JPH1131107A - Memory backup method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily repair data with data which is separately and reliably held even if the data is destroyed when the data written posteriorly in memory is made for a backup and repeatedly used. SOLUTION: Backup object data which is written in 1st memory 301 and needs backup is stored in a 2nd storage block having an electric write function which is different from 1st storage blocks B to P where a control program of 2nd memory 300 is written under operation control that follows data written in the memory 301 that is randomly accessible and a control program written in the memory 300 in a prescribed timing and is utilized for operation control by writing it in the memory 301 as necessary.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of backing up a memory, and more particularly to various devices such as copiers and laser printers that control the operation using the memory. It is used for devices that use data that needs to be backed up.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a copying machine, a paper size, a copy magnification, a position of a paper cassette, etc. always used by a user may be different from a standard. To cope with this, the serviceman manually inputs data that is frequently used by the user or that prioritizes definite usage conditions into the memory and backs it up, so that it is not erased even when the power is turned off, and it is repeated To be executed. This is so-called user choice data. Also,
Things that need to be written and backed up after the fact
There is also total counter data of the number of copies.

Conventionally, the above-mentioned backup is generally performed by using an SRAM having a backup power supply or a nonvolatile EEPROM.

[0004]

However, there is still a problem with the above-mentioned conventional backup method. Regardless of whether the SRAM or the EEPROM is used, there is a high probability that the stored contents will be destroyed or erased due to noise that is likely to be generated during frequent access in executing the control program. The same occurs in an SRAM when the backup power supply is destroyed, and the cost increases because the backup power supply is required.

[0005] Once the written contents of the SRAM or EEPROM are destroyed or erased, a serviceman manually re-enters the necessary data to restore the data. Copiers use SRAM or EEPROM for this task.
The OM is detachable from the electronic circuit board constituting the control circuit, but it is troublesome.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-184377 checks the post-write data corresponding to the user in the nonvolatile memory when the power is turned on, and initializes the RAM to the initial setting data if the data is inappropriate. Discloses a technology for warning an abnormality by displaying it.

[0007] According to this, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the control operation proceeds while the data in the nonvolatile memory is incorrect and the equipment is damaged. However, since the operation of the device and the output may be wasted, it is necessary to immediately stop the device when there is a warning. Further, since the data corresponding to the user is not backed up, the data cannot be recovered without stopping the device and re-inputting the data by the service person. In addition, the nonvolatile memory is frequently accessed when executing the control program, and the stored contents are liable to be destroyed by noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method of backing up a memory which can be easily restored by separately and reliably retained data even if the data is backed up and used repeatedly for operation control after the data written afterwards in the memory. To provide.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a first memory which can be randomly accessed and a second memory which can be electrically rewritten at least in a specific block unit. The control program is written in the second memory by using the above, and in the operation control according to the data written in the first memory and the control program written in the second memory, the control program is written into the first memory. The backup target data that needs to be backed up is written at a predetermined timing to a second storage block having an electrical rewriting function different from the first storage block in which the control program of the second memory is written. If necessary, write this to the first memory and use it for operation control to back up the memory. It is an.

In such a configuration, the post-written data can be operated according to the control program written in the second memory by the random access property of the first memory, and the post-written data can be backed up. For those that need to, at a predetermined timing,
The second memory block of the second memory is also written with its electrical rewriting characteristics, and is held with high reliability without frequent access, and is written to the first memory as needed to control the operation. Data that needs to be backed up written in the first memory is erased due to the lack of a backup power supply due to the volatility of the first memory, or frequent access in operation control even in a non-volatile manner. Even if the data is destroyed or erased, the data can be easily restored by the backup target data which is written in the second storage block of the second memory and held with high reliability. Further, the control program written in the first storage block of the second memory stores the second storage program between the first storage block and the second storage block.
Is not destroyed by the independence unique to the memory, even if an invariable basic control program is written in the first storage block to perform operation control, the reliability is not impaired.
No other memory such as a ROM for ensuring reliability is required.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the data to be backed up written in the second storage block of the second memory can be used for the write operation control in the first memory at the time of initialization by the control program. Even if the first memory is volatile and there is no backup power supply, it is restored at the initial setting when operation control starts so that operation control is not affected. However, the frequency of accessing the second storage block of the second memory is not so high, and the reliability of data retention by the second storage block of the second memory does not decrease.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the first memory is backed up by a backup power supply, and the backup target data written in the second storage block of the second memory at the time of initialization by the control program; Is compared with the backup target data written to the first memory, and if they do not match, the write data of the second storage block of the second memory is written to the first memory so that it can be used for operation control. The data to be backed up written in the memory is backed up by a backup power supply, and the data to be backed up in the second storage block of the second memory does not match the data to be backed up in the first memory. When the backup target data written to the memory is destroyed or deleted In this case, it is only necessary to restore the data by writing contents of the second memory block of the second memory, thereby simplifying the operation control and greatly reducing the number of accesses to the second memory block of the second memory. The reliability of content retention is further improved.

[0013]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
The data written afterwards to the memory is backed up and used repeatedly for operation control. Even if the data is destroyed, it can be easily repaired by separately and reliably held data, and no backup power supply is required. Can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a volatile memory having no backup power supply is applied to the first memory without lowering the reliability of data retention by the second storage block of the second memory. Can be.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the operation control is simplified, and the reliability of holding the written contents of the second memory block in the second memory is further improved.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a representative embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

This embodiment relates to a copying machine, and FIG. 1 shows an example of the entire configuration. In this example, the body 1 is placed on the paper feed unit 21, and an automatic document feeder 51 is provided on the body 1. A photosensitive drum 2 is provided substantially at the center of the body 1. The photosensitive drum 2 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is uniformly charged by the eraser lamp 3 and the charger 4, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is exposed to the image of the original on the platen glass 6 by the exposure optical system 5 to form an electrostatic latent image. Form. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 2 is developed by one of the developing devices 7 and 8 to become a visible image. The visible image on the photosensitive drum 2 is transferred by the transfer charger 9 onto a transfer sheet fed at a transfer section facing the transfer charger 9.

The transfer sheet is fed from one of the transfer sheets manually inserted from a manual sheet feeding port 22 provided in the machine body 1 or one of the sheet feeding cassettes 23 to 25 mounted on the sheet feeding unit 21 and conveyed. The sheet is conveyed toward the transfer section by rollers 35 to 42. After the transfer sheet after the transfer is separated from the photosensitive drum 1, the fixing device 11 is moved by the suction type conveyance belt 10.
And is subjected to fixing processing. After the fixing, the transfer sheet is discharged to a discharge tray 12 outside the machine body 1.

A manual feed table 26 is provided at the manual feed port 22 so that a transfer sheet to be manually fed can be guided. The paper feed cassettes 23 to 25 are detachably mounted on the paper feed ports 27 to 29 of the paper feed unit 21, and are selectively driven by the paper feed rollers 30 to 32. Of the transfer sheets can be fed.

The transfer sheet conveyed toward the transfer unit is sent to the timing roller 45 which is in a stopped state and is standby, and the skew is corrected by the alignment of the leading edge. The timing is adjusted so that the leading end of the visible image formed on the photosensitive drum 2 matches the leading end of the transfer sheet.

The automatic document feeder 51 includes a platen glass 6
It is provided so that it can be opened and closed. When a switch (not shown) detects that the automatic document feeder 51 is electrically connected to the machine 1 and is closed at a predetermined position, the control of the machine 1 and the automatic document feeder 51 are associated with each other, and The first operation mode is switched to the automatic document feed mode.

The automatic document feed mode is an automatic document feeder.
By operating a start key 52 provided on the automatic document feeder 51 while the machine body 1 is in a standby state,
Starts the operation, and sends out the original set in the original tray 53 of the original sending section 55 between the platen glass 6 of the next transport section 56 and the transport belt 57 thereon, and the transport belt 57 places the original on the platen glass 6. Is transported to a predetermined exposure position and stopped. At this time, a start signal is issued from the automatic document feeder 51 to the machine body 1 to start the copying operation.

When the final exposure operation for the original at the exposure position is completed, a signal to that effect is sent from the machine body 1 to the automatic document feeder 51, and the automatic document feeder 51
The original is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 54 by 57.

The exposure optical system 5 is of a mirror scan type, and the copy magnification can be changed by moving the projection lens 61 in the optical axis direction. The first slider 64 having the illumination light source 62 and the first mirror 63 scans at a speed of V / m (V: peripheral speed of the photosensitive drum, m: copy magnification), while the second and third sliders 64 Slider with mirrors 65, 66 of
67 is moved at a speed of V / 2m to maintain a constant optical path length according to each magnification during scanning.

The machine 1 has two modes for selecting a transfer sheet at the time of copying: an automatic paper selection mode (APS mode) for automatically selecting the size of the transfer sheet, and a manual mode for the operator to set the size of the transfer sheet. doing.

In the APS mode, the optimum transfer sheet size is determined based on the size of the document to be exposed and the fixed magnification, and the corresponding paper feed port is automatically selected. Feed the transfer sheet from the paper feed port.

In the manual mode, a copy operation is performed by arbitrarily selecting a copy magnification and a transfer sheet size.

