JP2006228153A - Information processor and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor capable of reducing the load required for verification and restoration of the processor and to provide a computer program executed by the information processor. <P>SOLUTION: An information processor 10 includes an interface 5 which is so configured that an external storage medium 200 is connected thereto, a processing unit 1 capable of accessing the interface 5, and a first storage device 2 wherein a processing activating program 20 to be executed by the processing unit 2 is stored. When the information processor 10 is activated, the processing unit executes the processing activating program 20 to retrieve a prescribed file 220 from the external storage medium 200 connected to the interface 5. In the case that the prescribed file 220 is stored in the external storage medium 200, the processing unit 1 reads the prescribed file 220 from external storage mediums 200 and 300 to execute the file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to an information processing apparatus to which an external storage medium can be attached and a computer program executed by the information processing apparatus.

  An information processing apparatus such as a portable terminal device has a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory as a storage device. When the contents of the nonvolatile memory are destroyed due to a malfunction or accident of the program, the information processing apparatus is connected to a PC via a serial interface such as a USB, and recovery work is performed using the PC.

  Further, when investigating defects occurring in the market or development stage, the information processing apparatus is connected to an in-circuit emulator (ICE). The investigation program including the OS is loaded from the ICE to the information processing apparatus and executed.

  As described above, in the conventional information processing apparatus, a program for restoring the nonvolatile memory and a program for investigating a problem in the market are supplied from the PC or the ICE. There is a demand for a technique that enables an information processing apparatus (portable terminal apparatus) itself to execute an investigation program and a recovery program without using an ICE or a PC.

  The following are known as related technologies.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor test apparatus. According to this prior art, a board storage device storing a test program is mounted on a test board. A test program is read from the board storage device, and the semiconductor device under test is tested.

  Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a CD-ROM, a ROM, and a control device having a main controller. An adjustment program is stored in the CD-ROM. The ROM stores a normal mode program. When selecting the normal mode operation, the main controller executes the normal mode operation based on the normal mode program. When selecting the adjustment operation, the main controller executes the adjustment operation based on the adjustment program, and tests based on the adjustment program. Output the pattern on paper.

  Patent Document 3 discloses an electronic circuit board inspection system. This inspection system inspects the operation of an electronic circuit board having output data generating means for generating output data and a data output path for outputting the output data to the outside. The inspection system compares memory means for temporarily storing output data output from the output data generation means via the data output path, and the stored output data and output data generated by the output data generation means. And a comparison means.

  Patent Document 4 discloses a vending machine inspection method. This inspection method is an inspection method for inspecting a vending machine provided with a control device capable of connecting a removable recording medium. A recording medium on which the inspection program is recorded is connected to the control device. The control device executes the inspection program recorded on the recording medium, whereby the vending machine is inspected.

  Patent Document 5 discloses a remote maintenance service method. According to this service method, when a failure occurs in the user terminal, the OS and NOS corresponding to the user terminal are activated in advance on the recording medium. The program recorded on the recording medium causes the user terminal to execute line connection with the center for providing the maintenance service. After the line connection is completed, the user terminal performs fault diagnosis and fault recovery from the center.

  Patent Document 6 discloses an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a memory that stores a program for the optical card, and a unit that compares the program recorded in the card with the program stored in the memory when the optical card is mounted. When both programs are the same, the program is not read from the optical card, and the program stored in the memory is executed. When both programs are different, the program is read from the optical card and executed.

JP 2000-227461 A JP 2000-347829 A JP 2000-14143 A JP 2003-44914 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-173734 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-184707

  An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of reducing the burden on verification and recovery of the apparatus, and a computer program executed by the information processing apparatus.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of investigating defects, restoring memory, and confirming the operation of the apparatus without using an ICE or PC, and a computer program executed by the information processing apparatus Is to provide.

  [Means for Solving the Problems] will be described below using the numbers and symbols used in [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]. These numbers and symbols are added in parentheses in order to clarify the correspondence between the description of [Claims] and [Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]. However, these numbers and symbols should not be used for the interpretation of the technical scope of the invention described in [Claims].

  An information processing apparatus (10) according to the present invention includes an interface (5) configured to be connected to an external storage medium (200, 300), and an arithmetic processing apparatus (1) accessible to the interface (5). And a first storage device (2) in which a processing activation program (20) executed by the arithmetic processing device (1) is stored. When the information processing device (10) is "started", the arithmetic processing device (1) executes the processing start program (20) to execute the processing from the external storage medium (200, 300) connected to the interface (5). A predetermined file (220, 320) is searched. When the predetermined file (220, 320) is stored in the external storage medium (200, 300), the arithmetic processing unit (1) transfers the predetermined file (220, 320) from the external storage medium (200, 300). Read and execute. The name of the predetermined file (220, 320) is set in the process activation program (20).

  The information processing apparatus (10) according to the present invention further includes a second storage device (4) accessed by the arithmetic processing unit (1). The predetermined file (220, 320) may be a program executed by the arithmetic processing device (1) for inspecting and restoring the second storage device (4).

  In the information processing apparatus (10) according to the present invention, the predetermined file (220, 320) is preferably a script file in which the predetermined program (230, 330) is designated. In the script file, the name of a predetermined program (230, 330) is described. When the information processing apparatus (10) is activated, the arithmetic processing unit (1) reads and executes the predetermined program (230, 330) from the external storage medium (200, 300) connected to the interface (5). The information processing device (10) further includes a second storage device (4) accessed by the arithmetic processing device (1). The predetermined programs (230, 330) are executed by the arithmetic processing unit (1) for inspecting and restoring the second storage device (4).

  The information processing device (10) according to the present invention is, for example, a mobile terminal device.

  In another aspect of the present invention, a program (20) that is executed when the information processing apparatus (10) is activated is provided. The information processing apparatus (10) includes an interface (5) configured to be connected to an external storage medium (200, 300), and an arithmetic processing unit (1) that can access the interface (5). The program (20) according to the present invention reads (A) a predetermined file (220, 320) from an external storage medium (200, 300) connected to the interface (5) when the information processing apparatus (10) is activated. And (B) when the predetermined file (220, 320) is stored in the external storage medium (200, 300), the predetermined file (220, 320) is retrieved from the external storage medium (200, 300). The arithmetic processing unit (1) is caused to execute the step of reading and executing. In the step (A), the predetermined file (220, 320) is searched based on a preset file name.

  The information processing device (10) further includes a storage device (4) accessed by the arithmetic processing device (1). The predetermined file (220, 320) may be an inspection / recovery program executed by the arithmetic processing unit (1) for inspecting / recovering the storage device (4).

  The predetermined file (220, 320) is preferably a script file in which a predetermined program (230, 330) is designated. In this case, the program (20) according to the present invention further includes (C) a step of reading and executing a predetermined program (230, 330) from the external storage medium (200, 300) connected to the interface (5). The arithmetic processing unit (1) is executed. The information processing device (10) further includes a storage device (4) accessed by the arithmetic processing device (1). The predetermined programs (230, 330) are inspection / recovery programs that are executed by the arithmetic processing unit (1) to inspect / restore the storage device (4).

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention can execute a program according to the purpose without using an ICE or a PC. In particular, according to the information processing apparatus and the computer program executed by the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to perform trouble investigation, memory restoration, and apparatus operation confirmation without using an ICE or a PC. Is possible. Therefore, the burden on verification and recovery of the device is reduced.

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention and a computer program executed by the information processing apparatus will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The information processing apparatus according to the present invention can be connected to an external storage medium such as a memory card. Moreover, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is, for example, a mobile terminal device.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information processing apparatus (portable terminal apparatus) according to the present invention. The portable terminal device 10 includes a CPU (arithmetic processing device) 1, a first nonvolatile memory 2, a RAM 3, a second nonvolatile memory 4, and a storage medium interface 5 that are connected to each other via a bus 6. .

  An example of the first nonvolatile memory 2 is a flash memory. The first nonvolatile memory 2 is protected for security and is used for special purposes. A DRAM is exemplified as the RAM 3. An example of the second nonvolatile memory 4 is a flash memory. The second nonvolatile memory 4 stores an OS 40 that is normally used. An example of the storage medium interface 5 is USB. The portable terminal device 10 is connected to an external storage medium such as a memory card via the storage medium interface 5. Further, the CPU 1 accesses the storage medium interface 5 and exchanges data with the external storage medium.

  According to the present invention, the first non-volatile memory 2 stores a test activation program 20 that is executed by the CPU 1 when the portable terminal device 10 is “activated (booted)”. As will be described in detail later, the inspection activation program 20 retrieves a predetermined file from an external storage medium connected to the storage medium interface 5. The name of the predetermined file is set in advance in the inspection activation program 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the name of the predetermined file (search target file name) is, for example, “CHECK”.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile terminal device 10 according to the present invention. With reference to FIG. 2, the operation of the mobile terminal device 10, particularly the processing of the CPU 1 by executing the inspection activation program 20 will be described.

