JP2002268891A - Equipment controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device controller in which a user changes-over a storage part to be booted without changing a dipswitch and service property is enhanced. SOLUTION: A selection part 112 is provided with a specified information storage part for storing a boot selection signal which is re-writable by a central arithmetic processing part 101 and which specifies a storage part to be booted. The central arithmetic processing part 101 determines the storage part to be booted based on an output from the selection part 112.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus controller for controlling an apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus controller capable of selecting a storage unit to be booted by a central processing unit in the apparatus controller when power is turned on.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a control program for controlling a printer controller is rewritten, and a newly upgraded control program is loaded from, for example, an IC card.

When rewriting a control program from an IC card, it is necessary to switch a storage unit to be booted so as to boot from an IC card, not from a flash memory storing a conventional control program. The switching signal for switching the storage unit to be booted is performed by turning on / off a dip switch (DIPSW).

[0004]

However, when a dip switch is used as in the above-described prior art, the board on which the dip switch is mounted must be removed from the printer body, and a user (person) must change the setting of the dip switch. However, there is a problem that it takes a lot of trouble. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the related art, and an object of the present invention is to switch a storage unit to be booted without changing a dip switch to improve serviceability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device controller capable of performing such operations.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus controller according to the present invention stores a central processing unit for performing arithmetic processing and a control program for causing the central processing unit to control the apparatus. An apparatus controller comprising: a control program storage unit that performs a different operation from the control program in the central processing unit; and a connection unit that can be connected to a different operation program storage unit that stores a different operation program. And a non-volatile specific information storage unit for storing specific information for specifying any of the different operation program storage units connected to the connection unit, wherein the central processing unit is stored in the specific information storage unit. It is characterized in that the specified information is rewritten. With this configuration, the central processing unit can control the specific information stored in the specific information storage unit, and after setting the specific information during energization, turns off the power.
Even if the FF is turned on and the power is turned on again, the specific information can be retained. Further, the central processing unit accesses a storage unit specified by the specific information stored in the specific information storage unit. With this configuration, the operation of the device controller can be changed according to the specific information. In particular, since it is non-volatile, the operation of the device controller when the power is turned on after the power is turned off can be determined in advance. Further, the specific information storage unit stores a boot selection signal that specifies a storage unit to be booted at power-on, and the central processing unit rewrites a boot selection signal stored in the specific information storage unit. Features. With this configuration, the user can set the storage unit to be booted without changing the DIP switch. Therefore, a user-friendly device controller can be provided. The central processing unit boots from a storage unit specified by a boot selection signal stored in the specific information storage unit. With this configuration, booting can be performed from the storage unit corresponding to the boot selection signal set by the user.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a printer controller will be described as an example of an apparatus controller according to the present invention, and will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a hardware configuration diagram of a printer controller. In FIG. 1, a printer controller includes a central processing unit 101, a RAM (Random Access
Memory) 102, flash memory 103, IC card interface 104, network controller 1
05, an operation panel interface 106, an engine interface 107, an IC card 108, an I / O controller 109, and a selection unit 112.

The central processing unit 101 is configured to perform arithmetic processing. The RAM 102 includes a work memory of the central processing unit 101, an input buffer input from a host device using a printer, and a page of print data. It is configured to be used as a memory.

The flash memory 103 is configured to store a control program for controlling the printer controller by operating the central processing unit 101. That is, it is an example of a control program storage unit that stores a control program. This flash memory 1
Reference numeral 03 denotes a non-volatile memory that retains its stored contents even when the power is turned off, and is a rewritable memory.

[0010] The IC card interface 104
The C card 108 is configured to be connected to a printer controller. The IC card 108 responds to a control program stored in the flash memory 103 by
A replacement program, for example, a new version of the control program, and a download program for actually controlling the writing of the new version of the control program into the flash memory 103 are stored. The IC card interface 104 is an example of a connection unit, and the download program is an example of a different operation program. That is, the download program causes the central processing unit 101 to perform an operation different from that of the control program stored in the flash memory 103. The IC card 108 is an example of a different operation program storage unit.
The network controller 105 is a LAN (Local Ar
When connected to a host device using a printer via a network such as ea Network), the connection to the network can be established.

The operation panel interface 106 is configured to enable connection between an operation panel of the printer and a printer controller.

The engine interface 107 is configured to communicate commands, status, and print data with the printer engine.

The I / O controller 109 is configured to connect a host device using a printer and a printer controller.

Next, the selection unit 112 is configured to select a storage unit to be booted by the central processing unit 101 when the power is turned on. Specifically, the selecting unit 112 is configured to select either the flash memory 103 or the IC card 108.

As shown in FIG. 2, the selection section 112 includes a specific information storage section 110 and a code circuit 111.

The specific information storage unit 110 is configured to store a boot selection signal indicating which one of the flash memory 103 and the IC card 108 to boot from, and is constituted by, for example, a nonvolatile latch circuit. Therefore, the output is maintained even when the power is turned off.
This boot selection signal is an example of specific information. When there are a plurality of storage units storing a program for operating the central processing unit 101, the specific information is information for determining a storage unit to be accessed by the central processing unit 101 from the plurality of storage units. Say.

The specific information storage unit 110 is configured to be writable by the central processing unit 101.

