JPH1145182A - Firmware - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly and speedily update data or programs stored in a memory. SOLUTION: When a power source is turned on at the time of starting a system, a CPU 1 rearranges a boot program stored in a flash ROM 2 into a RAM 3. By rearranging the boot program stored in the flash ROM 2 into the RAM 3 and executing it, data can be written in the flash ROM 2 during the execution of the boot program. During the execution of the boot program, the CPU 1 receives an system image, data table or the data of the boot program from a server S through a transmission line Ls from a communication interface 4. The system image or the like stored in the flash ROM 2 is smoothly and speedily updated by the received data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory (flash ROM or EEPROM) and a readable / writable volatile memory which are mounted on a device connected to a network and store programs and data. (RAM).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a firmware mounted on a device such as a control terminal connected to a network, a boot program is stored in a dedicated nonvolatile memory (RO).
M) and stored in the firmware
Executes a boot program stored in the ROM when the system is started (for example, when an application is stopped), and stores at least a system image and a data table required at the time of starting the system via a network as necessary. From an electronically rewritable nonvolatile memory (flash ROM or EEP
The system image and the data table stored in the ROM are updated. In such a device, it is essential to update the system image and the data table especially when the equipment is introduced.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional example, if there is a bug in the boot program or a version upgrade due to a change or addition of a function,
It was necessary to replace every ROM chip. In some cases, the boot program is stored in a flash ROM or an EEPROM in which a system image or a data table is stored, so that the boot program can be updated (upgraded) without replacing a chip.

However, when the boot program is stored in a flash ROM or an EEPROM, when the boot program is being executed at the time of starting the system, the system image and data table stored in the flash ROM or the EEPROM and the boot program itself are updated. This makes it difficult to efficiently and smoothly update a system image, a data table, and a boot program when installing equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a firmware that can smoothly and promptly update data and a boot program stored in a memory.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrically rewritable non-volatile memory which is mounted on a device connected to a network and stores programs and data. A read / write volatile memory, a communication interface connected to a network, and at least a control unit that controls program execution, data read / write, and communication with the network,
At the time of system startup, the boot program stored in the nonvolatile memory is relocated to the volatile memory and executed,
The data and the program stored in the non-volatile memory are updated with data downloaded via the network, and the boot program stored in the non-volatile memory is relocated to the volatile memory. By executing, even while the boot program is being executed, the data and the program stored in the non-volatile memory can be updated to the data and the program downloaded via the network, and the updating of the data and the program can be smoothly performed. And it can be performed promptly.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the boot program stored in the nonvolatile memory is updated with a boot program downloaded via a network. The boot program itself can be updated to a boot program to be downloaded via a network without requiring a dedicated memory, and the boot program can be updated smoothly and promptly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, information indicating the type of data is added to a header portion of data downloaded via the network, and information of the added header portion is added. The feature is that data is downloaded to the address of the non-volatile memory according to the type of data based on the data type, so that the sender of the data does not need to change the communication setting according to the type of data. Even when transmitting data and programs, the data and programs should be smoothly and promptly updated in order to determine the type of update data based on the information in the header on the receiving side by sending the data and programs through the same procedure. Can be.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, firmware according to the present invention is mounted on a control terminal T connected to a server S on a network via a transmission line Ls. The firmware according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 1, a boot program as shown in FIG.
A flash ROM 2 storing a system image and a data table, a RAM 3 composed of a static RAM or a dynamic RAM, and a communication interface 4 for connecting to a network via a transmission line Ls.
At least. In the present embodiment, the flash ROM 2 is used as an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory in which a boot program and the like are stored, but an EEPROM may be used instead of the flash ROM.

Next, an operation procedure for updating a system image, a data table, or a boot program stored in the flash ROM 2 when the system is started such as when an application is stopped will be described. First, when the power is turned on at the time of starting the system, the CPU 1
The last address of M2 is accessed. Since the last address contains the start address of the boot program, the CPU 1 accesses the start address of the boot program. Here, an instruction to relocate the following data to the RAM 3 is written at the start address of the boot program. Therefore, the CPU 1 executes the instruction, rearranges the boot program in the RAM 3 as shown in FIG. 2, and executes the boot program there. By rearranging and executing the boot program stored in the flash ROM 2 in the RAM 3 as described above, data can be written to the flash ROM 2 during execution of the boot program.