In order to detect the size of the original in the APS mode, the original is detected in the vicinity of the original insertion opening of the conveyance section 56 of the automatic original conveyance device 51 irrespective of the size and orientation of the original to be inserted. A document length sensor 72 for detecting the size of the document in the transport direction, that is, the document length, and a document width sensor 73 for detecting two states of detection and non-detection depending on the width of the inserted document. Is provided, and this 2
The size and orientation of the document are identified by receiving detection signals from the two sensors 72 and 73 on the body 1 side.

Further, the sheet feeding unit 21 is provided with a sheet feeding cassette 23 set in each of the sheet feeding ports 27 to 29 in order to copy a transfer sheet having a size automatically selected in each of the above modes or manually selected. Sensors 75 to 77 for detecting the presence or absence of transfer sheets in the cassettes 25 to 25, sensors 78 to 80 for detecting the remaining amount of transfer sheets stored in the set sheet cassettes 23 to 25, and further accommodated. Sensors 81 to 83 for detecting the size of the transfer sheet are provided. Further, paper feed sensors 84 to 86 for detecting when paper is fed from the paper feed cassettes 23 to 25 set in the paper feed ports 27 to 29 are also provided. On the other hand, a manual feed sensor 87 for detecting that a transfer sheet has been manually fed, and a manual feed sensor 88 for detecting that a manual transfer sheet has been fed are provided in the manual feed port 22 of the machine body 1. In addition, each of the paper feed ports 27 to 29
And a sensor 89 for detecting that the transfer sheet fed from the manual feed port 22 has reached just before the timing roller 45.
The timing of turning on the timing roller 45 is detected by the detection of the transfer sheet by the sensor 89.

The main body 1 is provided with a main motor 91 for driving a copying mechanism, and the paper supply unit 21 is provided with a single paper supply motor 92.

An operation panel as shown in FIG.
101 are provided. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 102 denotes a print key for starting copying, 103 to 112 denote numeric keys for entering 1 to 0, 113 denotes a clear / stop key used for clearing the number of copies, stopping copying operation, and the like.
Are mode selection keys for selecting the APS mode, AMS mode, and manual mode, and 115 and 116 are up / down keys for the copy magnification.

As shown in FIG. 3, the input and output in each of the keys 102 to 116, the body 1, and the paper feeding unit 21 are performed by the CPU 2 as shown in FIG.
00, and a flash memory 300 connected thereto by an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus,
The control circuit 201 mainly includes the SRAM 301 and the PIO 303. The CPU 200 includes a display device 2
02 is also connected, a control program for controlling the operation of the copying machine is written in the flash memory 300, and the SRAM
In 301, data which is set at each time by using random access and is inputted, as well as data which is written afterwards such as the total counter data, user choice data and the like and which needs to be backed up, are also written. Backed up by a backup battery 302. The backup battery 302 is preferably a secondary battery.

The input / output load is controlled by a direct port of the CPU 200 or a PIO as shown by an arrow in FIG.
Through step 303.

The flash memory 300 is an example in which electrical rewriting can be performed at least in a specific storage block unit. In this embodiment, the flash memory 300 can be erased in a 64 Kbyte storage block unit, and is an 8 Mbit flash memory. Is schematically shown in FIG.
The A storage block at addresses F0000 to FFFFF is
It is used as a backup area of the SRAM 301 and can be electrically rewritten. When the total counter data, user choice data, and the like as the data to be backed up as described above are written into the SRAM 301,
This is written and held at a predetermined timing. The control program is written in the storage blocks from 0000 to EFFFF to B to P. The storage blocks B to P may be electrically rewritable, but if the data retention stability is strong, it is preferable that the storage blocks be areas where electrical writing is not possible.

Here, the SRAM 301 of the present embodiment
Is an example of the first memory of the present invention, and the flash memory 300 is an example of the second memory of the present invention. The storage block A of the flash memory 300 is an example of the second storage block of the present invention, and the storage blocks BP are examples of the first storage block of the present invention.

The present invention is not limited to these, and may be formed or configured in any manner as long as the essential functions of the present invention are satisfied.

In this embodiment, the data written in the SRAM 301 and the data B to
In the operation control according to the control program written in the storage blocks up to P, the backup target data written in the SRAM 301 that needs to be backed up is written into the A storage block of the flash memory 300 at a predetermined timing, and if necessary. This is the SRAM 301
To be used for operation control.

With the random access property of the SRAM 301, the post-written data can be operated and controlled according to the control program written in the storage blocks B to P of the flash memory 300, and the post-written data can be controlled. For those that need to be backed up, the flash memory 30
0 is also written in the memory blocks from B to P by the electrical rewriting characteristic, and is stored with high reliability without frequent access.
01 can be used for operation control.

