JP2007241361A - Control program rewrite system in information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the following problem: when a power plug or the like is extracted in the middle of writing of a control program into a microcomputer with a built-in flash by use of a main control microcomputer, a means rewriting the microcomputer with the built-in flash is done away with, so that the microcomputer with the built-in flash itself has to be replaced to take cost or trouble. <P>SOLUTION: This control program rewrite system has a program writer 20 capable of being connected to an information processor body 10, sending out a control program P2 to the information processor body 10 comprising: the main control microcomputer 1 having a communication control part 1a reading and transferring a control program P1 of a recording medium 3; and the microcomputer with the built-in flash 2 having a flash memory 2a storing the control program and a loader 2b rewriting the control program to a flash memory. The information processor body 10 has a changeover means 4 changing over between a state that the control program P1 from the communication control part 1a is sent to the loader 2b and a state that the control program P2 from the program writer 20 is sent to the loader 2b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a control program rewriting system applied in the course of production of an information processing apparatus in a digital home appliance or the like. Specifically, it has a main control microcomputer and a microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory (microcomputer with built-in flash) that controls the power supply of the main control microcomputer, and the main control microcomputer has a communication control unit that reads and transfers a control program from a recording medium. The microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory has a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory for storing the control program, and an information processing apparatus having a loader for rewriting the nonvolatile memory of the control program received from the communication control unit. It relates to technology to do.

  As a conventional method of rewriting a microcomputer with built-in flash, there is a method having rewriting means such as transferring a program from a host computer or the like and storing it in a flash memory (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  There is also a configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the DVD recording / resetting main body 10 includes a main control microcomputer 1 that controls the DVD recording / resetting main body 10 and a flash built-in microcomputer 2 that controls the power supply of the DVD recording / resetting main body 10. The main control microcomputer 1 has a communication control unit 1a that reads the control program P1 from the recording medium 3 and transfers it to the microcomputer 2 with built-in flash. The microcomputer with built-in flash 2 includes a flash memory 2a which is a nonvolatile memory and a loader 2b made of software for writing a control program in the flash memory 2a. Reference numeral 3 denotes a recording medium such as a DVD-RAM in which the control program P1 is recorded.

  When the control program is rewritten to the flash memory 2a, the communication control unit 1a of the main control microcomputer 1 reads the control program P1 from the recording medium 3 and transfers it to the loader 2b, so that the loader 2b sends the control program P1 to the flash memory 2a. Write. This is the rewriting means.

Thus, the means for rewriting the control program using the main control microcomputer is lighter in terms of carrying the program and the like than using the host computer.
JP 2001-325108 A (page 3-4, Fig. 1-3)

  Conventionally, the rewrite means of such a microcomputer with built-in flash has only one rewrite means mounted in a set. Therefore, if a power failure occurs or the power plug is unplugged while the control program is being rewritten using the main control microcomputer, the reprogramming of the microcomputer with built-in flash does not end normally and normal operation cannot be performed. You will not be able to turn on the power. Since the set itself does not start up, there is no way to rewrite the flash built-in microcomputer. As a result, there is a problem that it is necessary to replace the flash built-in microcomputer itself, which is expensive and troublesome.

  The present invention was created in view of such circumstances, and rewriting the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory due to a power failure or disconnection of the power plug during rewriting of the control program using the main control microcomputer. The purpose is to make it possible to rewrite the microcomputer with built-in non-volatile memory as expected even if the process does not end normally.

  In order to solve this problem, the present invention uses a circuit board on which two systems of rewriting means are mounted, and uses the second rewriting means even when rewriting from the main control microcomputer as the first rewriting means fails. Thus, the nonvolatile memory can be rewritten.

That is, the control program rewriting system in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is:
A first rewriting means for reading a control program for a recording medium using a main control microcomputer and rewriting the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory;
And a second rewriting means for rewriting the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory from an external program writer.

More specifically, the control program rewriting system in the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is
A main control microcomputer having a communication control unit for reading and transferring a control program stored in a recording medium, a non-volatile memory for storing the control program, and a non-volatile memory having a loader for rewriting the control program for the non-volatile memory An information processing device main body comprising a built-in microcomputer;
A program writer that can be connected to the information processing apparatus main body and sends a control program,
The information processing apparatus main body further includes switching means for switching between a state in which the control program from the communication control unit of the main control microcomputer is sent to the loader and a state in which the control program from the program writer is sent to the loader. Yes.

  According to this configuration, if rewriting of the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory does not end normally due to a power failure or disconnection of the power plug during rewriting of the control program using the main control microcomputer, information processing A program writer is connected to the apparatus main body, the program writer is connected to the loader in the switching means, and a control program from the program writer is written to the nonvolatile memory via the switching means and the loader. As a result, it is possible to rewrite the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory as expected.

