JPS6311705B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention relates to an initial program loading method for programs of different recording media and recording formats in a computer.

[Description of prior art]

Generally, a program that runs on a computer is recorded on an external recording medium, and becomes operational by reading it with an external input device and loading it into memory. Loading of the program is performed by a program (hereinafter referred to as "loader") for storing programs stored in a read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as "ROM"). This loader is designed to load programs recorded in a single recording medium and format, so unless the loader is installed in advance so that it can load programs in different formats, Cannot be used for program loading. For example, a single loader cannot handle programs of various formats, such as recording media such as floppy disk files, disk files, magnetic tape files, etc., and recording formats having different record lengths. First, it was necessary to change the loader, which required replacing the ROM each time, which had the disadvantage of requiring a great deal of effort.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention eliminates the above drawbacks and facilitates the loading of programs in various recording formats by providing a loader in a non-volatile memory that can read and write programs without changing the loader on the ROM. The purpose of this invention is to provide an initial program loading method that enables program loading of recording formats.

[Features of the invention]

The present invention includes a ROM in which a basic program loader is stored in advance, a rewritable nonvolatile memory in which an extended program loader is stored, a nonvolatile memory that stores the format of an initial loaded program, and an initial loaded program. a format setting means for setting a format, a loader control section for determining the format set by the format setting means and controlling loader switching, and a loader reading section for reading the loader, which is controlled by the loader control section. The present invention is characterized in that initial program loading is performed by determining whether the loading is performed by a basic program loader or by an extended program loader by determining the format of the initially loaded program given at the time of initial program loading.

[Explanation based on examples]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an initial program loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a ROM 1 stores an unchangeable basic program loader, and a rewritable nonvolatile memory 2 stores an extended program loader.
, a non-volatile memory 3 for storing the format of the initial load program, a format indicator 4 for setting the format of the initial load program, and a format indicator 4 that is activated by a program load instruction such as turning on the power and set by the format indicator 4. A format setting mechanism 20 comprising a format control section 5 for reading formats and a format writing section 6 for writing format identifiers, a loader control section 7 for determining format identifiers and controlling loader switching, the ROM 1, and a nonvolatile memory. The loader reading mechanism 30 includes a memory reading section 8 that reads the loader stored in the memory 2 and 3, a format identifier, and a loader reading control section 9 that controls reading of the loader. ROM
1. A memory reading section 8 is connected to the nonvolatile memory 2 and the nonvolatile memory 3. Form indicator 4
A format control section 5 is connected to the format control section 5, and a format writing section 6 is connected to the format control section 5. A nonvolatile memory 3 is connected to the form writing section 6 . The loader control section 7 is connected to the format control section 5, the memory reading section 8, and the loader reading control section 9. Further, the memory reading section 8 is connected to the loader reading control section 9 .

The operation of the initial program loading device configured as described above will be explained using FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a memory format that simulates the memory arrangement of the ROM 1 and non-volatile memories 2 and 3 in FIG. A loader 11 and a format identifier 12 are stored, and a, b, and c are set as storage memory addresses for each. First, when an initial load instruction such as turning on the power is given to the format control section 5, the format control section 5 checks whether a format is set on the format indicator 4 or not. The format identifier is received and written to the non-volatile memory 3 through the format writing section 6. However, when the format is not set in the format indicator 4, the writing operation to the non-volatile memory 3 is performed. control so that it does not occur. As a result, the format identifier is retained even if the power is turned off, unless a new format is set and an initial load command is given.
Here, the format identifier when loading with the basic program loader stored in ROM1 is "A", and the format identifier when loading with the extended program loader stored in non-volatile memory 2 is "B". , if the operator sets "A" as the format identifier in the format indicator 4, then
“A” is written into the nonvolatile memory 3. Further, the format control section 5 reads the stored format identifier at a timing sufficient to finish writing the format identifier in the nonvolatile memory 3 through the format writing section 6, and reads it to the loader control section 7 for discrimination. Activate. Upon receiving this, the loader control unit 7 selects the storage memory address c where the format identifier is stored.
is given to the memory reading unit 8 to obtain a format identifier,
By determining this, it is possible to determine whether the load is to be performed by the basic program loader 10 or the extended program loader 11.
Now, the format identifier "A" is stored in the non-volatile memory 3, so by obtaining "A" it is known that the basic program loader 10 stored in the ROM 1 is to be loaded. This information is stored at storage memory address a of the basic program loader 10.
It is converted into and given to the loader reading control section 9. The loader reading control unit 9 that has received this can read the basic program loader 10 stored in the ROM 1 through the memory reading unit 8, and by sending it to the upper program processing mechanism, the initial load The program can be loaded in a format set in advance using the format indicator 4.

Similarly, set "B" as the format identifier to format indicator 4.
When set to , the format identifier "B" written in the non-volatile memory 3 by the format controller 5 is obtained from the loader controller 7, converted to the storage memory address b of the extended program loader 11, and the loader By supplying it to the reading control section 9, it can be loaded by the extended program loader.

Furthermore, if no format is set in the format indicator 4, it can be loaded using a loader using a format identifier that has already been written and held.
Once you have set the format in this way, you can automatically load the initial program with the specified loader without having to make any format settings, and the non-volatile memory can be easily rewritten with a program, etc. By modifying the extended program loader, programs of various types can be loaded.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention is advantageous in that it can cope with various changes in the initially loaded program by configuring a rewritable non-volatile memory as the loader storage memory and providing the loader to the non-volatile memory. It has a positive effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an initial program loading device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the format of the memory. 1...ROM, 2...Nonvolatile memory, 3...
Non-volatile memory, 4... Form indicator, 5... Form control section, 6... Form writing section, 7... Loader control section, 8... Memory reading section, 9... Loader reading control section, 10... ...Basic program loader, 11...Extended program loader, 12...Format identifier, a...
...Basic program loader storage memory address, b
...Extension program loader storage memory address,
c...Form identifier storage memory address.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an initial program loading method of a computer in which a program is loaded from an external storage device to a memory, a non-volatile read-only memory in which a program for loading a basic program is stored in advance, and an extended program are loaded. A non-volatile memory that stores a program and is rewritable; a non-volatile memory that stores a format of an initial loaded program; a format setting means for setting a format of an initial loaded program; and a format set by the format setting means. an initial program load characterized by comprising: a loader control unit that determines the program and controls switching of the program to be loaded; and a loader reading unit that is controlled by the loader control unit and reads a program for loading the program. method.