JPH04279949A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively use the area of a memory body which can be mapped like a RAM by effectively and automatically arranging RAMs without waste in the case of the existence of an unusable part on the RAM. CONSTITUTION:A RAM device 30 provided with a RAM 31 where plural RAMs divided by a certain size are gathered and are mapped in a fixed order, a start address register 32 of the RAM, and an end address register 33 of the RAM is mapped on a memory 35. Though the start address of the RAM is fixed to the start of the RAM, the end address is in any division position of the certain size. If an unusable part occurs by a defect of a partial RAM or the occurrence of trouble, arrangement is automatically changed not to use the RAM in the faulty position, and all RAMs are continuously arranged and are effectively used up to their maximum.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is an information processing device that uses RAM, and when there is a part of the RAM that cannot be used, the RAM is automatically configured to use the RAM effectively without wasting it. Regarding how to place.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a conventional means for determining the effective range of a RAM. Checking the size of RAM each time the RAM is used is a wasteful process, so it is necessary to check how much RAM is available when starting up the system. At this time, it is difficult to use RAM if it exists discontinuously, so it is necessary to find the effective range of RAM that exists continuously. In the conventional RAM effective range determination method, first, the start address of the area to be tested to see if the RAM can be used is set (701). Starting from that address, a read/write test is performed on a certain range of RAM area 702. Perform a read/write test to see if the value written to a certain address matches the value read from the same address, and if a phenomenon occurs where the written value and the read value do not match, At that point, the RAM test is finished, and the usable RAM range is set to an appropriate delimiter position in the area immediately before the address where the mismatch occurs (705). Appropriate division positions are positions divided into units where size display and other processing can be easily performed, and any position may be used as long as it is a position that is easy to process. Further, a case where a mismatch occurs in the read/write test is a case where there is no RAM at that position, or a case where the RAM at that position is broken and does not operate normally. If the read/write test ends normally, the RAM in that area is usable, so in order to test the next area, the start address of the area next to the area for which the test has been completed is determined 704. Thereafter, a read/write test of the RAM area is performed again using the obtained address as the starting position to check whether the RAM can be used normally (702). In this way, the processes 702 to 704 are repeated, and the subsequent RAMs are tested one after another until a mismatch occurs in the read/write test.

0003

Increasing the usable RAM area by adding RAM is done for the purpose of increasing the processing speed of the device, processing large files, etc. However, if a defect occurs in a part of the RAM in the middle, it becomes impossible to use that part normally, so a certain unit of RAM including the part where the defect occurs
M needs to be removed from the area of use. In order to remove the defective RAM, a read/write test was performed, and the range that could be used as RAM was set to an appropriate delimiting position immediately before the area where the value mismatch occurred.

However, in the conventional technology, even if the reason why the read and written values do not match is due to a defect in only a small area on the RAM, the R
As in the case where AM does not exist, all of the RAM after the address where the read and written values do not match was not used. This is because conventionally, the placement of additional RAM (hereinafter referred to as mapping) was controlled by a hardware switch, so if there was a defect in just a portion of the RAM in the middle, another subsequent RAM device This is because even if the RAM in the RAM was normal, it was not possible to map another RAM to the location where the mismatch occurred using software and make the RAM in that location usable normally. As a result, if an intermediate RAM becomes unusable, all RAM mapped after that address becomes unusable, resulting in a significant reduction in usable RAM area. RAM resources could not be used effectively. In addition, in order to map another RAM to the location where the discrepancy has occurred and make it usable, first turn off the power to the device, remove the RAM device that includes the RAM that cannot be read or written normally, and use the hardware of the other RAM device. There was the inconvenience of having to change the switch manually, restart the system, and execute a read/write test from the beginning of the RAM.

[0005]Furthermore, even if there is a RAM device in which the mapping area of the RAM of the RAM device can be freely set, processing has not been performed to prevent the use of a portion of defective RAM corresponding to the device. It wasn't.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to make maximum effective use of the area of a memory body that can be mapped, such as a RAM.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A central processing unit that controls information, a memory unit having a RAM area that engages with the central processing unit, an additional RAM device that is added to the memory unit, and the an information processing device comprising means for reading and writing data in a RAM area, the additional RAM;
The device includes at least two RAM devices whose starting and ending addresses as normal RAM locations can be changed by software, and the information processing device has a RAM location with respect to the RAM device. The present invention is characterized in that it comprises means for setting a start address and an end address, and software means for changing the set start address and end address of the RAM device to normal addresses.

[0008]

[Operation] If multiple RAM devices whose RAM mapping can be changed by software are installed in succession, some of them may become defective or malfunction, making them unusable. When this happens, the RAM in the defective position is automatically changed so that it is not used, and all RAMs are arranged consecutively so that they can be used as effectively as possible.

