Information processing apparatus, memory management apparatus, memory management method, and information processing method
First Claim
1. An information processing apparatus having a memory management unit for managing files, and a processing unit for executing processing of a program on the basis of a program file supplied from the memory management unit, whereinsaid memory management unit comprises:
- a main storage means for storing the program file and various kinds of files, first management information describing information of all of the stored files, and second management information for backing up the first management information;
a boot program storage means for storing a boot program to be used at boot-up;
an auxiliary storage means for storing a supplied file;
a file management means for making access to the main storage means, the boot program storage means, and the auxiliary storage means; and
said file management means transferring, at boot-up, the first management information and the second management information to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the boot program that is read from the boot program storage means, and transferring the file stored in the main storage means to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the transferred first management information; and
said processing unit reads the program file transferred to the auxiliary storage means, and executing the processing of the program thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
It is an object to provide an information processing apparatus and a memory management method, which realize highly reliable writing and reading of data into/from a serial flash memory, and reduce the execution time of a CPU by booting at power-on. An information processing apparatus is composed of a memory management unit for storing files, and an information processing unit for performing processing on the basis of a program file supplied from the memory management unit, and the memory management unit is composed of a file flash for storing files, a file management unit for managing the files stored in the file flash, a work memory as a work area of the information processing unit, a flash I/F 12 for making access from the file management unit to the file flash, and a boot flash for storing a boot program.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An information processing apparatus having a memory management unit for managing files, and a processing unit for executing processing of a program on the basis of a program file supplied from the memory management unit, wherein
said memory management unit comprises: -
a main storage means for storing the program file and various kinds of files, first management information describing information of all of the stored files, and second management information for backing up the first management information; a boot program storage means for storing a boot program to be used at boot-up; an auxiliary storage means for storing a supplied file; a file management means for making access to the main storage means, the boot program storage means, and the auxiliary storage means; and said file management means transferring, at boot-up, the first management information and the second management information to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the boot program that is read from the boot program storage means, and transferring the file stored in the main storage means to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the transferred first management information; and said processing unit reads the program file transferred to the auxiliary storage means, and executing the processing of the program thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An information processing apparatus having a memory management unit for managing files, and a processing unit for executing processing of a program on the basis of a program file supplied from the memory management unit, wherein
said memory management unit comprises: -
a main storage means for holding a first program file and various kinds of files, first management information describing information of all of the stored files, and second management information for backing up the first management information; a communication means for obtaining a second program file from the outside of the apparatus; an auxiliary storage means for storing a supplied file; a boot program storage means for storing a boot program to be used at boot-up; a file management means for making access to the main storage means and the auxiliary storage means; a setting means for setting processing at boot-up; a first transfer means for transferring the first management information and the second management information to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the boot program that is read from the boot program storage means, and transferring the first program file stored in the main storage means to the auxiliary storage means; and a second transfer means for transferring the first management information and the second management information to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the boot program that is read from the boot program storage means, and transferring the second program file obtained through the communication means to the auxiliary storage means; and said memory management unit selects, at boot-up, either the first transfer means or the second transfer means on the basis of the setting by the setting means to perform transfer of the program file to the auxiliary storage means; and said processing unit reads the program file transferred to the auxiliary storage means, and executing the processing of the program thereof. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A memory management apparatus comprising:
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a main storage means for storing files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described and second management information which is a backup of the first management information; a management information generation means for generating new management information for performing erasing and writing from/into the main storage means; a first management information updating means for updating the contents of the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a storage processing means for performing erasing and writing from/into the main storage means on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating means for updating the contents of the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a processing state indication area indicating a processing state, and wherein said processing state indication area comprises; an end-of-writing indication area indicating that writing into a predetermined area has ended, an operating state indication area indicating various kinds of states that occur during erasing or writing from/into a predetermined area, and a disablement indication area indicating that a predetermined area cannot be used. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A memory management method for perform erasing and writing from/into a main storage means which has plural blocks containing data, and stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a block into which new data is to be written and information of a block from which old data is to be erased; a block writing step of writing the new data on the basis of the new management information; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; and a block erasing step of erasing the old data on the basis of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a data storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data and stores files, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the block writing step, or the file updating step, or the file writing step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; a rewriting step of rewriting the contents to be written in the disable block, into an alternative block that is available in the data storage area; and a correction management information updating step of updating the first management information and the second management information which are stored in the main storage means, by the contents of correction management information including information of the disable block and the alternative block.
