JPH09160769A - Device and method for information processing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a flash memory with a small capacity usable and reduce the cost, and easily design and modify a program by modifying the program by making use of the flash memory with capacity corresponding to the part of a control program. SOLUTION: This processor is equipped with the rewritable flash memory 5 and a mask ROM in which a print control program and print font data are written. A system controller 7 switces the allocation of memory areas to respective devices connected to a bus (s) by optionally setting registers in the controller and outputs a chip select signal so that a mapping area can optionally be changed. The flash memory is capable of mapping the control program area of the mask ROM 6 to the same memory address. A control program which is inputted from an external device, is written to the flash memory 5 when it is judged that the program can be written to the flash memory 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program rewritable control method for a printing apparatus capable of high-density mounting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of controlling a printing apparatus (printer unit), a control processor (CPU) reads data in a read-only memory (ROM) in which control program codes and print font data are written. The control program was executed and the printing process was performed.

Generally, a mask ROM, which has a merit in cost due to mass production even if it has a large capacity, is generally used as a ROM. UV erasable programmable ROM in package (DIP)
(EP-ROM) may be used.

The reason why the EP-ROM is used even at a high cost is that the DIP type has an advantage that the program can be re-corrected and replaced later by using the IC socket, but high-density mounting is required. In such a system, it is necessary to make the package small, so that a mask ROM of a flat package (FP), a one-time programmable ROM (OTP-ROM), etc. are often directly mounted on the system board.

[0005]

However, when it is discovered that the control program has a program error that causes a malfunction after the ROM is mounted on the system board, the RO containing the control program is included.
Since the contents of M must be corrected, it was necessary to remount the rewritten ROM on the system board for that purpose.

Therefore, when the mask ROM is modified, the mask data for the silicon chip is recreated, so that the process of creating the ROM for about one month and the replacement of the ROM already mounted on the system board are performed. Therefore, if a program error is discovered, the initial lot of the system cannot handle it, and only the measure of running change can be taken after a certain period.

Since the OTP-ROM is a ROM that cannot be rewritten once written, it is necessary to remount the newly rewritten OTP-ROM on the system board.

Further, if a system in which a control program is written using a non-volatile memory (flash memory or the like) instead of the ROM from the beginning allows rewriting of the program after mounting, but in terms of cost. It is not suitable for a printer control ROM having a large amount of data such as a print font because it has a drawback that the unit price of bits is much higher than that of a mask ROM.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus and method capable of easily changing the design of a program.

Further, it has a mask ROM in which both a control program area and a print font area are written, a flash memory having a sufficient capacity for writing in the control program area, and an interface mechanism for exchanging data with an external device. When the control program rewriting instruction from the external device is input by the interface mechanism, the content of the flash memory is updated according to the instruction content, and when the control program written in the flash memory shows a normal sum value, the flash memory It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus and method for executing the control program of 1. and executing the control program on the mask ROM side when the normal sum value is not shown.

Further, when a system is constructed in which the mask ROM is mounted and the flash memory is not mounted,
To provide an information processing apparatus and method for recognizing that a flash memory is not mounted and ignoring an instruction when a control program rewriting instruction is given from an external device by an interface mechanism and executing a control program on a mask ROM side. With the goal.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a first memory dedicated to reading a control program, and a memory which is the same as the control program area of the first memory. A non-volatile second memory that can be mapped to an address, input means for inputting a control program from an external device, and when writing a control program input by the input means, it is determined whether or not it can be written in the second memory. If it is determined that the discriminating means and the discriminating means can write to the second memory
And a writing unit that writes the control program input by the input unit into the second memory.

In order to achieve the above object, the information processing method of the present invention is capable of mapping the first memory dedicated to reading and writing the control program and the same memory address as the control program area of the first memory. Using a non-volatile second memory and an input device for inputting a control program from an external device, when writing the control program input by the input device, it is determined whether or not the control program can be written in the second memory. And a writing step of writing the control program input by the input means to the second memory when the determination step determines that the second memory can be written.

[0014]

1 is a block diagram of a printer system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The CPU 1 is a microprocessor that controls the main control of the printer unit, the printer unit 2 is an operating mechanism for performing print processing on a recording medium, and the parallel interface 3 is for receiving print processing commands from an external host computer or the like. Data input / output mechanism, D-RA
M4 is a dynamic memory in which information converted into dot data obtained by expanding font data, image data, etc. for printing according to a print processing command is written, flash memory 5 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory, mask ROM
Reference numeral 6 is a read-only memory in which a print control program and print font data are written.

The system controller 7 is a mechanism for achieving the object of the present invention. The allocation of the memory area of each device connected to the bus is switched by arbitrarily setting a register inside the controller to arbitrarily set the mapping area. The chip select signal is output so that it can be changed.

The operation principle of the printing process will be described below.
A print processing command is received from an external host computer or the like via a parallel interface, and the CPU sequentially reads the mask ROM control program in accordance with the print processing command while expanding the print font data and image data in the D-RAM. By temporarily storing and reading the print dot data from the D-RAM while synchronizing with the motor drive of the printer unit and transferring it to the ink head,
Perform the required printing process.

FIG. 2 shows a device configuration of the printer unit 2.

As a basic configuration, an ink head 11 for ejecting ink onto a recording paper 13 and a horizontal scanning of a carrier 12 having the ink head mounted thereon and a vertical scanning (paper feeding) of the recording paper are driven by switching a clutch 17. It is composed of a motor 14, a photo sensor 15 for detecting the position of the carrier, and a partition plate 16.

The operation sequence of the printer unit is as follows. First, the clutch connected to the motor is switched to the paper feed side to feed the recording paper to a desired position, and then the clutch is switched to the carrier scanning side to horizontally scan the carrier to move the ink head. The printer drives to print one line, and thereafter, similarly, the operation of feeding one line of the recording paper and then printing is repeated to print one page, and finally the recording paper is ejected.

FIG. 3 is a memory map showing the allocation of the memory area of each device according to the chip select signal controlled by the system controller.

CS0 * is a mask ROM chip select signal, which is read first after resetting 008000.
This signal is active from the beginning of the boot area of the address to the end of the print font area of the 7FFFFF address.

CS1 * is a chip select signal of the flash memory, which is a control program area (from address 010000-) in which the boot area and the print font area of the mask ROM are omitted.
07FFFF address) is a signal that is enabled at CS1
When * is enabled, CS0 * in the program area is disabled, and when CS1 * is disabled, CS0 * in the program area is enabled.

CS2 * is a D-RAM chip select signal, which is active from address 400000 to address BFFFFF.

CS3 * is a parallel interface chip select signal, which starts from address C00000 to FFF.
Active up to FFF address.

FIG. 4 shows a control circuit inside the system controller.

A0 to A23 are address signals of the address bus output from the CPU 1, and A0 to A23.
The address is specified by a combination of.

CS1EN is an active high for CS1 *
IGH enable signal, which is writable by a register.

CS1 * is an active LOW signal which becomes "0" only when CS1EN is "1" and the address is from 010000H to 07FFFFH.

In CS0 *, when CS1EN is "0", the address is "0" from 008000H to 7FFFFFH.
Active LOW signal that becomes CS1EN
When is “1”, CS1 * is active, so the address is 008000H to 00FFFFH and 0800.
It becomes "0" from 00H to 7FFFFFH.

CS2 * is an active LOW signal whose address is "0" from 800000H to BFFFFFH.

CS3 * is an active LOW signal whose address is "0" from C00000H to FFFFFFH.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method of switching between a mask ROM and a flash memory as a control program for processing in the boot area.

The program according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 is stored in the boot area of the mask ROM 6.

Boot area (00 to be executed after reset)
The processing of addresses 8000 to 00FFFF will be described. First, after initializing the initials of the CPU port and the like, CS1EN is set to "1" and CS1 is set.
When * is enabled (S51), several bytes of data in the CS1 * area are read arbitrarily, and the same value can be read repeatedly, it is determined that the flash memory is not installed (S52). Calculate the sum value of the program area (S53), and if correct, set CS1EN to "
Select the flash memory with 1 ”(S55),
Run the control program and the sum value is incorrect,
If not mounted, CS1EN is set to "0" to disable CS1 * (S56), a mask ROM is selected (S57), and the control program is executed.

By switching the CS1EN signal in this way, it is possible to construct a system capable of selecting whether to read the control program to be read from the mask ROM or the flash memory.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing control in the boot area when a flash memory rewrite instruction is obtained.

The program according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 is stored in the boot area of the mask ROM 6.

The data obtained from the interface during the normal printing operation are control commands and image data relating to printing. When the program rewriting command is input, the rewriting flag is set and the interface is temporarily set to the busy state. After waiting for data to be received, the boot process from the address 8000 is executed again, but the process of FIG. 6 is performed as a routine different from the process of FIG.

