JPH10105417A - Multi-function parallel processing electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To preferentially process a control program corresponding to a specified function at high speed as against the other control program which is processed in parallel in a multi-function parallel processing electronic device which processes plural groups of control programs in parallel by time division. SOLUTION: In a normal processing mode, an image reading transmission processing (a processing where data read by a scanner is transmitted by a facsimile) and a print processing (a processing where data transmitted from a personal computer is printed-out) are executed in parallel at every time division change-over timing at every 1/60 second. In a state where a print function priority mode is set, a, time division change-over processing is executed so as to permit the processing time of the print processing TB1, TB2, TB3,... to be double as against the image reading transmission processings TA1, TA2, TA3,....

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-function parallel processing type electronic device which switches a plurality of sets of control programs for each time-division cycle and performs parallel processing. The present invention relates to a method in which each time-division processing time is lengthened so that processing is quickly and preferentially performed with respect to processing of another control program that performs parallel processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in electronic devices such as various types of information processing devices having a built-in computer, a plurality of functions such as arithmetic processing control and information input / output processing control are performed in order to speed up processing of a plurality of functions. A multi-function parallel processing method for simultaneously realizing a plurality of functions by processing control programs in parallel is employed. In this multifunctional parallel processing system, a plurality of central processing units (CPUs) are interconnected and connected, and a plurality of sets of control programs are respectively controlled by a plurality of central processing units by a parallel processing management system based on an OS (operating system). A multi-processing system (multi-processing system) that is executed as a separate process has been put to practical use. Also, a time-sharing processing method (time-division processing method) in which a plurality of sets of control programs are processed in a predetermined order while being switched by a single central processing unit at predetermined time-division periods that are time-divided is also practical. Has been

[0003]

As described above, when a plurality of functions are realized in parallel by a multi-processing system using a plurality of central processing units, a plurality of central processing units are required, and Since the size of the control board of the control device increases, there is a problem that the cost of the electronic device increases.

Therefore, as a multi-function parallel processing type electronic apparatus, for example, an image scanner for reading image information of a document and a printer for recording the image information are provided, and these image scanners or printers are operated to transfer the image information. Simultaneously realizes a facsimile function to send and receive via telephone line, a scanner function to output image information to an external personal computer connected with a connection cable, and a print function to record print information input from a personal computer with a printer In a multi-function information processing apparatus, a computer having one CPU is provided for cost reduction, and a time division cycle is, for example, about 1/60 second (about 16 ms).
ec), a plurality of sets of control programs corresponding to a plurality of functions such as the facsimile function are processed in parallel by time division while being switched at each time division cycle. It is possible.

In this case, for example, while a print control program for realizing a print function is being processed, an image reading transmission of the facsimile function, for example, transmitting image information of a document read by an image scanner through a telephone line. When the control program is activated and the print control program and the image reading and transmitting control program are processed in parallel by time division, one of the print control program and the image reading and transmitting control program is preferentially processed. However, there is a problem that the processing speed cannot be increased because the time division processing time of each of these control programs is set to a predetermined similar time division cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-function parallel processing type electronic device capable of processing a control program corresponding to a function specified to be prioritized at high speed preferentially with respect to another control program which performs parallel processing. To provide.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-function parallel processing electronic apparatus comprising a computer comprising at least one CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, wherein the ROM has a plurality of sets of control programs corresponding to a plurality of functions. Embed,
In an electronic device capable of realizing a plurality of functions, two or more sets of control programs are switched in a time-division manner while being switched in a predetermined time-division cycle. A mode setting means for setting a specific function priority mode for processing the control program preferentially; and, in the specific function priority mode set by the mode setting means, each time-division processing time for processing the specific control program corresponds to the specific control. Switching means for performing time-division switching is provided so as to be longer than each time-division processing time for processing another control program which is processed in parallel with the program.

