JPH1153488A - Image system controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the insufficiency of a memory capacity in a system by effectively utilizing the free area of an IC card connected to an IC card interface for emulation. SOLUTION: In the case that a memory 103 for image data expansion or the memory 201 for extension is used and the capacity lacks, when the IC card 202 is inserted, this controller utilizes the free area of the IC card 202, considers it as the memory for the extension and uses the IC card 202. At the time, in the IC card 202 connected to the IC card interface 106, the information of the kind of the IC card 202 and the capacity of a described program, etc., is provided. In the information, the information of the free capacity at present is simultaneously described.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image system control device, and more particularly, to an image system control device having no storage device such as an HD such as a printer board.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image system control apparatus, a demand for cost reduction has been stronger than ever. However, it is difficult to reduce the cost of elements used for the central processing unit and peripheral circuits. Therefore, how to reduce the memory for developing image data and various memories is the key to cost reduction.

[0003]

However, in a printer or a facsimile apparatus that does not have a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk, addresses of an image development memory, a facsimile, a network, and other setting values are stored. As a result of the reduction of the non-volatile memory and the like, there is a problem that it is impossible to cope with a case where the storage capacity becomes insufficient during use. Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is possible to solve the shortage of storage capacity by effectively utilizing the free space of an IC card connected to an emulation IC card interface. A first object is to provide a possible image system control device.

However, when an IC card on which a program or data is described is connected to an IC card interface, there is a problem that the system cannot know in which area of the IC card the program is written. Accordingly, a second object of the present invention is to provide an image system control device capable of effectively utilizing the memory space of an IC card.

When recording system information on an IC card, there is a risk that programs and data originally recorded on the IC card will be overwritten. Therefore, the present invention
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an image system control device capable of protecting an image from being overwritten.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a central processing unit, a storage element for a program, a storage element for developing image data, an element for storing various set values, and an interface for an additional storage element are provided. And an image system control device having an IC card interface, wherein the central processing unit connects to the IC card interface when the free space of the image data development storage element or the various set value storage elements is insufficient. The first object is achieved by using the empty area of the IC card described above to describe the area. According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image system control device according to the first aspect, the IC card interface is connected to at least one of a program and data and an IC card in which information on a free area is recorded, The central processing unit achieves the second object by confirming information on the free space recorded on the IC card connected to the IC card interface when power is turned on. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image system control device according to the first or second aspect, the central processing unit is originally recorded on an IC card connected to the IC card interface. The third object is achieved by protecting the contents from being overwritten.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of an image system control apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the image system control device. As shown in FIG. 1, the image system control device includes a central processing unit 101, a program memory 102, and an image data development memory 1
02, a memory 104 for storing various set values, a memory interface 105 for expansion, and an IC card interface 106, and each section is connected to various dedicated signal lines. The additional memory interface 105 is externally connected to an additional memory 201 as a memory for developing image data. A general-purpose IC card 202 is inserted into the IC card interface 106, and various program cards, font cards, and other optional cards are inserted.

The central processing unit 101 is an element for controlling the entire system. The program memory 102
This element stores an instruction code for controlling the operation of the system. The image data expansion memory 103 is a space for expanding image data sent from, for example, a host or the like. The memory 104 for storing various set values is an element for storing set values that need to be set by, for example, a facsimile machine or a printer. The additional memory interface 105 is a memory interface to which the image data developing memory 103 can be added. The IC card interface 106 is an interface for a system supplied with the IC card 202, such as various fonts and programs.

In the present embodiment, when the image data expansion memory 103 or the expansion memory 201 is used and the capacity is insufficient, if the IC card 202 is inserted,
The free space of the IC card 202 is used, and the IC card 202 is used as if it were regarded as an additional memory. At that time, the IC card 202 connected to the IC card interface 106 stores the IC card 202
Contains information such as what kind of program is and the capacity of the described program. The information on the current free space is also described in the information.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the description state of programs and data of the IC card 202. FIG. IC
If the free space is linear in the card 202 as shown in FIG. 2, information on the free space such as “from what address to which <capacity” is entered in comparison with the program area. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the empty areas are discrete, and when the area is not linear, information of “from what address to what address” is inserted by the number of the space. In this way, not only the program and the data but also the description of the empty area are previously stored in the IC card 202, so that the contents of the program and the like originally written are not affected and the IC card 202 is not affected. Available space.

At the same time when the power is turned on to the system unit, the central processing unit 101 first reads out the information on the empty area described in the IC card 202, and clarifies how much information can be further described in the IC card 202. . When the free space in the image data expansion memory 103, the additional memory 201, or the memory 104 for storing various setting values decreases during the operation of the system, the central processing unit 101 stores one in the free area of the IC card 202. Write data occasionally. At that time, the central processing unit 1
01 is protected in order to prevent a program stored in advance from being rewritten or erased to prevent its original function from being exhibited.

[0012]

According to the image system control apparatus of the present invention, when the free space of the memory for storing image data or the memory for storing various set values is insufficient, the free space of the connected IC card is reduced. By using and describing in that portion, the IC card can be used as an additional memory, which leads to effective use of the memory. According to the image system control device of the second aspect, the central processing unit uses an IC card in which at least one of a program and data and information on a free area are recorded,
The information on the free space recorded on the C card can be confirmed, and the memory space of the IC card can be used effectively. According to the image system control device of the third aspect, by protecting the program already stored in the IC card to be described from being overwritten, the original function of the IC card can be operated without any problem. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image system control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an IC connected to the image system controller according to the first embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a description state of continuous programs and data on a card.

FIG. 3 is an IC connected to the image system control device.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a description state of a program and data of a card.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 Central processing unit 102 Program memory 103 Image data development memory 104 Various setting value storage memory 105 Additional memory interface 106 IC card interface 201 Additional memory 202 IC card

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image system control device having a central processing unit, a storage element for a program, a storage element for developing image data, an element for storing various set values, an additional storage element interface, and an IC card interface. When the free space of the image data expansion storage element or the various set value storage elements is insufficient, the central processing unit uses the free area of the IC card connected to the IC card interface to perform the processing. Write in the part,
An image system control device, characterized in that: 2. The IC card interface includes:
At least one of a program and data is connected to an IC card in which information on a free area is recorded, and the central processing unit is configured to have a free space recorded in the IC card connected to the IC card interface when power is turned on. 2. The image system control device according to claim 1, wherein information about the image system is confirmed. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit protects the content originally recorded on the IC card connected to the IC card interface from being overwritten. 2. The image system control device according to item 1.