JP2005018660A - Automatic power supply control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that when a correction error of a corrected program is found out, a system becomes inoperable and cannot be returned to the state before updating. <P>SOLUTION: When a CPU 2 loads programs, a loader refers to an update flag in an EEPROM 9, and loads a stored program when a flag is present (step P61). When no flag is present, a program stored in an external storage device 5 is loaded, and this processing is repeated until the loading of all programs is ended. After the system is started, a loader 15 starts an application for confirming the normal operation of the corrected program to confirm whether it is rightly corrected or not (step P10). When the normal operation is confirmed, a system program stored in the external storage device 5 is written over the corrected program stored in the EEPROM to update it, the update flag is deleted (step P12), and the internal state of a communication board 4 is cleared. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic power supply control device, and more particularly to an automatic power supply control device that performs automatic processing in an unattended state by remote operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, a system program of a terminal is stored in a storage medium such as an external storage device or a non-volatile memory (ROM: Read-Only-Memory), and is loaded and operated when the terminal is activated.
[0003]
In the case of defect correction or function expansion, the system program file on the storage medium is updated after the system program is corrected. Conventionally, when this correction program is carried to each terminal, (1) a portable type such as a flexible disk is used. Means such as using a storage medium and (2) distributing and updating a correction program from a host computer via a communication line have been used. In particular, means for updating a correction program via a communication line is a generally well-known technique, as represented by, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 63-132376 and 8-263079. .
[0004]
Of course, the system program loaded at the time of starting the terminal is desirably the latest version. However, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-88631, version information is managed, and the program update means updates the latest version when updating the program. Means for reading a system program from a system volume to a main storage device and making corrections is disclosed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional system program correction method, when a system program is distributed from a host computer to a terminal via a communication line, when the distributed system program is not sufficiently corrected and the terminal cannot be started normally. The system program to be corrected is read from the system volume onto the main storage device. For this reason, when an error in the correction contents is found, the system itself becomes inoperable, the IPL instruction from the host and the correction instruction itself cannot be accepted, and it is impossible to return to the state before the system program update.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to solve these problems and distribute an operation confirmation application for confirming the operation of the correction program in a system for distributing the correction program by remote operation from a host computer. Update only the programs that have been confirmed to work properly. This aims to facilitate system recovery even when a correction program with incomplete correction is distributed, and to improve reliability and maintainability during automatic operation.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In view of the above-described problems, an automatic power supply control device according to the present invention includes a system program in an external storage device, wherein the host computer is remotely controlled by an instruction from a host computer via a communication line. Each new version of the system program including the registered new version of the system program is registered in the writable non-volatile storage means based on the version upgrade instruction for the system program sent from A system for storing in the writable non-volatile storage means the version information of the program, the operation verification program for the updated new version of the system program, and the update flag indicating the presence of the updated new version of the system program Professional And a program loading means for referring to the system program version information storage unit in accordance with an instruction for designating a system version from the host computer and developing a system program of a corresponding version in a main storage device. The program loading means refers to the update flag before expanding the new version of the system program, and if the new version of the system program is stored in the writable non-volatile storage means, When the operation verification program is expanded together with the new version of the system program, and it is confirmed that the new version of the system program operates normally, the new version of the system program is stored in an external storage device. System It is characterized in that overwrites and updates to the program.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-263079 [0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a terminal body, 2 is a CPU, 3 is a power supply device, and 4 is a communication board. The communication board 4 further includes a local CPU 5, a communication control device 6, a power supply control device 7, a random access memory (RAM) 8, and an EEPROM (Electrical Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) which is a kind of rewritable nonvolatile ROM. ) 9, and each is connected by an internal bus 10. Reference numeral 11 denotes an external storage device that stores a system program, various application programs, and data files that are loaded when the terminal 1 is activated. A signal cable 12 sends a power-on signal of the power control device 5 to the power supply device 9 in the terminal 1. The terminal 1 is connected to the host computer 13 via the communication line 14 and transmits / receives various data.
[0010]
In the terminal 1, the power supply device 3 is off in the unattended state, but only the communication board 4 is always energized. The local CPU 5 in the communication board 4 always monitors whether a power-on instruction from the host computer is sent via the communication line 14.
[0011]
Reference numeral 15 denotes a system loader, which loads a system program from an external storage device or EEPROM when the system is activated.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing a detailed configuration of the EEPROM 9. 91 is an update flag storage area for identifying the presence of a modification program transmitted from the host computer 13, 92 is a storage area for storing version information of the modification program transmitted from the host computer, and 93 is a storage of the transmitted modification program itself. An area 94 is a storage area for storing an application program for confirming the operation of the transmitted correction program, and is provided for each correction program.
[0013]
Next, the control operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the process flowchart of FIG.
[0014]
In an unattended state such as at night, the power supply device 3 is in an off state, but only the communication board 4 is always energized. The local CPU 5 in the communication board always monitors whether a power-on instruction from the host computer 13 is sent via the communication line 14 (step P1).
[0015]
When a power-on instruction is detected from the host computer 13 via the communication line 14, the communication board 4 prepares for data reception, and a correction program transmitted from the host computer 14, version information of the correction program, and a correction program After the operation confirmation application program is received and expanded on the RAM, it is confirmed that it has been normally received, and then stored in the version information storage area 92, the correction program storage area 93, and the operation confirmation application storage area 94 in the EEPROM, respectively. Store (step P2). When the storing process to the EEPROM 9 is completed, an update flag for identifying the presence of the correction program is set to “1 (existence)”. When reception of all the correction programs is thus completed, a power-on signal is sent to the power supply device 3 through the power control device 7 signal cable 12 to turn on the system (step P4).
[0016]
When power is turned on and the system is started, the CPU 2 loads a system program by the system roller 15. At this time, the system loader refers to the update flag 91 of the EEPROM 9, and when “1” is set here (step P5), the system loader loads the system program stored in the correction program storage area 93 in the EEPROM. (Step P6).
[0017]
In step P5, when “1” is not set in the update flag 91, the system program stored in the external storage device 5 is loaded (step P7). Steps P5 to P6 (or step P7) are repeated until all the system programs are loaded.
[0018]
After the system is activated, the system loader 15 activates the operation confirmation application stored in the operation confirmation application storage area 94 in the EEPROM in order to confirm the normal operation of the modification program (step P9), and the modification program is corrected correctly. It is confirmed whether it has been done (step P10). When the correct operation of the correction program is confirmed, the system program stored in the external storage device 5 is overwritten and updated with the correction program already stored in the correction program storage area 93 in the EEPROM (step P11). Then, “0” is set in the update flag 91 (step P12), and the state inside the communication board 4 is cleared. Thereafter, a message indicating that the update of the correction program has been completed is sent to the host computer 13 (step P13).
[0019]
If the correct operation of the correction program cannot be confirmed in step P10, a message indicating that the update of the correction program has not been overwritten is sent to the host computer 13 (step P14), and the maintenance staff is urged to take action. .
[0020]
When the confirmation of normal operation for all the correction programs is completed, it is determined that the distribution process of the correction program is completed, the system power is stopped (step P15), and the host computer 14 again waits for a power-on instruction. Transition.
[0021]
The host computer 13 activates a monitoring timer in the case where the system of the terminal 1 cannot operate due to a correction error or the like and cannot perform the operation confirmation process or the message transmission process. When neither the “message” nor the “update failure” message is received, it is determined that the update has failed, and an initialization instruction is transmitted to the terminal 1. When the local CPU 5 detects the initialization instruction from the host computer 13, the local CPU 5 erases the update flag 91, the system program, and the operation confirmation application stored in the EEPROM 9, and supplies power from the power control device 7 via the signal cable 12. A power-off signal is sent to the device 3 to turn off the system.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the control method and apparatus of the automatic power control apparatus of the present invention, when a correction program is received from a host computer via a communication line, it is temporarily stored in a rewritable EEPROM and transmitted simultaneously. The effect that the system can be recovered by maintaining the program that has been operating up to the last time even if the correction program does not operate normally by updating after confirming the normal operation by the operation confirmation application Play.
[0023]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a terminal using an automatic power control apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an image showing a data storage area in an EEPROM.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a system program update process of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Terminal 2 CPU
3 Power supply 4 Communication board 5 Local CPU
6 Communication control device 7 Power supply control device 8 RAM
9 EEPROM
10 internal bus 11 external storage device 12 signal cable 13 host computer 14 communication line 15 system loader 91 update flag storage area 92 version information storage area 93 correction program storage area 94 operation check application storage area

Claims (1)

In an automatic power control apparatus that has a system program in an external storage device and is remotely controlled by an instruction from a host computer via a communication line,
Based on a version upgrade instruction for the system program sent from the host computer, a new version of the system program is registered in a writable non-volatile storage means, and a new version including the registered new version of the system program Version information of each system program, an operation verification program for the updated new version of the system program, and an update flag indicating the presence of the updated new version of the system program in the writable non-volatile storage means System program update means for storing;
Program loading means for expanding a system program of a corresponding version in a main storage device by referring to the system program version information storage unit according to an instruction for designating a system version from the host computer,
The program loading means refers to the update flag before expanding the new version of the system program, and if the new version of the system program is stored in the writable nonvolatile storage means, When the operation verification program is expanded together with the version system program and the new version system program is confirmed to operate normally, the new version system program is stored in the external storage device. An automatic power supply control apparatus overwriting and updating a system program.

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