JP3253641B2 - Electronic and facsimile machines - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a facsimile apparatus having a system composed of a main module and a sub module, and more particularly to an electronic apparatus and a facsimile apparatus in which a startup sequence between a main module and a sub module is led by a main module. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic device such as a facsimile machine, a main module for managing or controlling the entire system and a sub-module managed or controlled by the main module to execute processing for each section are provided. The system is configured. Normally, the main module must always manage each sub-module. In managing each sub-module, the main module must first know that when the power is turned on, the start-up of each sub-module is completed and the sub-module is in an idle state.

Here, if the design is not particularly considered, each module will notify the main module without permission at the completion of startup. Since the main module may take time to initialize itself (for example, reading data from the hard disk), the main module receives synchronization completion notification from each sub-module without synchronizing with the state of the main module. Can not do.

Therefore, a start-up sequence between the main module and the sub-module is required, and is implemented by some method. For example, in the start-up sequence by polling, after a predetermined time (for example, one second) has elapsed after the power is turned on, the main module inquires of the sub-module about the status (initialization completion), and the sub-module responds to this inquiry. The status is notified. In this case, the main module needs to make a status inquiry in consideration of the rise time of the submodule.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional electronic device, the inquiry timing of the main module must be set at the design stage, and the timing at which the submodule has been initialized has to be set. It is necessary to take into account the initialization completion timing of the main module itself, and there is a problem that an unnecessary waiting time occurs depending on the system configuration.

Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 is to receive the notification of the completion of the initialization of the sub-module at any time after the completion of the initialization of the main module, and to grasp the completion of the initialization of each sub-module under the initiative of the main module. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device capable of performing the following. Further, the invention according to claim 2 is a facsimile that can recognize the completion of initialization of each communication channel led by the control unit by receiving a notification of completion of initialization of the communication channel as needed after waiting for completion of initialization of the control unit. It is intended to provide a device.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In order to achieve the above object, a main module that manages the entire system, and a submodule that is managed by the main module and executes processing for each section, is provided at the time of system startup or reset. An electronic device for notifying the main module of the completion of initialization of the sub-module itself from the electronic device, and a notifying unit for notifying the sub-module of completion of initialization of the main module itself, and the main module notified by the notifying unit. Storage means for storing the completion of initialization of the main module, and permission means for permitting a notification of completion of initialization in the sub-module after confirming that the completion of initialization of the main module is stored in the storage means. It is a feature.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control unit which manages the entire system, and a communication channel which is managed by the control unit and executes communication processing. A facsimile apparatus for notifying a control unit of the completion of initialization of the communication channel itself from a communication channel at the time of system startup or reset; and a notifying unit for notifying the communication channel of completion of initialization of the control unit itself. Storage means for storing the completion of initialization of the control unit notified by the notification means, and after confirming that the completion of initialization of the control unit is stored in the storage means, a notification of completion of initialization of the communication channel is issued. Permission means for permitting.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the completion of the initialization of the main module notified to the submodule by the notifying means is stored in the storage means, and the completion of the initialization of the main module is stored in the storage means. After confirming that is stored, the initialization completion notification in the sub-module is permitted.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2 having the above configuration, the completion of initialization of the control unit itself notified to the communication channel by the notification unit is stored in the storage unit, and the initial state of the control unit is stored in the storage unit. After confirming that the initialization completion is stored, the initialization completion notification in the communication channel is permitted.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on embodiments.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a facsimile apparatus as an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 3, the control unit 10 as a main module includes:
It is connected to a plurality of sub-modules via a system bus 11, and manages and controls the entire system configured by these modules. The sub-modules include a scanner unit 12 for reading a document, a plotter unit 13 for outputting a hard copy, a scanner / plotter scaling unit 14 for varying the magnification at the time of reading or printing, scanner data or a plotter as shown in the figure. First to compress or decompress data
And second scanner / plotter compression / reproduction unit 15, 1
6. First buffer unit 17 for temporarily storing data, first to fourth communication channels 19 to 22 provided corresponding to the capacity of each line (PSTN) 18, and SAF unit 23 for storing communication information.
(For example, 20 Mbytes), a second buffer unit 24 for temporarily storing data, an operation unit / display unit 25 related to operation and display, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the flow of image information when facsimile data is transmitted in the facsimile apparatus of FIG. As shown in the figure, the image information of the transmission original is first read by the scanner unit 12 and stored in the first buffer unit 17. The raw information of this document is compressed by the scanner / plotter compression / reproducing unit 15 and the second buffer unit
Stored in 24. Note that the information compression method includes an MH method (Modified Huffman coding method: one-dimensional coding method) and an MR method (ModifiedREAD coding method:
2D sequential coding), MMR (Modified Modif)
iedREAD encoding method).

