JP2007115060A - Information processing apparatus and information processing apparatus control method - Google Patents

Abstract

An information processing apparatus capable of reducing the download time by reducing the number of times of communication between a host computer and a printer when downloading a file, and a control method for the information processing apparatus.
A control unit 20 detects whether a record analysis unit 11 and a read record and an unsent record are included in a predetermined boundary of a flash ROM 41 based on an analysis result obtained by the record analysis unit 11. Record boundary detection unit 12, communication data amount detection unit 13, record combination unit 14 that combines the read record and the untransmitted record, and a record that transmits the read S record or the combined record to the target system And a transmission unit 15.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus control method, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus that transmits firmware rewrite data to a peripheral device and an information processing apparatus control method that transmits firmware rewrite data.

  Peripheral devices such as printers and scanners incorporate firmware for controlling various hardware such as a printing mechanism, a paper feeding mechanism, and an image reading mechanism. For example, the firmware is stored in a flash ROM which is a non-volatile memory provided in the peripheral device.

  The firmware stored in the flash ROM is subjected to a rewrite process as the peripheral device is upgraded or the set value is changed. This firmware rewrite process is executed in a timely manner based on rewrite data transmitted from a communicably connected host computer (information processing apparatus).

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a ROM image when a printer is shifted to a rewrite mode, a rewrite program is started, rewrite data is downloaded from a host computer, and the downloaded data is actually written at a predetermined address in a flash ROM. Is written in a buffer in the RAM, and a firmware image is rewritten by writing a ROM image written in the buffer into a flash ROM (see Patent Document 1).

  In such a rewriting method, first, an application installed in the host computer reads the rewritten data one record at a time from the original file storing the rewritten data, and transmits the read record to the printer. Then, the printer rewrites the firmware based on the received record according to the internal rewrite program.

  Here, the transmission of the record from the host computer to the printer is based on a predetermined data format for memory rewriting. For example, as a data format for memory rewriting, a data format having a plurality of record formats called “S record” is known. The “S record” is a record format that starts with the letter S, has a record type, a record length, an address to which rewritten data is written, and data to be actually written. One file (HEX file) is configured.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-63050

  In the above rewriting method, the number of times of communication when one file is transmitted depends on the number of S records constituting one file. In actual transmission, the printer is configured to transmit a reception confirmation to the host computer every time one S record is received. Therefore, even if the number of data is the same, if the amount of data in each S record is small and the number of S records is large, transmission and reception confirmation will be performed for each S record, resulting in an increase in the number of communications. As a result, it takes time to download a file from the host computer to the printer.

  Therefore, the present invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of reducing the download time by reducing the number of communications between the host computer and the printer when downloading a file, and a control method for the information processing apparatus. Objective.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following means.
(1) An information processing apparatus for transmitting flash ROM rewrite data to a target system including a flash ROM,
A storage unit storing the rewritten data;
RAM as volatile memory;
A control unit that reads rewrite data from the storage unit into the RAM in record units,
The controller is
A record analysis unit for analyzing the record read into the RAM;
A record boundary detection unit that detects whether the read record and a record that has not been transmitted to the target system are included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM based on the analysis result obtained by the record analysis unit;
A communication data amount detecting unit for detecting a rewritten data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at one time;
A record combining unit that combines the read record and a record that has not been transmitted to the target system based on detection results of the record boundary detection unit and the communication data amount detection unit;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a record transmission unit configured to transmit the read S record and the record combined by the record combination unit to the target system.
(2) The information processing according to (1), wherein the flash ROM has a plurality of sector sizes, and the record boundary detection unit uses a greatest common divisor of the plurality of sector sizes as the predetermined boundary. apparatus.
(3) If the record boundary detection unit detects that the record read by the record boundary detection unit and a record not transmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM, the untransmitted record is detected. The information processing apparatus according to (1), wherein a record is transmitted to the target system, and the read record is held in the RAM as a combination source record.
(4) The record transmission unit transmits the untransmitted record to the target system when the communication data amount detection unit detects that the rewritten data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at once is exceeded. The information processing apparatus according to (1), wherein the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source.
(5) The information processing apparatus according to (1), wherein the record analysis unit performs analysis of a data format of the read record and analysis of a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM. .
(6) When the record analysis unit analyzes that the data format of the read record is other than a predetermined format, the record transmission unit records the read record and the unsent record to the target system. The information processing apparatus according to (4), wherein:
(8) When the record transmitting unit analyzes that the write start address when writing the rewrite data to the flash ROM is not continued with the write start address of the record read last time, The information processing apparatus according to (5), wherein an untransmitted record is transmitted to the target system, and the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source.
(8) A method for controlling an information processing apparatus for transmitting flash ROM rewrite data to a target system including a flash ROM,
A record analysis step for analyzing the read record;
A record boundary detection step for detecting whether the read record and a record not transmitted to the target system are included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM based on the analysis result obtained by the record analysis step;
A communication data amount detection step of detecting a rewrite data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at one time;
A record combining step for combining the read record and a record not yet transmitted to the target system based on the detection result of the record boundary detection step and the communication data amount detection step;
And a record transmission step of transmitting the read record or the combined record to the target system.
(9) In the record transmission step, when it is detected that the read record and a record that has not been transmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM, the record that has not been transmitted is stored in the target system. The information processing apparatus control method according to (8), wherein the read record is stored in the RAM as a combination source record.
(10) In the record transmission step, when it is detected that the read record and the record that has not been transmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM, the record that has not been transmitted is detected by the target system. The information processing apparatus control method according to (8), wherein the read record is stored in the RAM as a combination source record.
(11) The information processing step according to (8), wherein the record analysis step analyzes a data format of the read record and analyzes a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM. Control method of the device.
(12) The record transmitting step transmits the read record and the unsent record to the target system when the data format of the read record is analyzed to be other than a predetermined format. The information processing apparatus according to (10).
(13) In the record transmission step, when it is analyzed that a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM does not continue with a write start address of a record read last time, the unsent record is The information processing apparatus control method according to (10), wherein the information is transmitted to the target system, and the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source.

  The present invention includes a record boundary detection unit, a communication data amount detection unit, and a record combination unit that combines a plurality of records based on detection results of the record boundary detection unit and the communication data amount detection unit. Therefore, it is configured to detect whether the read records are included in the same boundary, further detect whether the amount of data can be communicated at one time, and then combine the read records. The side can receive only the records included in the same boundary. In addition, since a plurality of records are combined and transmitted, the number of times of communication between the host computer and the target system is reduced, and the firmware download time can be shortened.

  Further, according to the present invention, the record boundary detection unit is configured so that the greatest common divisor of the plurality of sector sizes of the flash ROM is set as the predetermined boundary. Therefore, the rewrite data is not transmitted across a predetermined address, that is, between adjacent sectors of the flash ROM. Therefore, the target system can rewrite the flash ROM without being aware of whether or not writing is performed over the same address at the writing destination.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the record boundary detection unit detects that the records are not included in the predetermined boundary of the flash ROM, the record transmission unit sets the read record as a combination source record to the RAM. Configured to hold. Therefore, it is possible to prevent rewrite data written at different boundaries from being simultaneously transmitted to the target system.

  Further, according to the present invention, the record transmission unit is configured to transmit the read record and the unsent record to the target system when the data format of the read record is analyzed to be other than a predetermined format. Has been. Therefore, records of different formats are not combined and transmitted, and it is not necessary to analyze the format again on the received target system side, so that the writing process can be speeded up.

  Further, according to the present invention, the record transmitting unit analyzes the read record when it is analyzed that the write start address when writing the rewrite data to the flash ROM does not continue with the write start address of the record read last time. The data is stored in the RAM as a combination source record. Therefore, since records having non-continuous write start addresses are not combined and transmitted, the received write processing on the target system side can be speeded up.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an information processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus control method according to the present invention will be described.
In the present embodiment, as an example of data communication when downloading a file, data communication between a host computer and a printer connected via a communication interface will be described.

(Internal configuration of host computer)
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the host computer 30 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the host computer 30 includes a control unit 20, an external storage device 10, and a communication interface 21, which are electrically connected by an internal bus 22. The host computer 30 is connected to the printer 40 via the communication interface 21, and is configured to be able to transmit a file stored in the external storage device 10 of the host computer 30 to the printer 40.

  The communication interface 21 is an external input / output interface that performs communication with the external printer 40. All data transmitted from the host computer 30 and data transmitted to the host computer 30 are transmitted and received via the communication interface 21.

  The external storage device 10 is, for example, a hard disk provided in the host computer 30 and capable of recording data magnetically. The external storage device 10 stores various setting values and applications, and also stores firmware rewrite data transmitted to the printer 40. The rewrite data is a file composed of a plurality of S records. Basically, the S records are read one by one and transmitted to the printer 40. In addition, a program for data transmission is stored in the external storage device 10, and when rewriting data is actually transmitted to the printer 40, transmission control is performed according to the data transmission program, and S The record is combined, and the S record is transmitted to the printer 40. This will be described in detail later.

  The control unit 20 is a control center of the host computer 30 and is configured by, for example, a CPU, controls peripheral devices such as a keyboard and a mouse (not shown) connected to the host computer, and activates and executes various applications. The predetermined process is executed by In particular, in the present embodiment, the control unit 20 controls data transmission to the printer 40 by executing a data transmission program (application) stored in the external storage device 10.

  The ROM 16 is a non-volatile memory in which firmware for executing the startup process of the host computer 30 and various setting values are stored.

  The RAM 17 is a volatile storage area in the host computer 30. The RAM 17 is provided with a buffer area for reading rewrite data stored in the external storage device 10 when the control unit 20 executes a data transmission control program, and temporarily storing the read data. . In the present embodiment, a buffer area is provided for storing the S record read into the RAM 17 and the untransmitted S record that has been combined.

  The printer 40 is an image recording apparatus that performs printing based on print data transmitted from the host computer 30. As an image recording method of the printer 40, various recording methods such as dot impact, thermal, ink jet, and electrophotographic methods can be used. The printer 40 is provided with a flash ROM 41 divided into a plurality of sectors having various storage sizes, and firmware for controlling the operation of the printer 40 is provided in the flash ROM 41. When the firmware is rewritten, the firmware in the flash ROM 41 is updated based on the rewrite data transmitted from the host computer 40.

Next, the control unit 20 will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the control unit 20 executes an S record analysis unit 11, an S record boundary detection unit 12, a communication data amount detection unit 13, by executing a data transmission program (application). A function processing unit of the S record combination unit 14 and the record transmission unit 15 is realized. These function processing units combine the S records as appropriate and transmit them to the printer 40, thereby reducing the number of communications between the host computer 30 and the printer 40 and reducing the communication time.

  The S record combining algorithm in the present embodiment is configured to combine so as to satisfy the following three points.

(A) The data in the S record to be combined is data whose addresses are continuously stored in the flash ROM 41 in the printer 40.
(B) The combined S record is less than or equal to the amount of data that can be transmitted at one time (eg, 256 bytes).
(C) The combined S record is stored in the same sector of the flash ROM 41 in the printer 40.

  Hereinafter, specific description will be given of various function processing units that execute the above combination.

  The S record analysis unit 11 analyzes the S records read from the external storage device 10 by the control unit 20 one by one. Specifically, the analysis of the data format of the S record read into the RAM 17, the analysis of the write start address when writing the rewrite data to the flash ROM 41 in the printer 40, the number of constituent bytes of the read S record and the post-combination Analyzes the number of bytes constituting the S record.

  Based on the analysis result of the S record analysis unit 11, the S record boundary detection unit 12 includes two consecutive S records read into the buffer area of the RAM 17 (one of which may be an S record being combined). It is a detection part which detects whether it is contained in the same sector (boundary) in the flash ROM41. If the S record boundary detection unit 12 knows the boundary address between sectors in the flash ROM of the printer 40, it determines whether or not the address is included in the same sector depending on whether or not the S record straddles the address. If the S record boundary detection unit 12 does not grasp the boundary address between sectors in the flash ROM of the printer 40, for example, the maximum common divisor of the sector size of the flash ROM 41 provided in the printer 40 is used as the boundary value. Based on the boundary value and the start address, an address that can be a boundary address is calculated in advance, so that the S record does not straddle an address that may be a boundary address between the sectors. To.

  This boundary value can be set to a different value depending on the minimum sector size of the flash ROM. Thus, by setting the greatest common divisor of the sector size as the boundary value, rewrite data is not transmitted across the boundary address. That is, since it is possible to prevent data from being written across adjacent sectors of the flash ROM 40, the printer 40 can rewrite the flash ROM 40 without being aware of the sectors.

  The communication data amount detection unit 13 determines that the number of constituent bytes of two consecutive S records read into the buffer area of the RAM 17 (one may be an S record being combined) is between the host computer 30 and the printer 40. It is determined whether or not the number of bytes that can be communicated at one time is exceeded.

  The S record combining unit 14 is a combination that has not been transmitted with the read S record when the conditions are met based on the detection determination results of the S record analyzing unit 11, the S record boundary detecting unit 12, and the communication data amount detecting unit 13. Combine with the S record inside. By combining a plurality of S records before transmission to the printer 40, the read data is not sent to the printer 40 every time the control unit 20 reads one record from the external storage device 10. That is, the printer 40 does not need to confirm reception every time one record is received from the host computer 30, so the number of data transmission / reception between the host computer 30 and the printer 40 can be reduced, and the firmware download time can be reduced. Is possible.

  The record transmission unit 15 is combined by the S record read from the external storage device and the S record combination unit 14 based on the detection determination results of the S record analysis unit 11, the S record boundary detection unit 12, and the communication data amount detection unit 13. The S record is transmitted to the printer 40.

(Structure of S record)
Next, the configuration of an S record, which is a data format used for data communication between the host computer 30 and the printer 40 in this embodiment, will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the S record.

  One S record is composed of a plurality of fields. The S record 1 in the present embodiment includes a “first character field 2” indicating that the data format is the S format, a “record type field 3” for identifying the function of the S record, and a “write start address” among the S records. “Record length field 4” indicating the number of data from “field 5” to “write data field 6” and “checksum field 7”, “write start address field 5” indicating the write start address of the flash ROM, and actually flash ROM Are composed of a “write data field 6” indicating data to be written to and a “checksum field 7” for confirming the validity of the S record 1. Hereinafter, the “field” part is omitted for these 2-7 field names.

  A plurality of record types are defined in the S record, and the format of the write start address specified by the S record is determined according to the record type. For example, when the record type is S2 record, the write start address 5 is designated by 3 bytes, and when the record type is S3 record, the write start address 5 is designated by 4 bytes.

  In the present embodiment, an S2 record in which a write start address 5 is indicated by 3 bytes among a plurality of S record types will be described. In the S2 record, the first character 2 always starts with the character “S”, and the first character 2 constitutes 1 byte, and the record type 3, that is, “2” in the S2 record constitutes 1 byte.

The record length 4 and the checksum 7 are 1 byte, the write start address 5 is 3 bytes, and the write data 6 is

(Write data 6) = (Record length 4) − (Write start address 5 + Checksum 7)

Consists of the number of bytes calculated by

  Next, the object of the present invention is to reduce the download time by reducing the number of communications between the host computer and the printer when downloading a file, and to prevent rewriting data from being written to the same address. The S record combining process of the host computer 30 capable of performing the above will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the S record combining process, and FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the combined state of the S records. In this embodiment, the maximum common divisor of the flash ROM is 8192 bytes, and the amount of data that can be transmitted from the host computer 30 to the printer 40 at a time is 256 bytes.

  First, when it is instructed to transmit firmware rewrite data to the printer 40, the control unit 20 opens the original file storing the rewrite data of the flash ROM 40 stored in the external storage device 10 of the host computer 30 (step). S1). Then, it is determined whether or not reading of the original file is finished. If not finished (step S2: No), one S record is read from the original file of the external storage device 10 (step S3).

  The S record analyzing unit 11 determines whether or not the read S record is in the S2 format. If the read S record is in the S2 format (step S4: Yes), the address of the “read S2 record (A)” shown in FIG. Is continued with the address of “S2 record read last time” (step S5). In step S5, when the address of “read S2 record (A)” continues (step S5: Yes), “read S2 record (A)” and “unsent unconnected” shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not “S2 record (B)” is within the same 8192-byte boundary (step S6).

  If the S2 record boundary detection unit 12 determines that the boundary is within the same 8192-byte boundary (step S6: Yes), “read S2 record (A)” and “untransmitted S2 record (B It is determined whether (C) shown in FIG. 4 combined with ")" is within the same 8192-byte boundary (step S7). If within the same boundary (step S7: Yes), the communication data amount detection unit 13 determines whether the combined S2 record (C) is 256 bytes or less that can be communicated at one time (step S8), If the combined S2 record (C) is 256 bytes or less that can be communicated at one time (step S8: Yes), the S record combining unit 14 converts the “read S2 record (A)” to the S record of the combination source, that is, “ It is combined with “S2 record (B)” which has not been transmitted yet (step S9).

  As a result of repeating the above S2 record combining process and determining whether or not the reading of the file is completed (step S2), when the reading is completed (step S2: Yes), the control unit 20 closes the file and ends. (Step S10).

  When it is determined in step S4 that the S record read by the S record analysis unit 11 is not in the S2 format (step S4: No), the record transmission unit 15 determines that “unsent S2 record (B) being combined (B) And “read S2 record (A)” are transmitted to the printer 40 (step S11).

