Information processing apparatus and program for controlling same

• US 20080155209A1
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tsubouchi, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1417 Boot up procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is configured to be backed up by a battery so that information in a main memory of the apparatus can be retained when a power supply for the apparatus is stopped. The apparatus stores kernel information in a kernel information table at a time of an initial program loading so that the kernel information stored in the kernel information table can be delivered to a kernel for restarting a program. The program can be started by receiving the kernel information from the kernel information table without retrieving the program from a memory medium or re-generating the kernel information. The apparatus with an operating system that has a relocation function for use in a vehicle can thus have a reduced system startup time.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a memory that continues to store information without power supply;

a storage unit that stores a program; and

a control unit that controls expansion and execution of the program in the memory at a location with an address determined by a function of an operating system,

wherein the control unit controls the memory to store, as kernel information in the memory, program identification information for identifying the program and address information for identifying an expansion area of the program when the program is retrieved from the storage unit and expanded in the memory,

the control unit determines whether the program is expanded in the memory with reference to the kernel information stored in the memory when the program is required to be executed after initialization of the control unit, and

the control unit executes the program expanded in the memory by utilizing the kernel information without retrieving the program from the storage unit when the program is determined to be expanded in the memory.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the control unit calculates a CRC value of the kernel information for storage in the memory when the kernel information is stored,

the control unit verifies consistency of the kernel information stored in the memory by utilizing the CRC value in a course of determination of expansion of the program in the memory, and

the control unit executes the program by retrieving the program from the storage unit again without executing the program expanded in the memory without regard to a result of the determination when inconsistency is found in the kernel information.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the address information at least includes code address information that indicates an address of a program code expansion area where a code of the program is expanded and data address information that indicates an address of a data expansion area where data is expanded for use at a time of execution of the program.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the control unit calculates the CRC value of the code expansion area of the program for storage in the memory as an item of the kernel information when the kernel information is stored, and

the control unit executes the program by retrieving the program again from the storage unit without executing the program expanded in the memory when the CRC value in the memory is found to be inconsistent in a verification of consistency of the code expansion area after a determination that affirmatively determines the expansion of the program in the memory.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 3,

wherein the control unit calculates the CRC value of the data expansion area of the program for storage in the memory as an item of the kernel information when the kernel information is stored, and

the control unit executes the program by retrieving the program again from the storage unit without executing the program expanded in the memory when the CRC value in the memory is found to be inconsistent in a verification of consistency of the data expansion area after the expansion of the program in the memory is affirmatively determined.

6. A control program retrievably stored in a memory and executed by a control unit for controlling an information processing apparatus that has a memory to continue to store information without power supply, a storage unit to store a program and the control unit to control expansion and execution of the program in the memory at a location with an address determined by a function of an operating system, the control program comprising:

controlling the memory to store, as kernel information in the memory, program identification information for identifying the program and address information for identifying an expansion area of the program when the program is retrieved from the storage unit and expanded in the memory by the function of the operating system,

determining whether the program is expanded in the memory with reference to the kernel information stored in the memory prior to retrieval of the program from the storage unit by the operating system when the program is required to be executed after initialization of the control unit, and

controlling the operating system to execute the program already expanded in the memory by passing the kernel information to the operating system without allowing the operating system for retrieving the program from the storage unit when the program is determined to be expanded in the memory.

7. The control program of claim 6,

wherein the control program calculates a CRC value of the kernel information for storage in the memory when the kernel information is stored,

the control program verifies consistency of the kernel information stored in the memory by utilizing the CRC value in a course of determination of expansion of the program in the memory, and

the control program controls the operating system to execute the program by retrieving the program from the storage unit again without allowing the operating system to execute the program expanded in the memory without regard to a result of the determination when inconsistency is found in the kernel information.

8. The control program of claim 6,

wherein the address information at least includes code address information that indicates an address of a program code expansion area where a code of the program is expanded and data address information that indicates an address of a data expansion area where data is expanded for use at a time of execution of the program.

9. The control program of claim 8,

wherein the control program calculates the CRC value of the code expansion area of the program for storage in the memory as an item of the kernel information when the kernel information is stored, and

the control program controls the operating system to execute the program by retrieving the program again from the storage unit without allowing an execution of the program expanded in the memory when the CRC value in the memory is found to be inconsistent in a verification of consistency of the code expansion area after a determination that affirmatively determines the expansion of the program in the memory.

10. The control program of claim 8,

wherein the control program calculates the CRC value of the data expansion area of the program for storage in the memory as an item of the kernel information when the kernel information is stored, and

the control program controls the operating system to execute the program by retrieving the program again from the storage unit without allowing the operating system to execute the program expanded in the memory when the CRC value in the memory is found to be inconsistent in a verification of consistency of the data expansion area after a determination that affirmatively determines the expansion of the program in the memory.