JPH086811A - Self-diagnostic result output control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To find a faulty position in the early stage by securely informing a device user that a self-diagnostic program detects an error by outputting the result on a printer if the error is detected. CONSTITUTION:As for an information processor which executes the self- diagnostic program consisting of hardware when a computer system is powered ON, a printer output control part 7 is actuated if the self-diagnostic program detects an error of hardware to output the error detection contents on the printer 9. Whether or not the error detection contents are outputted on the printer depends upon data stored in a register 5, and the data can optionally be set by the device user. Further, while the printer output control part 7 is actuated, the device user is unable to turn OFF the power source, and consequently the device user is securely informed of the error occurrence on paper. Thus, the error detection contents are outputted on the printer at the time of a self-diagnosis of the hardware when the computer is powered ON, thereby finding the faulty position in the early stage and taking a countermeasure quickly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for executing a hardware self-diagnosis program when a computer system is powered on.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the prior art, when an error is detected by a self-diagnosis program, an error message is displayed on the display device and the error information is written in the nonvolatile memory of the information processing device. As the error information written in the non-volatile memory, the error information in the non-volatile memory is read out by a dedicated program and displayed on the display device.

[0003]

In the prior art, even if the error detection content is displayed on the display device, the wearer may turn off the power of the device without confirming the content of the message. In this case, in order to check the error information, it is necessary to start a dedicated program and read the error information written in the nonvolatile memory, so it takes time to determine the part where the error occurred, The treatment for is delayed. It is a primary object of the present invention to, when a hardware error is detected by the self-diagnosis program, surely notify the user of the device of the error detection content when the error is detected.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an error notification register, an error detection content storage buffer, a printer output buffer, a printer output register, for output to a printer when an error is detected. A non-volatile memory is provided, the output value of the printer output register is connected to the printer output control unit, and the printer output control unit judges from the output value of the printer output register whether to output to the printer, and if output to the printer is necessary Read the contents of the error detection contents storage buffer and write the printer output data to the printer output buffer. The data written in the printer output buffer is output to the printer. The error notification register and the printer output register are writable by the CPU that controls the input / output of data. Whether or not the error detection content is output to the printer is set by the device user by the setup program.
The selection can be made by writing the set value in the non-volatile memory by the U, reading the set value in the non-volatile memory by the CPU when the power is turned on, and writing the set value in the printer output register.

For control so that the power supply cannot be turned off, a power supply control register is provided, a power supply disconnection switch is provided in a power supply control section for controlling the turning on or off of the power supply, and a printer output completion register is provided. The output value of the power supply control register is connected to the power supply control unit, and the power supply control unit performs control such that the power supply is not cut off even when the power cutoff switch is pressed, depending on the value of the power supply control register. The power control register is
When connected to the CPU via the data bus, and the CPU outputs the error detection content to the printer, by writing the data for prohibiting the power-off in the power control register, the power-off during the printer output can be prohibited. . When the printer output is completed, the printer output control circuit writes data indicating that the printer output is completed in the printer output completion register. The printer output completion register can be read from the CPU, and when the CPU detects that the printer output is completed, the power can be turned off by writing the data for permitting the power supply to the power control register.

[0006]

With respect to the printer output control of the error detection content in the above means, when an error is detected by the self-diagnosis program, the printer output control unit is activated by setting the error notification register, and the printer output control unit is set to the printer output register. Is read to determine whether to output the error detection content to the printer.

Regarding the control to prevent the power supply from being cut off, when the output of the power supply control register is connected to the power supply control circuit and the power supply control register is set to the power supply cutoff prohibition, the power supply control circuit presses the power supply cutoff switch. However, the power-off signal is not output to the power supply. When the output of the printer is completed, the printer output control unit sets the printer output register, and the CPU can detect the completion of the printer output by reading the printer output register.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a case where the self-diagnosis program is executed after the power is turned on, and error detection contents are output to the printer when a hardware error is detected. In FIG. 1, after the information processing device is powered on, the CPU 1 is connected to the RO via the data bus 2.
The self-diagnosis program stored in M3 is started, and the hardware self-diagnosis is executed. When the hardware error is detected by the self-diagnosis, the CPU 1 writes the detected error content in the error detection content storage buffer 4 connected via the data bus, and the register 6
By setting the logical value 1 to
Is activated. The register 5 is a register for the printer output control unit to determine whether to output the error detection content to the printer when an error is detected by self-diagnosis, and can be set by the device user. When the logical value of the register 5 is 1, when the error is detected, it indicates that the apparatus user has instructed to output the error detection content to the printer. The value set by the device user is written in the nonvolatile memory 16 connected via the data bus 2, and the CPU 1 reads the nonvolatile memory when the power is turned on and writes it in the register 5. When activated, the printer output control unit 7 reads the register 5, and if the read logical value is 1, converts the data in the error detection content storage buffer into a printer output code and stores it in the printer output buffer 8. The code is written and output to the printer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for prohibiting the power off by the user of the apparatus while outputting the error detection contents to the printer. In FIG. 2, the register 10
Is connected to the CPU 1 via the data bus 2,
The CPU 1 can write to the register 10. The output of the power supply control register 10 is connected to the power supply control circuit of the power supply control unit 13 by the power supply control register output signal 19. The power supply control unit has a power supply disconnection switch 12 for disconnecting the power supply, and is connected to the power supply control circuit 11 via the power supply switch output signal 18. The power switch output signal outputs a logical value of 0 while the power cut switch is pressed, and outputs a logical value of 1 when the power cut switch is not pressed. The output of the power supply control circuit 11 is connected to the power supply device 14 by the power supply disconnection signal 17, and when the logical value of the power supply disconnection signal 17 is 0, the power supply device 14 disconnects the power supply. CPU1
When the printer output control unit 7 is activated, the printer output control unit 7 is activated after the logical value 1 is written in the power control register 10 so that the power cutoff switch 12 in the power control unit 13 is pressed. The operation of the power supply control circuit 11 can prevent the power supply disconnection signal 17 from being transmitted to the power supply device 14. In other words, it is realized by the power supply control circuit 11 in which the logic value of the power supply cutoff signal 17 becomes 0 only when the logic value of the power supply switch output signal 18 and the logic value of the power supply control register output signal 19 are both 0. The printer output control unit 7 monitors the completion of output of the error detection content of the printer, and when detecting the completion, writes the logical value 1 to the register 15. The register 15 is a register for notifying that the processing of the printer output control unit has ended, and when the logical value is 1, it indicates that the processing has ended. Register 15
Is connected to the CPU 1 via the data bus 2,
The register 15 can be read out. After writing the logical value 1 to the register 10, the CPU 1 monitors the value of the register 15 and when confirming the logical value 1 of the register 15, writes the logical value 0 to the register 10 and causes the power-off switch 12 to operate. Allows power off.