  First, the process in the state shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, the mobile terminal device 10 is activated (step S1). The CPU 1 executes the inspection activation program 20 stored in the first nonvolatile memory 2. Next, it is investigated whether an external storage medium is connected to the storage medium interface 5 (step S2). In this case, the external storage medium is not connected (step S2; No). In that case, the execution of the inspection activation program 20 ends. Then, the OS 40 stored in the second nonvolatile memory 4 is loaded into the RAM 3 and a normal startup process is executed (step S100).

  Next, the process in the state shown in FIG. 3 will be described. In this case, the external storage medium 100 is connected to the mobile terminal device 10 via the storage medium interface 5. The external storage medium 100 stores file groups (program groups) 110a to 110c. The names of these file groups 110a to 110c are “AAA”, “BBB”, and “CCC”. Further, it is assumed that the OS is not included in these file groups 110a to 110c.

  In this case, it is determined in step S2 that the external storage medium 100 is connected (step S2; Yes). Next, activation of the OS stored in the external storage medium 100 is attempted. In this example, the external storage medium 100 does not include an OS (step S3; No). In that case, the built-in OS 40 stored in the second nonvolatile memory 4 is loaded into the RAM 3 and executed (step S5). Next, the predetermined file (file name: CHECK) is searched from the external storage medium 100 (step S6). In this case, the predetermined file is not stored in the external storage medium 100 (step S6; No). In that case, the execution of the inspection activation program 20 ends. Then, normal startup processing is executed (step S100). If the built-in OS 40 is broken, the process ends in step S5.

  Next, processing in the state shown in FIG. 4 will be described. In this case, an external storage medium 200 is connected to the mobile terminal device 10 via the storage medium interface 5. The external storage medium 200 stores an OS 210, a script file 220, and inspection programs 230a and 230b for memory inspection. It is assumed that the name of the script file 220 is “CHECK”. Further, it is assumed that a predetermined program and a load destination address of the predetermined program are specified in the script file 220. In particular, it is assumed that the script file 220 describes the name of the predetermined program.

  In this case, it is determined in step S2 that the external storage medium 200 is connected (step S2; Yes). Next, activation of the OS stored in the external storage medium 200 is attempted. In this example, the OS 210 is stored in the external storage medium 200 (step S3; Yes). Therefore, the OS 210 stored in the external storage medium 200 is loaded into the RAM 3 and executed (step S4). Next, the predetermined file (file name: CHECK) is searched from the external storage medium 200 (step S6). In this case, the predetermined file (script file 220) is stored in the external storage medium 200 (step S6; Yes). In that case, the script file 220 is read and loaded to an arbitrary address in the RAM 3.

  Next, the CPU 1 (inspection activation program 20) analyzes the contents of the script file 220 (step S7). As a result, the name of the predetermined program (inspection program 230) designated by the script file 220 and its load destination address are obtained. Next, it is confirmed (searched) whether or not the designated predetermined program exists in the external storage medium 200 (step S8). If the designated program does not exist (step S8; No), the execution of the inspection activation program 20 ends. Then, normal startup processing is executed (step S100).

  Now, it is assumed that the inspection program 230a is designated as a predetermined program in the script file 220. In this case (step S8; Yes), the inspection program 230a is read from the external storage medium 200 and loaded to the designated load destination address in the RAM 3 (step S9). Processing then moves to that address. Thereafter, the inspection program 230a is executed by the CPU 1, and inspection (inspection) of the second nonvolatile memory 4 is executed (step S10).

  As described above, according to the mobile terminal device 10 of the present invention, a predetermined program is automatically searched and executed when the device is activated. Here, it is not necessary to use an external PC or an in-circuit emulator (ICE). In other words, it is possible to execute a program according to a purpose corresponding to a purpose such as defect investigation or operation confirmation without using an ICE or a PC. Therefore, the burden on verification and recovery of the device is reduced. In the above description, the script file 220 is exemplified as the predetermined file, but the file named “CHECK” itself may be the inspection program as it is.

  Next, the process in the state shown in FIG. 5 will be described. In this case, an external storage medium 300 is connected to the mobile terminal device 10 via the storage medium interface 5. The external storage medium 300 stores an OS 310, a script file 320, and recovery programs 330a and 330b for memory recovery. It is assumed that the name of the script file 320 is “CHECK”. Further, it is assumed that the script file 320 specifies a predetermined program and a load destination address of the predetermined program. In particular, it is assumed that the script file 320 describes the name of the predetermined program.

