Memory cartridge having a multi-memory controller with memory bank switching capabilities and data processing apparatus
First Claim
1. A memory cartridge which is removably connectable to a data processing unit that includes a microprocessor and a picture processing unit coupled to said microprocessor, said memory cartridge being loaded in said data processing unit when in use, said memory cartridge comprising:
- a printed circuit board which is connected to said data processing unit when loaded therein,at least one memory which is installed on said printed circuit board and whose memory area is divided into a plurality of banks, said at least one memory being coupled to said microprocessor and said picture processing unit when said memory cartridge is loaded in said data processing unit, andmemory controlling means which is installed on said printed circuit board, for receiving data representing bank switching conditions from said microprocessor, and for sending bank specifying address data for specifying a bank to said at least one memory, said memory controlling means including a plurality of registers into which said data from said microprocessor are loaded and address generating means for generating said bank specifying address data based on data from at least one of said plurality of registers.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A memory cartridge having a case and a printed circuit board housed in the case is connected, in use, to a data processing unit including a microprocessor and a picture processing unit. A memory cooperating with the data processing unit is installed on the printed circuit board, and an area of the memory is divided into a plurality of banks. A multi-memory controller installed on the printed circuit board includes a plurality of registers into which microprocessor generated data, representing bank switching conditions, are loaded. An address for switching the memory banks is output in response to the content of at least one of a plurality of registers. Thus, by changing the above-described data, the microprocessor can specify a specific bank at a specific time and utilize that bank.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A memory cartridge which is removably connectable to a data processing unit that includes a microprocessor and a picture processing unit coupled to said microprocessor, said memory cartridge being loaded in said data processing unit when in use, said memory cartridge comprising:
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a printed circuit board which is connected to said data processing unit when loaded therein, at least one memory which is installed on said printed circuit board and whose memory area is divided into a plurality of banks, said at least one memory being coupled to said microprocessor and said picture processing unit when said memory cartridge is loaded in said data processing unit, and memory controlling means which is installed on said printed circuit board, for receiving data representing bank switching conditions from said microprocessor, and for sending bank specifying address data for specifying a bank to said at least one memory, said memory controlling means including a plurality of registers into which said data from said microprocessor are loaded and address generating means for generating said bank specifying address data based on data from at least one of said plurality of registers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A gaming apparatus, comprising:
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a gaming machine including a microprocessor, a picture processing unit for image processing coupled to said microprocessor, a video memory accessed by said picture processing unit and a video monitor for displaying an image on a screen thereof based on data from said picture processing unit, a memory cartridge which is removably connectable to said gaming machine and which, in use, is loaded in said gaming machine, wherein said memory cartridge includes a program memory for storing a program for a game and a character memory for storing character data for said game, said program memory having at least one memory area which is divided into a plurality of banks, and memory controlling means which is installed in said memory cartridge, for receiving data representing bank switching conditions sent from said microprocessor, and for sending at least a predetermined portion of an address for specifying a bank to said program memory, wherein said microprocessor specifies a bank of said program memory, and displays a game image on said screen of said video monitor based on program data stored in the specified bank and character data stored in said character memory. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification