JPH0459635B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for acquiring pattern information such as character patterns used in a character generating device such as a display or a printer in an electronic computer system from an external storage device.

(b) Prior art and its problems In electronic computer systems, the character patterns used to display character information on the display of a terminal device such as a workstation or to print it out on a printer have conventionally been determined by (1) each terminal device and its channel; (2) Stored in an external storage device and retrieved via software; (3) Frequently used items are stored in memory and used frequently. A method is adopted in which a low value is stored in an external storage device of a channel dedicated to the own device.

Among these, method (1) in which each channel is equipped with a memory for character patterns has a small memory capacity, which limits the amount of patterns that can be stored, and it is not possible to respond quickly when character patterns change. There are other problems. In the method described in (2), in which pattern information is requested from the software from a channel such as a workstation, and the software reads the pattern information from an external storage device and transfers it to the channel, the load on the software increases due to device management. , it takes a long time to read the pattern information and output it to the character generator. Method (3) not only requires complicated control, but also requires a pattern information storage device for each character generator, so it is not suitable for systems such as workstations where many character generators are connected. In this case, the cost will be high.

(c) Purpose of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to solve these problems in conventional computer systems, and to enable quick output without limiting the number of characters that can be handled and without putting a burden on the program. shall be.

(d) Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention includes a program section, an external storage device used by the program section, and a character output device that displays or prints characters, and also includes: The external storage device that stores character pattern information of characters to be displayed or printed on a character output device is a character pattern information storage device, and further, a character pattern information storage device that manages the external storage device including the character pattern information storage device. A device management unit is provided, and the character pattern information storage device management unit includes a command generation input/output instruction generation control unit that converts a pattern information retrieval request from the character output device into a program level input/output request, and a an input/output command control unit that sends input/output commands to the pattern information storage device, and the character pattern information storage device management unit controls input/output activation to the external storage device from the program unit, I/O completion response from the device,
and a pattern information request from the character output device, and when activated by the pattern information request, the command generation input/output instruction generation control unit converts the request into a program level input/output request, and the An input/output command for the character pattern information storage device is input to the control section, and it is determined whether the character pattern information storage device is being used by the program section, and if it is in use, the use by the program section is terminated. Later, when it is in use again, it immediately executes the input/output request converted to the program level, reads out the pattern information and transfers it to the character output device, and when it receives an input/output activation, the input/output activation is It is determined whether the activation is for a character pattern information storage device or another external storage device, and in the case of an input/output request for the character pattern information storage device, the request is input to the input/output command control unit for the character pattern information storage device, and If the pattern information storage device is not reading pattern information, set the program section to be in use and instruct input/output activation, and if the character pattern information storage device is reading pattern information, start the input/output. On the other hand,
If it is to another external storage device, the input/output start instruction is sent as is, and if an input/output end response is received, an input/output response instruction is sent, the response is received, and the external storage device that notified the response starts writing characters. It is determined whether the response is a pattern information storage device or another external storage device, and if the response is from another external storage device, it is directly notified to the program section; on the other hand, if the response is from a character pattern information storage device, Determine again whether it is a pattern information read end notification or a termination notification initiated by the program section, and if it is a pattern information read end notification, transfer the read pattern information to the character output device and end the pattern information read process. At the same time, if an input/output activation from the program section is pending, it is activated, and if there is a termination notification for activation from the program section, the termination notification is notified to the program section.

(e) Embodiments of the Invention Next, embodiments of the pattern information storage/control method according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the pattern information storage/control method according to the present invention, in which 1 is a program section, 2 is a workstation channel, 3 is an external storage device channel,
4 is a pattern information storage device management section. Channel 2 of the workstation has Display 2.
1 and a character generating device such as a printer 22 are connected. Furthermore, magnetic disks 31, 32, . . . are connected to the external storage channel 3.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this pattern information storage device management section 4.
1. Input/output command control unit 42 to pattern information storage device, input/output interrupt control unit 43, command generation/
It includes an input/output command generation control section 44 and a pattern information transfer control section 45.

The pattern information storage device management unit 4 intervenes in input/output activation and input/output termination of the external storage devices 31, 32, etc., and manages the input/output operations of the devices in which pattern information is stored. First, when the pattern information storage management unit 4 receives a pattern information retrieval request from the workstation channel 2, it converts the request into a program level input/output request (generates an input/output command), and stores the pattern information. If the external storage device is in an unused state, it instructs input/output activation and starts reading pattern information.

If the external storage device that stores pattern information is being used by program 1, input/output activation is suspended until the end of input/output is notified, and program 1 is notified of the end of input/output. Instructs to start input/output of pattern information, and starts reading pattern information. When the external storage device notifies the end of input/output and the processing is to read pattern information, the read pattern information is transferred to the workstation channel.

When a pattern information request is received from a workstation in this way, the physical location of the pattern information in the pattern information storage device is generated, and a command is created in the same way as when accessing a program.
Next, it is determined whether the pattern information storage device is in use of a program, and if the program is in use, the pattern information storage device is made to be in use as a workstation and instructions are given to read the pattern information.

Next, when the pattern information storage device management unit 4 receives input/output activation, it determines whether the external storage device is activated for the pattern information storage device, and if the activation is for the pattern information storage device, the pattern information storage device While the program is in use, instruct the external storage device to start input/output. In the case of activation for an external storage device other than the pattern information storage device, input/output activation is directly directed to the external storage device.

If an input/output end response is received, an input/output response instruction is issued to the external storage device, and it is determined whether the response from the external storage device is from the pattern information storage device or from another source. If the response is from an external storage device other than the pattern information storage device, the program is notified as is. In the case of a response from the pattern information storage device, it is determined whether it is a notification of the completion of reading pattern information (while the workstation is in use) or a notification of completion in response to startup from a program (while the program is in use), and the notification of completion of pattern information reading is determined. If so, the read pattern information is transferred to the workstation and the series of pattern information read processing is completed. In the case of a termination notification for activation from a program, the program is notified of termination, and it is determined whether a request to read pattern information is pending, and if a request to read pattern information is pending, the pattern information storage device While the workstation is in use, instruct to start input/output for reading pattern information.

Next, the processing operation of input/output command control will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. When an input/output command is input from program section 1 to external storage channel 3, it is sent to external storage channel 3.
distinguishes between input/output commands to the pattern information storage device and input/output commands to other files, and if it is an input/output command to a device other than the pattern information storage device, it is directly sent to the channel of the file in the external storage device. An input/output instruction is sent. If it is an input/output command to the pattern information storage device, it is input to the input/output command control unit 42 for the pattern information storage device, and it is determined whether the pattern information is being accessed.
If the pattern information is being accessed, no input/output command is sent to the external storage device channel 3, and the command is terminated as the channel is in operation.

If the pattern information is not being accessed, send an input/output command to external storage channel 3, and when the input/output device is in operation, make the pattern information storage channel in use and end the input/output command. .

FIG. 4 is a flowchart when there is a pattern information request from the workstation. Based on the pattern information request generated from the workstation channel 2, the command generation/input/output instruction generation control unit 44 performs pattern information access. When a command is generated and input to the input/output command control unit 42 for the pattern information storage device, it is determined whether the pattern information storage device is in use, and if the pattern information storage device is in use, pattern information access is disabled from the device. Waiting for release. If the pattern information storage device is not in use, it generates an input/output command for pattern information access and sends the input/output command to the external storage device channel 3. If the channel is not in operation, pattern information is accessed, and if the channel is in operation, pattern information access is made to wait for channel release.

Figure 5 is a flowchart of the input/output interrupt control operation. When an input/output interrupt request occurs while an external storage channel is in operation, it is determined whether the channel is waiting to be released, and if the channel is not waiting to be released, the interrupt input/output device is classified, and if it is other than a pattern information storage device, an input/output interrupt is notified to the program unit 1. If the interrupt input/output device is a pattern information storage device, and the pattern information is being accessed, the pattern information is transferred to the workstation via the pattern information transfer control unit 45, and the input/output interrupt is disabled. If the pattern information is not being accessed and the device is waiting for release, an input/output command for accessing the pattern information is generated and sent to the external storage device channel, and an input/output interrupt is notified to the program.

In the case of waiting for channel release as described above, if the pattern information storage device is not in use, create an input/output command for pattern information access, send the input/output command to the external storage device channel, and wait for pattern information access. Make it. If it is a channel release interrupt, the input/output interrupt is disabled, and if it is not a channel release interrupt, the program is notified of the input/output interrupt.

Figure 6 shows multiple workstation channels 2
An example of a system with..., multiple channels 2...
It is also possible to share one pattern information storage device 31. Note that the patterns stored in the pattern information storage device are not limited to character patterns, but may also be patterns such as figures such as hatching.

(f) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the pattern information storage/control method of the present invention, since the pattern information storage device management section is provided, it is determined whether or not the pattern information storage device is being accessed, and the workstation, etc. Requests for pattern information from the character generator of the terminal device and accesses to other storage devices are performed independently, so requests for pattern information from the character generator can be processed by programs to access external storage devices. This is done without causing any trouble, and it becomes possible to store pattern information using a large-capacity external storage device without increasing the load on the program.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the pattern information storage/control method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the pattern information storage device management section, and FIGS. 3 to 5 show each control operation. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of applying the method of the present invention to multiple workstation channels. In the figure, 1 is a program section, 2 is a work station (channel), 21 is a display,
22 is a printer, 3 is an external storage device (channel),
31 and 32 are external storage devices, and 4 is a pattern information storage device management section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A program section, an external storage device used by the program section, and a character output device for displaying or printing characters; The external storage device that stores character pattern information of characters is a character pattern information storage device, and a character pattern information storage device management section that manages the external storage device including the character pattern information storage device is provided, and The pattern information storage device management unit includes a command generation input/output command generation control unit that converts a pattern information retrieval request from the character output device into a program level input/output request, and a command generation input/output command generation control unit that sends an input/output command to the character pattern information storage device. and an input/output command control unit, the character pattern information storage device management unit controls input/output activation from the program unit to the external storage device, input/output completion response from the external storage device,
and a pattern information request from the character output device, and when activated by the pattern information request, the command generation input/output instruction generation control unit converts the request into a program level input/output request, and the An input/output command for the character pattern information storage device is input to the control section, and it is determined whether the character pattern information storage device is being used by the program section, and if it is in use, the use by the program section is terminated. Later, if it is not in use, it immediately executes the input/output request converted to the program level, reads out the pattern information and transfers it to the character output device side, and if an input/output activation is received, the input/output activation is It is determined whether the activation is for a character pattern information storage device or another external storage device, and in the case of an input/output request for the character pattern information storage device, the request is input to the input/output command control unit for the character pattern information storage device, and If the pattern information storage device is not reading pattern information, set the program section to be in use and instruct input/output activation, and if the character pattern information storage device is reading pattern information, start the input/output. On the other hand,
If it is to another external storage device, the input/output start instruction is sent as is, and if an input/output end response is received, an input/output response instruction is sent, the response is received, and the external storage device that notified the response starts writing characters. It is determined whether the response is a pattern information storage device or another external storage device, and if the response is from another external storage device, it is directly notified to the program section; on the other hand, if the response is from a character pattern information storage device, Determine again whether it is a pattern information read end notification or a termination notification initiated by the program section, and if it is a pattern information read end notification, transfer the read pattern information to the character output device and end the pattern information read process. In addition, if an input/output activation from the program section is pending, it is activated, and if the termination notification is for activation from the program section, the termination notification is notified to the program section. Information storage and control method.