[0013] The compressed image information is sent to the SAF unit 23 and further sent out to the line 18 via the communication channel 19. In the communication channel 19, linear density conversion, paper size conversion, inch / millimeter conversion, and the like are performed in accordance with the capability of the partner machine (facsimile machine). FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a facsimile apparatus as an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the same components as those in the above-described example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a specific description thereof will be omitted.

First, the configuration will be described. The control unit 10 is provided with a CPU 30 as a central processing unit.
Manages and controls the entire system according to a control program stored in the ROM 31. The control unit 10 also includes a RAM 32 for storing data necessary for control, a DMA (direct memory access) executed for control, and a timer controller 33 for controlling time such as an interrupt. Further, the control unit 10 includes a hard disk (H
An HD controller 35 for reading information from a D) 34, an FD controller 37 for reading information from a floppy disk (FD) 36, and the like are provided. These components in the control unit 10 are connected to the system bus 11 via the internal bus 38.

In such a control unit 10, the CPU 30
It functions as a notification unit according to the present invention, and notifies the communication channel 19 as a sub-module that the initialization of the control unit 10 itself has been completed. On the other hand, the communication channel 19 is provided with a DPRAM 40 as a storage means, and stores the completion of the initialization notified from the control unit 10 in the DPRAM 40. The CPU 41 in the communication channel 19 functions as the permission unit according to the present invention, and after confirming that the initialization completion of the control unit 10 is stored in the DPRAM 40, notifies the control unit 10 of the completion of initialization of the communication channel itself. Notice.

The communication channel 19 is provided with a RAM 42, a ROM 43, and a timer controller 44 in the same manner as the control unit 10, and further includes an image information compression / reproduction unit for compressing / expanding image information.
45 are provided. The image information compression / reproduction unit 45
The first and second scanner / plotter compression / reproduction units 15 and 16 shown in FIG. 3 may be used instead. The communication channel 19 is provided with a modem control unit 47 for controlling a modem 46.
18 or connected to a telephone (TEL).

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, a description will be given of a startup sequence between the control unit and the communication channel when the power is turned on (ie, at startup) or at the time of hardware reset. First, when the power is turned on or the hardware is reset (step S101), the control unit 10
Initializes each memory, LSI, and the like shown in FIG. 1 (step S102).
A flag indicating completion of initialization in the RAM 40, for example, "WAKE-U
"P" is written (step S103). Here, simply DP
Since the data is only written in the RAM 40, the state of the communication channel 19 may be either completed or not completed. Thereafter, the control unit 10 is notified of "startup completed" from the communication channel 19 by interruption (step S107).
To wait.

On the other hand, in step S101, the power
N, or when the hardware is reset
In communication channel 19, after initialization of itself is completed, DP
A search is made as to whether "WAKE-UP" has been written in the RAM 40 (step S104). When "WAKE-UP" is searched, the communication channel 19 clears the code area in which "WAKE-UP" is written to 0 (step S105), and writes a code indicating completion of initialization of itself into the DPRAM 40 (step S105). S106) At the same time, an interrupt is generated and notified to the control unit 10 (step S107).

