DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20120317343A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fuchikami, Takaaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,063,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7208 Multiple device management, e.g. distributing data over multiple flash devices

Abstract

A data processing apparatus includes: a first storage including volatile storage media; a second storage including nonvolatile storage media; an electronic circuit unit including at least one volatile register; and a selector configured to select one of the first and the second storage to be accessed by the electronic circuit unit. The selector selects the first storage in a state where data processing performed by the electronic circuit unit is ongoing, and the second storage in a state where the data processing is stopped for a shutdown of electric power of the data processing apparatus. The electronic circuit unit stores register data in the storage selected by the selector, the register data being stored in the register at the time when the data processing is stopped for the shutdown.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus, comprising:

a first storage including volatile storage media;

a second storage including nonvolatile storage media;

an electronic circuit unit including at least one volatile register; and

a selector configured to select one of the first and the second storage to be accessed by the electronic circuit unit,

wherein the selector selects the first storage in a state where data processing performed by the electronic circuit unit is ongoing, and the second storage in a state where the data processing is stopped for a shutdown of an electric power of the data processing apparatus, and

wherein the electronic circuit unit stores register data in the storage selected by the selector, the register data being stored in the register at the time when the data processing is stopped for the shutdown.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selector is stopped so as to non-volatilely maintain selection information indicative of a selection state at the time when the data processing is stopped for the shutdown, and start in a state indicated by the selection information when the electric power of the data processing apparatus is reactivated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the selector includes a nonvolatile logic configured to non-volatilely maintain the selection information, the nonvolatile logic including:

a loop unit configured to hold data using a plurality of logic gates connected in a loop shape;

a nonvolatile storage unit configured to non-volatilely store the data held by the loop unit by using hysteresis characteristics of ferroelectric elements; and

a circuit separator configured to electrically separate the loop unit and the nonvolatile storage unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the electronic circuit unit performs, when the electric power of the data processing apparatus is reactivated, a restoration process in which the register data stored in the storage selected by the selector is read out therefrom and stored in the register, and wherein the selector selects the first storage when the restoration process is finished.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electronic circuit unit stores the register data, which is stored in the register when the restoration process is finished and the first storage is selected by the selector, in the storage selected by the selector.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit unit stores data stored in a work area of the first storage in the second storage as backup data when the data processing is stopped for the shutdown of the electric power of the data processing apparatus, and reads out the backup data from the second storage and store the read-out data in the work area of the first storage when the electric power of the data processing apparatus is reactivated.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first storage, the second storage, and the electronic circuit unit are electronically connected with each other by an address bus, and wherein the selector selects one of the first and the second storage to be accessed by the electronic circuit unit by changing address information of the first and the second storage.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first storage includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) as the volatile storage media and the second storage includes a FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) as the nonvolatile storage media.