The mode setting means sets a specific function priority mode in which a specific control program corresponding to a specific function among a plurality of functions is preferentially processed. Time-division switching is performed so that each time-division processing time for processing a specific control program is longer than each time-division processing time for processing other control programs that are processed in parallel with the specific control program. With regard to the above, high-speed processing can be preferentially performed by increasing the processing amount for the other control program.

[0009] The multi-function parallel processing type electronic device according to claim 2 comprises:
In the invention according to claim 1, in the specific function priority mode, the switching means sets each time-division processing time for processing the specific control program longer than a time-division cycle, and performs another processing in parallel with the specific control program. Time-division switching is performed so that each time-division processing time for processing the control program becomes a time-division cycle.

In this case, the switching means performs the time-division switching so that each time-division processing time for processing the specific control program is set to a set time longer than the time-division cycle, while the other processing being performed in parallel is performed. As each time-division processing time for processing the control program, time-division switching is performed so as to become a time-division cycle.
By increasing the processing amount for the other control program, high-speed processing can be preferentially performed, and the other control program can be processed by the normal time-division processing time corresponding to the time-division cycle. Others
The same operation as the first aspect is achieved.

The multi-function parallel processing type electronic device according to claim 3 is
In the invention according to claim 2, the setting time of the switching means is set to twice the time division cycle. In this case, since the specific control program is processed with the time set twice as long as the time division cycle as each time division processing time, it is possible to double the processing amount and perform high-speed processing preferentially with respect to the specific control program. it can. In addition, the same operation as the second aspect is achieved.

The multi-function parallel processing type electronic device according to claim 4 is
The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of sets of control programs include at least a control program for realizing a printer function and a control program for realizing a facsimile function. This is a control program for realizing a printer function. In this case, each time-division processing time of the control program for realizing the printer function can be processed at high speed with priority over the other control program for realizing the facsimile function, for example.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment has a laser printer or an image scanner device, and records received facsimile data, and in addition to a normal facsimile function such as transmitting image information of a document, is connected via a connection cable. This is a case where the present invention is applied to a multi-function parallel processing type electronic device (hereinafter, referred to as a multi-function information processing device) capable of realizing a data communication function for a personal computer. As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction information processing apparatus 1 basically includes a control unit 20 having one computer 10, an operation panel 2, a laser printer 3, and an image scanner 4 connected to the control unit 20. It is composed of

The computer 10 basically has a CP
U11, a ROM 12 connected to the CPU 11 by a common bus 16 including a data bus, and an EEPROM.
(Electrically erasable and rewritable ROM) 13 and RA
M14 and a DMA controller 15 and the like. Also, the common bus 16 has a coding unit for coding for shortening image information and a decoding unit for decoding communication data shortened by coding.
Input / output ASI consisting of C21 and hard logic circuit
C (application-specific integrated circuit) 22, a modem 23 for facsimile communication, a buffer 25, and a communication interface (communication I / F) connected to an external personal computer 6 via a connection cable 7. ) 26 are connected to each other.

An NCU (network control unit) 24 connected to the telephone line 5 and the receiver 8 is connected to the modem 23. Further, the input / output ASIC 22 includes a display 2 a and a keyboard 2.
b and the laser printer 3 are connected and a DRAM (Dynamic RAM) 27
The image scanner device 4 is connected via the. In the DRAM 27, dot data for two to three dot lines read by the image scanner device 4 are temporarily stored as image information, and the image information is read by the input / output ASIC 22.

An external facsimile machine (not shown) stores image information via the telephone line 5 by operating the laser printer 3 or the image scanner 4 in the ROM 12.
A control program for realizing a facsimile function for controlling transmission and reception of facsimile data, a control program for realizing a copy function for recording image information of a document read by the image scanner device 4, and recording print data received from the personal computer 6. A plurality of sets of control programs are stored, including a control program for realizing a print function, a control program for realizing a scanner function for transmitting image information of a document read by the image scanner device 4 to the personal computer 6, and the like.