If it is determined in S61 that the rewrite flag is set, CS1 * is first enabled (S6
2) The same is true up to the step of detecting whether or not the flash memory is mounted in S63, but if the flash memory is not mounted, a memory error is generated in S68, the control is completed, and the standby state is entered.

If it is implemented, in S64, the flash memory itself is set to the write mode as it is (usually set to the read-only mode after reset), and the interface rewrite command that has been kept waiting is set. Subsequently, the program code sequentially sent is written in the memory at any time (S65), and the sum value of the program is written in the final address (7FFFFH) in S66 to complete the control and enter the standby state.

After the writing is completed and the standby state is entered, the power is turned on again and the processing shown in FIG. 5, which is a normal operation mode, is performed, and the writing is normally completed to the flash memory. For example, since the sum value of the control program part is correct, the control program of the flash memory will be executed.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the program is changed by using the flash memory having the capacity of the control program portion, the flash memory having a small capacity can be used and the cost can be reduced.

[0044]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information processing apparatus and method capable of easily changing the design of a program.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a device configuration of a printer unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a control circuit inside a system controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flowchart of processing for specifying a memory from which a control program is to be read in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart of processing when writing a control program in a flash ROM according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 Printer unit 3 Parallel I / F 4 D-RAM 5 Flash memory 6 Mask ROM 7 System controller

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A first memory dedicated to reading and writing a control program, a non-volatile second memory that can be mapped to the same memory address as the control program area of the first memory, and a control program from an external device. When input means for inputting, determining means for determining whether or not writing to the second memory is possible when writing the control program input by the input means, and when it is determined by the determining means that writing to the second memory is possible An information processing apparatus comprising: a writing unit that writes the control program input by the input unit into the second memory. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the determining unit determines that the writing in the second memory is not possible, writing by the writing unit is prohibited. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit makes a determination based on whether or not the second memory is mounted. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first memory is a mask ROM, and the second memory is a flash memory. 5. When executing the control program, a determining unit that determines whether the second memory is installed, and a case where the determining unit determines that the second memory is not installed, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first execution unit that executes the control program stored in the first memory. 6. The second determining means for determining whether or not the control program stored in the second memory is correct, when the determining means determines that the second memory is mounted. If the second determining means determines that the control program is correct, the control program stored in the second memory is executed, and if the second determining means determines that the control program is not correct, the first memory The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising second executing means for executing the control program stored in. 7. The second determining means makes a determination based on a check of a program sum.
The information processing device described. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first memory stores character font data, a program related to the determining unit, a program related to the writing unit, and a control program. 9. The first memory includes character font data, a program associated with the determining means, a program associated with the first executing means, a program associated with the second determining means, a program associated with the second executing means, and 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control program is stored. 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a printer unit controlled by the control program. 11. A first memory dedicated to reading and writing a control program, a non-volatile second memory that can be mapped to the same memory address as the control program area of the first memory, and a control program from an external device. Using the input means for inputting, when writing the control program input by the input means, a determination step of determining whether or not the control program can be written in the second memory, and a determination step in which it is possible to write in the second memory And a writing step of writing the control program input by the input means to the second memory. 12. The writing according to the writing step is prohibited when it is determined that the writing to the second memory is impossible in the determining step.
1. The information processing method according to 1. 13. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the determining step determines based on whether or not the second memory is mounted. 14. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the first memory is a mask ROM, and the second memory is a flash memory. 15. When executing a control program, a determination step of determining whether or not the second memory is mounted, and a step of determining that the second memory is not mounted in the determination step, The information processing method according to claim 11, further comprising a first execution step of executing a control program stored in the first memory. 16. A second determination step of determining whether or not a control program stored in the second memory is correct, when the determination step determines that the second memory is mounted, When the control program is determined to be correct in the second determination step, the control program stored in the second memory is executed, and when the control program is determined to be incorrect in the second determination step, the first memory The information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising a second execution step of executing the control program stored in. 17. The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the second determining step determines based on a check of a program sum. 18. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the first memory stores character font data, a program related to the determination step, a program related to the writing step, and a control program. 19. The first memory includes character font data, a program related to the determination step, a program related to the first execution step, a program related to the second judgment step, a program related to the second execution step, and The information processing method according to claim 16, wherein the control program is stored. 20. The information processing method according to claim 11, wherein the control program controls a printer unit.