[0009]

Embodiment (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figure 3 shows a RAM whose mapping position can be changed freely by specifying the start address and end address.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the device. RAM 101, start address setting register 102, and end address setting register 103
RAM device A100, which is equipped with a RAM mapping position that can be changed using software;
It is composed of an AM device B110, a central processing unit 121, and a memory 122 in which a RAM can be placed.
means 161 for reading and writing to and from RAM within 0; means 162 for setting or changing the starting address of RAM;
It is provided with means 163 for setting or changing the end address of.

[0010] Here, the operation of the RAM device whose mapping position can be changed, shown in FIG. 3, will be explained. A RAM 31 is formed by a plurality of RAMs partitioned into a certain size, and the order in which these RAMs are mapped is fixed, and a RAM start address register 32 and an end address register 33. The RAM device 30 having the following is mapped to the memory 35. R.A.
The start address of M is fixed at the beginning of the RAM, but the end address may be anywhere as long as it is separated by a certain size. Based on the set start address and end address, it is determined from the beginning of the RAM of the RAM device to which position the RAM is mapped. For example, suppose there is a RAM device with 4 megabytes of RAM, and this RAM can be divided into 1 megabyte units. However, the unit for partitioning the RAM is not limited to 1 megabyte, and may be any unit that can be recognized by the RAM device. 1 megabyte is mapped onto memory, and if the start address is 0H in hexadecimal, then 0H starts at 0H.
It is mapped up to address FFFFFH. This RAM can be used to store 200,000 yen of the memory of an information processing device that has a storage device.
If we map from the position of address H to just before the position of 400000H, the starting address will be 200000.
Set H and set 3FFFFFFH as the end address. Since the RAM of the RAM device is mapped from the top position, 2 megabytes of RAM from the top will be mapped. Set the end address on memory to 4FF
If the value is changed to FFFH and the value is set in the end address setting register of the RAM device, 3 megabytes of RAM will be mapped.

The present invention can be realized by using a RAM device having a similar function to this RAM device.

In this embodiment, the RAMs of RAM device A and RAM device B, which have the same functions as the RAM device described above, are
The RAMs are successively mapped in the order of AM device A and RAM device B. In the present invention, if there is a defect in the intermediate RAM, mapping is automatically performed so that these RAMs can be used as effectively as possible.

[0013] In order to test whether the RAMs of RAM device A and RAM device B can be read and written normally and to determine the usable RAM area, first, the start address of the area to be mapped is set. Set that address as the start address in RAM device A, and
An end address is set 201 when all of the RAMs in the map are mapped. the same address as the start address,
Set 202 as the start address of the area to be tested. From the start address, a read/write test is performed on the RAM in a certain range of areas to check whether all of the RAM in that area can be used normally 203. When performing this test, the range should be as long as it is easy to process at once.
It is not particularly limited. If the test is successful, in order to test the RAM following the tested area, first check 205 whether all the RAM in the RAM device being tested has been completed, and then For example, find the start address of the next area 208
. If it has been completed, map the next RAM. RAM device B such that RAM device B, which has not yet been mapped, is successively mapped to RAM device A.
Set the start address of the RAM of the device, and all R of the device
The end address is also set 207 so that AM is mapped. Next, find the start address of the area to be tested.20
8. Test the next area 203. In this way, the rear RAM areas are sequentially tested, and when the RAM of all the installed RAM devices has been investigated, the effective range of the RAM is up to that address 213.

As a result of this test, the RA of RAM device A
If a location is found on M where the written value and the read value do not match, first find the RAM break position ahead of the location where the defect in RAM device A was found, and then convert that location to R.
20 set as the end address of AM device A's RAM
9. In Embodiment 1, of the start address and end address already set in the RAM device, only the end address is changed without changing the start address, but in Embodiment 2, which will be described later, Change both address and end address. Next, it is checked 210 whether or not there is a RAM that can be mapped after the RAM at the location where there is no match. In the case of this embodiment, since mapping of RAM device B has not yet been completed, the RAM of RAM device B is mapped to a rear position that is continuous with RAM device A. The address following the RAM of RAM device A is
The start address of device B is set, and the last address when all of the RAM is mapped is set as the end address 211. Then, the start address of RAM device B is set as the start address of the area for the next test (212), and the RAM test is performed again (203). The above process is repeated until all RAM tests are completed or a defect is found in the read/write test and the end addresses of all RAMs are determined, and finally, efficient RAM mapping is completed.