As a result, the data that needs to be backed up and written into the SRAM 301 is stored in the backup battery 3
02, even if it is destroyed or erased by frequent access in operation control even if it is non-volatile, it can be easily restored by the backup target data which is written to the A storage block of the flash memory 300 and held with high reliability. Can be. In addition, B of the flash memory 300
Since the control program written in the storage blocks up to P is not destroyed by the unique independence of the flash memory 300 between the storage block A and the storage blocks B to P, the control program is written to the storage blocks B to P. Even if operation control is performed by writing an invariable basic control program, reliability is not impaired, and other memories such as a ROM for ensuring reliability are not required.

At the time of the initial setting by the control program, the backup target data written in the A storage block of the flash memory 300 is compared with the backup target data written in the SRAM 301. The write data of the block is written into the SRAM 301 so that it can be used for operation control. As a result, the backup target data written in the SRAM 301 is backed up by the backup battery 302, and the backup target data in the A storage block of the flash memory 300 does not match the backup target data in the SRAM 301. Only when the target data is destroyed or erased, it is sufficient to restore the data using the written contents of the A storage block of the flash memory 300.

Accordingly, the operation control is simplified, the number of accesses to the A storage block of the flash memory 300 is greatly reduced, and the reliability of holding the written contents is further improved.

One embodiment of the specific control by the control circuit 201 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a main routine for controlling the CPU 200. When the power of the machine body 1 is turned on, the initial setting of step # 1 is performed. Step # 2
Then, after the power is turned on, after resetting for a predetermined time,
The system reset is released. In step # 3, C
Clearing of the RAM inside the PU 200 and initialization for the standard copy mode are performed.

In step # 4, the flash memory 30
A comparison is made between the data in the A storage block 0 and the data to be backed up in the SRAM 301. If the respective comparison data match in step # 4, the process directly proceeds to step # 6. If not, step # 5
Then, the write operation 1 is performed to write the contents of the A storage block of the flash memory 300 into the SRAM 301, and then the process proceeds to step # 6.

In step # 6, the internal timer of CPU 200 is started. The timer manages the time of one routine required for the following control.

In step # 7, inputs from the operation panel and various sensors are received and processed. In step # 8, a series of copying operations in the machine 1 from the start to the end of copying are performed. In step # 9, the control signal and the display signal are processed, and necessary information is displayed on an operation panel or the like. In step # 10, it is determined whether or not the main switch is off.
Proceed to 1. If it is off, go to step # 12.

In step # 11, the end of the internal timer is determined, and when it ends, the process returns to step # 6, and thereafter, steps # 6 to # 11 are repeatedly executed.

In step # 12, a writing operation 2 is performed in response to the turning off of the main switch, and the SRAM
The backup target data written in 301 is written in the A storage block of the flash memory 300, and the process proceeds to step # 13. In step # 13, the system is shut down and the control is terminated. As a result, even if the copying machine is started up once and the writing of the data to be backed up changes at any time, it is stored in the A storage block of the flash memory 300 when the main switch is turned off, and thereafter backed up. Needless to say, data can be written at various timings as long as the present invention is established. For example, each time new backup target data is written to the SRAM 301, the data is written in parallel to the A storage block of the flash memory 300.

In the write operation 1 in step # 5, as shown in FIG. 5, the storage block A of the flash memory 300 is read in step # 51, and the data is read in step # 5.
In step 2, the data is written to the SRAM 301, and the process is returned to be used for operation control.

The write operation 2 in step # 12 is performed as shown in FIG.
As shown in (2), it is determined in step # 121 whether or not the result of the verification in step # 10 does not match, and is executed only when there is a mismatch. After erasing the A storage block of the flash memory 300 in step # 122, In step # 123, the backup target data of the SRAM 301 is written to the A storage block, and the process returns.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire configuration of a copying machine showing a typical embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of an operation panel of the copying machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the copying machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a main routine of control by the control circuit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a subroutine of write operation 1 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a subroutine of a writing operation 2 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a use state of a storage block of the flash memory of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 200 CPU 300 Flash memory 301 SRAM 302 Backup battery A, BP Memory block

Claims (3)

[Claims] A control program is written in a second memory using a first memory that can be randomly accessed and a second memory that can be electrically rewritten at least in units of specific storage blocks. In operation control in accordance with the data written in the memory and the control program written in the second memory, the backup target data written in the first memory that needs to be backed up is stored in the second memory at a predetermined timing. Storing in a second storage block having an electrical writing function different from the first storage block in which the control program of the memory is written,
A memory backup method, wherein the memory is backed up by writing it to a first memory as necessary and making it available for operation control. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data to be backed up written in the second storage block of the second memory is written to the first memory and used for operation control at the time of initial setting by the control program. Memory backup method. 3. The first memory is backed up by a backup power supply, and at the time of initial setting by a control program,
The backup target data written in the second storage block of the second memory is compared with the backup target data written in the first memory.
Write data in the second storage block of the memory
2. The memory backup method according to claim 1, wherein the data is written to the memory and used for operation control.