22, the EEPROM is not used.
Since the contents of 23 are also erased, this is prevented. Then, when step B3 is completed, the process proceeds to step B4, and here, a display such as "Do you want to call the data" or "You can call the data with the call key" is displayed on the display unit 33. The call key 24c will be described later.

When the operated key is the registration key 24b, it is detected in step B5. At the next step B6, it is detected whether or not the value of the register N for detecting the number of times of operation of the registration key 24b is 0 (first time), and if it is the first time, a warning is displayed at the next step B6. This warning display is
First, the amount of data stored in the RAM 22 and the EEP
RA is compared by comparing the amount of data stored in ROM23.
The amount of data stored in M22 is EEPROM23
If it is less than the amount of data stored in the display 33
Is used to display a message such as "The backed up data will be erased." RAM2 on the contrary
If there is more data in item 2, a message such as "You can register with the registration key" will be displayed.

When the registration key is operated again, the process proceeds from steps B5 to B6 and B9 to store the data stored in the RAM 22 in the EEPROM 23, and at the next step B10, the register N is set to 0 and the process ends. To do.

If it is the operated key type key, it is processed in step B11. When the call key 24c is operated in the key processing of step B11, the processing of FIG. 7 is performed. That is, in step C1, the display unit 3
In step C2, the data stored in the EEPROM 23 is transferred to the RAM 22, and in step C3 after the transfer is completed, the transfer is completed is displayed in text. is there.

Further, although not shown, there is a mode for setting the time (hour, minute) at which data is transferred from the RAM 22 to the EEPROM 23 in the set time storage area 37 of the RAM 22, and the time can be set in that mode. Further, in this mode, by operating the hour transfer setting key, it is possible to set whether or not to invert the flag F ₂ as shown in FIG. 8 to perform data transfer. That is, in step D1, it is determined whether or not the time setting mode is set, and when the time setting mode is set, the flag F ₂ is inverted in the next step D2.

In the key processing of step B11 of FIG. 5, however, key processing such as setting / displaying data of various functions other than the above is possible. For example, step B7
When the registration is not performed in the warning display state, the register N can be set to 0 by operating the cancel key (not shown) so that the registration in step B9 is not performed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various application modifications are possible. For example, the set time to be transferred is made up of hours and minutes, and the transfer is made every day. Alternatively, it can be transferred every day, hour, and minute. Further, the timer time may be used, and the transfer may be performed every several hours, for example, every 50 hours or every other day. Furthermore, the set time is RAM22
However, it may be stored in the EEPROM 23 to detect the coincidence.

Although the electronic notebook is taken as an example, it can be applied to various electronic devices such as a personal computer, an electronic book, a mobile phone, and a timepiece having a data storage function.

Further, the volatile memory is not limited to the RAM, and the non-volatile memory is not limited to the EEPROM.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to surely store and save the data without the user performing a key operation for backup, and it is possible to eliminate the trouble of the key operation. In addition, the storage can be efficiently performed, power consumption can be suppressed, and further, the stored data can be prevented from being erased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic notebook showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram of the electronic notebook.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a RAM used in the above circuit.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an EEPROM similarly used in the above circuit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the entire circuit.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process when a transfer key is operated.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process when a call key is operated.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process when a setting key is operated.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Electronic Notebook 2 Upper Case 3 Lower Case 22 RAM 23 EEPROM 24 Key Input Section 27 Clock / Timer Circuit Section 28 Power Supply Circuit Section 36 Set Time Storage Area

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A main storage means for storing data, a sub-storage means provided for transferring and storing the data stored in the main storage means, and a main storage means for holding the transferred and stored data. Comparing means for comparing the data stored in the means with the data stored in the auxiliary storage means;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls whether or not the data stored in the main storage unit is transferred to the sub storage unit according to a comparison result of the comparison unit. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sub storage unit is a non-volatile semiconductor memory. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the comparison means compares the amounts of data stored in the storage means. 4. Main storage means for storing data, sub-storage means provided for transferring and storing the data stored in the main storage means, and the main storage Determination means for determining the data stored in the means, and control means for controlling whether or not to transfer the data stored in the main storage means to the sub storage means according to the determination result of the determination means An information processing apparatus comprising: 5. A data input means for inputting data, a display means for displaying the data input by the data input means, a volatile main storage means for storing the data displayed by the display means, and The non-volatile secondary storage means for transferring the data stored in the main storage means and storing the transferred data, the clear means for clearing the data stored in the main storage means, and the data stored in the clear means An information storage device, comprising: display control means for displaying on the display means whether or not to transfer the data of the sub storage means to the main storage means when the display means is cleared. 6. Data input means for inputting data, display means for displaying the data input by the data input means, volatile main storage means for storing the data displayed by the display means, and A non-volatile secondary storage means for transferring the data stored in the primary storage means and storing the transferred data, and a data amount of both the storage means is determined prior to the transfer from the primary storage means to the secondary storage means. And a display control means for displaying on the display means whether or not the transfer is to be performed when the amount of data in the auxiliary storage means is larger than the amount of data in the main storage means by the determination of the determination means. An information storage device characterized by the above.