Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-05
2001-10-30
Chaki, Kakali (Department: 2762)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311322
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program rewriting apparatus built-in an electronic machinery, in particular to a program rewriting apparatus for rewriting a program for controlling the operation of the electronic machinery.
2. Related Background Art
The program for controlling the operation of the electronic machinery is normally stored in MASKROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or the like provided in the electronic machinery. These memories are used for only read. With the EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or the like, however, a program stored in the memory can be rewritten electrically by using a special device. CPU (Central Processor Unit) provided in the electronic machinery controls individual sections inside the electronic machinery in accordance with a program stored in the above memory.
Recently in electronic machineries such as a peripheral equipment (scanner, printer, modem or the like) or mother board of a PC (Personal Computer), the need for rewriting a program stored in the above memory arises in order to add a function to the electronic machinery or amend the fault occurring in the electronic machinery. In such cases, the following two methods are used to omit the labor of replacing the above memory inside electronic machinery with the memory storing an updated program.
(1) An electrically rewritable memory such as EEPROM or flash memory is used as the memory for storing the program. When a program stored in a memory is to be rewritten, the electronic machinery downloads a modified program from the PC. Then, the electronic machinery executes the rewrite of a program in itself. In this manner, the addition of a function or the amendment of a fault in the electronic machinery is realized.
(2) Only the boot part of a program (initializing part for communication or the like) is stored in the MASKROM or EPROM. At the time of turning on power of the electronic machinery, only the communication function between the PC and the electronic machinery becomes operable. Every time starting the driver software of the above electronic machinery on the PC side, a program for controlling the electronic equipment is downloaded onto RAM in the electronic machinery by the communication function. And in accordance with the program downloaded onto the RAM, a CPU of the electronic machinery controls individual sections inside the electronic machinery. In the case of adding a function or amending a fault of the electronic machinery, an up-to-date driver software is set in the PC. Thus, the electronic machinery can store an updated program for controlling itself in the RAM. Namely, it is not necessary to change the memory of the electronic machinery that stores the program. In this way, the addition of a function or amendment of a fault in the electronic machinery is realized.
An undated program for adding a function or amending a fault in both methods mentioned above, is distributed to users via a communication line from a PC communication or from a home page in the internet. Accordingly, a user is not required to resend electronic machinery to its maker or to take it to the service window. Furthermore, the person in charge at the maker need not decompose the electronic machinery to exchange the memory.
The prior arts mentioned above have the following problems:
First, in case of the above method (1), the power supply can run down so that and the write of a program can fail in the course of writing a program into the EEPROM or flash memory. Furthermore, the writing into the EEPROM or flash memory can fail for some causes. In this case, the program whose rewrite proceeds to midway cannot be matched between the pre-rewrite and the post-rewrite portions as a whole program. Consequently, the program ends in runaway and cannot operate normally.
The electronic machinery falling into the above status disables a program to be rewritten by a user. Accordingly, the user must resend the electronic machinery to the maker or take the electronic machinery to the service window. And, a person of the maker in charge must decompose the electronic machinery to exchange the memory.
Secondly, in case of the above method (2), a program of the boot portion, written in the MASKROM or EPROM, cannot be rewritten by the download from a PC. Thus, if the addition of a function or the amendment of a fault is required in a program of the boot portion, the user must resend the electronic machinery to the maker or take the electronic machinery to the service window. And, a person of the maker in charge must decompose the electronic machinery to exchange the memory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to present a program rewriting apparatus permitting the user to execute the rewrite again if the rewrite of a program ends in failure due to power cut or for any other cause during the rewriting process.
It is another object of the present invention to present a program rewriting apparatus permitting the user to rewrite any portion of a program.
The program rewriting apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a normal program storing portion for storing a normal program containing the control procedure of the equipment incorporating the program rewriting apparatus and a spare rewriting program; a rewriting program storing portion for storing a rewriting program including of the receiving procedure for receiving a normal program and a spare rewriting program from an external device and the overwrite procedure for overwriting the received normal program and spare rewriting program over the normal program storing portion; and a control device for executing the overwrite of the normal program and spare rewriting program in accordance with the receiving and overwriting procedures of the rewriting program in a first period and for copying the spare rewriting program written over the normal program storing portion to the rewriting program storing portion in accordance with the normal program in a second period different from the first period.
In this way, with a program rewriting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the normal program and the spare rewriting program received from an external device are written over the normal program storing portion in the first period. Besides, the spare rewriting program written over the normal program storing portion is copied to the rewriting program storing portion in the second period.
Consequently, if overwrite of the normal program storing portion ends in failure for a cause such as the power cut of electronic machinery during the first period, operation proceeds as follows: the rewriting program (pre-rewrite program) stored in the rewriting program storing portion is initiated and the electronic machinery receives the normal program and the spare rewriting program from the external device. And, the received normal and spare rewriting programs are normally overwritten over the normal program storing portion.
Alternately, if the copy of the spare rewriting program to the rewriting program storing portion ends in failure for a cause such as power cut of the electronic machinery during the second period, operation proceeds as follows: the normal program (post-rewrite program) is again initiated and the spare rewriting program is copied. Thereby, the rewriting program storing portion is normally overwritten.
As described above, a program rewriting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention executes the overwrite of the normal program storing portion and that of the rewriting program storing portion at different timing. Thus, this program rewriting apparatus permits a user to execute the rewrite again if the rewrite of a program ends in failure due to power cut or for any other cause during the rewriting process. In addition, this program rewriting apparatus permits the user to rewrite any portion of the program.
With a program rewriting apparatus according to the present invention, it would be preferable that the control device be
Ikeda Takahiro
Shirahata Takuya
Chaki Kakali
Nikon Corporation
Zhen Wei
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