The facsimile control program for realizing the facsimile function includes an idling control program for constantly detecting a state change of the multifunction information processing apparatus 1 and an image for recording facsimile data received via the telephone line 5 by the laser printer 3. A reception recording control program, an image reading transmission control program for reading image information of a document by the image scanner device 4 and transmitting it as facsimile data via the telephone line 5;
A plurality of memory transmission control programs for reading and transmitting image information stored in the memory 14 are provided.

This multifunction information processing apparatus 1
In the above, the CPU 11 is capable of accepting a timer interrupt by a built-in timer that counts a clock signal from a clock connected thereto in a hardware manner. Then, for example, the memory transmission control program of the facsimile function and the control program of the scanner function are processed in parallel, or the image reading and transmission control program of the facsimile function and the control program of the print function are processed in parallel. When processing a set of control programs in parallel, the CPU 11
/ 60 seconds (approximately 16 msec), at each time-division switching timing at which a timer interrupt from the built-in timer is accepted, at each time-division switching timing (see FIG. 5). A plurality of functions can be realized at the same time by performing parallel processing while sequentially switching in a time-division manner.

The EEPROM 13 stores various setting modes for realizing the facsimile function, various setting data relating to the printing position and the printing density when realizing the printer function, and a plurality of destination data. Is stored. RAM 14
Has a plurality of functions such as a facsimile function and a copy function in addition to a reception data memory for storing received data, a recording data memory for storing dot image data obtained by developing the received data so that the laser printer 3 can record the data. Various memories and buffers necessary for executing the control program to be realized are provided.

Next, the personal computer 6 will be described. As shown in FIG.
0, a hard disk drive (HDD) 40 connected thereto, a floppy disk drive (FDD) 41, and a CRT display (CRTD) 4
2, a keyboard 43, and a coordinate input device (mouse) 44
It is composed of The control device 30 includes a CPU 31
And a common bus 36 including a data bus
ROM 32, RAM 33, input / output interface 34, and communication interface (communication I /
F) 35.

The input / output interface 34 includes:
A hard disk drive controller (HDC) 37 for driving and controlling the hard disk drive 40 and a floppy disk drive controller (FDC) 38 for driving and controlling the floppy disk drive 41
And a CRT controller (CRTC) 39 for driving and controlling the CRT display 42 are connected to each other. The multifunction information processing apparatus 1 is connected to the communication interface 35 via a connection cable 7. As a result, the created print data can be transmitted to the multifunction information processing apparatus 1 and recorded by the laser printer 3 of the information processing apparatus 1, while
It is possible to receive image information read by the image scanner device 4, and the like.

FIG. 3 shows a setting control routine for specifying a print function and setting a print function priority mode for preferentially processing a control program (corresponding to a specific control program) corresponding to the print function. A description will be given based on the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, reference symbol Si
(I = 10, 11...) Are each step. When this control is started by operating a print function priority key provided on the keyboard 2b, first, the flag data of the print function priority flag PMF stored in the flag data memory of the RAM 14 is read, and the print function priority flag PMF is read. Flag PMF is reset (flag data = "0")
Is set, the print function priority flag PMF
Is set, a print function priority mode is set (S11), a message "print function priority mode" is displayed on the display 2a (S12), and this control is terminated to return to the main routine.

On the other hand, when the flag data is "1", the print function priority flag PMF is set, and the print function priority mode is set (S10: No), the print function priority flag PMF is reset and the print function The priority mode is released (S13), a message "normal processing mode" is displayed on the display 2a (S14), and this control is terminated. That is, every time the print function priority key is operated, the "normal processing mode" and the "print function priority mode" are alternately switched. Next, 2
A set of control programs is set to a predetermined time-division period K (about 1/6
A routine of time-division switching control (corresponding to switching means) for switching to the other party every 0 seconds) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When this control is started, first, the flag data of the print function priority flag PMF is read, and when the flag data is reset to "0", that is, when the mode is not the print function priority mode (S20: No). Then, a time-division switching process for switching the processing control to the other party is executed (S22), and this control is terminated and the routine returns. By the way, the print function priority flag PMF is set,
In the print function priority mode (S20: Yes), when the specific control program is to be processed preferentially by continuing twice the time division cycle K (S21: Yes), the time division switching at the predetermined switching timing is not executed. Then, the control is terminated and the routine returns.

