JPH04364563A - Downloading control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To speedily actuates a main process and a subprocessor without being affected by the size of a program to be downloaded by providing the main processor with a downloading execution decision part. CONSTITUTION:A collation information storage part 22 provided to the downloading control part 15 of the main processor 11 is stored with program information to be reported from the subprocessor 12 at the time of a startup. When the system is started up, an information control part 23 provided to the startup control part 16 of the subprocessor 12 reads information specifying a program stored in a program storage part 17, e.g. a program name and informs the main processor 11 of that. The downloading execution decision part 21 of the main processor 11 collates the reported program information together with the contents of the collation information storage part 22. Only when the result of the collation shows a noncoincidence, the downloading control part 15 downloads the program, stored in a program file 13, to the subprocessor 12.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a download control method for downloading a program necessary for the operation of a sub-processor from a main processor to a sub-processor.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In computer systems, multiprocessor systems have been proposed in order to reduce the burden on processors that perform various types of control and arithmetic processing. For example, in the case of a system that involves communication processing in addition to normal information processing, two processors may be prepared: the processor that controls information processing is the main processor, and the processor that carries out communication processing is the sub-processor. . Both the main processor and the sub-processor require a certain program (data) in order to realize their operations, but a download method is used in which the program referenced by the sub-processor is supplied from the main processor when the system is started up. May apply.

[0003] This download method allows you to easily change the processing content of the sub-processor by changing the program to be downloaded, and furthermore, even if a hardware abnormality occurs in the sub-processor, it is possible to replace the board of the entire system. There are advantages in terms of versatility and maintainability, as it is only necessary to replace the board on which the sub-processor is mounted, without having to perform additional operations. Here, we will explain the control method related to downloads carried out between the main processor and the sub-processor.
This will be called a download control method.

FIG. 2 shows a conceptual diagram of a conventional download control method. The figure shows a main processor 1, a sub-processor 2, and a program file 3 connected to the main processor 1. The main processor 1 performs predetermined information processing and starts control of the sub-processor 2 at startup, and is provided with a download control section 5 therein. The sub-processor 2 executes processing based on a downloaded program under the control of the main processor, such as communication processing, and is provided with a startup control section 6 and a program storage section 7 therein. The program file 3 is composed of a magnetic storage device or the like that stores programs (data) to be downloaded to the sub-processor 2.

The download control unit 5 controls downloading of the program read from the program file 3 to the sub-processor 2. The start-up control unit 6 accepts a program downloaded from the main processor and controls the start-up of the sub-processor 2. The program storage unit 7 is composed of a RAM and the like that stores programs downloaded from the main processor 1.

[0006] Here, a conventional download control method will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a conventional method. First, when both the main processor 1 and the sub-processor are powered on and start-up is started (step S1), the download control unit 5 of the main processor 1 starts up and informs the sub-processor 2 that a download will be performed from now on. A download request notifying the user is output (step S2). Thereafter, the download control unit 5 waits for an acceptance response indicating that the download request has been accepted from the sub-processor 2 (step S3
). When the startup control unit 6 of the sub-processor 2 receives a download request from the main processor 1, it outputs an acceptance response to the main processor 1.

[0007] When the download control unit 5 recognizes the acceptance response, the judgment result in step S3 becomes YES, reads the program to be downloaded from the program file 3, and downloads (transfers) it to the sub-processor 2.
(Step S4). Thereafter, the download control unit 5 waits for a reception notification indicating that the program has been received from the sub-processor 2 (step S5). The startup control unit 6 of the sub-processor 2 writes the program transferred from the main processor 1 into the program storage unit 7, and outputs a reception notification to the main processor 1 when this writing is completed.

[0008] When the download control unit 5 recognizes the reception notification, the judgment result in step S5 becomes YES, and a start request is output to the sub-processor 2 (step S6).
Wait for an acceptance response from the sub-processor 2 (step S7)
. When the start-up control section 6 receives the start-up request, it outputs an acceptance response to the main processor 1 and at the same time causes the sub-processor 2 to operate according to the contents of the program storage section 7 . When the download control unit 5 recognizes the acceptance response from the sub-processor 2, the determination result in step S7 becomes YES, the download-related process is ended, and normal information processing is started.

[0009]

In the conventional download control method described above, a program is transferred from the main processor 1 to the sub-processor 2, ie, downloaded, every time startup is performed. For this reason, a problem has arisen in that it is very difficult to promptly start information processing and communication processing by the main processor and the sub processor. In recent years, with the increase in the functions of sub-processors and the implementation of complex controls, there is a tendency for programs to be downloaded to become larger, and in this case, the time required for downloading becomes even longer, making prompt startup difficult. . The present invention has been made with attention to the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a download control method that can quickly start up a main processor and a sub-processor without being affected by the amount of programs to be downloaded. purpose.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] The download control method of the present invention includes a main processor that manages a program to be downloaded, a sub-processor that performs processing based on the program downloaded from the main processor, and a sub-processor that processes a program downloaded from the main processor. and a non-volatile program storage section for storing the program, and at startup, the sub-processor notifies the main processor of program information specifying the storage contents of the program storage section, and The processor collates the program information notified from the sub-processor and collation information stored in advance in a collation information storage unit, and executes the download only when the result of the collation is inconsistent. .

