Microcomputer using a non-volatile memory

• US 5,950,222 A
• Filed: 03/05/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Arai, Nobuhiro, Abe, Toshikazu, Yamada, Susumu, Watanabe, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Robertson, David L.
• Application Number:
  US08/811,572
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 395/733, 711/103
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory

Abstract

An EEPROM (1) is set to write mode when a program command to commence rewriting of data in region B in the EEPROM (1) is read out from region A. A CPU (2) then writes data specified by a latch (6) at an address in region B specified by a latch (4). In compliance with an inhibit signal INH, the CPU (2) now disregards the effects of the undefined output from the EEPROM (1) terminal DOUT.

Claims

1. A microcomputer containing a non-volatile memory capable of repeatedly writing and reading data and also of electrically erasing data which have already been written, wherein a program for rewriting data in a second region of the non-volatile memory is stored in a first region of the non-volatile memory, the microcomputer comprising:

a CPU for carrying out processing in order to rewrite data stored in the second region of the non-volatile memory based on a command read out from the first region of the non-volatile memory; and

a CPU controller for inhibiting the CPU from reading out the next command from the first region of the non-volatile memory during rewrite processing of the second region of the non-volatile memory.

2. A microcomputer containing a non-volatile memory capable of repeatedly writing and reading data and also of electrically erasing data which have already been written, wherein

a program for rewriting data in a second region of the non-volatile memory is stored in a first region of the non-volatile memory, the microcomputer further comprising:

a CPU for sequentially executing program commands read out from the first region of the non-volatile memory, wherein the CPU has a program counter for controlling the execution of a plurality of program commands containing in the program;

an address holder for holding address data to be rewritten in the non-volatile memory which are supplied to the address holder by the CPU;

a data holder for holding non-volatile memory rewrite data supplied thereto from the CPU;

a memory controller for setting the non-volatile memory to write mode and invalidating the output of the program counter only for a period of time necessary for rewriting data when a program command to commence rewriting of second region data has been read out from the first region of the non-volatile memory, and for controlling the writing of the data holder data at an address in the non-volatile memory specified by the address holder; and

a CPU controller for inhibiting the CPU from being influenced by undefined output read out from the non-volatile memory when the non-volatile memory has been set to write mode.

3. A microcomputer according to claim 2, wherein

the CPU controller switches the CPU to standby when the non-volatile memory is set to write mode.

4. A microcomputer according to claim 2, wherein

the CPU controller stops the CPU operation clock when the non-volatile memory is set to write mode.

5. A microcomputer according to claim 2, wherein

when the non-volatile memory is set to write mode, the CPU controller sets a value of the program counter value to be an address when the non-volatile memory was set to write mode and repeatedly outputs a jump command.

6. A microcomputer containing a non-volatile memory capable of repeatedly writing and reading data and also of electrically erasing data which have already been written, wherein

a program for rewriting data in a second region of the non-volatile memory is stored in a first region of the non-volatile memory, and

the microcomputer rewrites data stored in the second region of the non-volatile memory by executing a plurality of program commands contained in the program written in the first region and continues to execute these program commands repeatedly throughout the rewriting of the second region data,

the microcomputer further comprising:

a CPU which has a program counter for specifying a program command to be executed from among the plurality of program commands, wherein the CPU operates based on a program command which has been read out from the first region of the non-volatile memory based on the output of this program counter;

an address holder for holding address data to be rewritten in the non-volatile memory which are supplied thereto from the CPU;

a data holder for holding non-volatile memory rewrite data supplied thereto from the CPU;

a memory controller for setting the non-volatile memory to write mode and also deeming the output of the program counter to be invalid only for a period of time necessary for rewriting data when a program command to commence rewriting of second region data has been read out from the first region of the non-volatile memory, and for controlling the writing of the data holder data at an address in the non-volatile memory specified by the address holder; and

a CPU controller for executing said program command continuously so as to fix a value of said program counter when the non-volatile memory has been set to write mode.

7. A microcomputer according to claim 6, wherein

the CPU controller stops the CPU operation clock when the non-volatile memory is set to write mode.

8. A microcomputer according to claim 6, wherein

the CPU controller has a counter for controlling the execution sequence of each program command when the non-volatile memory is set to write mode;

and

the CPU stops the counter when a program to set the non-volatile memory to write mode has been executed and sets the program counter at a fixed value based on the value of the counter.

9. A microcomputer containing a non-volatile memory capable of repeatedly writing and reading data and also of electrically erasing data which have already been written, wherein

a program for rewriting data in a second region of the non-volatile memory is stored in a first region of the non-volatile memory, and

the first address region and the second address region of the non-volatile memory contain program regions for interrupt processing,

the microcomputer further comprises:

a program counter for specifying an address within the non-volatile memory,

an interrupt vector for changing the value of the program counter in response to an interrupt request; and

a controller for controlling the interrupt vector in order to specify a first address region within the non-volatile memory when the interrupt request has been generated during rewriting of data in the second address region of the non-volatile memory.

10. A microcomputer according to claim 9, wherein

a program for interrupt processing stored in the first address region of the non-volatile memory is required in order to rewrite data of the second address region of the non-volatile memory.

11. A microcomputer according to claim 10, wherein

two interrupt vectors for specifying first and second address regions of the non-volatile memory are provided for one interrupt request;

and

the controller selects one of the two interrupt vectors to specify the first address region of the non-volatile memory when the interrupt request has been generated during rewriting of data in the second address region of the non-volatile memory.

12. A microcomputer according to claim 11, wherein

the controller selects the other interrupt vector to specify the second address region of the non-volatile memory when the interrupt request has been generated during not rewriting of data in the second address region.