Also,
In step S5, when the S record analysis unit 11 determines that the address of “read S2 record (A)” does not continue with the address of the previously read S2 record (step S5: No)
When the S record boundary detection unit 12 determines in step S6 that “the read S2 record (A)” and “the untransmitted S2 record (B)” are not within the same boundary (step S6) : No),
In step S7, the S record boundary detection unit 12 combines the “read S2 record (A)” and the “unsent S2 record (B)” (C) within the same 8192-byte boundary. If it is determined that it is not present (step S7: No)
In step S8, the result (C) of combining the “read S2 record” and the “untransmitted S2 record (B)” by the communication data amount detection unit 13 is the number of 256 bytes that can be communicated at one time. If it is determined that it exceeds (No at Step S8),
The "unsent S2 record (B) being combined" is transmitted to the printer 40, and the "read S2 record (A)" is held in the RAM 17 as a new S2 record of the combination source (step S12).

2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a host computer according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is the figure which showed the structure of S record typically. It is the flowchart which showed the flow of S record combination processing. It is the figure which showed typically the combined state of S record.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... S record, 2 ... first character field, 3 ... record type field, 4 ... record length field, 5 ... write start address field, 6 ... write data field, 7 ..Checksum field, 10 ... external storage device, 11 ... S record analysis unit, 12 ... S record boundary detection unit, 13 ... communication data amount detection unit, 14 ... S record combination 15, record transmission unit 16, ROM 17, RAM 20, control unit 21, communication interface 30 host computer 40 printer

Claims (13)

An information processing apparatus that transmits flash ROM rewrite data to a target system including a flash ROM,
A storage unit storing the rewritten data;
RAM as volatile memory;
A control unit that reads rewrite data from the storage unit into the RAM in record units,
The controller is
A record analysis unit for analyzing the record read into the RAM;
A record boundary detection unit that detects whether the read record and a record that has not been transmitted to the target system are included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM based on the analysis result obtained by the record analysis unit;
A communication data amount detecting unit for detecting a rewritten data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at one time;
A record combining unit that combines the read record and a record that has not been transmitted to the target system based on detection results of the record boundary detection unit and the communication data amount detection unit;
An information processing apparatus comprising: a record transmission unit configured to transmit the read S record and the record combined by the record combination unit to the target system.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flash ROM has a plurality of sector sizes, and the record boundary detection unit uses a greatest common divisor of the plurality of sector sizes as the predetermined boundary.   When the record transmission unit detects that the record read by the record boundary detection unit and the record not transmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM, the record transmission unit The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is transmitted to a target system and the read record is stored in the RAM as a record of a combination source.   The record transmission unit transmits the untransmitted record to the target system when the communication data amount detection unit detects that the rewritten data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at once is read. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the record is held in the RAM as a combination source record.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the record analysis unit performs analysis of a data format of the read record and analysis of a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM.   The record transmission unit transmits the read record and the unsent record to the target system when the record analysis unit analyzes that the data format of the read record is other than a predetermined format. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.   When the record analysis unit analyzes that the write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM does not continue with the write start address of the record read last time, the record transmission unit analyzes the unsent 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a record is transmitted to the target system, and the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source. A control method of an information processing apparatus for transmitting rewrite data of a flash ROM to a target system having a flash ROM,
A record analysis step for analyzing the read record;
A record boundary detection step for detecting whether the read record and a record not transmitted to the target system are included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM based on the analysis result obtained by the record analysis step;
A communication data amount detection step of detecting a rewrite data amount that can be transmitted to the target system at one time;
A record combining step for combining the read record and a record not yet transmitted to the target system based on the detection result of the record boundary detection step and the communication data amount detection step;
And a record transmission step of transmitting the read record or the combined record to the target system.   The record transmission step transmits the untransmitted record to the target system when it is detected that the read record and a record untransmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM. 9. The information processing apparatus control method according to claim 8, wherein the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source.   The record transmission step transmits the untransmitted record to the target system when it is detected that the read record and a record untransmitted to the target system are not included in a predetermined boundary of the flash ROM. 9. The information processing apparatus control method according to claim 8, wherein the read record is held in the RAM as a record of a combination source.   9. The control of the information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the record analysis step analyzes a data format of the read record and analyzes a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM. Method.   The record transmission step transmits the read record and the unsent record to the target system when the data format of the read record is analyzed to be other than a predetermined format. Item 11. The information processing apparatus according to Item 10.   In the record transmission step, when it is analyzed that a write start address when writing rewrite data to the flash ROM does not continue with a write start address of a record read last time, the untransmitted record is sent to the target system. 11. The method of controlling an information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the record that has been transmitted and stored is stored in the RAM as a record of a combination source.

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