JPH10254694A - Data rewrite device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the change of a firmware be on-line. SOLUTION: At the time of changing the firmware recorded in the nonvolatile flash memory 12 of a microcomputer system 10, a host computer 30 controls an MPU 11 by a series of control information through a transmission cable 41 and a driver 13 and makes a transmitted program be written to the flash memory 12 as a new firmware.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a data rewriting apparatus and method for rewriting a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been provided a so-called microcomputer system which includes at least peripheral circuits such as an MPU and a RAM for independently executing a program for controlling an electronic device or the like. In such a microcomputer system, since a certain procedure is often repeated, so-called firmware in which a program is previously incorporated in a ROM or the like to be implemented as hardware without reading the program from an external storage device is used.

[0003]

However, in order to change the firmware as described above, it was necessary to take the following procedure. That is, the cover of the device having the firmware is removed, the substrate is taken out, the memory such as the ROM containing the firmware is removed from the substrate, the memory containing the new firmware is mounted on the substrate, and the substrate is mounted on the device. Put it back and attach the cover. Further, the operator has to move to a place where the device having the firmware is installed.

[0004] For example, if it is assumed that 10 minutes are required to replace the firmware of one device having firmware and 5 minutes are required to move to the installation location of the device having firmware, the firmware of 300 devices is changed. It can take up to 75 hours. In practice, the required time varies greatly depending on the situation of the symmetrical object, and is difficult to predict.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and does not require an operator to go to a place where an apparatus having firmware is installed, so that data rewriting can be easily performed. It is an object to provide an apparatus and a method.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a data rewriting device according to the present invention comprises a storage unit for storing a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device, and an external storage unit for the storage unit. Input / output means for inputting / outputting a transmitted program and control information, and control means for controlling the storage means with the control information transmitted from the outside via the input / output means to store the program Is provided.

In the data rewriting device, the storage means is a nonvolatile memory capable of electrically writing and erasing.

In the data rewriting device, the input / output means inputs / outputs the program and control information transmitted by wire communication. Further, in the data rewriting device, the input / output means includes:
It is for inputting and outputting the program and control information transmitted by wireless communication.

In the data rewriting device, the input / output means inputs and outputs the program and the control information online with a communication path established with the host machine in real time.

Further, in the data rewriting device, the electronic device is a battery charging device.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, a data rewriting method according to the present invention provides a method for inputting / outputting a program and control information transmitted from outside to a storage means for storing a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device. Then, the storage means is controlled by the control information to store the data.

In the data rewriting method, the storage means is a nonvolatile memory capable of electrically writing and erasing.

In the data rewriting method, the program and the control information are transmitted by wire communication. In the data rewriting method, the program and the control information are transmitted by wireless communication.

In the above data rewriting method, the program and the control information are transmitted on-line with a communication path established in real time with the host machine.

Further, in the data rewriting method, the electronic device is a battery charger.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a data rewriting apparatus and method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a data rewriting device according to the present invention includes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) system 10 and a host computer 30.
These are connected to each other by a communication cable 41.

The microcomputer system 10 controls each part of the microcomputer system 10 based on a series of control information.
unit; MPU) 11, a flash memory 12 for holding firmware as a program for controlling the microcomputer system 10, and a driver for transferring program data and control information to and from the host computer 30 via a communication cable 41. 13 and flash memory 1
RAM1 for temporarily storing a program stored in the RAM 2
And 4.

The MPU 11 includes a CPU and peripheral ICs, and controls the entire microcomputer system 10 according to a program described by a series of control codes.

If necessary, the data of the electronic device controlled by the microcomputer system 10 is stored in the RAM.
14 and transmitted to the host computer 30 via the driver 13. The MPU 11 is connected to the flash memory 12, the driver 13, and the RAM 14 via a bus line.