[0011]

[Operation] In this method, the contents to be notified from the sub-processor are stored in the collation information storage section of the main processor, and the contents to be notified from the sub-processor are compared with the contents notified from the sub-processor at startup. If the comparison matches, the subprocessor is assumed to be in a startable state and is immediately started. Further, if the comparison does not match, it is assumed that downloading to the sub-processor is necessary, and the downloading process is performed.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a conceptual diagram of the download control method of the present invention. The figure shows a main processor 11, a sub-processor 12, and a program file 13 connected to the main processor 11. The main processor 11 performs predetermined information processing and the sub-processor 12 at startup.
A download control section 15 is provided inside the download control section 15. The sub-processor 12 executes processing based on a downloaded program under the control of the main processor 11, such as communication processing.
Inside it, a startup control section 16 and a program storage section 17 are provided.
is provided. The program file 13 is composed of a magnetic storage device or the like that stores a program (including data) to be downloaded to the sub-processor 12.

The download control unit 15 downloads the program read from the program file 13 to the sub-processor 1.
This control controls downloading to 2. The startup control unit 16 accepts a program downloaded from the main processor and controls startup of the sub-processor 12. The program storage unit 17 is composed of a nonvolatile memory that stores programs downloaded from the main processor 11, and is composed of, for example, a RAM backed up by a battery, an EEPROM, or the like.

The download control unit 15 is provided with a download execution determination unit 21 and a verification information storage unit 22. The download execution determination unit 21
The program information notified from 2 and the collation information storage unit 2
The verification information stored in the program file 13 is compared with the verification information stored in the program file 13, and only if there is a discrepancy, a decision is made to download the program stored in the program file 13. The collation information storage unit 22 is composed of registers and the like that store program information to be notified from the sub-processor 12 at the time of startup. Generate and store it when writing.

The startup control unit 16 includes a notification control unit 23
is provided. The notification control unit 23
When the main processor 2 is turned on and startup is started, control is performed to notify the main processor 11 of program information indicating the stored contents of the program storage section 17. Here, the download control method of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the method of the invention. First, when the main processor 11 and the sub-processor are powered on and start-up is started (step S11), the notification control unit 23 provided in the start-up control unit 16 of the sub-processor 11 is started. Notification control unit 23
reads the information identifying the program stored in the program storage unit 17, for example, the program name, from the program storage unit 17 and sends it to a predetermined notification message (program information).
is generated (step S12) and notified to the main processor 11 (step S13).

Download control unit 1 of main processor 11
The download execution determination section 21 provided in the download execution determination section 5 checks the notified program information and the contents of the verification information storage section 22 (step S14). If the comparison results in a match, the download control unit 15 outputs a startup request to the sub-processor 12 (step S15), and
Waits for an acceptance response from (step S16). When the startup control unit 16 receives the startup request, the startup control unit 16 starts the main processor 11.
At the same time, the sub-processor 12 outputs an acceptance response to
is operated according to the contents of the program storage section 7.

[0017] The download control unit 15 is the sub-processor 1.
When the acceptance response from 2 is recognized, the determination result in step S16 becomes YES, the process related to downloading is ended, and normal information processing is started. Note that step S14
As a result, if a judgment is made that there is a discrepancy, the figure 2 explained earlier will be displayed.
Program transfer processing corresponding to the processing in steps S2 to S5 is performed (step S17), and the process moves to step S15.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The notification control unit 23 notifies the main processor 11 of the contents of the program information, in addition to the program information.
The initial diagnosis result of the hardware constituting 2, the hash value of the program storage unit 17, etc. may be added. In this case, the notification control unit 23 adds the initial diagnosis result and the hash value to the program information to generate a notification message.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, since there is no need to download from the main processor to the sub-processor every time the main processor starts up, the program can be quickly downloaded while the program already stored in the program storage section of the sub-processor is valid. It is possible to realize a smooth start-up.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram related to a download control method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional download control method.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a conventional method.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the method of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Main processor 12 Sub-processor 13 Program file 15 Download control section 16 Start-up control section 17 Program storage section 21 Download execution determination unit 22 Verification information storage unit 23 Notification control section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main processor that manages a program to be downloaded, a sub-processor that performs processing based on the program downloaded from the main processor, and a non-volatile processor provided in the sub-processor that stores the program. and a program storage unit, at startup, the sub-processor notifies the main processor of program information specifying the storage contents of the program storage unit, and the main processor is configured to program the program notified from the sub-processor. collating the information, collation information stored in a collation information storage unit in advance, and the program information;
A download control method characterized in that the download is executed only when the result of the verification is a mismatch.