Here, the time division switching processing at the time division switching timing will be described. This is the same as the case where a subroutine call is made by a normal interrupt, and the PC (program counter) of the CPU 11 related to one of the processing controls being executed. While data, SR (status register) data and the like are stacked in a predetermined area of the RAM 14, PC data and SR data and the like related to the other processing control to be switched and executed are read from the stack area of the RAM 14 and By storing them in the PC and the SR respectively.

For example, the operation when the image reading and transmitting control program of the facsimile function and the print control program for recording the print data received from the personal computer 6 are processed in parallel in a time-division manner will be described with reference to FIG. explain. However, it is assumed that the print function priority mode is not set. Time point T1
First, the image reading and transmitting control program is started, and the image reading and transmitting process starts from the time T1.
TA1 is executed. On the other hand, when the print data is received from the personal computer 6 at the time T2 during the execution of the image reading and transmitting process TA1, a control program for a print function to be recorded by the laser printer 3 is started. The reading transmission processing TA and the printing processing TB are processed in parallel by time division.

That is, after the time T2, the time division switching timing t every predetermined time division period K (1/60 second)
.., And print processing TB1, TB2, TB3,... And image reading and transmitting processing TA2, TA3,. . By the way, when the print function priority mode is set, as shown in FIG. 6, the image reading and transmitting process TA1 is executed from time T1, and the image reading and transmitting process TA and the activated print control are started from time T2 on the way. Print processing TB by a program is performed in parallel by time division.

In this case, each print processing TB1, TB2
, TB3... Do not perform the time-division switching at the first time-division switching timing t2, t5, t8,. And the processing of the print control program can be speeded up by giving priority to the processing of the image reading and transmitting control program.

Here, a built-in timer for separately counting the clock signal from the clock connected to the CPU 11 and interrupting the timer at a time division switching timing of about 1/90 second (about 11 msec) is separately provided. When the print function priority mode is set, time division switching may be performed with a time division cycle K of about 1/90 second as shown in FIG.

That is, in each of the printing processes TB1, TB2, TB3,... Executed after the time division switching timing t1, the first time division switching timing t2, t5, t
8, the time-division switching is not performed, so that processing is continuously performed with priority over a set time of twice the time-division cycle K, that is, about 1/45 second, and processing of the print control program is performed. Can be performed faster than the processing of the image reading and transmitting control program.

As described above, at least one C
A computer 10 including a PU 11 is provided, and a plurality of sets of control programs corresponding to a plurality of functions such as a facsimile function, a print function, and a scanner function are incorporated in a ROM 12 of the computer 10, and the plurality of sets of control programs are concurrently executed in a time-division manner. In the multi-function information processing apparatus 1 capable of simultaneously realizing a plurality of functions by performing the processing, each time-division processing time for processing the print control program for the print function is set to twice the time-division cycle K. The time division switching is performed so that each time division processing time for processing the image reading transmission control program of the facsimile function which is processed in parallel with the print control program becomes the time division cycle K. Processing is performed by the image reading and transmission control program. And doubled so the processing amount than, on which can preferentially speed can further with respect to its image read transmission control program, for processing by the normal time-division time corresponding to the time-division period K.

Here, as a modification of the above embodiment,
When the print function priority mode is set by operating the print function priority key provided on the keyboard 2b, the priority of the print control program is set to, for example, "1.3 times".
Set it as an arbitrary number, such as "2.8 times",
As the time-division switching timing, a timer interrupt of the built-in timer may be configured to correspond to the numerical value of the priority. Furthermore, the present invention is applied to various electronic devices that include a computer including at least one CPU and employ a multi-function parallel processing method that simultaneously realizes a plurality of functions such as arithmetic processing and information input / output processing by a time-division method. You may make it.