The flash memory 12 is a non-volatile memory that can be electrically written and erased and retains stored contents regardless of the presence or absence of a power supply voltage. The flash memory 12 stores firmware which is a program for controlling the microcomputer system 10. The flash memory includes the MPU 11 and the driver 13
And the RAM 14 via a bus line.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, in the memory map of the flash memory 12, a start-up program 12a showing a series of procedures when a program is newly started by a reset, and copied to the RAM 14 Download program 12c to be executed
And a preliminary program 12b that is the same as the download program 12b.

The driver 13 includes the microcomputer system 1
0 through the communication cable 41 to the host computer 3
0, transmission of data of the electronic device controlled by the microcomputer system 10 and, conversely, reception of program data and control information transmitted from the host computer 30 to the microcomputer system 10 via the communication cable 41. For example, a signal transmitted from the communication cable 41 in various formats is converted into a representation inside the microcomputer system 10, and vice versa. This driver 13
Are the MPU 11, the flash memory 12, and the RAM
Reference numeral 14 denotes a bus line, which is connected to the host computer 30 via a communication cable 41.

As shown in FIG. 3, the RAM 14 reads a download program 12c or a preliminary program 12b from the flash memory 12 as an execution program 14a when a program is executed, and the other area becomes a variable area 14b for storing variables. . This RAM 14
The MPU 11, the flash memory 12, and the driver 13 are connected by a bus line.

The host computer 30 provides program data and control information to the microcomputer system 10 via a communication cable 41. Further, in a predetermined case, data of an electronic device controlled by the microcomputer system 10 transmitted from the microcomputer system 10 via the communication cable is received.

The communication cable 41 transmits program data and control information transmitted from the host computer 30 to the microcomputer system 10, and conversely controls the microcomputer system 10 from the microcomputer system 10 to the host computer 30. Transmits electronic device data.

As described above, the data rewriting device according to the present invention comprises: a flash memory 12 for storing a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device to be controlled;
The flash memory 12 is controlled by the communication cable 41 for transmitting program data and control code supplied from the host computer 30 to the flash memory 12 and the driver 13, and the control code transferred from the host computer 30. And an MPU 11 for storing the data.

Further, the data rewriting method according to the present invention provides a method for controlling data and program data transmitted from a host computer 30 to a flash memory 12 for storing a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device to be controlled. The MPU 11 receives the code via the transmission cable 41 and the driver 13, and the MPU 11
The flash memory 12 is controlled by the control code transferred from the flash memory 12 to store the program data.

Next, a data rewriting apparatus and method according to the present invention will be described with reference to flowcharts.

The above-mentioned data rewriting device performs an operation in accordance with the procedure of the start-up program 12a recorded in the flash memory 12, as shown in FIG.

That is, in step S201, it is checked whether the download program 12c recorded in the flash memory 12 has been destroyed or is normal. As a result of the confirmation, if the download program 12c is normal, the determination is “YES” and the step S
The process proceeds to step 202, otherwise, “NO” is determined and the process proceeds to step S203.

In step S202, the download program 12c stored in the flash memory is
It is copied to the AM 14 as an execution program 14a. When this copy is completed, the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S203, step S203
As a result of the confirmation at 201, it has been found that the download program 12c on the flash memory 12 has been destroyed.
b is copied to the RAM 14. When this copy is completed, the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, the RAM 14
The download program 12c or the preliminary program 12b transferred above becomes the execution program 14a, and a pointer is set at the head of the execution program.

Subsequently, the execution program 14 of the RAM 14
A series of procedures according to a will be described. The execution program is the download program 12c copied from the flash memory 12 to the RAM 14 or the preliminary program 1
2b.

As shown in FIG. 5, step S1
In step 01, if the transmission of the control information for the program from the host computer 30 is received within a predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S103 as “YES”, and if not, the process proceeds to step S102 as “NO”.

In step S102, normal processing of the microcomputer system 10, for example, the microcomputer system 1
The electronic device which is the controlled object of 0 is subjected to a process of a certain procedure, and then the pointer jumps to the start address of the execution program 14a.

