JPS63138434A - Self-diagnosing circuit for peripheral equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the time limit caused when the capacity of a diagnosis program is limited or the diagnosis contents are increased, by providing a self- diagnosing function in addition to a control program. CONSTITUTION:When the data received from a host device is not coincident with the print data but related to a diagnosis program, a switch circuit 5 recognizes a loading end state of the program to a memory circuit 4 and switches the control of a control part 6 to a mode related to the diagnosis program stored in the circuit 4 from the mode related to a control program stored in a program memory 3. Then, the diagnosis program loaded from the host device is driven. Thus, it is possible to diagnose the program independently of the control program stored in a printer. Then, the limit is eliminated for the capacity of the diagnosis program together with no time limit caused by execution of the self-diagnosis.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a circuit that performs self-diagnosis of a peripheral device used online, and particularly relates to a self-diagnosis circuit of a peripheral device that operates according to a program loaded from a host device. It is something.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a diagnostic program for self-diagnosis of a peripheral device used online has been built into the control program within the device as part of the program that controls the device, and is executed every time the device is turned on. A method was used in which self-diagnosis of the device was performed using a control program.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

A diagnostic program for performing self-diagnosis in a conventional online peripheral device is part of a control program that controls the device, so self-diagnosis is automatically performed every time the device is started up.

Therefore, regardless of whether the user intends to use the online peripheral device or not, there is a problem in that time is taken up for self-diagnosis each time the device is started up.

In addition, with conventional methods, if the scale of the self-diagnosis program that is part of the control program is large, there may be complaints that it takes too much time for self-diagnosis, or conversely, if the self-diagnosis program that is part of the control program is large, it may cause complaints that it takes too much time. There is also the problem that the content of self-diagnosis is limited due to the lack of available capacity.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide a self-diagnosis circuit for a peripheral device that can improve the disadvantages of the conventional example and perform a sufficient diagnosis in a relatively short time. .

[Means for solving problems]

A self-diagnosis circuit for a peripheral device according to the present invention includes a program memory that stores a control program and a storage circuit that stores data received from a host device. means for loading data of a diagnostic program received from a host device into a storage circuit; means for switching control of the device between a control program in the program memory and a diagnostic program loaded in the storage circuit; and a means for loading data into the storage circuit. and a means for performing self-diagnosis using a diagnostic program. When the loading of the diagnostic program received from the host device into the storage circuit is completed, control is transferred from the control program to the diagnostic program, and when the self-diagnosis is completed, control is returned from the diagnostic program to the control program.

[For production]

In the self-diagnosis circuit for a peripheral device of the present invention, when a diagnostic program is given from a host device, it is stored in a memory circuit consisting of a RAM, and the diagnostic program is used in place of the control program stored in the ROM. Since it performs self-diagnosis through control, and displays the information when an abnormality is detected, compared to conventional equipment that performs self-diagnosis using a diagnostic program that is part of the control program, In addition to reducing program capacity limitations and time constraints associated with self-diagnosis execution,
It becomes possible to freely select diagnostic programs and increase or decrease the contents.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention,
This example shows a printer device that performs printing based on data sent from a host device.

In FIG. 1, a receiving unit 1 receives data sent via a transmission path from a higher-level device (not shown). The printing section 2 has the same mechanism as the printing section in a normal online printer, and performs the same printing operation as in the case of an online printer. The program memory 3 consists of read-only memories (RO, M) and stores a control program similar to that of an online printer. The storage circuit 4 is composed of a read/write memory (RAM), and temporarily stores data received via the input unit 1 from a host device (not shown). The switch circuit 5 switches between the control program stored in the program memory 3 and the diagnostic program loaded in the storage circuit 4. The control unit 6 controls the entire printer. The display unit 7 performs a function of displaying diagnosis results detected by self-diagnosis.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of operations in the apparatus shown in the embodiment of FIG.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

The input unit 1 normally receives print data from a host device (not shown). During self-diagnosis, the input unit 1 receives a group of instructions constituting a diagnostic program together with data such as the address of the storage circuit 4 into which the diagnostic program is to be loaded and the capacity of the diagnostic program. The storage circuit 4 sequentially stores the data received by the input section 1.

The control section 6 checks whether or not the received data includes data related to the diagnostic program, and if there is no such data, that is, only print data, the control section 6 stores the data in the storage circuit 4. Pass the data to the printing section 2. Printing section 2
The receiver edits the received data and outputs it to the outside of the printer, thereby printing.

On the other hand, when the data received from the host device is related to a diagnostic program rather than print data, the switch circuit 5 recognizes that the program has been loaded into the memory circuit 4, and controls the control unit 6. The control program stored in the program memory 3 is switched to the diagnostic program stored in the storage circuit 4.

This drives the diagnostic program loaded from the host device. Furthermore, if any abnormality is detected while running the diagnostic program, the control unit 6
The abnormality information is outputted to the display section 7, thereby causing the display section 7 to display the error to the outside.

When the switch circuit 5 recognizes the termination of the diagnostic program, it switches the control of the control unit 6 from the diagnostic program stored in the storage circuit 4 back to the control program stored in the program memory 3. conduct.

According to this embodiment, program diagnosis can be performed independently of the control program in the printer in this way.

Furthermore, in the printer using the present invention, the user can change, increase/decrease, or omit the diagnostic content by changing the diagnostic program stored in the memory circuit 4 depending on the time and occasion of use. becomes possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the self-diagnosis function is provided separately from the control program, it is possible to limit the capacity of the diagnostic program and increase the diagnostic content, such as when self-diagnosis is performed by the control program. It is possible to reduce the time constraints that may occur in some cases. In addition, it becomes possible to freely select a diagnostic program and add or subtract the contents according to the needs of the person using the online peripheral device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of operations in the embodiment of FIG. l...Input section, 2...Printing section, 3...
...Program memory, 4...Memory circuit,
5... Switch circuit, 6... Control section,
7. Old...Display section. Patent applicant: Japan Electric Co., Ltd. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a peripheral device used online that includes a program memory for storing a control program and a storage circuit for storing data received from a host device, the data of the diagnostic program received from the host device is stored in the memory. a means for loading the diagnostic program into a circuit; a means for switching control of the device between the control program and the diagnostic program; and a means for performing self-diagnosis using the diagnostic program. A self-diagnosis circuit for a peripheral device, characterized in that control is transferred from a control program to a diagnostic program at times, and control is returned from the diagnostic program to the control program when the self-diagnosis is completed.