JP2000076073A - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To activate equipment even in the case of boot processing when no program is stored on an IC card for both download and option program. SOLUTION: The boot processing is performed to programs in a flash ROM 13 and IC card 8, and the output of a reset signal is suppressed within the watchdog timer period of a reset IC 10 by pulse input under that control. At the time of boot processing to the IC card 8 on which no program is stored, there is no control of pulse input within the period and the reset signal is outputted from the reset IC 10. Corresponding to the reset signal and the ON of a specified SW 7a, a device select signal (IC card select signal) is outputted to the IC card 8 and corresponding to the reset signal and the OFF of the specified SW 7a, a device select signal (flash ROM select signal) is outputted to the flash ROM 13. The boot processing is performed to a program stored in the flash ROM 13 and the main body of equipment is operated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer operated and controlled by a program read at the time of startup,
The present invention relates to electronic devices such as digital copiers, laser printers, inkjet printers, and information home appliances.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique, an image forming apparatus will be described as a representative of electronic equipment. In a conventional image forming apparatus, a program such as a control program for performing an image processing operation is stored in an EPROM.
A PROM is installed in the image forming apparatus, and each process is executed by a stored program.

However, if it becomes necessary to change the contents of a program due to a bug or the like, this RO
An operation of replacing the M (EPROM) has occurred. In this ROM replacement work, the device body must first be disassembled to a level at which the ROM can be replaced, and especially when the device body is a completed product, an enormous amount of time is required for the replacement work.

[0004] Recently, in order to reduce the work time of such ROM replacement, a program has been stored in a flash ROM. Thus, at the time of updating such as a change of the program, a method of downloading the program from an external storage device such as an IC card to the flash ROM is adopted, and the work time for updating the program is greatly reduced.

For example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-83175, control for rewriting the contents of a flash memory and writing of the contents to be rewritten in an external memory are performed. There is a method in which the address of the memory and the address of the external memory are switched, and the device is started by a program of the external memory to change the content of the flash memory.

[0006] Alternatively, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-258976, two ROMs of the same capacity are provided, both of which store a download control and a control program which is usually used. Accordingly, the download control of one ROM changes the control program of the other ROM. According to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-222924, an address of a ROM detachable from the apparatus main body is designated by a pull-down or pull-up resistor connected to an address bus, and a boot program of the mounted ROM is executed. There is a method in which a control program is externally written to a flash memory and the ROM is removed after completion.

As a future use method of the IC card, an option program which is added to a data table of a main body program stored in a flash ROM and processed is stored, and the IC card is exchanged. Therefore, a method of using the optional program for each application has been considered. In this case, the user can use a function other than the standard specification by connecting the IC card and executing the option program.

[0008]

In the modification of the program stored in the flash ROM, an IC card is conventionally mainly used exclusively for downloading.
When the connection of the IC card is detected, the program stored in the IC card should be booted and downloaded.

However, when an IC card storing an optional program is used as described above, the boot processing is performed from the program stored in the IC card by detecting the connection of the IC card as in the related art. In such a case, there is a problem that the apparatus is not activated by the program stored in the flash ROM of the apparatus main body and does not operate.

Therefore, the present inventors provide a specific switch (SW) in the operation unit, and use a signal indicating the state and a signal for detecting connection of the IC card to thereby specify the switch of the operation unit. Only when the power of the main body is turned on while pressing the button, the boot processing is performed from the program stored in the IC card, the program is downloaded, and in the case of normal power-on, the IC card is replaced with the optional program. A proposal has been made to improve the usability of the user by using it as a storage area. However, in such a case, if the power is turned on while pressing the specific SW in an IC card that does not store the program for performing the boot process, there is a possibility that a problem that the apparatus main body does not start may occur. There was a problem.

[0011] The present invention is directed to solving the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the IC card can be used for both download and option programs, and no program is stored. IC
Even in the case of boot processing from a card, the device main body can be started, the system does not go down, and furthermore, the user is informed that an IC card in which no program is stored is inserted, Appropriate IC
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of prompting resetting of a card.

[0012]

In order to achieve this object, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a nonvolatile rewritable memory storing a program; a connectable external storage means; A connection switch for detecting whether or not the external storage unit is connected to the connector; a specifying switch operated by an operator to specify the external storage unit as a target to be booted; Boot selection means for outputting a device selection signal for setting an object to be booted to the external storage means when the connection detection means detects that the external storage means is connected to the connector while the switch is pressed; In an electronic device having a program, it is determined whether the program is stored in the external storage means, and the program is stored in the external storage means. In a case where it is determined to have not been,
Even when the connection detection means detects that the external storage means is connected to the connector in a state where the specific switch is pressed, a device selection signal is output to set the target to be booted to a nonvolatile rewritable memory. Determining means for outputting an instruction signal for instructing the boot selecting means to the boot selecting means.

The determining means includes a watchdog timer, monitors a watchdog pulse supplied when a program is stored in the external storage means, and outputs an external storage when the watchdog pulse is not supplied. It is characterized in that it is determined that no program is stored in the means, and an instruction signal is output to the boot selection means.