FIG. 4 shows the mapping results of Example 1. Both RAM device A41 and RAM device B42 have four RAs.
It shows the result mapped to the memory 43 when the RAM 3 of the RAM device A has a defect. Behind RAM2 of RAM device A, there is a RAM
RAM1 of M device B follows.

In this way, the RAM located after the position where the defect was discovered would not have been used in the past, but in the present invention, the RAM is mapped by changing the end address of the RAM. Change the area of the RAM to remove the defective RAM, and then
By mapping to follow the changed area, all RAM can be used effectively.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the embodiment. A central processing unit 531 and a memory 5 in which RAM can be arranged.
32, RAM device A500 whose RAM mapping position can be changed by software, and RAM device B whose mapping position can be changed by software like RAM device A.
510, and a RAM device C520 whose mapping position can be changed by software like the RAM device A, means 561 for reading and writing to the RAM, means 562 for setting or changing the start address of the RAM,
It is provided with means 563 for setting or changing the end address of.

In this embodiment, the mapping positions of the RAMs of RAM device A, RAM device B, and RAM device C are all determined in this order.
Let us check whether M operates normally. In this embodiment as well, if a defective part that does not operate normally is found on the RAM, that part is removed and other RAM is rearranged so that the RAM can be used efficiently. First, the start address of the area to be tested is set 601, with the start address of the RAM device A placed at the top as the top position of the RAM. Starting from that address,
Performing a read/write test of RAM in a certain range of areas 6
02. If the test has completed normally, check 604 whether all areas of RAM have been tested, and if not, change the start address of the area to the next address in order to test the RAM following the tested area. Update 605 to the start address of the area. If the process has ended, the effective range of the RAM is set to the end address of the RAM (606). RAM
If a test finds a location on the RAM of device A where the values read and written do not match, search for a partition position in the RAM ahead of that area and set that location as the end address of the RAM of RAM device A607 . It is checked whether there is any RAM mapped following the RAM device A whose end address has been changed, and if there is not, the usable RAM area becomes the RAM area up to the last set end address and the process ends 606. If there are any subsequent RAM devices, the start and end addresses of all RAM devices are updated 609 so that they are successively mapped to the RAM of RAM device A in the same order of arrangement. That is, R
Reset the start address and end address of RAM device B so that RAM device B is mapped after AM device A, and reset the start address and end address of RAM device C so that RAM device C is mapped after RAM device B. and reset the end address. After updating the start address and end address, set R as the start address of the RAM area to be tested next.
RAM device B that is mapped next to AM device A
Set 610 the value of the starting address of the RAM. Then, a read/write test of the RAM area is executed. In this way, the processing from 602 to 610 can be performed on all RAMs.
Repeat until the test is completed.

In this embodiment, a case has been described in which there is a defect in a part of the RAM of RAM device A.
The same process can be performed even if there is a defect in another RAM device, such as the RAM of Moreover, the number of RAM devices installed may be any number as long as it is within the mapping possible range.

[0020] Even for RAMs that have already been mapped in this way, when checking the operation of all RAMs, the parts of the RAM that do not operate normally are deleted from the mapping, and the entire rear RAM is replaced with the deleted part. By moving the RAM to the RAM location, it becomes possible to use the RAM without wasting it.

[0021]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, even if there is a part of the RAM that cannot be read or written normally, if the RAM can be mapped by software, the part that cannot be read or written normally can be deleted from the mapping. normal R
By changing the location of the AM to the location of the RAM that could not be read or written normally, it becomes possible to use the RAM effectively. Furthermore, by automatically changing the mapping in software, the user can change the mapping by operating a hardware switch, or by using other software to change the mapping and restart the system. This has the effect of saving time and improving usability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment according to the invention.

[Figure 3] RA where RAM layout can be changed using software
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the M device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of placement results of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart according to the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: RAM device A whose RAM location can be changed by software 101: RAM 102: RAM start address setting register 103: R
AM end address setting register 110: RAM device B whose RAM placement position can be changed by software 121: Central processing unit 122: Memory where RAM can be placed 160: Storage device 161: Means for reading and writing to and from the RAM of the RAM device 162
: Means for setting or changing the start address of RAM of the RAM device 163 : Means for setting or changing the end address of RAM of the RAM device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A central processing unit that controls information, a memory unit having a RAM area that engages with the central processing unit, an additional RAM device that is added to the memory unit, and a memory unit that stores data in the RAM area. an information processing device, wherein the additional RAM device has a normal RAM
The information processing device includes at least two RAM devices whose starting address and ending address as the arrangement position of M can be changed by software, and the information processing device
means for setting a start address and an end address as RAM arrangement positions for an AM device; and a means for setting the set RAM
An information processing device comprising software means for changing the start address and end address of the M device to normal addresses.