[0033]

According to the multi-function parallel processing electronic apparatus of the first aspect, the computer includes at least one CPU, ROM, and RAM, and a plurality of sets of control programs corresponding to a plurality of functions are incorporated in the ROM. In an electronic device capable of realizing a plurality of functions by executing two or more sets of control programs in parallel in a time-sharing manner, a mode setting means for setting a specific function priority mode and a mode setting means Specific function priority mode,
Switching means for performing time-division switching so that each time-division processing time for processing a specific control program is longer than each time-division processing time for processing another control program executed in parallel with the specific control program; The time-division switching is performed so that each time-division processing time for processing the specific control program is longer than each time-division processing time for processing other control programs that are processed in parallel with the specific control program. The processing of the program can be made faster than the processing of the other control program.

According to the multi-function parallel processing type electronic device of the second aspect, the same effect as that of the first aspect is obtained, but the switching means performs each time division processing for processing the specific control program in the specific function priority mode. The time-division switching is performed so that the time becomes a set time longer than the time-division cycle, and each time-division processing time for processing another control program that is processed in parallel with the specific control program becomes the time-division cycle. Are time-division switching so that each time-division processing time for processing a specific control program is longer than the time-division cycle, while each time-division processing time for processing another control program to be processed in parallel. As the time-division switching is performed so as to have a time-division cycle, the processing of the specific control program can be performed at a higher speed than the processing of the other control program. With respect to the other of the control program to,
Processing can be performed for each normal time division processing time corresponding to the time division cycle.

According to the multi-function parallel processing electronic device of the third aspect, the same effect as that of the second aspect can be obtained, but since the set time of the switching means is set to twice the time division cycle, the specific control is performed. With regard to the program, the processing amount can be doubled, and high-speed processing can be preferentially performed. According to the multi-function parallel processing type electronic device of the fourth aspect, the same effect as any one of the first to third aspects is obtained, but the plurality of sets of control programs execute at least a control for realizing a printer function. Since the specific control program includes a program and a control program for realizing the facsimile function, and the specific control program is a control program for realizing the printer function, each time-division processing time of the control program for realizing the printer function is realized. High-speed processing can be preferentially performed on the control program to be executed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of a multifunction information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a print function priority mode setting control routine;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a routine of a time division switching process control.

FIG. 5 is a time chart for explaining an operation when a facsimile function and a print function are processed in parallel in a time-division manner in a normal mode.

FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 5 when a print function priority mode is set.

FIG. 7 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 6 according to a modified embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multifunction information processing apparatus 2b Keyboard 10 Computer 11 CPU 12 ROM 14 RAM 20 Control unit 27 DRAM

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. At least one CPU, ROM, and R
A computer comprising an AM, a plurality of sets of control programs corresponding to a plurality of functions are incorporated in the ROM, and two or more sets of control programs are processed in parallel in a time division manner while switching at predetermined time division intervals. An electronic device capable of realizing a plurality of functions, a mode setting means for setting a specific function priority mode for preferentially processing a specific control program corresponding to a specific function among the plurality of functions; In the specific function priority mode set by the means, each time-division processing time for processing the specific control program is longer than each time-division processing time for processing other control programs that are processed in parallel with the specific control program. A switching means for performing time-division switching. 2. The switching means, wherein in the specific function priority mode, each time division processing time for processing a specific control program has a set time longer than the time division cycle,
2. The multi-function parallel processing according to claim 1, wherein time-division switching is performed such that each time-division processing time for processing another control program that is processed in parallel with the specific control program is the time-division cycle. Type electronic device. 3. The multi-function parallel processing type electronic device according to claim 2, wherein a set time of said switching means is set to twice the time division period. 4. The plurality of sets of control programs include at least a control program for realizing a printer function and a control program for realizing a facsimile function, wherein the specific control program is a control program for realizing a printer function. The multi-function parallel processing type electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a multi-function parallel processing electronic device.