Further, the boot selection means switches an object to be booted from the external storage means to the nonvolatile rewritable memory when the instruction signal is output from the determination means and the pressed state of the specific switch is released. And outputting a new device selection signal.

Further, an error detecting means for outputting an error signal when the instruction signal is output by the determining means is provided.

[0016] Further, display means for displaying an error message based on an error signal from the error detecting means is provided.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital copying machine as an example of an electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a digital copying machine, 2 is a main control unit, 3 is a read control unit, 4 is a write control unit, 5 is an image forming unit, 6 is a power supply unit, 6a is a power switch (SW), and 7 is An operation unit, 7a is a specific switch (SW), 7b is a display unit,
Reference numeral 8 denotes an IC card as external storage means.

Digital copier 1 according to the first embodiment
In, the image signal read by the reading control unit 3 is sent to the writing control unit 4 via the main control unit 2. In the image forming unit 5, an electrostatic latent image is formed in accordance with the image signal sent to the writing control unit 4, and thereafter, the image formation is performed by a series of electrophotographic processes.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the main control unit according to the first embodiment. Here, components corresponding to the components described in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a reset IC, 11 denotes a CPU as control means for executing control according to a program, 12 denotes a boot selector unit as boot selection means, 13 denotes a flash ROM which is a nonvolatile and rewritable memory, 14 Is an IC card connector, and 15 is an IC card connection detecting means.

When the power switch 6a shown in FIG. 1 is turned on, power is supplied to the entire digital copying machine 1 including the main control unit 2. Next, when the reset signal from the reset IC 10 changes from the “L” level indicating that the reset is being performed to the “H” level indicating the reset release, the CPU 11 outputs a boot device selection signal and reads the program by the boot process. Based on the boot device selection signal, the “ON state of the specific SW” and the “connection state of the IC card” are determined by the boot selector unit 12 and output as a device selection signal of the flash ROM 13 or the IC card 8. As described above, the CPU 11 operates a series of control programs by reading out the program by the boot process of the selected flash ROM 13 or IC card 8.

FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of a specific SW, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an ON signal of the specific SW.
FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of an IC card connection detection unit, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an IC card connection detection signal. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of the boot selector unit, and 16 is a flip-flop. 6 to 9 show the “specific SW ON state”, the “specific SW OFF state”, and the “I
6 is a timing chart showing states of operation signals of the boot selector unit based on a combination of respective states based on “connection state of C card” and “unconnected state of IC card”.

The first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the operation of the boot selector unit 12 in FIG. 5 will be described. As shown in the timing charts of FIGS. 6 to 9, when the reset signal is at the “L” level, the specific SW is turned on.
(“L” level), the output / Q of the flip-flop 16 goes to “L” level, and then the reset signal goes to “H” level.
Is fixed at the "L" level. That is, the output / Q of flip-flop 16 changes only when the reset signal is at "L" level. On the other hand, "IC
Only when the card is in the "connected state" and the output / Q of the flip-flop 16 is active ("L" level), the selection signal of the IC card 8 becomes active ("L" level) and the program is booted. In this case, the boot process from the flash ROM 13 is performed.

The reset IC 10 shown in FIG. 2 has a watchdog timer. The reset IC 10 with a watchdog timer operates as a normal reset IC 10 while a watchdog pulse (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “pulse”) is being input at a constant period. If there is no pulse input, a reset signal is output. FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the reset IC with a watchdog timer.

Flash ROM in which program is stored
When the program is booted from the IC card 13 or the IC card 8, a pulse is input within the watchdog timer period of the reset IC 10 under the control of the called program, so that the reset signal is not output. Here, when the program is booted from the IC card 8 in which the program is not stored, the program does not operate normally. Therefore, no pulse is input by the control, and reset is performed when the watchdog timer period is exceeded. A reset signal is output from the IC 10. The reset signal functions as an instruction signal for instructing the boot selector unit 12 to output a device selection signal to set the flash ROM 13 as a boot target, as described later.

When the boot process is performed from the IC card 8 in which no program is stored by using the reset IC 10 and the user turns on the specific SW 7a, the boot device is stored in the IC card 8 as in FIG. Although a device selection signal (IC card selection signal) corresponding to the output of the selection signal is output, a reset signal is also output because the program does not operate normally, and this is repeated. When the user turns off the specific SW 7a, the flash ROM is used in the same manner as in FIG.
13 is a device selection signal (flash ROM selection signal)
Is output.

As a result, the program stored in the flash ROM 13 is boot-processed and started, and the apparatus main body can operate. FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing the transition of the device selection signal from the IC card to the flash ROM. According to the above-described operation, when the boot processing to the IC card 8 in which the program is not stored is performed, the boot processing of the program stored in the flash ROM 13 can be performed.