  In this case, the content of the script file 320 is different from the case shown in FIG. 4, but the name of the script file 320 is the same (“CHECK”). Accordingly, the processing proceeds in the same manner as in the case shown in FIG. That is, the script file 320 is automatically retrieved and executed. Further, for example, the recovery program 330a is automatically retrieved and executed. Thereby, the recovery of the second nonvolatile memory 4 is executed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, as long as a file having a name (“CHECK”) specified by the examination activation program 20 is prepared, the processing contents can be freely set. In other words, a common name may be given to a predetermined file, and the content of the predetermined file may be changed according to a desired process. In this respect, the predetermined file is preferably a script file. The user may specify the name of a predetermined program according to the purpose in the script file. The predetermined program may be diverted. As described above, the test activation program 20 according to the present invention is excellent in flexibility and can cope with various cases.

  Also, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it is preferable that various external storage media are prepared according to the purpose. Each external storage medium only needs to store script files 220 and 320 having the same name designated by the inspection activation program 20. In each script file, the name of the program corresponding to the application is specified. Examples of uses include inspection and recovery of defects in the second nonvolatile memory 4, operation check, storage / recovery of user data, and the like. The designated use-specific program may be stored in the same external storage medium. Thereby, the user can perform various processes with respect to the portable terminal device 10 only by replacing the external storage device. Therefore, the burden on verification and recovery of the device is reduced.

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention can execute a program according to the purpose without using an ICE or a PC. Examples of the purpose include investigation of defects, memory recovery, device operation confirmation, and user data storage / recovery. Thereby, the burden concerning verification and recovery of the apparatus is reduced. Furthermore, it is possible to deal with various cases by changing the content without changing the name of a predetermined file stored in the external storage medium. This also reduces the burden on device verification and recovery.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mobile terminal device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile terminal device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the mobile terminal device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the mobile terminal device according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining still another example of the operation of the mobile terminal device according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 First non-volatile memory 3 RAM
4 Second non-volatile memory 5 Storage medium interface 6 Bus 10 Mobile terminal device 20 Inspection start program 40 OS
100 external storage medium 110 file 200 external storage medium 210 OS
220 Script file 230 Inspection program 300 External storage medium 310 OS
320 Script file 330 Recovery program

Claims (14)

An interface configured to be connected to an external storage medium;
An arithmetic processing unit capable of accessing the interface;
A first storage device storing a process activation program executed by the arithmetic processing unit,
At the time of startup, the arithmetic processing unit searches for a predetermined file from the external storage medium connected to the interface by executing the processing startup program,
When the predetermined file is stored in the external storage medium, the arithmetic processing device reads and executes the predetermined file from the external storage medium. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The name of the predetermined file is set in the process activation program. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
And a second storage device accessed by the arithmetic processing unit,
The predetermined file is a program that is executed by the arithmetic processing unit to inspect and restore the second storage device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The predetermined file is a script file in which a predetermined program is specified. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
An information processing apparatus in which the script file includes a name of the predetermined program. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5,
At startup, the arithmetic processing device reads and executes the predetermined program from the external storage medium connected to the interface. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,
A second storage device accessed by the arithmetic processing unit;
The predetermined program is a program that is executed by the arithmetic processing unit to inspect and restore the second storage device. An interface configured to be connected to an external storage medium;
An arithmetic processing unit capable of accessing the interface;
A non-volatile storage device storing a process activation program executed by the arithmetic processing unit,
At the time of startup, the arithmetic processing unit searches for a predetermined file from the external storage medium connected to the interface by executing the processing startup program,
When the predetermined file is stored in the external storage medium, the arithmetic processing device reads and executes the predetermined file from the external storage medium. A program that is executed when the information processing apparatus starts up,
The information processing apparatus includes an interface configured to be connected to an external storage medium, and an arithmetic processing device accessible to the interface.
The program is
(A) searching for a predetermined file from the external storage medium connected to the interface when starting up the information processing apparatus;
(B) When the predetermined file is stored in the external storage medium, the program that causes the arithmetic processing unit to execute the step of reading the predetermined file from the external storage medium and executing it. The program according to claim 9, wherein
In the step (A), a search for the predetermined file is executed based on a preset file name. The program according to claim 9 or 10, wherein
The information processing apparatus further includes a storage device accessed by the arithmetic processing unit,
The predetermined file is an inspection / recovery program executed by the arithmetic processing unit for inspecting / recovering the storage device. The program according to claim 9 or 10, wherein
The predetermined file is a script file in which a predetermined program is designated. A program according to claim 12,
Furthermore,
(C) A program that causes the arithmetic processing unit to execute a step of reading and executing the predetermined program from the external storage medium connected to the interface. The program according to claim 13,
The information processing apparatus further includes a storage device accessed by the arithmetic processing unit,
The predetermined program is an inspection / recovery program executed by the arithmetic processing unit for inspecting / recovering the storage device.

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