The code circuit 111 includes a specific information storage unit 11
The boot selection signal 114 stored in “0” is input, and a chip select signal 115 indicating a storage unit to be booted is output based on the input boot selection signal 114.

For example, the boot selection signal 114 is input as an address of the code circuit 111. The boot selection signal 114 corresponds to booting from the flash memory 103 when it has a certain address, and corresponds to booting from the IC card 108 when it has another address.

That is, the code circuit is configured such that, when a boot selection signal 114 having a different address value is input, a chip select signal corresponding to the address value is output.

Next, the bus 113 is connected to the central processing unit 10.
1 and the above-mentioned components.

The printer controller according to the embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation and action will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the operation when a printer is used will be described. Normally, the boot selection signal 114 stored in the specific information storage unit 110 is
3 is stored. As shown in FIG. 3, when the printer is turned on (S1), the central processing unit 101 determines that the chip select signal output from the selection unit 112 is a signal indicating the flash memory 103 (S2). ), Boot from the flash memory 103 and read the control program onto the RAM 102 which is a work area. Then, the read control program is executed (S3). Next, a case where a new version of the control program stored in the IC card 108 is downloaded will be described. The IC card 108 is inserted into the printer, and the power of the printer is turned on. In this case, booting is performed from the flash memory 103. Where, for example,
When the user selects download from the menu screen of the operation panel, the central processing unit 101 rewrites the boot selection signal 114 stored in the specific information storage unit 110 and sets the storage unit to be booted in the IC card 108. it can. After such setting, the power of the printer is turned off and the power of the printer is turned on again (S1). Since the settings are retained even when the power is turned off,
When the power is turned on, the chip select signal 115 output from the selection unit 112 indicates the IC card 108 (S2). For this reason, the central processing unit 101
Boot from the card 108 and work area RAM
The download program stored in the IC card 108 is read onto the PC 102. Then, the read download program is executed (S4).

As shown in FIG. 4, the central processing unit 101
Executes the download program,
The download of the new version of the control program stored in the C card 108 is started (S5).

Next, it is determined whether the download of the new version of the control program has been completed (S6), and if not, S6 is repeated.

When the download is completed, the central processing unit 101 rewrites the boot selection signal 114 stored in the specific information storage unit 110 so as to indicate the flash memory 103. The rewriting is performed in order to boot from the flash memory 103 storing the new version of the control program at the next power-on.

Thus, before turning off the power,
It is possible to electrically set whether to boot from the flash memory 103 or the IC card 108 at the next power-on, and to specify the storage unit to boot at the next power-on.

In other words, conventionally, the storage unit to be booted is set in the IC card by the DIP switch. However, according to the printer control of the embodiment, it is not necessary to set by the DIP switch. Serviceability can be improved. The left side of FIG. 5 shows a state in which the control program booted from the flash memory 103 and read is stored in the storage area of the booted data on the RAM 102. On the other hand, the right side shows a state in which the download program read by booting from the IC card 108 is stored in the storage area of the booted data on the RAM 102.

In the embodiment, the printer controller has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the printer controller, but may be a controller of a copying machine which is a device controller for controlling a specific device, a controller of a facsimile machine, or the like. .

In the embodiment, an IC card is used, but a storage medium such as a memory stick may be used.

Further, in the embodiment, the example in which the storage unit to be booted when the power is turned on can be selected, but the storage unit to be booted at the time of reset may be selected.

[0032]

According to the present invention, the central processing unit can control the specific information stored in the specific information storage unit. In particular, since the specific information storage unit is non-volatile, the specific information can be retained even if the power is turned off and the power is turned on again after setting the specific information during energization.

Further, according to the present invention, the operation of the device controller can be changed according to the specific information. In particular, since it is nonvolatile, the operation of the device controller when the power is turned on after the power is turned off can be determined in advance.

[0034]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a selection unit 112.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printer controller according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the printer controller according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a program is read onto a RAM 102;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 Central processing unit 102 RAM 103 Flash memory 104 IC card interface 105 Network controller 106 Operation panel interface 107 Engine interface 108 IC card 109 I / O controller 110 Specific information storage unit 111 Code circuit 112 Selection unit 113 Bus 114 Boot selection signal 115 Chip select signal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A central processing unit for performing arithmetic processing, a control program storage unit for storing a control program for causing the central processing unit to control an apparatus, and an operation different from the control program in the central processing unit. In a device controller having a connection unit connectable to an operation program storage unit for storing an operation program for specifying the operation program, any one of the control program storage unit and the operation program storage unit connected to the connection unit is specified. A non-volatile specific information storage unit for storing specific information to be stored, wherein the central processing unit rewrites the specific information stored in the specific information storage unit. 2. The apparatus controller according to claim 1, wherein the central processing unit accesses a storage unit specified by specific information stored in the specific information storage unit. 3. The specific information storage unit stores a boot selection signal that specifies a storage unit to be booted when power is turned on, and the central processing unit stores the boot selection signal stored in the specific information storage unit. The device controller according to claim 1, wherein the device controller is rewritten. 4. The apparatus controller according to claim 3, wherein the central processing unit boots from a storage unit specified by a boot selection signal stored in the specific information storage unit.