JPH10333913A - Software boot control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To speedily boot a software by using a flash memory by providing an area for storing boot information from plural programs and data and loading the specified program and data onto a RAM based on the boot information. SOLUTION: In the case of performing boot activation by the power re-supply of a system and the operation of a maintenance panel, etc., a central processing unit activates a boot program and the boot program refers to the boot information 20 on the flash memory and loads the program and the data from the flash memory to the RAM. That is, when the specifying data of a program boot area specify an area (i) and the specifying data of a data boot area specify the area (j), the contents of the program area (i) of a program storage area 21 and the data area (j) of a data storage area 22 are loaded onto the RAM. Thus, the software is speedily booted by using the flash memory.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a boot control method for software such as programs and data in a system controlled by a microprocessor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a system controlled by a microprocessor, software such as programs and data is stored and backed up in an internal nonvolatile memory such as a ROM or a flash memory or an external nonvolatile memory such as a floppy disk or a hard disk. When the program is executed, the program, data, and the like are loaded from the backup storage medium onto the RAM to execute the program. In such a conventional method, when replacing software, a storage medium such as a ROM or a floppy disk in use is replaced with a storage medium storing new software, or a flash memory, a floppy disk or the like in use is replaced. The method of overwriting the contents of the hard disk with new software was adopted.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method as described above, the system down time when replacing software is limited by the method of replacing a storage medium such as a ROM or a floppy disk. And the time required for booting.

[0004] On the other hand, in the method of rewriting the contents of the storage medium, the time is the sum of the time required to rewrite the program and data in the storage medium and the time required to boot it.

The method of replacing the ROM can boot at a high speed, but has a disadvantage that it takes time to replace the storage medium.

In the method of replacing a floppy disk, the time required for replacing a storage medium is not as long as that of a ROM.
There is a disadvantage that booting takes longer than ROM.

In the method of rewriting the contents of a floppy disk or a hard disk, rewriting of a program or data can be performed during the operation of the system, but the boot time can be reduced by RO time.
There is a disadvantage that it becomes larger than semiconductor memories such as M and flash memory.

In the method using the flash memory, the contents of the flash memory can be rewritten during the operation of the system, and the boot can be performed at a high speed, so that the program and data can be switched with a short system stop time.

However, this method has a drawback that if a problem occurs in the test after switching, the contents of the flash memory cannot be immediately restored because the contents of the flash memory have been rewritten with new software.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and aims to speed up booting by using a flash memory, and also has a drawback when a problem occurs after switching between programs and data. To be removed.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention according to claim 1 comprises a central processing unit, a RAM in which control programs and data reside, and a backup program for backing up control programs and data. An area for storing a plurality of programs and data in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and a boot for designating a program and data to be booted from the plurality of programs and data. An area for storing information is provided, and a program and data designated based on the boot information are stored in RA.
M is loaded on M.

According to the present invention, it is possible to use a nonvolatile semiconductor memory to store a new program and data in an area different from the old program and data, and to start the boot by designating the new program and data with boot information. Therefore, the system stop time is reduced, and the old program and data are also stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. Therefore, even if a problem occurs after switching, the old program can be rebooted at high speed.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a microcomputer system representing an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a central processing unit CPU comprising a microprocessor, 11 denotes a main storage RAM in which a control program and data reside while the system is operating, and 12 denotes a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory for backing up the control program and data. A flash memory FL
An ASH MEM 13 is an input / output control device IOC that controls input / output with an external device, 14 is a maintenance panel MP for performing system maintenance, and 15 and 16 are maintenance panels 14.
The auxiliary storage devices are connected to a floppy disk device FDD and a hard disk device HDD, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows the flash memory F in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a memory area of the LASH MEM 12.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a boot information storage area for designating a program and data to be booted. The boot information storage area 20 includes a program boot area for storing program boot designation data and a data boot area for storing data boot designation data.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a storage area of a program for backing up the control program, which comprises a plurality of areas, program area 0 to program area m. Here, m is an arbitrary positive integer, and i is a positive integer satisfying 0 <i <m.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a data storage area for backing up control data, which is composed of a plurality of areas, data area 0 to data area n. Note that n is any positive integer,
j is a positive integer satisfying 0 <j <n.

Next, a procedure for exchanging control programs and data will be described.

The floppy disk drive FDD15 or the hard disk drive H connected to the maintenance panel MP14.
The DD 16 stores programs and data to be replaced.

During operation of the system, the maintenance panel MP14 designates a program area and a data area on the flash memory FLASH MEM 12, and sends a program and data upload request to the central processing unit CPU10.
Send to

When the central processing unit CPU 10 receives the upload request via the input / output control unit IOC 13,
The program and data received from the maintenance panel MP14 are stored in the flash memory F according to the designated storage area.
It is stored in a designated area on the LASH MEM 12.

When the areas where programs and data are to be stored are designated as program area i and data area j, the uploaded programs and data are stored in program area i and data area j, respectively.

Next, the maintenance panel MP14 transmits a request for switching the boot area to the central processing unit CPU10.

When receiving the boot area switching request, the central processing unit CPU 10 rewrites the contents of the program boot area and the data boot area of the boot information area 20 to the designated program area and data area.

When the contents of the program boot area and data boot area are designated as area i and area j, respectively, data designating area i and area j are set in the program boot area and data boot area, respectively.

When the power of the system is turned on again, the maintenance panel MP
When boot boot is performed by the operation of 14, etc., the central processing unit CPU 10 boots a boot program.

The boot program is stored in the flash memory F
Referring to the boot information 20 on the LASH MEM 12,
Program and data are stored in flash memory FLASH
It is configured to be loaded from the MEM 12 to the RAM 11.

When the designated data of the program boot area designates the area i and the designated data of the data boot area designates the area j, the contents of the program area i of the program storage area 21 and the data area j of the data storage area 22 Is loaded on the RAM 11.

Thus, the replacement of the software is completed.

If any problem occurs after switching to the new software and it is necessary to return to the previous software, the old program and the old data remain in the flash memory FLASH MEM 12 without being erased. The original state can be restored by switching the boot information in the information area 20 to the old program area and the old data area and rebooting.

[0032]

According to the present invention, by using a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory in a system controlled by a microprocessor, a method of loading programs and data from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory to the RAM is adopted.
The system stop time at the time of software replacement can be limited only to the boot time from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and there is an effect that switching can be performed in a short time.

Also, even if a failure occurs in the switched software, the original software is left in the non-volatile semiconductor memory, so the boot information is changed and rebooted to quickly restore the original state. This has the effect that it becomes possible to

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a memory area in a flash memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 Central control device 11 RAM 12 Flash memory 13 I / O control device 14 Maintenance panel 15 Floppy disk device 16 Hard disk device 20 Boot information storage area 21 Program storage area 22 Data storage area

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A central processing unit, a RAM on which a control program and data reside, and a rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor memory for backing up the control program and data, wherein a plurality of programs and An area for storing data and an area for storing boot information for specifying a program and data to be booted from among the plurality of programs and data are provided, and the program and data specified based on the boot information are provided. A software boot control method characterized by loading a program onto a RAM.