Next, the process of outputting the error detection content to the printer will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process of detecting a hardware error by self-diagnosis and activating the printer output control unit, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process of the printer output control unit. The hardware self-diagnosis shown in FIG. 3 is executed when the power is turned on. In FIG. 3, when the power is turned on, the CPU 1 activates the self-diagnosis program stored in the ROM 3 (S40).
1). First, when the program is started, the printer output setting of the error detection result set by the device user is read from the non-volatile memory 16 and written in the register 5, and then the self-diagnosis is started (S402, S403 and S
404). When an error is detected during self-diagnosis (S40
In 5), the error detection content is written in the error detection content storage buffer 4, and the same information is also written in the nonvolatile memory 16 (S406 and S407). After that, the error detection content is displayed on the display device, and in the displayed state, the logical value 1 is written in the register 10 and the logical value 1 is written in the register 6 to activate the printer output control unit 13 (S
408, S409 and S410). CPU1 is S41
After activating the printer output control unit 13 at 0, it is monitored that the logical value of the register 15 becomes 1 (S411 and S41).
2). As described above, the logical value 1 is the printer output control unit 13
Indicates that the processing in step 1 has ended. CPU1 is register 1
After confirming that the logical value of 5 has become 1, register 1
The logical value 1 is written in 0, and the operation is stopped while displaying the error detection content displayed in S408 (S413).
The display in S408 continues until the hardware is initialized or the power is turned off. As a result of self-diagnosis,
If the hardware is normal, the self-diagnosis program is terminated and the operating system is started (S
414 and S415).

In FIG. 4, when the printer output controller 13 is activated, the register 5 is first read (S41).
6). If the logical value of the register 5 is 1, the output of the error detection content to the printer 9 is instructed. Therefore, the data of the error detection content storage buffer 4 is converted into a code for printer output, and the printer output buffer 8 is written (S417, S418, S419, and S420).
The code written in the printer output buffer 4 is output to the printer, and the printer output control unit 13 waits for an output completion notification from the printer (S421). When the printer completion notification is confirmed, the logical value 1 is written in the register 15 and the process of the printer output control unit is ended (S42).
3). If the logical value of the register 5 is 0 in S417, it is instructed not to output the error detection content to the printer, so the logical value 1 is written in the register 15.
The process of the printer output control unit ends.

[0013]

According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus having a function of executing a self-diagnosis program for hardware when the power of the computer system is turned on, the error detection result is output by the printer, so that the error can be dealt with. It can be carried out accurately. In addition, until the output to the printer is completed, it is possible to surely notify the error detection content by preventing the user from turning off the power.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram for outputting an error detection result to a printer.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram for prohibiting power-off while outputting error detection content to a printer.

FIG. 3 is a self-diagnosis flowchart.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of printer output control processing.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... CPU, 2 ... Data bus, 3 ... ROM, 4 ... Error detection content storage buffer, 5 ... Printer output register, 6 ... Error notification register, 7 ... Printer output control unit, 8 ... Printer output buffer , 9 ... Printer, 10 ... Power control register, 11 ... Power control circuit, 12 ... Power switch, 13 ... Power control unit, 14 ... Power supply device, 15 ... Printer output completion register, 16 ... Non-volatile memory, 17 ... Power off Signal, 18 ... Power supply disconnection switch output signal, 19 ... Power supply control register output signal.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus for executing a hardware self-diagnosis program when a computer system is powered on, wherein when a printer is connected to the information processing apparatus and the printer is ready for output, an error is output by the self-diagnosis program. If detected, the output control method is characterized in that the error detection content can be output to the printer according to the judgment of the device user. 2. The output control system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply switch of the information processing device cannot turn off the power supply until the output of the printer is completed.