JP3299791B2 - Information processing system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a share of the physical resources tube
The present invention relates to an information processing system capable of operating a plurality of systems having different processing methods on a single firmware, and more specifically, to a central processing unit (CPU) such as a computer or a word processor (hereinafter referred to as a word processor). ), A memory, an auxiliary storage device, and other physical resources such as input / output devices. However, a plurality of systems (here, a plurality of devices including different devices) having completely different physical resource management methods or access means. And a software group that operates these hardware) on a single firmware.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a system such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) or a word processor, when a user has a function that allows the user to select or customize the usage, each time the user activates the function, It is necessary to make the environment suitable for the environment.

Conventionally, as a method of setting an environment in a computer in order to save this trouble, there is a method of using an environment file in which information on what the user has selected among options of the function is written. This method is shown in FIG.
The environment file 42 is prepared in advance in the auxiliary storage device 41 for a function requiring environment setting as shown in FIG.
The environment is set by storing the value set by the user in 2. And when a feature is introduced into the system (at startup)
The environment file is also read at the same time and set as the environment of the function.

[0004] For example, with respect to the Japanese input function (Japanese FEP) in a personal computer, the user has information such as selection of input of romaji / hiragana, types of keys used for punctuation, and whether or not to preferentially convert proper nouns as environment information. An environment file is a file in which these pieces of environment information are stored as data.

[0005]

Conventionally, environment files are stored on a disk in the case of a personal computer, a word processor, or the like.
In such a dedicated system, the storage method and handling method differ depending on the system, such as preparing a non-volatile memory or the like exclusively for environmental information.

In the above environment setting method, when a plurality of different systems are operated on one firmware and the same functions are to be obtained by these systems, each system has its own environment setting file. There is a need.
As described above, there are cases where the management method of the auxiliary storage device in which the environment file is to be saved is not unified between the systems, or the function to be used itself is extended to make use of the features of the system. Because.

Therefore, when a plurality of systems are operated by a common firmware, environmental information is shared between functions common to the systems (such as a word processor Japanese input function and a Japanese input front-end processor of a personal computer). It was difficult.

In such a case, as a method of matching the environment of the same function in each system, a method of converting an environment file between the systems, that is, reading information of a certain system by a method unique to the system, There is a method of converting the information to the information of the target system and storing it.However, even if the environment is changed when using the function in one system, it is not automatically reflected in other systems in real time, and it is tried to reflect it. In each case, conversion work is required.

[0009] Accordingly, the present onset Akira share a physical resource management
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing system capable of automatically unifying management including reference, update, setting, and the like of an environment of the same function in real time among a plurality of systems having different methods .

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided an information processing system capable of operating a plurality of systems which share physical resources and have different management methods on a single firmware. the farm has a first region for storing common environment information of a specific function that runs on each system, a backup memory capable that having a second area for storing the environmental information to be effective in a particular system Wherein each of the systems comprises a data reference table for referencing environmental information stored in a first area and a second area of the memory, wherein the data reference table is defined by the firmware.
The system allows each of the systems to refer to and change the environment information stored in the first area of the memory, and restricts the reference and change of the environment information stored in the second area to specific ones of the system. It is achieved by an information processing system comprising a permission to Turkey.

[0011]

[0012]

According to the information processing system having the above configuration,
Since multiple systems that share physical resources and have different management methods can be operated on a single farm, common environment information for specific functions that operate on each system can be backed up in forms. Environmental information that is stored in a first area of the memory and that is valid for a specific system is stored in a second area of the memory that can be backed up, and the environmental information stored in the first area is provided in a form. Multiple via data reference table
With each can reference common system of change it is also allowed. In addition, the environment information stored in the second area of the memory that can be backed up is allowed to be referenced and changed only in a specific system among a plurality of systems via a data reference table provided in the form.

[0013]

As described above, common management of environment settings in a plurality of systems becomes possible, and a common environment can be obtained between systems. In addition , since memory that can be backed up is used, even if a procedure such as a reboot is required for moving between systems, these environment setting information is not lost, and each memory operates on the system. Since a first area for storing common environment information of a specific function is provided, an environment changed in one system is immediately reflected in another system.

[0015]

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

FIG. 1 shows a firmware 1 common to a plurality of systems. The common firmware 1 requires basic systems such as a CPU 11 for executing various processes, a memory 12 for storing data and programs, and an input / output device 13 for data input / output. In addition to the above, a backupable memory (environment information memory) 14 for storing various environment setting information is provided. The environment information memory is composed of an EEPROM, a flash memory, or the like, and is referred to as a part of the memory or an input / output device. The information stored in the environment setting memory 14 is referred to as processing information, such as information that has the same function in each system and is effective in each system (common information) and when data is moved between systems. However, some information (non-common information) is effective only in specific systems.
For example, if there is a Japanese input function that has the same function between each system, the common information is the input method (whether the input mode is Romaji input or Hiragana input, punctuation type, conversion, confirmation method, etc.) or conversion. Logic (the result of converting the input text), etc., and the non-common information is the character code system (It may differ between systems, but when moving data between systems, the information of each character code system is You need to have as).