  According to the present invention, even when the main control microcomputer becomes inoperable due to a power failure or the like, the control program can be rewritten by the second rewriting means using the program writer and the switching means, and the nonvolatile memory is incorporated. This eliminates the need for large-scale measures such as replacing the microcomputer. As a result, the effect of reducing the replacement time and the replacement cost of the nonvolatile memory microcomputer can be obtained.

  Embodiments of a control program rewriting system in an information processing apparatus according to 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 control program rewriting system in a DVD recording / reproducing set according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a DVD recording / resetting main body as an information processing apparatus main body. The DVD recording / resetting main body 10 includes a main control microcomputer 1 for controlling the DVD recording / resetting main body 10 and a DVD recording / resetting main body. 10 includes a microcomputer 2 with built-in flash that performs power supply control. The main control microcomputer 1 has a communication control unit 1a that reads the control program P1 from the recording medium 3 and transfers it to the microcomputer 2 with built-in flash. The microcomputer with built-in flash 2 includes a flash memory 2a which is a nonvolatile memory and a loader 2b made of software for writing a control program in the flash memory 2a. Reference numeral 3 denotes a recording medium such as a DVD-RAM in which the control program P1 is recorded. Reference numeral 20 denotes a program writer as an external device connected to the DVD recording / resetting main body 10, and this program writer 20 stores a control program P2. Reference numeral 4 denotes switching means for switching and controlling the transfer source of the control program. The communication control unit 1a and the program writer 20 are connected to the input side of the switching means 4, and the loader 2b is connected to the output side thereof. A control program P2 in the program writer 20 controls the switching means 4.

  Next, an operation when the control program is rewritten in the flash memory 2a in the DVD recording / reproducing set (information processing apparatus) of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

  Normally, the microcomputer 2 with a built-in flash is operating normally. The switching means 4 for controlling the transfer source of the control program is connected to the transfer side from the main control microcomputer 1. When rewriting the flash memory 2a, the communication control unit 1a of the main control microcomputer 1 reads the control program P1 from the recording medium 3 and transfers it to the loader 2b via the switching means 4, so that the loader 2b stores the control program in the flash memory 2a. Write P1. This is the first rewriting means, which has the same operation mode as the prior art of FIG.

  If the process by the first rewriting means fails, the flash built-in microcomputer 2 that controls the power supply of the DVD recording / resetting main body 10 does not operate normally. As a result, the control program P1 for the recording medium 3 cannot be transferred from the main control microcomputer 1. In this case, the program writer 20 is connected to the DVD recording / resetting main body 10 via a connection member such as a socket. When power is supplied in this state, a switching signal is sent from the program writer 20 to the switching means 4, and the control program P2 can be transferred from the program writer 20 to the loader 2b. The loader 2b writes the received control program P2 into the flash memory 2a. This is the second rewriting means. By doing so, the microcomputer 2 with built-in flash can be restored normally.

  Note that the switching of the switching unit 4 may be performed manually.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the processing by the first rewriting means fails, rewriting of the flash memory of the microcomputer with built-in flash can be realized as expected by using the second rewriting means. The time and cost for replacing the microcomputer can be reduced.

  The control program rewriting system in the information processing apparatus of the present invention can eliminate the necessity of replacing the flash built-in microcomputer in the manufacturing process of the information processing apparatus in which the flash built-in microcomputer is mounted on the printed circuit board. It has the effect of reducing costs and is useful in digital home appliances and their production methods.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the control program rewriting system in the information processing apparatus (DVD recording / reproducing set) of embodiment of this invention A block diagram showing a configuration of a control program rewriting system in a conventional information processing apparatus (DVD recording / resetting)

Explanation of symbols

1 Main control microcomputer 1a Communication control unit 2 Microcomputer with built-in flash (microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory)
2a Flash memory (nonvolatile memory)
2b Loader 3 Recording medium 4 Switching means 10 DVD recording / resetting main body (information processing apparatus main body)
20 Program writer P1 control program P2 control program

Claims (2)

A first rewriting means for reading a control program for a recording medium using a main control microcomputer and rewriting the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory;
A control program rewriting system in an information processing apparatus, comprising: a second rewriting means for rewriting the microcomputer with built-in nonvolatile memory from an external program writer. A main control microcomputer having a communication control unit for reading and transferring a control program stored in a recording medium, a non-volatile memory for storing the control program, and a non-volatile memory having a loader for rewriting the control program for the non-volatile memory An information processing device main body comprising a built-in microcomputer;
A program writer that can be connected to the information processing apparatus main body and sends a control program,
The information processing apparatus main body further includes switching means for switching between a state in which the control program from the communication control unit of the main control microcomputer is sent to the loader and a state in which the control program from the program writer is sent to the loader. Control program rewriting system in an information processing apparatus.

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