In step S103, the download program 12a on the flash memory 12 is erased. Then, the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the host computer 30 is stored in the download area of the flash memory 12.
Write the received data for the program received from. Then, steps S201 to S204 of the start-up program are executed first in FIG. 4, the received data for the program is written into the RAM 14, and the newly written execution program is executed. When these operations are completed, the process advances to step S102.

In this way, the firmware such as the download program 12c stored in the flash memory 12 can be changed online from the host computer 30.

This eliminates the need for the operator to go to the installation location of the apparatus having the firmware and replace the ROM containing the firmware. Therefore, it is possible to speed up the rewriting of the firmware and reduce the cost.

Next, a modification of the data rewriting device according to the present invention will be described.

In the first modification, as shown in FIG. 6, a protocol controller 1 is added to the microcomputer system 10 described above.
5 is added. This protocol controller 1
5 is a control IC conforming to various communication protocols
It is equipped with.

In the first modified example, the protocol controller 15 is simply inserted in series with the driver 13 of the microcomputer system 10, and the description of the other parts is omitted.

In the first modified example, since various protocols can be used, the transmission means between the microcomputer system 10 and the host computer 30 is not limited to a dedicated line, but may be an existing line such as various LANs and ISDN. It can be used for a wide range of applications.

The second modification is made of a host computer 30 shown in FIG. 7, the n-number of the charging device from the first charging device 50 ₁ shown in FIG. 8 to the charging device 50 _n of the n is there.

The host computer 30 modulates a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a personal computer) 31 for controlling each section of the host computer 30, program data and control information supplied from the personal computer 31. The radio communication device 33 demodulates a radio signal received by the antenna 34 transmitted from 50 ₁ ,..., 50 _n and an antenna 34 for transmitting and receiving a radio signal.

[0048] The first charging device 50 _1, the microcomputer system 10 described above, the driver 13 Antenna 2
Besides replaced with the radio communication device 22 ₁ comprises a 3 _1,
It has a function of charging a predetermined battery in a predetermined procedure.

[0049] From the second charging device 50 ₂ to the charging equipment terminal 50 _n of the n, since the first charging device 50 ₁ and the structure and operation are the same, the description thereof is omitted.

In the second modification, wireless communication is used as a communication means from the host computer 30 to each of the charging devices 50 ₁ to 50 _n . Therefore, each of the charging devices 50 ₁ to 50 is transmitted by one transmission. can transmit programs and control information to the _n, there is a particularly practical benefits in the case of the charging device 50 ₁ to 50 _n is a large number. That is, the host computer 3
Can be rewritten firmware stored in the flash memory 12 ₁ to 12 _n of the charging device 50 ₁ to 50 _n by the transmission by one of the wireless communication such as a control code and data from the 0.

As shown in FIG. 9, the third modification includes a charging device 50, a host computer 30, and a communication cable 41 connecting these components to each other.

The charging device 10 includes an MPU 11, a flash memory 12, a RAM 14, an A / D converter 15
Multiplex 16 and first current detector 17 ₁
From the 256 current detecting portion and 256 of the current detector 17 _{1-17 256} up to 17 _256, the first voltage detecting unit 18 ₁ from the first 256 of the voltage detection unit 18 ₂₅₆ up to 256 of the voltage detection unit 18 and _{1-18 256,} and 256 of the current control section 19 ₁ to 19 ₂₅₆ from the first current control section 19 ₁ to # 256 of the current control unit 19 _256, the first battery retaining mechanism 20
25 from ₁ to 256th battery holding mechanism 20 ₂₅₆
And six battery retaining mechanism 20 ₁ to 20 _256, a charging power supply 21, and a network controller 22..

[0053] battery holding mechanism 20 ₁ of the first is,
Holds a given battery. This battery is the first
The current supplied and the applied voltage are detected by the current detection unit 17 ₁ and the voltage detection unit 18 ₁ , respectively, and these detected values are transmitted to the microcomputer unit via the multiplex 16 and the A / D conversion unit 15. given 11, current is supplied via this from the charging power source 21 under the control of the microcomputer 11 first current control section 19 ₁ and the first battery retaining mechanism 20 _1.

The other parts are completely the same and will not be described.

A series of procedures for controlling the charging of the battery is executed based on the firmware stored in the flash memory 12. This firmware can be rewritten online by program data and control information transmitted from the host computer 30 to the network controller 22 via the communication cable 41.

The host computer 30 comprises a personal computer 31 and a network controller 32. When necessary, the personal computer 31 transmits a control code and data to the charging device 50 via the network controller 32 and the communication cable 41, and can rewrite the firmware included in the charging device 50.

As described above, in this data rewriting device composed of the charging device 50, the host computer 30, and the communication cable 41 connecting these components to each other, A / D conversion of various information on the state of charge of the battery is controlled. The firmware to be updated can be rewritten online from the personal computer 31 of the host computer via the communication cable 41. Therefore, the firmware can be quickly replaced without going to the place where the charging device is installed.

In the above embodiment, the microcomputer system in which the flash memory is built in the MPU,
The same can be implemented in a DSP system replaced with an SP.

In this embodiment, the charging device is exemplified as the electronic device to be controlled, but the present invention is not limited to the charging device.

[0060]

As described above, the data rewriting apparatus and method according to the present invention can rewrite firmware such as a microcomputer system from a host computer. Therefore, even when the firmware needs to be upgraded due to a program defect, the firmware can be easily changed.

The firmware is not changed by replacing the ROM, but by rewriting the flash memory, for example, and the ROM is not disposable. Therefore, the memory can be saved.

When updating data to be used,
It can be easily changed by rewriting the firmware.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a data rewriting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a memory map of a flash memory provided in the data rewriting device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map of a RAM included in the data rewriting device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a start-up program of the data rewriting apparatus and method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an execution program of the data rewriting apparatus and method.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another example of the schematic configuration of the microcomputer system of the data rewriting device.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another example of a schematic configuration of a host computer of the data rewriting device.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a charging device as a controlled object of the data rewriting device.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of another example of the host computer and the charging device of the data rewriting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 microcomputer system, 11 MPU, 12 flash memory, 14 RAM, 30 host computer, 41 communication cable, 50 charging device

Claims (12)

[Claims] A storage unit for storing a program for controlling an operation of an electronic device; an input / output unit for inputting / outputting a program and control information transmitted from outside to the storage unit; Control means for controlling the storage means by the control information transmitted from the outside via the control means to store the program. 2. The data rewriting device according to claim 1, wherein said storage means is a nonvolatile memory capable of electrically writing and erasing. 3. The data rewriting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input / output means inputs and outputs said program and control information transmitted by wire communication. 4. The data rewriting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input / output means inputs and outputs said program and control information transmitted by wireless communication. 5. The data rewriting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input / output means inputs and outputs said program and control information on-line with a communication path established in real time with a host machine. 6. The data rewriting device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a battery charging device. 7. A storage unit for storing a program for controlling the operation of an electronic device, inputs and outputs a program and control information transmitted from the outside, controls the storage unit with the control information, and A data rewriting method characterized by storing 8. The data rewriting method according to claim 7, wherein said storage means is a nonvolatile memory capable of electrically writing and erasing. 9. The data rewriting method according to claim 7, wherein said program and control information are transmitted by wire communication. 10. The data rewriting method according to claim 7, wherein said program and control information are transmitted by wireless communication. 11. The data rewriting method according to claim 7, wherein the program and the control information are transmitted on-line with a communication path established in real time with the host machine. 12. The data rewriting method according to claim 7, wherein the electronic device is a battery charger.