Here, the code area of “WAKE-UP” is set to 0
The reason for clearing is to prevent the communication channel 19 from inadvertently notifying the control unit 10 of "initialization completion" when only the communication channel 19 is reset. Also,
The reason why the notification of the completion of the initialization in step S107 is made by interruption is that the processing efficiency is higher than waiting for the notification by the above-mentioned polling.

In step S107, the control unit 10 detects the interrupt and analyzes the completion of the initialization of the communication channel 19,
The initial information of the communication channel 19 is written in the DPRAM 40 (step S108), and an interrupt is generated (step S10).
9). In step S109, the communication channel 19 detects the interrupt, analyzes the initial information written in the DPRAM 40, and then outputs a code indicating "initial completion" to the DPRAM 40.
40 is written (step S110), an interrupt is generated and the control unit 10
(Step S111), and enters an idle state.

In step S111, the control unit 10 detects the interruption, analyzes "initial completion", and operates the operation unit / display unit.
25 indicates that the communication channel 19 is in the READY state (step S112), and enters the idle state. As described above, in the present embodiment, the completion of the initialization of the main module itself notified to the communication channel 19 (sub-module) by the CPU (notification unit) 30 in the control unit (main module) 10 is used as a storage unit. After the completion of the initialization of the control unit 10 is stored in the DPRAM 40 and the completion of the initialization of the control unit 10 is confirmed to be stored in the DPRAM 40, the completion of the initialization in the communication channel 19 is notified. It is possible to know the completion of 19 initializations.

In this embodiment, the completion of the initialization of the control unit 10 is stored as a flag in the DPRAM 40 as a storage means. The completion of the initialization of the control unit 10 can be notified. Although the communication channel 19 is illustrated as a sub-module in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the communication channel 19 as a sub-module, and is effective for other sub-modules. Also, a facsimile machine has been illustrated as an example of an electronic device, but the present invention may be applied to a copying machine, a printer, and the like.

[0023]

As described above, according to the electronic device of the present invention, the completion of the initialization of the main module itself notified to the sub-module is stored in the storage means. After confirming that the completion of initialization of the main module is stored in the sub-module, the completion of initialization of the sub-module is notified. The notification can be accepted, and the completion of the initialization of the submodule can be easily and reliably grasped by the main module.

According to the facsimile apparatus of the second aspect, the completion of initialization of the control unit itself notified to the communication channel is stored in the storage unit, and the initialization of the control unit is stored in the storage unit. After confirming that the completion is stored, it is configured to notify the completion of the initialization in the communication channel, so it is possible to wait for the completion of the initialization of the control unit and to receive the notification of the completion of the initialization of the communication channel at any time. Thus, the completion of the initialization of the communication channel can be easily and reliably grasped by the control unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a main part of a facsimile apparatus as an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a startup sequence between a control unit and a communication channel at the time of power-on or hardware reset.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a facsimile apparatus as an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a flow of image information when facsimile data is transmitted in the facsimile apparatus of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 control unit (main module) 19 communication channel (sub-module) 30 CPU (notification means) 40 DPRAM (storage means) 41 CPU (permission means)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A main module that manages the entire system; and a submodule that is managed by the main module and executes a process for each section. In an electronic device for notifying the completion of initialization of the module itself to the main module, a notifying means for notifying the completion of initialization of the main module to the submodule, and initialization of the main module notified by the notifying means Storage means for storing completion, and permission means for permitting an initialization completion notification in the sub-module after confirming that the initialization completion of the main module is stored in the storage means. Electronic devices. 2. A control unit for managing the entire system, and a communication channel managed by the control unit to execute communication processing, wherein the communication channel is changed from the communication channel when the system is started up or reset. In a facsimile apparatus that notifies the control unit of initialization completion,
Notification means for notifying the communication channel of the completion of initialization of the control unit itself, storage means for storing the completion of initialization of the control unit notified by the notification means, and initialization completion of the control unit in the storage means A facsimile apparatus, comprising: a permission unit for permitting an initialization completion notification in the communication channel after confirming that is stored.