As described above, the reset IC 10 functions as a judging means for monitoring the pulse (watchdog pulse) and judging that the program is not stored in the IC card 8 when the pulse is not supplied. When it is determined that the program is not stored in the IC card 8, an instruction to instruct the boot selector 12 to newly output a device selection signal again so that the target to be booted is the flash ROM 13. It outputs a reset signal as a signal.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit configuration of the boot selector unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram of the boot selector unit shown in FIG. 5 of the first embodiment, in which a signal for lighting an error message is output from each output of a flash ROM and an IC card selection signal. That is, in FIG. 12, two newly added flip-flops and one logic circuit as compared with FIG. 5 output an error detection signal (output signal of the logic circuit) for displaying an error message on the display unit. It operates as an error detecting unit that performs the operation. In addition,
In the second embodiment, the error message is displayed on the display unit based on the error detection signal. Alternatively, or together with the error message, the error may be notified by voice or beep sound. good.

When the IC card 8 is selected and the program is booted, Q1 = “H” level, and when the flash ROM 13 is selected and the program is booted, Q2 = “H” level. Here, the IC card 8 in which the program for the boot process is not stored
When the program cannot boot, the specific SW 7a is switched and the flash RO
When boot processing is attempted from M13, a device selection signal (IC card, flash ROM selection signal) is output to both the IC card 8 and the flash ROM 13, as shown in FIG. Are both at "H" level. By detecting the "H" level of Q1 and Q2, the error message lighting circuit is turned on. FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing the operation of lighting the error message.

According to the error message lighting signal,
Attempts to boot the program stored in the IC card 8 by booting for some reason are not performed normally, and the user can be notified that the program has been started by the program stored in the flash ROM 13.
Thus, even if the boot process of the program is abnormal, the apparatus main body does not start up.

In the above embodiment, the CPU is used as the control means. However, it goes without saying that an MPU may be used instead of the CPU. Also, flash ROM
Alternatively, another memory (for example, a battery backup RAM) can be used.

Furthermore, although an IC card is employed as the external storage means, the present invention is not limited to this, and any storage means that can be attached to and detached from the main unit, such as a ROM card having a ROM circuit mounted on a print circuit board, can be used. The present invention can be applied to anything.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It can be used as a download for booting a program stored in an IC card by booting it, or as an optional program used when a program for performing special control is separately called. Even when an attempt is made to boot a program from an IC card that has not been installed, the apparatus main body can be started without system down.

Further, it is possible to inform the user that an IC card that does not store a program for boot processing is inserted, and to prompt the user to reset the IC card properly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a main control unit according to the first embodiment.

3A is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of a specific SW according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating an ON signal of the specific SW;

4A is a diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of an IC card connection detection unit according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an IC card connection detection signal;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration example of a boot selector unit according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing states of operation signals of a boot selector section of “specific SW; ON” and “IC card; connection” in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows “specific SW; OFF” in the first embodiment.
And timing chart showing the state of the operation signal of the boot selector section of "IC card; connection"

FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing states of operation signals of a boot selector section of “specific SW; ON” and “IC card; not connected” in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows “specific SW; OFF” in the first embodiment.
And timing chart showing the state of the operation signal of the boot selector unit of "IC card; not connected"

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the reset IC with a watchdog timer according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing transition of a device selection signal from an IC card to a flash ROM in the first embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a circuit configuration example of a boot selector unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing an operation of lighting an error message in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital copying machine 2 Main control part 3 Reading control part 4 Writing control part 5 Image forming part 6 Power supply part 6a Power switch (SW) 7 Operation part 7a Specific switch (SW) 7b Display part 8 IC card 10 Reset IC 11 CPU 12 boot selector 13 flash ROM 14 IC card connector 15 IC card connection detecting means 16 flip-flop

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A nonvolatile rewritable memory storing a program, a connectable external storage means, a control means for executing control according to the program, and whether the external storage means is connected to the connector. Connection detection means for detecting whether the external storage means as a target to be booted, a specific switch operated by an operator, and in a state where the specific switch is pressed, the connection detection means to the connector by the connection detection means An electronic device comprising: a boot selection unit that outputs a device selection signal for setting an object to be booted to the external storage unit when it is detected that the external storage unit is connected, wherein a program is stored in the external storage unit. When it is determined whether or not the program is stored in the external storage unit, it is determined that the program is not stored in the external storage unit. The target to be booted is the non-volatile rewritable memory even when the connection detecting means detects that the external storage means is connected to the connector in a state where the specific switch is pressed. Electronic equipment provided with a determination unit for outputting an instruction signal for instructing to output a device selection signal to the boot selection unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit includes a watchdog timer, monitors a watchdog pulse supplied when a program is stored in the external storage unit, and outputs an external storage when the watchdog pulse is not supplied. 2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that no program is stored in the means, and an instruction signal is output to the boot selection means. 3. The boot selection means switches an object to be booted from an external storage means to a non-volatile rewritable memory when an instruction signal is output from the determination means and when a specific switch is released from a pressed state. 3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a new device selection signal is output. 4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an error detection unit that outputs an error signal when the instruction signal is output by the determination unit. 5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: display means for displaying an error message based on an error signal from said error detection means.