JP3131918B2 - Memory device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory device such as a memory card for supplying memory contents such as software programs and font data to an external device such as a printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a memory device such as a memory card for supplying a memory content such as a software program or font data to a printing device is configured to supply the memory content in the memory device to a predetermined address space in the printing device. Has become.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional memory device, since the address space capacity of the memory device depends on the address space capacity of the printing device, a software program having a memory capacity exceeding the address space capacity of the printing device is used. And font data cannot be supplied.

According to the present invention , data in a plurality of memory areas is
Output by a predetermined first address and a plurality of
A menu showing the selected memory area of the memory area
Memory selection information is the same memory as the selected memory area.
Control output at a predetermined address in the memory address space.
It is an object to provide a memory device that can be set by a control program .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the memory device according to claim 1 is detachable from an external device.
Memory device, comprising: a plurality of memory areas;
Indicates the selected memory area of the number of memory areas.
Memory selection memory area where memory selection information is stored
And a control program for setting the memory selection information.
Having a program memory area in which a program is stored
Means, address input means for inputting an address, and memo
A predetermined first address in the re-address space is the address input.
Memory selection information according to the input by the input means.
The data of the memory area indicated by the
A predetermined second address in the address space is the address input means.
The program memory area in response to the
Output the control program of the
A predetermined third address of the space is determined by the address input means.
Is input by the control program.
Set the memory selection information of the memory selection memory area
Memory control means for enabling
You. The memory device according to claim 2, wherein the memory device according to claim 1.
In the apparatus, the memory area includes an emulation
The program is stored. Claim
3. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the memory device is a memory device.
In the memory device, the plurality of memory areas
Corresponding memory and the memory selection memory area
And a memory corresponding to
You. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the memory device according to the first aspect.
2. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the external device includes:
The predetermined first address is input to the address input means.
Then, a selected memory of the plurality of memory areas is
It is characterized in that data in the memory area is read. Claim
5 is a memory device according to claim 1.
In the above memory device, the external device is a printing device.
There is a feature.

[0006]

The data in the plurality of memory areas is stored in a predetermined first address.
And output from multiple memory areas.
Memory selection information indicating the selected memory area
Is the same memory address as the selected memory area
Control program output by a predetermined address in space
Is set by

[0007]

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

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic internal configuration of a memory device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a memory card as the memory device of the present invention. is there. A printing device (not shown) to which the memory card 101 is attached has a memory card I / F (interface) unit 102, and the printing device has a memory card I / F.
A software program, font data, and the like are supplied from the memory card 101 via the F unit 102. Further, the memory card 101 receives supply of address information from the memory card I / F unit 102 via the address bus 103, and receives the address information via the data bus 104.
Various types of data are transmitted between the inside and the memory card I / F unit 102. A control bus 105 transmits control data for transmitting various data via the data bus 104.

Emulation program memories 106 to 109 store emulation programs A to D. In the present embodiment, the emulation program memories 106 to 109 store emulation programs having independent contents. I have. Reference numeral 110 denotes a memory selection circuit, in which a memory selection register 111 is provided. A predetermined value corresponding to the emulation program memories 106 to 109 is set in the memory selection register 111. Reference numerals 112 to 115 denote selection signals of the memories 106 to 109 for selecting any one of the emulation program memories 106 to 109, respectively. The memory selection circuit 110 Emulation program memory 1 for selecting a selection signal corresponding to a predetermined value
06-109.

Reference numeral 116 denotes a control program memory. The control program memory 116 stores a software program for controlling the above-described emulation program memories 106 to 109 performed by the printing apparatus. The memory selection circuit 110 supplies a control program memory selection signal 117 for selecting the control program memory 116 to the memory 116.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an address map of the memory card 101 of FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 201 denotes a memory card address space. The space 201 is divided into first to third address spaces 202 to 204.

In the first address space 202, the emulation program memories A to D and 106 to 10 shown in FIG.
9 emulation programs A to
Any one of D, 205 to D208 is selectively assigned. The control program 209 stored in the control program memory 116 of FIG. 1 is allocated to the second address space 203. Third address space 2
04 is assigned a memory selection register 210.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the emulation mode for performing the emulation operation, the printing apparatus operates as follows.
01 is operated by reading the contents of the memory. At this time, the memory selection circuit 110 decodes the address information sent from the memory card I / F unit 102 via the address bus 103, and the address information is stored in the first address space in the memory card address space 201 of FIG. 2
02 indicates an address in memory A to memory A in FIG.
One of the D selection signals 112 to 115 is selected. When one of the emulation program memories 106 to 109 is selected by the selected signal,
The emulation program stored in the selected memory is transmitted via the data bus 104 to the memory card I / F.
The data is read into the printing device via the unit 102.

The printing apparatus accesses the second address space 203 and executes the control program 2 assigned to the area.
09, and the above-described memory selection operation is performed.
At this time, the printing apparatus sets the predetermined value in the memory selection register 111 by writing the predetermined value corresponding to the emulation program memory to be selected in the third address space 204 via the memory card I / F unit 102 Then, the memory selection circuit 110 recognizes which memory is selected by the predetermined value set in the memory selection register 111.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By providing the memory card 101 with the memory selection circuit 110, the memory selection register 111 and the memory card control program memory 116, the first address space 202 in the memory card address space 201 is shared by the four emulation programs 106 to 109. Since the printing apparatus can read the desired emulation programs 205 to 208 from the memory card 101 by setting a predetermined value in the memory selection register 111, the same address space can be used. Thus, the printing apparatus can be operated by a plurality of types of emulation programs.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic internal configuration of a memory device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a memory card;
1 has a memory card I / F (interface) unit 302, and the printing device is connected to the memory card 3 via the memory card I / F unit 302.
01 is supplied with software programs and font data. Address information is supplied to the memory card 301 from the memory card I / F unit 302 via the address bus 303, and various types of information are transmitted to and from the memory card I / F unit 302 via the data bus 304.