The method of managing these environmental information must be common among the systems. The input and output to and from the environment setting memory 14 are defined by the firmware 1, and the method does not change for each system. However, each system needs to hold at least a table (data reference table) of information required by the system including the common information.

As shown in FIG. 2, the environment setting memory 14 has a common information area 21 and a non-common information area 2 following it.
It is divided into 2, 23. The non-common information area is further divided into a plurality of areas corresponding to each system (system 1, system 2,...). The data in the common and non-common information areas is provided with a check byte 24 to prevent unauthorized writing and guarantee area information. This is written whenever the environment information is updated by each system.

As an example, consider a personal computer (system 1) capable of processing Japanese and a Japanese word processor (system 2) as systems operating on this firmware. At this time, the common information is an input mode for Japanese input (Roman time input / Kana input), and the non-common information is external character area information in the character code system. These information are stored in the environment setting memory 1 as shown in FIG.
4 is written.

Now, it is assumed that the input mode data written in the common area 21 indicates a Roman character input.

When the system 1 is operating, the system 1 refers to the data held therein by the common information written in the common area 21 and the non-common information (external character information data 1) written in the non-common area 22. Refer to the table. In this system 1, when the input mode is changed from Roman time input to Kana input, the changed setting is immediately written in the common area 21 of the environment setting memory 14 together with a check byte. Thereafter, the input mode data in the common area 21 indicates kana input.

Thereafter, when the system 2 is started and operated,
The system 2 refers to the common information written in the common area 21 and the non-common information (external character information data 2) written in the non-common area 23 in accordance with its own data reference table. Therefore, the input mode of the system 2 is also the kana input mode.

Next, information on the external character area will be considered. As before, the settings changed in the system are immediately written to the corresponding non-common areas 22, 23 of the environment setting memory 14. This setting is not referred to as an environment of another system, but is referred to as information of a conversion source or conversion destination external character area when converting an external character image data from one system to another system. That is, in the external character data conversion, the system 1 is written in the non-common area (system 2) 23 in addition to the input mode data written in the common area 21 and the external character area data 1 written in the non-common area (system 1) 22. The external character area data 2 is also referred to. Further, the system 2 includes the input mode data written in the common area 21 and the external character area data 2 written in the non-common area (system 2) 23.
In addition, the external character area data 1 written in the non-common area (system 1) 22 is also referred to. As described above, all information that is unique to a certain system but may be referred to by another system is stored in the environment setting memory 1.
4 is stored. As a result, even when one system refers to the unique information of the other system, a change in the unique information made in the other system can be immediately referred to.

As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, the common firmware 1 is provided with the environment information memory 14 which can be backed up, and the common environment data of each system is stored therein. A system operating on the firmware 1 can obtain a common environment among the respective systems by selecting necessary items of the environment information. Since the memory 14 that can be backed up is used, even if a procedure such as a reboot is necessary for moving between systems, these environment setting information is not lost, and each system has a common memory. The environment changed in one system to use the area 21 is immediately reflected in another system.

[0025]

According to the present invention, physical resources can be shared and managed.
An information processing system capable of operating a plurality of systems having different management methods on a single firmware, wherein the firmware stores a first area for storing common environmental information of a specific function operating on each system; A back-up memory having a second area for storing environmental information valid for a particular system, wherein each of the systems is stored in a first area and a second area of the memory. A data reference table for referencing environment information, which is defined by the firmware, allows each system to refer to and change environment information stored in a first area of the memory, and stores the environment information stored in a second area. of the reference and change between Turkey be allowed only to those systems specific for, it is possible to manage preferences for each of the plurality of systems in a common environment between systems It becomes possible to unify. In addition, since a memory that can be backed up is used, even if a procedure such as a reboot is required for movement between systems that can obtain a common environment, such environment setting information is not lost, and furthermore, Since each memory has a first area for storing common environment information of a specific function operating on a system, an environment changed in one system can be immediately reflected in another system. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a basic configuration of a firmware of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an internal configuration of an environment setting memory.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of environment setting.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of setting an environment using a file.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 firmware 11 CPU 12 memory 13 input / output device 14 environment information memory 21 common information area 22, 23 non-common information area 24 check byte

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-1-196658 (JP, A) JP-A-1-271793 (JP, A) JP-A-3-77134 (JP, A) JP-A-4- 265945 (JP, A) JP-A-4-155523 (JP, A) JP-A-4-123159 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 9/46 340

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Claims 1. Physical resources are shared and management methods are different.
An information processing system capable of operating a plurality of different systems on one firmware, wherein the firmware stores a first area for storing common environment information of a specific function operating on each system, and a specific system. A back-up memory having a second area for storing effective environment information. Each of the systems stores the environment information stored in a first area and a second area of the memory. A data reference table for referencing, each of which refers to and changes environment information defined by the firmware and stored in a first area of the memory;
Allow people to, information processing system reference and change of environment information stored in the second region, wherein the benzalkonium be allowed only in certain of said system.