The CPU 1 executing the boot program accesses the server S from the communication interface 4 via the transmission line Ls, and receives data indicating whether or not a system image, a data table, or a boot program needs to be updated. Then, when the update is necessary, the server S receives the data of the system image, the data table or the boot program from the server S.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the header H of the data received from the server S contains the type of data, that is, whether the received data is a system image, data in a data table, or a boot program. Information on whether there is. Therefore, CPU1
Determines the type of the received data from the header portion H, and downloads the data to an appropriate address of the flash ROM 2 corresponding to each data, thereby updating the system image, the data table or the boot program stored in the flash ROM 2.

When the data update is completed, the CP
U1 jumps to the start address of the system image stored in the flash ROM 2 to start up the system. If the data update as described above is not performed, the boot program relocated to the RAM 3 is executed until a timeout occurs, and the C program is executed after the timeout.
The PU 1 returns to the flash ROM 2, reads the system image, and starts up the system.

When the boot program is updated, the CPU 1 stores the updated boot program in the RA.
It is relocated to M3 and restarted. However, the updated boot program may be executed from the next system startup. By the way, by adding information indicating the type of data to the header portion H of the data transmitted from the server S as described above, the server S on the data sending side needs to change the communication settings according to the type of data. When transmitting any data of the system image, the data table, or the boot program, the data is sent to the network in the same procedure, and the receiving side determines the type of update data based on the data in the header portion H. The data can be updated smoothly and promptly. In addition,
Only the system image or data table is updated,
Alternatively, in the case of a system configuration in which only the boot program is updated, it is not necessary to add information indicating the type of data to the header portion H as described above.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the boot program stored in the flash ROM 2 is rearranged in the RAM 3 and executed when the system is started, so that the boot program is the same as the system image and the data table. Even when the data is stored in the flash ROM 2, the system image and the data table can be updated during execution of the boot program, so that a dedicated ROM for the boot program is not required, thereby simplifying circuit mounting and reducing costs. Down and flash ROM2
Can be written to the address where the boot program is stored, and the boot program can be updated smoothly and promptly by downloading via a network without replacing the chip.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory which is mounted on a device connected to a network and stores programs and data, a readable and writable volatile memory, and a network. A communication interface to be connected, and at least a control unit for controlling execution of a program, reading and writing of data, and communication with a network, and a boot program stored in a non-volatile memory is rearranged in a volatile memory when the system is started. The boot program stored in the non-volatile memory is relocated to the volatile memory because the data and the program stored in the non-volatile memory are updated by the data executed and downloaded via the network. The non-volatile memory during execution of the boot program. The the stored data and programs via the network can be updated to the data and programs downloaded, there is an effect that it is possible to update the data and programs smoothly and promptly.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the boot program stored in the non-volatile memory is updated by the boot program downloaded via the network, the boot program does not require a dedicated memory for the boot program. The program itself can be updated to a boot program downloaded via a network, and the boot program can be updated smoothly and promptly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, information indicating the type of data is added to a header portion of data downloaded via a network, and a nonvolatile memory corresponding to the type of data based on the information of the added header portion. Since the data is downloaded to the address of the memory, the sender of the data does not need to change the communication setting according to the type of data, and the same applies regardless of the type of data or program to be transmitted. In this procedure, the data and program can be smoothly and promptly updated because the receiving side determines the type of update data based on the information in the header portion.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the above.

FIG. 3 is a memory map of the flash ROM in the above.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the above.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 Flash ROM 3 RAM 4 Communication interface

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory which is mounted on a device connected to a network and stores programs and data, a readable and writable volatile memory, a communication interface connected to a network, and a program And at least a control unit that controls execution of data, reading and writing of data, and communication with the network.When the system is started, the boot program stored in the non-volatile memory is relocated to the volatile memory and executed. A firmware comprising updating data or a program stored in a non-volatile memory with data to be downloaded. 2. The firmware according to claim 1, wherein the boot program stored in the nonvolatile memory is updated with a boot program downloaded via a network. 3. A method of adding information indicating a data type to a header portion of data downloaded via a network, and adding an address of a nonvolatile memory corresponding to the data type based on the information of the added header portion. 3. The firmware according to claim 1, wherein data is downloaded.