The address decoder 305 decodes address information supplied from the memory card I / F unit 302 via the address bus 303, and supplies a pulse signal 307 to the memory switching circuit 306 as needed. The memory switching circuit 306 switches the output of the memory A selection signal 310 and the memory B selection signal 311 for selecting the memory A 308 and the memory B 309 by supplying the pulse signal 307. Reference numeral 312 denotes a memory switching register.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an address map in the memory card 301. In the figure, reference numeral 401 denotes a memory card address space.
To third address spaces 402 to 404.

The first address space 402 is an emulation program area, and includes an emulation program A405 or an emulation program B4.
06 is selectively assigned. However, in this embodiment, one emulation program is divided into an emulation program A 405 and an emulation program B 406, each of which is stored in the memory A3 in FIG.
08 and the memory B309.

In the second address space 403, a memory switching program A 407 or a memory switching program B
408 are selectively assigned. The memory switching programs A 407 and B 408 are programs for causing the printing apparatus to select between the memories A 308 and B 309, respectively.
8 and the memory B309. The memory switching register 409 is allocated to the third address space 404.

Next, the operation of the memory card 301 shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the emulation mode in which the emulation operation is performed, the printing apparatus to which the memory card 301 is attached operates by reading the memory contents of the memory card 301. When memory A308 is selected,
The memory card 301 supplies the emulation program A405 from the first address space 402 to the printing device.

When the contents of the emulation program B 406 are required in the state where the memory A 308 is selected, the processing jumps to the second address space 403 in which the memory switching program A 407 is stored, and the printing apparatus executes the memory switching program A 407. Is read, and the third address space 404 to which the memory switching register 409 is assigned is accessed according to the program contents. The address decoder 305 in FIG. 3 decodes the address information sent from the memory card I / F unit 302 via the address bus 303, and determines that the third address space 404, that is, the memory switching register 409 is being accessed. Then, the pulse signal 307 is supplied to the memory switching circuit 306. Upon receiving the pulse signal 307, the memory switching circuit 306 sends a memory B selection signal 311 for selecting the memory B 309, and by sending the memory B selection signal 311, the memory card 301 changes the memory A 308 from the selected state to the memory A 308. The state is switched to the selection state of B309.

As described above, the first address space 40
2, the emulation program B 406 can be supplied. On the contrary, when the memory contents of the emulation program A 405 are required, the program jumps to the second address space 403 where the memory switching program B 408 is stored. Then, the memory A selection signal 310 is sent out by the same processing as described above, and the selected state of the memory B 309 is switched to the selected state of the memory A 308.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
By providing the memory card 301 with the address decoder 305 and the memory switching circuit 306, the first address space 402 and the second address space 403 of the memory card address space 401 can be stored in the memory A 308 and the memory B 309 in which emulation programs are stored. To the memory A308 and the memory B309, respectively.
7 and B408, the printing apparatus can be operated using an emulation program having twice the capacity of the first address space 402.

According to the memory device according to claim 1 as described above, data of a plurality of memory areas, predetermined first A
Address and output of multiple memory areas.
Memory selection information indicating the selected memory area
Is the same memory address as the selected memory area
Control program output by a predetermined address in space
Can be set by

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration inside a memory device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an address map in the device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration inside a memory device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an address map in the device.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Memory card 106-109 Emulation program memory A
To D 110 memory selection circuit 111 memory selection register 116 memory card control program memory 201 memory card address space 202 to 204 first to third address spaces 205 to 208 emulation programs A to D 209 control program 210 memory selection register 301 memory card 305 Address decoder 306 Memory switching circuit 308, 309 Memory A, B 401 Memory card address space 402 to 404 First to third address space 405, 406 Emulation programs A, B 407, 408 Memory switching program A, B 409 Memory switching register

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-55-9123 (JP, A) JP-A-2-89144 (JP, A) JP-A-4-77820 (JP, A) JP-A-4-337595 (JP) JP-A-4-328384 (JP, A) JP-A-2-3843 (JP, A) JP-A-4-325993 (JP, A) (58) Fields studied (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB G06K 19/00 G06F 12/00-12/06

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A memory device detachable from an external device, comprising: a plurality of memory areas; and a memory selection information storing memory selection information indicating a selected memory area among the plurality of memory areas. Set the memory area and the memory selection information
Program program that stores the control program for
Memory means having a memory area, address input means for inputting an address, and a predetermined first address in a memory address space.
Memory selection according to the input by the memory input means.
Outputting data of a memory area indicated by the selection information,
A predetermined second address in an address space is the address input;
Means for inputting the program memo
Output the control program of the memory area, and
A predetermined third address in the address space is the address input means.
According to the control program.
The memory selection information of the memory selection memory area
A memory device comprising: a memory control unit that enables setting . 2. The memory area includes an emulation
2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the program is stored.
A memory device according to claim 1. 3. The memory means according to claim 2 , wherein said memory means includes a plurality of memory areas.
Memory corresponding to each area, and the memory selection memory
And a memory corresponding to the area
3. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein: 4. The external device according to claim 1, wherein the external device is an address input unit.
The predetermined first address is input to the
Reads data from the selected memory area of the
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein
A memory device according to claim 1. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external device is a printing device.
The memo according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that:
Device.