Managing method for download module

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention downloads a program from a center connected to a line to a slave station in a remote location, such as downloading a program from a center to a base station through a line like a mobile phone system, and executes the program without stopping the service. Regarding how to do it.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

In a mobile phone system base station or the like, a program exists for each functional block (hardware), and each program exists in a non-volatile memory that can be read and written independently as a file. These programs are loaded into RAM and executed when they are started. In addition, taking advantage of being connected to the network, when each program is changed, the corresponding program is downloaded from the center through the network and stored in a readable / writable non-volatile memory.

【0003】

When executing these new programs, the service is temporarily interrupted by resetting or the like, the new program is reloaded from the non-volatile memory into RAM, and the old program is replaced. After that, the new program will be restarted from the beginning and the service will be restarted.

【0004】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

When the new program was executed, it was loaded into RAM in units of functional blocks, so each functional block had to be re-arbitrated and the system had to be reset. At that time, the service will naturally be suspended, which may interfere with the service.

【0005】

Further, since the new program is downloaded through the line in units of functional blocks, if the functional block is large, communication cost and communication time will be required in proportion to the size of the functional block.

【0006】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the downlink module management method of the present invention in which a subroutine program is updated and executed by downloading is a center station connected to a line and having a storage means for program management, and the line. A slave station having a non-volatile memory for downloading a program and a RAM for executing a program is provided, and the center station stores a program to be downloaded in advance for each subroutine (module) together with its caller address information as a storage means. The procedure for storing, the procedure for downloading the stored contents of the storage means to the rewritable non-volatile memory of the slave station only for the new subroutine (new module) that has been changed in the program, and subsequently the slave station A procedure for loading a new subroutine (new module) from the non-volatile memory into an area other than the program storage area being executed in RAM, and a new subroutine (new module) loaded at a predetermined timing during program execution of the RAM. The procedure consists of overwriting the RAM address based on the caller address information downloaded to the non-volatile memory.

【0007】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, in which a center 1, a base station 2, and a center 1 and a base station 2 are connected to centrally manage a program in operation, a program to be updated, and the like. Line 3 for the program, read / write non-volatile memory (FLASH) 4 for storing the program downloaded at the base station 2, RAM 5 at which the program is loaded when the program is executed at the base station 2, and RAM 5 at which the program is loaded. It consists of CPU6 that executes the program.

【0008】

Of the following explanations, ~ can be executed without stopping the service. FIG. 2 shows a conceptual diagram of the memory map of RAM5, and shows images before and after program switching.

【0009】

The center 1 subroutines the program appropriately, and manages the program for each subroutine together with the call source address information of the main program of each subroutine and the call destination address information stored in the address. Downloads from center 1 to base station 2 are done through line 3. At that time, the part to be downloaded is stored only in the changed subroutine, and this subroutine is stored as a file in the readable and writable non-volatile memory 4.

【0010】

After downloading, when executing the file created in, that is, the new subroutine, CPU6 loads the program in the area other than the running program on RAM5.

【0011】

The CPU 6 acquires the call source address information of the loaded new subroutine from the non-volatile memory 4, and separately acquires the start address (call destination address) information of the new subroutine loaded in the RAM 5.

【0012】

At a predetermined timing, the CPU6 overwrites the caller address of RAM5 with the start address of the new subtletin based on the address information of. As a result, the subroutine called from the main program is quickly overwritten by the start address of the new subroutine in the caller address of the main program part shown in FIG. The call destination is switched to the new sub-chin. Therefore, the subroutine program to be downloaded can be updated and executed without stopping the execution of the program.

【0013】

In this way, the program is managed in the center 1 such as the base station 2 of the simple mobile phone system, the program is downloaded and stored in the rewritable non-volatile memory 4 when the program is updated, and the non-volatile memory that can be rewritten when the program is executed. In a system that expands from 4 to RAM 5 and executes the updated program, by managing the program updated by Center 1 for each relatively small subroutine, the communication volume at the time of download can be minimized, and the subroutine can be further executed. By managing the address information of the call, it is possible to change the subroutine, that is, change the service program without stopping the service.

【0014】

As described above, program management is premised on a system that updates programs remotely via a line, so program management must be performed at the center.

【0015】

Regarding variable management, variables that are commonly used in the old subroutine and the new subroutine must be managed so that the same address is used. When using a new variable that is not used in the old subroutine, information such as the initial value must be obtained separately.

【0016】

[Effect of the invention]

1. In the conventional technology, downloading is performed for each functional block, so if the functional block is large, the communication cost is proportional to the size. However, since the present invention manages the download program for each small subroutine, the communication cost is smaller than that of the conventional one.

【0017】

2. In the conventional technology, after downloading, a reset was required when starting the downloaded program, so it was necessary to suspend the service. However, since the present invention is premised on the operation of instantaneously rewriting the contents of the caller address of the subroutine to the start address of the downloaded new subroutine, there is no need to reset and stop the service due to program change. It was.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

The block diagram explaining one Embodiment of this invention.

[Figure 2]

The memory map conceptual diagram explaining one Embodiment of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Center 2: Base station 3: Line 4: Rewritable non-volatile memory 5: RAM 6: CPU