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25. A memory management method for managing erasing of files from a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a file to be erased; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file erasing step of erasing the file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage mean comprises plural blocks containing data, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the file erasing step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area of the disable block; and a correction management information updating step of updating the first management information and the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of correction management information including information of the disable block.
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26. A memory management method for performing erasing and writing from/into a main storage means which has plural blocks containing data, and stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a block into which new data is to be written, and information of a block from which old data is to be erased; a block writing step of writing the new data on the basis of the new management information; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; and a block erasing step of erasing the old data on the basis of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a management information storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data, and stores first management information and second management information, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the first management information updating step or the second management information updating step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; and a management information rewriting step of rewriting the new management information into an alternative block that is available in the management information storage area.
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27. An information processing method employing an information processing apparatus which includes a memory management unit for managing files, and a processing unit for executing processing of a program on the basis of a program file supplied from the memory management unit, wherein
said memory management unit comprises: -
a main storage means for storing the program file and various kinds of files, first management information describing information of all of the stored files, and second management information for backing up the first management information; a boot program storage means for storing a boot program to be used at boot-up; an auxiliary storage means for storing files supplied thereto; and a file management means for making access to the main storage means, the boot program storage means, and the auxiliary storage means; and said information processing unit transfers, at boot-up, the first management information and the second management information to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the boot program that is read from the boot program storage means by the file management means, transfers the file stored in the main storage means to the auxiliary storage means on the basis of the transferred first management information, and reads the program file transferred to the auxiliary storage means by the processing unit, and executes the processing of the program thereof.
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28. A memory management method for managing erasing and writing of files from/into a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a new file to be added and information of an old file to be erased; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file updating step of writing the new file on the basis of the new management information, and erasing the old file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a data storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data and stores files, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the block writing step, or the file updating step, or the file writing step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; a rewriting step of rewriting the contents to be written in the disable block, into an alternative block that is available in the data storage area; and a correction management information updating step of updating the first management information and the second management information which are stored in the main storage means, by the contents of correction management information including information of the disable block and the alternative block.
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29. A memory management method for managing writing of files into a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a new file to be added; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file writing step of writing the file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a data storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data and stores files, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the block writing step, or the file updating step, or the file writing step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; a rewriting step of rewriting the contents to be written in the disable block, into an alternative block that is available in the data storage area; and a correction management information updating step of updating the first management information and the second management information which are stored in the main storage means, by the contents of correction management information including information of the disable block and the alternative block.
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30. A memory management method for managing erasing and writing of files from/into a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is describe and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a new file to be added and information of an old file to be erased; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file updating step of writing the new file on the basis of the new management information, and erasing the old file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a management information storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data, and stores first management information and second management information, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the first management information updating step or the second management information updating step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; and a management information rewriting step of rewriting the new management information into an alternative block that is available in the management information storage area.
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31. A memory management method for managing writing of files into a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a new file to be added; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file writing step of writing the file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a management information storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data, and stores first management information and second management information, said method filter comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the first management information updating step or the second management information updating step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; and a management information rewriting step of rewriting the new management information into an alternative block that is available in the management information storage area.
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32. A memory management method for managing erasing of files from a main storage means which stores files, first management information in which information of all of the stored files is described, and second management information which is a backup of the first management information, said method comprising:
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a management information generation step of generating new management information including information of a file to be erased; a first management information updating step of updating the first management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information; a file erasing step of erasing the file on the basis of the new management information; and a second management information updating step of updating the second management information stored in the main storage means by the contents of the new management information, wherein said main storage means has a management information storage area which comprises plural blocks containing data, and stores first management information and second management information, said method further comprising; a disablement indication step of, when a block becomes disable in the first management information updating step or the second management information updating step, overwriting a disablement indication indicating that the block is a disable block, into a predetermined area in the disable block; and a management information rewriting step of rewriting the new management information into an alternative block that is available in the management information storage area.
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Specification