JPH0373015B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] In an information processing device that backs up volatile memory and a clock using a battery and saves data stored in the memory even when the power is turned off, fixed data recorded in a ROM is written to the memory. When the power is turned on and compared, it is determined that there is a battery failure, and the clock data is cleared to notify the operator of the battery failure.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an information processing device that backs up a volatile memory or a clock using a battery, and in particular, processing for a battery failure when data stored in the memory is destroyed due to a battery failure that occurs during backup using a battery. Regarding the method.

2. Description of the Related Art In an information processing device, it is known that a battery is used to back up the volatile memory when the power is turned off in order to save the contents of the volatile memory and retain date and time data. By the way, this battery may become exhausted and the voltage may drop, causing the contents of the memory to be destroyed.

Therefore, it is necessary to check whether the contents of the memory have been destroyed. For example, if fixed data written in the ROM is written to the memory and the information processing device is turned on, the ROM is destroyed. A battery failure can be detected by comparing the fixed data read from the memory with the fixed data written in the memory.

In this way, when a battery failure is detected, it is necessary to notify the processor of the information processing device of the failure so that subsequent processing can be executed smoothly.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, information processing devices that use batteries to back up their memories and clocks record fixed data in memory and compare fixed data every time the power is turned on to detect battery failures. Even if the contents are destroyed, the processor of the information processing device is not notified.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] As mentioned above, even if the contents of the memory backed up by the battery or the date and time data of the clock are destroyed, the processor of the information processing device is not notified, so the operator has to turn on the power. Sometimes, if overlooked, there is a problem that incorrect data may be processed or incorrect dates and times may be recorded.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a processor that controls the entire device; 2 is a ROM that stores programs and fixed data that instruct the operation of the processor 1; 3 is a volatile memory; 4
is a clock, 5 is a display, 6 is a keyboard for the operator to input commands, 7 is a power supply, 8 is a switch,
9 is a battery.

When the power supply 7 is turned on, the processor 1
The fixed data is read from the ROM 2 and compared with the fixed data written in the memory 3, and if they do not match, the memory 3 and clock 4 are cleared.

[Effect]

With the above configuration, the processor 1 determines a failure of the battery 9 depending on whether the fixed data in the memory 3 is destroyed each time the power is turned on, and if the fixed data in the memory 3 is destroyed, In order to clear memory 3 and clock 4, when processor 1 starts up, when checking the date and time data of clock 4,
Since the date and time data is zero, it is possible to notify the operator of the battery failure by displaying clock setting instructions or the like.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a flowchart explaining the operation of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, when the power source 7 is turned off, the switch 8 is connected to the battery 9 side as shown by the dotted line, and the current from the battery 9 is supplied to the memory 3 and the clock 4.

When the power source 7 is turned on, the switch 8 is connected as shown by the solid line, and current is supplied from the power source 7 to the memory 3 and the clock 4. It goes without saying that the switch 8 is a non-stop switch.

The processor 1 reads a program from the ROM 2 and operates, and compares the fixed data written in the memory 3 with the fixed data read from the ROM 2, as shown in FIG. Here, if the comparison results match, it is checked whether the clock 4 has been cleared or not, and if it has not been cleared, the routine shifts to normal processing and operates according to the operator's instructions entered from the keyboard 6.

When the fixed data in memory 3 and the fixed data in ROM2 do not match, the processor 1 clears memory 3, reads the fixed data from ROM2, and
Write to memory 3. Then, clock 4 is cleared. Next, it is checked whether the clock 4 has been cleared, and if it has been cleared, an instruction to set the time, for example, is displayed on the display section 5. (Of course, it may be displayed as a battery failure.) Since the clock has been cleared, the operator knows that the memory contents were destroyed while the power was turned off, and sets the time on the clock. Processor 1 shifts to normal processing.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention clears the memory and clock when the contents of the memory and clock backed up by the battery are destroyed due to battery failure.
This has the effect of not only notifying the operator of a battery failure but also saving the effort of manually clearing the memory.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart explaining the operation of FIG. In the figure, 1 is the processor, 2 is the ROM, and 3 is the processor.
is a memory, 4 is a clock, 5 is a display section, 6 is a keyboard, 7 is a power source, 8 is a switch, and 9 is a battery.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an information processing device that backs up a volatile memory 3 and a clock 4 using a battery 9, fixed data is written from the nonvolatile memory 2 to the volatile memory 3, and the information processing device When the power is turned on, the fixed data read from the nonvolatile memory 2 and the fixed data written to the volatile memory 3 are compared, and if they do not match, the data in the volatile memory 3 and clock 4 are cleared. A method for handling a battery failure, characterized by: