Data processing apparatus and program data setting method thereof

• US 20070168906A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-chan
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators

Abstract

A data processing apparatus and a program data setting method that can minimize a manufacturing cost. The data processing apparatus includes a plurality of In System Programming (ISP) devices to store program data used to drive the data processing apparatus, a connector to receive the program data from an external program providing device, and a switch to switch a connection between the connector and the plurality of ISP devices. The data processing apparatus can adjust the connection between the connector and the plurality of ISP devices using the switch. Accordingly, the data processing apparatus does not require an additional connector or a separate program to distribute the program data received at the connector to each ISP device so that the manufacturing cost can be minimized and a structure can be simplified.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus connected to an external program providing device to provide program data, the apparatus comprising:

a connector connected to the external program providing device to transmit and receive program data to and from the external program providing device;

a first In System Programming (ISP) device to store the program data received from the external program providing device through the connector;

a second ISP device connected to the first ISP device to store the program data received from the external program providing device through the connector; and

a switch connected to the connector to switch a connection between the connector and the first and the second ISP devices so that one of the first and the second ISP devices is connected to the connector, in response to a control of the first ISP device.

2. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second ISP device has a status value that varies depending on whether the program data is downloaded therein, and the first ISP device detects the status value of the second ISP device to determine a current status of the second ISP device.

3. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal line part connected to the connector;

a second signal line part connected to the second ISP device; and

a third signal line part connected to the first ISP device,

wherein the switch is connected to the first signal line part to switch the first signal line part to one of the second and the third signal line parts.

4. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch sets a connection between the first signal line part and the third signal line part to a basic connection.

5. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second ISP device comprises a plurality of the second ISP device, and the switch connects one of the plurality of the second ISP devices to the connector, in response to the control of the first ISP device.

6. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a first ISP device;

a second ISP device to communicate with the first ISP device;

a connector connectable to an external device;

a data line connected between the connector and the first and second ISP devices; and

a clock line selectively connected between the connector and one of the first and second ISP devices.

7. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a switch disposed on the clock line between the connector and the first ISP device to selectively connect the connector to one of the first ISP device and the second ISP device.

8. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first ISP device controls the clock line to selectively connect to the connector to one of the first and second ISP devices.

10. The data processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the switch comprises a first terminal connected to the second clock line, a second terminal connected to the fourth clock line, and a third terminal connected to the third clock line; and

the first ISP device controls the switch to connect the first terminal to one of the second and the third terminals.

9. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a connector having first clock and data lines connectable to an external device;

a first ISP device;

a second ISP device;

second clock and data lines connected to the first clock and data lines of the connector, respectively, the second data line connected to the first ISP device;

third clock and data lines connected to the second ISP device, the third data line connected to the second data line; and

a fourth clock line connected to the second ISP device;

a switch connected to the second clock line, the fourth clock line, and the third clock line,

wherein the first ISP device controls the switch to connect the second clock line to one of the fourth clock line and the third clock line.

11. A data processing apparatus to execute program data, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of micro computers to download a plurality of corresponding program data from a program data providing device;

a connector connectable to the program data providing device; and

a switch to establish a connection between the connector and a selected one of the micro computers such that the selected one of the micro computers communicates with the program data providing device,

wherein a predetermined one of the micro computers manages operation of the switch with respect to the other micro computers.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a data line connected between the connector and the plurality of micro computers; and

a clock line connected between the connector and the plurality of micro computers,

wherein the connector comprises a connector of the clock line to selectively connect the connector to the selected one of the micro computers.

13. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of micro computers;

a connector to communicate with a program data providing device outside of the apparatus; and

a switch having a plurality of switching terminals and being interposed between the micro computers and the connector and to selectively connect the micro computers to the connector.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plurality of micro computers comprise:

a first micro computer to receive one or more commands from the program data providing device and to control the switch based on the received commands; and

a second micro computer to be selectively connected to the connector by the switch.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the first micro computer receives a switching command, the first micro computer controls the switch to switch a connection between a currently connected micro computer and the connector.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the micro computers has a corresponding ID and transmits the ID to the program data providing device whenever the corresponding ones of the micro computers are connected to the connector to communicate with the program data providing device.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the program data providing device recognizes a current micro computer that is connected to the connector according to the corresponding ID that is received through the connector.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the micro computers includes a corresponding serial data line connected to the connector to bypass the switch and a corresponding serial clock line connected to the switch such that the switch selectively connects the serial clock line of a selected one of the micro computers with a serial clock line of the connector to establish a communication connection between the selected micro computer and the program data providing device.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plurality of micro computers comprise:

one or more non-control micro computers having corresponding status indicators to indicate whether a downloading process is being performed thereby; and

a control micro computer to control the switch to selectively connect one of the control or non-control micro computers to the connector according to the status indicators of the non-control micro computers.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plurality of micro computers sequentially download corresponding program data from the program data providing device.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the micro computers provide a corresponding external status indicator to the program data providing device and update a corresponding internal status indicator when the downloading is complete.

22. A control micro computer to manage communication between a data processing apparatus and an external program providing device, the data processing apparatus having a plurality of micro computers including the control micro computer installed therein, a connector, and a switch connected to the connector and selectively connected to the plurality of micro computers, wherein the control micro computer manages the communication by controlling the switch to connect a selected one of the micro computers with the connector according to one or more status indicators of the plurality of micro computers and one or more commands received from the external program providing device.

23. A method of setting program data in a data processing apparatus connected to an external program providing device to provide the program data, the method comprising:

downloading the program data received through a connector from the external program providing device to a first ISP device connected to the connector;

if the downloading to the first ISP device is completed, switching a first connection between the connector and the first ISP device to a second connection between the connector and the second ISP device to connect the second ISP device with the external program providing device through the connector; and

changing a current status value of the second ISP device.

24. The method of setting program data as claimed in claim 23, further comprising:

detecting the status value of the second ISP device to confirm a downloading completion of the second ISP device; and

switching a connection between the connector and the second ISP device to connect the connector to the first ISP device.

25. A method of controlling a data processing apparatus having a plurality of micro computers, a connector connected with a program data providing device outside of the apparatus, and a switch interposed between the micro computers and the connector to selectively connect the micro computers to the connector, the method comprising:

controlling the switch to selectively connect a selected one of the micro computers to the connector in response to one or more commands received from the program data providing device and one or more status indicators corresponding to the micro computers.